Lex DeVille's 2019-22 Step-By-Step Upwork Tutorial for Brokeass Bootstrap Beginners Who Need Cash Now!

Funky Monkey · Jan 20, 2022

Lex DeVille said:
View attachment 23978

Upwork is one of the fastest ways to get your feet wet with online business. You probably won't get rich on Upwork (though it's not impossible), and that isn't the purpose of this guide. This multi-post guide is an Upwork Tutorial for those who:

Need to get moving on something...ANYTHING

Need a way to bootstrap cash...FOR FREE

It doesn't matter where you're from or what your situation is. If you have semi-stable internet and a computer to work from, then you can make money on Upwork at no cost to you but your time.

In the posts that follow I will share a series of Upwork Tutorials to get you started even if you don't know what the f*ck you're doing, and even if you don't have any skills or experience right now. This step-by-step guide will give you a clear path from $0 to your first $1,000 or more on Upwork.

If you follow my posts and do as I say, you will make money...

Possibly this week.

However, you should know that your success here requires a difficult mindset shift. You will have to change how you do things. Employees do NOT make good freelancers. So here are some things you should know right now:

You can take your 20 year work history and light it on fire

Tuck your college degrees away on some shelf

Tear that entitled victim attitude to shreds because...

Freelance clients don't give a shit about your education and experience unless it backs up your ability to get the job done. Also, nobody owes you anything. In the freelance world, you rise to your own level based on how much you help people, and on how clearly you demonstrate that you can help people.

Also... I'm developing a corresponding tutorial for my YouTube channel, and as such will be posting videos related to each post topic. You can watch them or not. You do not have to watch them to get the information because I will also post it in text here.

Consider this DAY ZERO.

Each day I will walk you through one piece of the Upwork puzzle. Step-by-step I will guide you to get approved on Upwork, get started, and make money. At the end of each post you will find a homework assignment.

Do the homework each day.

I would encourage you to share your progress and results either here, on my channel, or both since it will encourage engagement that will send traffic to the Fastlane Forum (each video links to the forum), and to my channel which is valuable for M.J. and for myself and also promotes future comprehensive tutorials such as this one, which is valuable for you.

SET OFF AT SUNRISE TO GET THERE BY DARK

There's only one way this thread won't become another action-faking, analysis paralysis knowledge feast for you. To make anything useful happen, you will have to take MASSIVE action and get started. You will have to stop telling yourself every silly excuse. Stop being afraid. Don't let phantoms of fantasy futures destroy your dreams.

Action is the only way.

So start today. Right now. Make a commitment. Commit to do this. Commit to act and to get started. You will start this today. You will take your first step now. And that first step is to determine WHY you are doing this. What do you want to come of this? To do that, your first homework is physically to answer all of the following questions:

Why are you doing this?

Describe your endgame in specific detail...

How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?

Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?

It's important to know WHY you are doing this. You can't be vague about it. "I want to be a highly paid freelancer who creates value" is not a good response for your "why."

You are doing this because you need to pay bills or debt. Because you want to quit your shitty job. Because you need money for your ecommerce business. Because you want to travel and earn money from anywhere. Because you want to support your family. Because you want to earn full-time pay with part-time work from home.

You are trying to escape something (bad job, bad boss, debt, poverty, feeling like a loser). You desire some kind of change (travel, money, freedom, skills, to get started). You are selfish and you want things in life and THAT IS OKAY.

But you need to define those things. The things you want. The things you don't want. Because it is those things that will help remind you why you set off down this path in the first place, especially when there's nothing but miles and miles of bumpy road ahead.

That is your homework today.

Do the homework. Post your response. In the next post I will teach you how to give yourself the best possible chance to get approved on Upwork. As of 2019, getting approved on Upwork is probably the single biggest barrier to entry for new freelancers.

Lucky for you, you're not a freelancer. You're an entrepreneur, and you have me as your guide. So follow this Upwork Tutorial and commit to continue even when the long road makes you weary. If you do, you may discover the distance between sunrise and sunset isn't so far apart as it seems.

By the way...

This is the only mindset post.

Get your mind right now. In the days that follow, we've got work to do.

Why are you doing this?
I wanted to start my journey Fastlane for as little capital (for now) as possible but on a more deeper level as to why I am going fastlane is so that I have freedom to do the things in life I want and so that when I come close to my deathbed I don't have any regrets on the paths I didn't take.
Describe your endgame in specific detail...
Not sure if I'm interpreting this correctly but my endgame for this project would be to have something to show my parents that entrepreneurship holds promise and is worth the risk and sacrifice.
How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?
10,000 USD within 6 months
Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?
My future self who would quite possibly go homeless if I don't do anything today, my parents and my cousin (my closest friend)

Yula · Jan 24, 2022

Thank you for this thread!

Donager69 · Jan 28, 2022

Lex DeVille said:

Lex DeVille said:
So start today. Right now. Make a commitment. Commit to do this. Commit to act and to get started. You will start this today. You will take your first step now. And that first step is to determine WHY you are doing this. What do you want to come of this? To do that, your first homework is physically to answer all of the following questions:

Why are you doing this?

Describe your endgame in specific detail...

How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?

Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?

It's important to know WHY you are doing this. You can't be vague about it. "I want to be a highly paid freelancer who creates value" is not a good response for your "why."

You are doing this because you need to pay bills or debt. Because you want to quit your shitty job. Because you need money for your ecommerce business. Because you want to travel and earn money from anywhere. Because you want to support your family. Because you want to earn full-time pay with part-time work from home.

You are trying to escape something (bad job, bad boss, debt, poverty, feeling like a loser). You desire some kind of change (travel, money, freedom, skills, to get started). You are selfish and you want things in life and THAT IS OKAY.

But you need to define those things. The things you want. The things you don't want. Because it is those things that will help remind you why you set off down this path in the first place, especially when there's nothing but miles and miles of bumpy road ahead.

I AM STARTING TODAY!

Why I am doing this?
Working with my hands has been fulfilling to some degree, but I need mental stimulation from my work. I enjoy helping others and sharing knowledge whenever I can. I want to help others and get paid for it. I enjoy encouraging people to change their lives and start a business. Build system in order to help encourage others to begin a new journey in entrepreneurship.

Describe endgame...
To shut down current Handyman /Locksmith business and pay bills with online opportunities. Looking to attain financial freedom and travel around the world, while still maintaining a system that allows me to help others in the process. Build a portfolio of commercial properties that help entrepreneurs and business owners attain their dreams. Generate enough income that allows for angel investing. Begin with online income to build seed money for painter tool patent and prototype. Use money from above systems to fund a new larger system to help entrepreneurs.

How much money do I need...
For starters, 4000/mo to pay bills and living expenses in order to shut down physical labor business. Need 30-50,000 for patent and prototypes of tool for home owners and painters to use. Potential sales to local and large scale companies.
Need to do more research and gain more knowledge before I can calculate what is necessary for large scale entrepreneur system.

If I fail or don't succeed...
Failure is nothing but a lesson to learn. Failure just means I need to start over or modify what I have been doing until I receive a result I can accept. Failure to me is just a reason to analyze, modify and re-apply new strategies.

DAY 0

Mister · Feb 5, 2022

Hey @Lex DeVille I just want to thanks you for this tutorial.

I read it last year in around the Q4.
I had to goal to become a freelancer after I got a better degree (so I can earn better money lol). I decided when I make it I will do it full time and don’t search for a local 9-5 job.

After a few failed attempts on upwork I came across this treath but still I wouldn’t get any clients.

The problem was that I wanted gigs in a nisch that I’m not expired. So I decide what can I do with my current skills ?

I can translate from English to German so I followed again it guide and got my first gig after just a day. It felt just create. After I finished that one I was on the hunt again, I found a low entry gig that I had experienced in and decided to go for it. I got the gig again and worked like a normal 9-5 for the client but I reach my goal with becoming a freelancer so I was happy and earned around 2000$ a month (I never earn so much in my life).

Fast forward a few month, I work there now as a employee and got the month my first payment it was 2745€ so damn nothing to bad.

But I still have the urgency to earn more money, and with my current hustle I can’t reach that goal (100k a year). So I will go again the freelancer path to reach new heights.

So thanks man for this masterpiece of guidance !!!

A tip for all non English speaking people on Upwork: Search for clients that speak your own language. You will have a better chance to get these clients.

basedzoomer · Feb 8, 2022

Lex DeVille said:
Day 1: How to Get Approved on Upwork 2019

The best way to get approved on Upwork is to make it happen on your first try. That isn't to say all hope is lost if you don't get it on your first try. Only that your first try is the best chance you've got. After that your chances drop.

Today's guide is based on it being your first try. The idea is to give you the best possible chance to get approved. Do NOT try to get approved before reading this post or watching the video.

To get approved on Upwork you have to give them what they want.

Here's all the stuff NOT to do:

Do NOT list more than one skill in your title

Do NOT pick unrelated skill tags

Do NOT use a YOU Focused bio

Do NOT leave your education and work history blank

Do NOT leave any area blank

Do NOT price yourself outside of Upwork's suggested ranges

Do NOT submit your profile before you spell check it

Those are the main things that I've seen get people rejected.

Now let's talk about what you SHOULD do.

Add a clear, smiling, front-facing head shot image

Pick ONE skill and build your profile around that skill

Pick a NICHE of that skill to show you're a professional

Write your bio to support your abilities with that skill

Write your education to support your abilities with that skill

Write your employment history to support your abilities with that skill

Basically you want to build your entire profile around a single niche skill. It doesn't matter what industry it is in. It could be copywriting, web design, article writing, customer service, whatever.

Your title should reflect that one skill.

Bad Title: Copywriting, blog writer, ebook writer, social media expert
Good Title: Conversion Copywriter

Your overview should back up your ability to do that skill.

Bad Bio:

Hi there! You need a conversion copywriter who can help you get results. You need someone with fast turnaround and quik response. You want to get better goals and get to the next level and that's what I can help you do.

Good Bio:

Hi there!

I'm a conversion copywriter with a B.A. in Psychology and four years experience. I've worked with companies like Eggland's Best, and Circuit City. As a copywriter I've helped clients grow their profits from the thousands into the millions.

I've trained as a copywriter in several courses and online workshops, and I work with clients who need direct-response copywriting that gets results. My goal is to help clients improve conversions by working closely together with them and creating value.

If any of that is what you need, message me!

Kind Regards,
Lex DeVille

OVERVIEW TEMPLATE:

Hi there!

I’m a [what are you] with a [degree or diploma] and [years of experience]. I’ve worked with [who can you name?]. As a [skill you do] I’ve helped [who you have helped] [how you have helped them].

I have [special training you have] and I work with [who you help]. My goal is to help [describe how you will help clients on Upwork].

If any of that is what you need, contact me!

Kind Regards,
[Your Name]

---

Your bio should be ME Focused. DO talk about your skills and education. Do talk about past clients you've worked with and how you've helped. You want to show Upwork that you are a credible freelancer who can get the job done right.

Be sure to spell check your overview. Check it for grammar as well. Spelling mistakes are a quick way to get rejected.

Don't talk about what you want. Don't use a YOU Focused overview either because that isn't what Upwork wants from you. They want you to look like a traditional employee and a hard worker.

---

Education and Work History

Add something to each of these sections, even if it's a high school diploma or even a GED. Add something to your work history even if you worked at McDonalds. First write it in the title, then give yourself a relevant title.

For education, write a description that supports your ability to do the skill you choose. For example:

B.A. Psychology
As a student of Psychology I have learned to craft conversion-optimized copy infused with psychological techniques and tactics. This helps me move people to action and get them to make decisions fast which helps my clients earn money and get results.

McDonalds Customer Communications Specialist
Working at McDonalds taught me the power of clarity in human communications. Over the last four years I've used what I learned while working at McDonalds to transition into the field of conversion copywriting where I applied the same techniques used to sell McGriddles and Apple Turnovers to get my clients results.

---

Rates
The next part is your rates. Set your rates within the guidelines provided by Upwork. They will tell you the range you should be within. For instance, the rates for an Intermediate level freelancer are suggested as between:

$28.00 and $65.50

So pick something within that range. Something like $35.50.

---

Skill Tags
Be sure all of your skill tags support your skill. If I listed "Conversion Copywriter" then I would want to pick 3-5 skill tags such as:

Bad: Copywriter, SEO, Social Media, Customer Service
Good: Copywriter, Conversion Copywriter, Sales Copywriter, Creative Copywriter

---

Other Notes:

Your main goal is to create a WHOLE PERSON concept for Upwork. When Upwork's algorithms or employees see your profile, it should scream I AM A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL IN THIS SPECIFIC SKILL!

Upwork isn't looking for Jacks-of-all-trades.

They want people who will get in, get work, get 'er done, and get paid. Because people who can't get work and don't get paid are just freeloaders taking up space on their platform. Remember, Upwork needs you to make money so they make money.

So your job is to show them that you are the kind of person who can do one specific skill, and to prove you can do that skill well.

Beyond that, just be honest. Don't try to lie or fake your account. Don't use fake information. Upwork may ask you to verify your identity or other info later on.

If you do shady things, you will likely get rejected. So just be honest, do your best to give them what they want, and if you have questions, reach out.

If you get rejected...

Don't immediately try again. Wait a few days. Give it some time. You don't want to appear to be a spammer. So give it one or two days, and then try again with a new profile, a new skill, a new overview etc.

HOMEWORK
Your homework today is to create your Upwork account following the guidance in this post. Create your account and submit it for approval. Then report back and let us know how it went or if you have any trouble. Do this now!

I followed your steps & got instapproved on upwork.

PPrince · Feb 8, 2022

Lex DeVille said:
View attachment 23978

Upwork is one of the fastest ways to get your feet wet with online business. You probably won't get rich on Upwork (though it's not impossible), and that isn't the purpose of this guide. This multi-post guide is an Upwork Tutorial for those who:

Need to get moving on something...ANYTHING

Need a way to bootstrap cash...FOR FREE

It doesn't matter where you're from or what your situation is. If you have semi-stable internet and a computer to work from, then you can make money on Upwork at no cost to you but your time.

In the posts that follow I will share a series of Upwork Tutorials to get you started even if you don't know what the f*ck you're doing, and even if you don't have any skills or experience right now. This step-by-step guide will give you a clear path from $0 to your first $1,000 or more on Upwork.

If you follow my posts and do as I say, you will make money...

Possibly this week.

However, you should know that your success here requires a difficult mindset shift. You will have to change how you do things. Employees do NOT make good freelancers. So here are some things you should know right now:

You can take your 20 year work history and light it on fire

Tuck your college degrees away on some shelf

Tear that entitled victim attitude to shreds because...

Freelance clients don't give a shit about your education and experience unless it backs up your ability to get the job done. Also, nobody owes you anything. In the freelance world, you rise to your own level based on how much you help people, and on how clearly you demonstrate that you can help people.

Also... I'm developing a corresponding tutorial for my YouTube channel, and as such will be posting videos related to each post topic. You can watch them or not. You do not have to watch them to get the information because I will also post it in text here.

Consider this DAY ZERO.

Each day I will walk you through one piece of the Upwork puzzle. Step-by-step I will guide you to get approved on Upwork, get started, and make money. At the end of each post you will find a homework assignment.

Do the homework each day.

I would encourage you to share your progress and results either here, on my channel, or both since it will encourage engagement that will send traffic to the Fastlane Forum (each video links to the forum), and to my channel which is valuable for M.J. and for myself and also promotes future comprehensive tutorials such as this one, which is valuable for you.

SET OFF AT SUNRISE TO GET THERE BY DARK

There's only one way this thread won't become another action-faking, analysis paralysis knowledge feast for you. To make anything useful happen, you will have to take MASSIVE action and get started. You will have to stop telling yourself every silly excuse. Stop being afraid. Don't let phantoms of fantasy futures destroy your dreams.

Action is the only way.

So start today. Right now. Make a commitment. Commit to do this. Commit to act and to get started. You will start this today. You will take your first step now. And that first step is to determine WHY you are doing this. What do you want to come of this? To do that, your first homework is physically to answer all of the following questions:

Why are you doing this?

Describe your endgame in specific detail...

How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?

Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?

It's important to know WHY you are doing this. You can't be vague about it. "I want to be a highly paid freelancer who creates value" is not a good response for your "why."

You are doing this because you need to pay bills or debt. Because you want to quit your shitty job. Because you need money for your ecommerce business. Because you want to travel and earn money from anywhere. Because you want to support your family. Because you want to earn full-time pay with part-time work from home.

You are trying to escape something (bad job, bad boss, debt, poverty, feeling like a loser). You desire some kind of change (travel, money, freedom, skills, to get started). You are selfish and you want things in life and THAT IS OKAY.

But you need to define those things. The things you want. The things you don't want. Because it is those things that will help remind you why you set off down this path in the first place, especially when there's nothing but miles and miles of bumpy road ahead.

That is your homework today.

Do the homework. Post your response. In the next post I will teach you how to give yourself the best possible chance to get approved on Upwork. As of 2019, getting approved on Upwork is probably the single biggest barrier to entry for new freelancers.

Lucky for you, you're not a freelancer. You're an entrepreneur, and you have me as your guide. So follow this Upwork Tutorial and commit to continue even when the long road makes you weary. If you do, you may discover the distance between sunrise and sunset isn't so far apart as it seems.

By the way...

This is the only mindset post.

Get your mind right now. In the days that follow, we've got work to do.

1. Why are you doing this?
I am going to be specific... I want to retire my stubborn credit card debt. In addition, I need to retire my 19 year old Ford Escape. I am planning to get a new Nissan Rogue in its place. I want to expand my income avenue options as well, because I am tired of feeling like a coal mine mule, toiling in a dying sector of the economy. Moreover, I am weary of working in places where my labor--and presence--is tolerated, and not appreciated (because I don't play the office political games). I want to live in my own residence. And finally, I want more control over my food and diet.

I am engaging this freelance agent program as a stepping stone towards the manifestation of one of the trifectas of true happiness--money to buy the freedom to use my time as I desire.

2. Describe your endgame in specific detail...
As described above, I want the absolute freedom to use my precious personal time as I please, without worrying about cash-flow. In addition, I want to actually chose to put distance between myself and toxic people (coworkers, family), and connect with better associates. Finally, I want to work anywhere in the world, even as I pursue my personal interests i.e. coffees from around the globe, novel writing, becoming an expert on the pop musical hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s.

3. How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?
I tabulated my Business System Income Target and Money System Target after reading the book. However, the minimum monthly amount target at this time would be USD10,000/month.

4. Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?
My future self, for sure.

fatgoatman · Feb 16, 2022

Lex DeVille said:
View attachment 23978

Upwork is one of the fastest ways to get your feet wet with online business. You probably won't get rich on Upwork (though it's not impossible), and that isn't the purpose of this guide. This multi-post guide is an Upwork Tutorial for those who:

Need to get moving on something...ANYTHING

Need a way to bootstrap cash...FOR FREE

It doesn't matter where you're from or what your situation is. If you have semi-stable internet and a computer to work from, then you can make money on Upwork at no cost to you but your time.

In the posts that follow I will share a series of Upwork Tutorials to get you started even if you don't know what the f*ck you're doing, and even if you don't have any skills or experience right now. This step-by-step guide will give you a clear path from $0 to your first $1,000 or more on Upwork.

If you follow my posts and do as I say, you will make money...

Possibly this week.

However, you should know that your success here requires a difficult mindset shift. You will have to change how you do things. Employees do NOT make good freelancers. So here are some things you should know right now:

You can take your 20 year work history and light it on fire

Tuck your college degrees away on some shelf

Tear that entitled victim attitude to shreds because...

Freelance clients don't give a shit about your education and experience unless it backs up your ability to get the job done. Also, nobody owes you anything. In the freelance world, you rise to your own level based on how much you help people, and on how clearly you demonstrate that you can help people.

Also... I'm developing a corresponding tutorial for my YouTube channel, and as such will be posting videos related to each post topic. You can watch them or not. You do not have to watch them to get the information because I will also post it in text here.

Consider this DAY ZERO.

Each day I will walk you through one piece of the Upwork puzzle. Step-by-step I will guide you to get approved on Upwork, get started, and make money. At the end of each post you will find a homework assignment.

Do the homework each day.

I would encourage you to share your progress and results either here, on my channel, or both since it will encourage engagement that will send traffic to the Fastlane Forum (each video links to the forum), and to my channel which is valuable for M.J. and for myself and also promotes future comprehensive tutorials such as this one, which is valuable for you.

SET OFF AT SUNRISE TO GET THERE BY DARK

There's only one way this thread won't become another action-faking, analysis paralysis knowledge feast for you. To make anything useful happen, you will have to take MASSIVE action and get started. You will have to stop telling yourself every silly excuse. Stop being afraid. Don't let phantoms of fantasy futures destroy your dreams.

Action is the only way.

So start today. Right now. Make a commitment. Commit to do this. Commit to act and to get started. You will start this today. You will take your first step now. And that first step is to determine WHY you are doing this. What do you want to come of this? To do that, your first homework is physically to answer all of the following questions:

Why are you doing this?

Describe your endgame in specific detail...

How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?

Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?

It's important to know WHY you are doing this. You can't be vague about it. "I want to be a highly paid freelancer who creates value" is not a good response for your "why."

You are doing this because you need to pay bills or debt. Because you want to quit your shitty job. Because you need money for your ecommerce business. Because you want to travel and earn money from anywhere. Because you want to support your family. Because you want to earn full-time pay with part-time work from home.

You are trying to escape something (bad job, bad boss, debt, poverty, feeling like a loser). You desire some kind of change (travel, money, freedom, skills, to get started). You are selfish and you want things in life and THAT IS OKAY.

But you need to define those things. The things you want. The things you don't want. Because it is those things that will help remind you why you set off down this path in the first place, especially when there's nothing but miles and miles of bumpy road ahead.

That is your homework today.

Do the homework. Post your response. In the next post I will teach you how to give yourself the best possible chance to get approved on Upwork. As of 2019, getting approved on Upwork is probably the single biggest barrier to entry for new freelancers.

Lucky for you, you're not a freelancer. You're an entrepreneur, and you have me as your guide. So follow this Upwork Tutorial and commit to continue even when the long road makes you weary. If you do, you may discover the distance between sunrise and sunset isn't so far apart as it seems.

By the way...

This is the only mindset post.

Get your mind right now. In the days that follow, we've got work to do.

why am I doing this? the answer is not because am looking for money it's because I want to achieve something for once in my life,

everywhere I look I see that people are achieving things in life being productive all day whether it`s making good friendships with others or making money.

am tired of being this loser who does nothing but wake up play video games and go to sleep I want to be able to say ( I achieved something once in my life ) so that I can go to bed finally feeling a little productive.

2

3 if I can reach over 50 dollars I will be satisfied

4, if this doesn`t work out, am gonna fail some dude that I can't really say who he is that keeps motivating me into doing this and I really don`t want to fail him.

tenacity · Feb 16, 2022

Lex DeVille said:
Upwork Tutorial Day 6 - How to Sell Yourself in Upwork Interviews and Calls

We've pretty much covered everything you need to know to land interviews and get gigs. But there's one last core area to cover before you make Upwork worth your time. That area is the interview.

For obvious reasons, most people get stuck on getting responses from their cover letters. They never make it to the interview, so they're not prepared for that part at all. Unfortunately, getting the interview doesn't mean you get the job. You probably aren't the only person who got interviewed, and you still have to prove yourself.

That's what today is about...

Two Kinds of Interviews
The first thing you need to know about interviews on Upwork is there are 2 kinds. The kind where you talk through text chat and the kind where you get on a live call.

Text Chat Interviews
Most freelancers opt for text-only interviews. You get a response from a client and you talk to them through Upwork's chat system or maybe through Skype chat, but not on a live call. There's nothing wrong with interviewing this way if you are okay with making small sales.

Text chat is not conducive to high-ticket sales. You will not make $3,000, $5,000 or $10,000+ sales through text chat unless your client is a complete fool, or you are a master persuader, and even then it's a challenge.

Assuming you really are a master persuader, then you would have no reason to interview through text chat because getting on a live call would be nothing to you. So if you're doing text chat interviews, we must operate on the assumption that you are NOT a master persuader, but an amateur at best.

I'm telling you this because not only do I know it, and you know it, clients know it too. And they're smart enough to know that you don't hand over thousands of dollars to amateur freelancers who are too scared to get on a live call because you either aren't confident enough in your skills or you aren't confident enough in your communication abilities. Both are a recipe for disaster.

So if you only do text-chat, you can expect to earn $1,000 or less per client, unless you bill hourly rates and it builds up over time. Now, if your goal is only to pick up some extra side cash, then maybe that's enough. But if you want to turn this into something more legitimate that can build serious cash to get you off the ground, then you need to take live calls...

Live Call Interviews
Live calls can either be phone, Upwork video, Skype, Zoom, or any other platform that offers voice to voice or face to face interaction. With a live call you will meet the client directly, and you'll both have a chance to get to know each other.

Live calls usually lead to much higher priced sales because of what you discover on the call, and also what clients are willing to pay for once you've proven you're an expert. The cool thing is, you don't even have to be an expert to make high-priced sales, and you also don't have to use any swoopy high-pressure tactics to get people to buy.

By nature of being willing to get on a phone call, you INSTANTLY set yourself apart as someone who has a high probability of being an expert. Just like clients know you're not an expert if you won't get on a call, they also EXPECT that you are an expert if you will get on calls.

So you go into the interview with an expectation that you are an expert. For that reason alone you will often win the gig just by getting on a call. If you are willing to offer a high price on that call, then you will also often make a lot more money than if you hold yourself back because you're afraid the other person can't pay or that your price is too high.

Okay, But how do I actually win the gig and prove I'm an expert?
Whether you do text chat or live calls the interview process is largely the same. Before we get into it, we need to reframe the situation...

You are not an employee or a regular job seeker. You applied to this gig as a problem solver, someone who can help this client get something done. Problem solvers are people we turn to when we need help with something. Problem solvers also tend to be in-demand by nature of their abilities. You are a problem solver, and therefore...

The client does not interview you.
You interview them.

So you can reframe this situation. It isn't an opportunity for the client to decide if they want to work with you. It's an opportunity for YOU to decide if it's worth your time for you to work with them.

When you think about it like this, then it's easy to adjust your approach from a passive, reaction-based response system, to an active, interviewer's role. You interviewing them. But how do you do this?

You can simplify it into a single powerful concept:

Just ask questions.

When you are the one asking questions it means others are NOT asking questions. Therefore, you are in control of the interview. You are the interviewer. You are judging them.

What questions?

Questions about their business.

Imagine you're an employee and it's your first day on the job? Do you jump in and get to work instantly? No. There is a week or so of ease-in period. It's a time when you're new, and you have to learn the ropes. So what do you spend your time doing? Asking questions.

You ask about the job. The software they use. How to handle various situations. Sure, you might relate the current situation back to past situations or past processes you applied at other jobs, but ultimately you will spend time asking questions about the current position. You do this because you have to learn how things work with this employer.

It's exactly the same when you interview with a client. You are going to ask the same sort of questions...

What is your current approach?

What isn't working now?

What else do you need help with?

What problems are you trying to solve?

What software systems do you use?

Who do you currently work with?

How do you handle X situation?

What is your goal?

What do you want from me as a freelancer?

What hasn't worked for you in the past...

These questions are things that you will naturally need answered whether it's on a call, in text chat, or after you start working. At some point you need to know about their business to deliver what they want, so you might as well ask in the interview phase and look like an expert rather than waiting until things go wrong and saying, "oh, I probably should've asked about that."

What if the client asks me questions?
Answer their question briefly, and then ask another question to take back control of the call. There's nothing wrong with answering their questions, but if you give them the opportunity, they will keep asking and they will regain control.

If you respond then ask you will keep control.

How do I know I'm asking the right questions?
The client will say, "aha, I never really thought about it like that" or "ah! I hadn't considered that..." or "hmm...that's a great question!"

If all else fails, just ask something, ANYTHING.

But try to keep it business-centered (preferably on their business).

What happens after you ask questions?
Eventually the client will feel like you've spent enough time talking together. 15 minutes. 30 minutes. 1.5 hours... In reality you will have spent very little time talking. Mostly you've just kept quiet and listened (because who does that these days...) and if you've asked enough questions the client will eventually say something like...

"So, where do we go from here?"

That's your cue to do the following:

Recap what you've covered so far

Describe how you can help with that

Offer a price or get off the call (if you're on one)

Recapping what you've covered...

You: "Alright Tom, so far you told me you need help with email copywriting, sales funnel automation, and Facebook Ad copy as well as copy for your website home page, right?"

Tom: "Yes, that's right."

You: "Great, and I can help you with all of that. To start I'll craft an email series that we can turn into an automated sales funnel and then we can run Facebook ads to a landing page for opt-ins to build your list and put your sales on autopilot."

Tom: "Sounds great!"

You: "Great! I can get started immediately and can finish the email series in 1 week. To have me do this for you it's $5,000."

Pause.
Pause.
Pause.

Tom: "Umm...do I have to pay it all at once?"

You: "I offer split payments for some clients. You would need to fund AND release the first milestone for half and the other half will be due on delivery. Sound good?"

Tom: "Okay, I can do that."

The end.

Or if you choose to get off the call you will just let Tom know that you want to take some time to consider his needs, and will draft a proposal for him outlining how you can help and giving him options customized for him. Also be sure to let him know WHEN you will send the proposal by.

In Summary:

You do not need to use high-pressure sales tactics

You do not need to be an expert to appear an expert

Text Chat = Low Pay Gigs

Live Call = High Pay Gigs

Ask questions (even if you forget everything else)

Better questions = better results

You know the client is ready to be sold when he says "where do we go from here."

You can offer your price on the call or off

If it's on the call, you better be prepared to say the price out loud and stfu afterward

Throughout all of this you are interviewing them

If your voice waivers because you doubt your prices, you will lose the sale

There's a lot that goes into sales even though it's relatively simple. I'm short on time and trying to sum all of this up in a single post and it's not easy to do. I don't have time to go back and cut it down to size properly SO...

If you have questions about sales or any other part of the Upwork process up to this point, please feel free to post them in a response to this post. I will follow up.

HOMEWORK
Prepare yourself mentally to get on live calls if your goal is to make big sales, or if you're just doing this as a side hustle, practice what you will say in text chat to move clients forward toward the sale.

PRO TIP
Everything you say to the client PRE-SALE should be focused on moving them toward that sale. If sales were a 5k you would kick off at the starting line and run toward the finish line. The finish line is where the sale happens. In between the start and finish line you put all your effort into getting to the finish line. If you quit too early, or don't push hard enough, or break your ankle, you won't reach the finish line.

Pace the client. Run with them. Always stay focused on the next finish line.

"When you work with me X will happen"

"Once we get started you can expect X"

"After you send the contract I will do X"

"Once you've released the payment I will do X"

"Once you leave feedback, I will do X"

"When you send referrals, you will get X"

This works on calls and in text. Set a goal, go toward that goal, run at the client's pace, and cross the finish line when you get there.

Ask questions.

I have created my Upwork account, picked my niche did profile etc and submitted a few proposals. Thanks a lot for this thread and the other ones. I really appreciate it and I have also done the 1,2,3,4 questions. I'm a bit of shy person but going in with confidence. I'm waiting to get a response from clients and going to submit more proposals.

tenacity · Feb 17, 2022

1.Why are you doing this?
To increase intrinsic value of myself in market, generate more money to fund ideas and / or replace income from job.

2. Describe your endgame in specific detail...
Make money from it to have additional money to work on bigger ideas where entry is more difficult. Use it to make more money overall.
If I make money through web 3.0 and other ideas, then quit both Upwork and IRL job. If Upwork pays $30+ hourly, then stay on it to earn more income.

3. How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?
$20 an hour at minimum.

4.Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?
Myself.

basedzoomer · Feb 26, 2022

Lex DeVille said:
Upwork Tutorial Day 5 - How to Write YOU Focused
Proposals that Get Clients to Respond

When you send proposals (AKA cover letters) to clients on Upwork, you will often be one of 10 to 20 or even 50 people or more applying to that job. So let's start with a look at my hiring process so you have an idea of how a client might make a decision about who to interview.

1. Is there ANYTHING that is an instant disqualifier?
This is the first thing I look for. Is the freelancer from a country I want to work with? Do they offer the skill I asked for? Did they upload attachments if I asked for them? Is their proposal full of spelling and grammar errors? Do those errors matter for this project? Did they answer my question that shows they paid attention? Did they address my needs?

Basically I look for any indicator that this person ISN'T the one. When I see those signs, I archive them immediately because I know there is 0 chance we will work together. Please note that this has NOTHING to do with their rate (although that might be the case for some clients). Usually rates won't stop clients from responding. Here's an example from just last week...

View attachment 24046

What's important about this is that even though the client technically disqualified me based on my rates, she responded. At $135/hr she responded. Why is that important? Because it gave me a second chance to communicate with her and let her know that I only offer fixed rates, what they are, and why that actually benefits her over paying hourly freelancers even when their rate is set much lower.

2. Can this freelancer get the job done?
The second thing I try to identify is whether or not this freelancer is competent enough to do the job. Based on their proposal, do I believe they are skilled enough to deliver what I want? If not, do I believe they are smart enough to figure out how to get it done? If the answer isn't "yes" and if it isn't clear to me that you are a competent freelancer, and if I don't feel confident in your abilities, then I won't feel comfortable going forward with you.

For that reason, Upwork proposals must meet those 3 criteria:

Establish you competence

So the client feels confident

Which makes them feel comfortable

When those 3 keys are set in place, THEN you are very likely to get the interview.

3. Is this freelancer the BEST person for the job?
Beyond the 3 C's there's one last thing I look for. Out of those 2-3 freelancer who made me feel comfortable, which one seems to be the best fit?

To answer this question I look at several things. First, is it clear from their proposal that they care about me and that they put in effort? Do they WANT to do this job? What does their bio say about them? Are they an expert in this field? Do they have the skills to back it up? Are they clearly the kind of person I would want to work with? Finally, I look at their portfolio. Are their samples relevant? Are they in the style I need? Are they good enough for the amount I'm willing to pay?

It's a WHOLE PERSON concept.
That's what clients are looking for. Instant DQ, do you meet the 3 C's, are you the best person for the job? It's NOT based on your rates. Now that we've established that, and we've built you a powerful bio and portfolio, it's time to improve your proposals for better results.

YOU Focused Proposals
YOU Focus is the art of showing clients you care about them, want to help them, can get the job done, and are the BEST fit for the gig. It is NOT simply using the word "you."

Steps to a YOU Focused Proposal

Never start with the word "I"

Use some variation of "you" before "I" or "me" or "my"

Use "you" 10x as much as you use "I" or "me" or "my"

Repeat the client's own words back to them

Connect your skills with their needs

Establish credibility fast

Prove your competence

Call them to Action

Show them little details that set you apart

Getting Hired Happens in Steps
As with any kind of marketing, we move clients one step at a time. The first step is to get a response. The second step is to get interviewed. The third step is to get hired. Just because you get a response doesn't mean you've been interviewed. Technically you've secured the interview, but you haven't done it until you've done it.

Knowing this, we can now work on a YOU Focused proposal that has a single intent...getting a response. NOT getting you hired. That happens later. So let's look at a YOU Focused Proposal...

YOU Focused Proposal

First the original job post...
View attachment 24047

Now the proposal (written live in the video)...

View attachment 24048

Cover Letter Intro
For this proposal you can see that it does NOT start with "I" or "me" or "my." Instead, it starts with a headline that identifies this as "Copywriting for Roofing Contractors" which is what they are...targeting.

First Line Starts with "You"
Next I give a simple greeting followed by the word "You."

Second Line Mirrors Them
Now I repeat their own words back to them about what they need...copywriting for their roofing business.

Demonstrate Competence
Then I start to prove competence by DEMONSTRATING that I can help them stand out. Instead of just telling them "I can help you stand out," I used a metaphor to SHOW them something different by talking about a "sea of sameness." If I wasn't doing this on video and distracted by that, I would spend even more time forming a more relevant idea for this particular client.

Establish Crediblity and Connect it with Their Job
In the next sentence I bridge the gap between us. I let them know that I'm the exact thing they need, and then I drop several relevant credibility markers that will likely stand out to them. For instance, "industrial companies" targets BLUE COLLAR companies which is what a roofing company also is. If you don't find RELEVANT credibility markers then your credibility will appear weak and won't support your competence very well.

Ask Good Questions
You don't have to ask questions, but they can help establish competence. If your questions make the client think or have an "aha" moment, then you are golden. Don't just ask questions for the sake of asking questions. Ask GOOD questions. Targeted questions. Questions about their business. Questions that prove you care and want to help them.

Prove You're a Professional
One of the biggest impressions a freelancer ever made on me was when she directly stated exactly what she'd deliver and how much it would cost. While others were blasting me with hourly rates, this person said "here's what you get and here's how much it is." No guessing games. I love that, and so do a lot of business owners because they don't have time to keep track of you. So the next section of my proposal clearly states what I'll do and how much it will cost. You don't have to add your prices here, but it's a good way to filter through clients if you don't want to work with anyone for less than X amount.

Call them to Action
The last line of the proposal is a simple call to action that gives them next steps. Since the very next step is to get them to contact me or to message me, then that's what I use. If I've applied with a proper YOU Focus, then all of the above IS what they need, so they SHOULD message me.

Your Signature
Kind regards is fine for most gigs, but when you write for creative jobs you should use something more interesting. Keep that in mind.

P.S. Statement
This is just one last chance to catch the client with something they might value. You could add your phone number in here (I do this regularly). You could let them know you're standing by to help in case others fail. You could offer a discount for your first project. You could offer a satisfaction guarantee etc. Just something to give them one last reason to want to talk to you.

Attachments and Samples
I don't always add attachments. In fact, I don't ever add them unless I really think it's an opportunity to stand out OR if the client specifically asks for them. Otherwise I just direct the client to my profile because I already spent 20+ hours honing it in to a sharpened spear for harpooning whales! Why would I waste that? The more times they come into contact with me the more likely it is I'll get contacted.

HOMEWORK
Use what you've learned in this lesson to go out and find at least 3 potential clients. Spend time thinking about what THEY actually need to read from your proposal before they will respond. Once you've done that, go ahead and craft a YOU Focused proposal. Remember to read over it and spell check it to make sure it's good to go. Then send it!

Got a response.

The guy messaged me & said, our company is hiring freelancers who can do x, if you're interested, kindly send a message to the manager via telegram.

Should I do it?

Edit: Found the answer. Not doing it.

theguy22 · Apr 19, 2022

Is Upwork good for those just starting out in freelance? I've just tried to create a profile and based on the questions they're asking, they seem to want people who already have some expertise or experience. In my case, I'm trying to post a web dev gig but I have no experience in it at all. Am I likely to get rejected?

Lex DeVille · Apr 19, 2022

theguy22 said:
Is Upwork good for those just starting out in freelance? I've just tried to create a profile and based on the questions they're asking, they seem to want people who already have some expertise or experience. In my case, I'm trying to post a web dev gig but I have no experience in it at all. Am I likely to get rejected?

This thread literally addresses all of those questions in both text and video format within the first three posts...

theguy22 · Apr 19, 2022

Lex DeVille said:
This thread literally addresses all of those questions in both text and video format within the first three posts...

Lex DeVille said:
Hi there!

I’m a [what are you] with a [degree or diploma] and [years of experience]. I’ve worked with [who can you name?]. As a [skill you do] I’ve helped [who you have helped] [how you have helped them].

I have [special training you have] and I work with [who you help]. My goal is to help [describe how you will help clients on Upwork].

If any of that is what you need, contact me!

I'm not sure how I can apply this template as a brand new dev.

I’m a [Web Developer] with a [Maths degree] and [0 years of experience?]. I’ve worked with [no one?]. As a [web developer] I’ve helped [no one?]

?

Lex DeVille · Apr 19, 2022

theguy22 said:
I'm not sure how I can apply this template as a brand new dev.

I’m a [Web Developer] with a [Maths degree] and [0 years of experience?]. I’ve worked with [no one?]. As a [web developer] I’ve helped [no one?]

?

The most important skill for any developer is the ability to solve problems. So your first step should be to learn how to solve problems by searching the forum for threads about how to solve problems. Lacking this skill you can't be a developer or a freelancer. You will need it for every job and nobody is going to hold your hand once you get started.

2 questions to ask yourself:

If the template doesn't fit my history, how can I make my history fit the template?
If my history doesn't fit the template, how can I make the template fit my history?

Don't just ask these questions. Answer them...for yourself.

How can I make this work?
What else could I say?
How do I get this triangular-shaped block into the bucket when the lid only has a circular hole?

James_17 · May 13, 2022

Thank you @Lex DeVille for sharing this!

Here's mine:

Why are you doing this?

Earn a steady income aside from real estate business. Pay the bills, improve my phone skills as an appointment setter, and build freelance agency.

2. Describe your endgame in specific detail...
Get consistent pool of clients with 5000-10000$ income per month and teach 5 more freelance appointment setters.

3. How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?

5000-10000$ a month

4.Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?
I'm failing myself and my family.

After following your lessons, I had an invite for an appointment setter role in Sweden:

It's not an hourly basis but I could get a share for every closed sale. Not sure if this is a good start for a freelance gig.

Your thoughts?

punkmonk · May 23, 2022

Lex DeVille said:
View attachment 23978

Upwork is one of the fastest ways to get your feet wet with online business. You probably won't get rich on Upwork (though it's not impossible), and that isn't the purpose of this guide. This multi-post guide is an Upwork Tutorial for those who:

Need to get moving on something...ANYTHING

Need a way to bootstrap cash...FOR FREE

It doesn't matter where you're from or what your situation is. If you have semi-stable internet and a computer to work from, then you can make money on Upwork at no cost to you but your time.

In the posts that follow I will share a series of Upwork Tutorials to get you started even if you don't know what the f*ck you're doing, and even if you don't have any skills or experience right now. This step-by-step guide will give you a clear path from $0 to your first $1,000 or more on Upwork.

If you follow my posts and do as I say, you will make money...

Possibly this week.

However, you should know that your success here requires a difficult mindset shift. You will have to change how you do things. Employees do NOT make good freelancers. So here are some things you should know right now:

You can take your 20 year work history and light it on fire

Tuck your college degrees away on some shelf

Tear that entitled victim attitude to shreds because...

Freelance clients don't give a shit about your education and experience unless it backs up your ability to get the job done. Also, nobody owes you anything. In the freelance world, you rise to your own level based on how much you help people, and on how clearly you demonstrate that you can help people.

Also... I'm developing a corresponding tutorial for my YouTube channel, and as such will be posting videos related to each post topic. You can watch them or not. You do not have to watch them to get the information because I will also post it in text here.

Consider this DAY ZERO.

Each day I will walk you through one piece of the Upwork puzzle. Step-by-step I will guide you to get approved on Upwork, get started, and make money. At the end of each post you will find a homework assignment.

Do the homework each day.

I would encourage you to share your progress and results either here, on my channel, or both since it will encourage engagement that will send traffic to the Fastlane Forum (each video links to the forum), and to my channel which is valuable for M.J. and for myself and also promotes future comprehensive tutorials such as this one, which is valuable for you.

SET OFF AT SUNRISE TO GET THERE BY DARK

There's only one way this thread won't become another action-faking, analysis paralysis knowledge feast for you. To make anything useful happen, you will have to take MASSIVE action and get started. You will have to stop telling yourself every silly excuse. Stop being afraid. Don't let phantoms of fantasy futures destroy your dreams.

Action is the only way.

So start today. Right now. Make a commitment. Commit to do this. Commit to act and to get started. You will start this today. You will take your first step now. And that first step is to determine WHY you are doing this. What do you want to come of this? To do that, your first homework is physically to answer all of the following questions:

Why are you doing this?

Describe your endgame in specific detail...

How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?

Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?

It's important to know WHY you are doing this. You can't be vague about it. "I want to be a highly paid freelancer who creates value" is not a good response for your "why."

You are doing this because you need to pay bills or debt. Because you want to quit your shitty job. Because you need money for your ecommerce business. Because you want to travel and earn money from anywhere. Because you want to support your family. Because you want to earn full-time pay with part-time work from home.

You are trying to escape something (bad job, bad boss, debt, poverty, feeling like a loser). You desire some kind of change (travel, money, freedom, skills, to get started). You are selfish and you want things in life and THAT IS OKAY.

But you need to define those things. The things you want. The things you don't want. Because it is those things that will help remind you why you set off down this path in the first place, especially when there's nothing but miles and miles of bumpy road ahead.

That is your homework today.

Do the homework. Post your response. In the next post I will teach you how to give yourself the best possible chance to get approved on Upwork. As of 2019, getting approved on Upwork is probably the single biggest barrier to entry for new freelancers.

Lucky for you, you're not a freelancer. You're an entrepreneur, and you have me as your guide. So follow this Upwork Tutorial and commit to continue even when the long road makes you weary. If you do, you may discover the distance between sunrise and sunset isn't so far apart as it seems.

By the way...

This is the only mindset post.

Get your mind right now. In the days that follow, we've got work to do.

1. In my early childhood, after my father left, we were poor and I was often hungry, now I'm 16 and even tho our situation is much better right now, and I am grateful, I now feel that i have the power to change things and prevent this happening to next generations of my family, I want to be the one who ends this cycle of money problems that my family have been going through way before me. So even if i dont get anywhere specifically with this method, I just want to start taking action, so I will eventually make it.

2. To be humbly honest I'm not exactly sure I understand this question right, but I'll try to answer. My endgame in specific detail would be that I won't be so stubborn to try new things anymore, After finishing this I hope that I won't be wasting so much time like I do now, living without regret because of all the great things I could have done but rather just keep moving forward towards my goals, and be able to feel proud of myself.

3. Since I have never tried anything like this before, basically any amount of money earned would be a success.

4. If i give up I am failing mostly myself, my family would never know about it but it would be engraved within me and I would start feeling depressed again, start playing videogames all day again and just return to the start, leading to just more regret

kommen · Jan 18, 2023

Lex DeVille said:
However, you should know that your success here requires a difficult mindset shift. You will have to change how you do things.

Coming back after giving up a few months ago.

The mindset shift truly was difficult and took a few months. Maybe it was even a mini-journey.

To anyone new, I'd recommend to start by being interested in other people's interests. Nobody cares about your interests. When you care about other people's interests, you are the 1% and will achieve 1% results.

Edgar King · Jan 18, 2023

Book writers, course creators, etc If you make any DYI product and you want people to do the things inside of it, study Lex's style, there's nothing quite like it!

Lex you have an unparalleled and amazing talent to spur people to action to better their lives, this thread and the bunch of other threads you've made are a sample of it, thank you!

I apologise in advance as well, when I saw how well your style of pushing people to action works, I had to use it in my own book haha.

Deleted88861 · Mar 3, 2023

Lex DeVille said:
View attachment 23978

Upwork is one of the fastest ways to get your feet wet with online business. You probably won't get rich on Upwork (though it's not impossible), and that isn't the purpose of this guide. This multi-post guide is an Upwork Tutorial for those who:

Need to get moving on something...ANYTHING

Need a way to bootstrap cash...FOR FREE

It doesn't matter where you're from or what your situation is. If you have semi-stable internet and a computer to work from, then you can make money on Upwork at no cost to you but your time.

In the posts that follow I will share a series of Upwork Tutorials to get you started even if you don't know what the f*ck you're doing, and even if you don't have any skills or experience right now. This step-by-step guide will give you a clear path from $0 to your first $1,000 or more on Upwork.

If you follow my posts and do as I say, you will make money...

Possibly this week.

However, you should know that your success here requires a difficult mindset shift. You will have to change how you do things. Employees do NOT make good freelancers. So here are some things you should know right now:

You can take your 20 year work history and light it on fire

Tuck your college degrees away on some shelf

Tear that entitled victim attitude to shreds because...

Freelance clients don't give a shit about your education and experience unless it backs up your ability to get the job done. Also, nobody owes you anything. In the freelance world, you rise to your own level based on how much you help people, and on how clearly you demonstrate that you can help people.

Also... I'm developing a corresponding tutorial for my YouTube channel, and as such will be posting videos related to each post topic. You can watch them or not. You do not have to watch them to get the information because I will also post it in text here.

Consider this DAY ZERO.

Each day I will walk you through one piece of the Upwork puzzle. Step-by-step I will guide you to get approved on Upwork, get started, and make money. At the end of each post you will find a homework assignment.

Do the homework each day.

I would encourage you to share your progress and results either here, on my channel, or both since it will encourage engagement that will send traffic to the Fastlane Forum (each video links to the forum), and to my channel which is valuable for M.J. and for myself and also promotes future comprehensive tutorials such as this one, which is valuable for you.

SET OFF AT SUNRISE TO GET THERE BY DARK

There's only one way this thread won't become another action-faking, analysis paralysis knowledge feast for you. To make anything useful happen, you will have to take MASSIVE action and get started. You will have to stop telling yourself every silly excuse. Stop being afraid. Don't let phantoms of fantasy futures destroy your dreams.

Action is the only way.

So start today. Right now. Make a commitment. Commit to do this. Commit to act and to get started. You will start this today. You will take your first step now. And that first step is to determine WHY you are doing this. What do you want to come of this? To do that, your first homework is physically to answer all of the following questions:

Why are you doing this?

Describe your endgame in specific detail...

How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?

Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?

It's important to know WHY you are doing this. You can't be vague about it. "I want to be a highly paid freelancer who creates value" is not a good response for your "why."

You are doing this because you need to pay bills or debt. Because you want to quit your shitty job. Because you need money for your ecommerce business. Because you want to travel and earn money from anywhere. Because you want to support your family. Because you want to earn full-time pay with part-time work from home.

You are trying to escape something (bad job, bad boss, debt, poverty, feeling like a loser). You desire some kind of change (travel, money, freedom, skills, to get started). You are selfish and you want things in life and THAT IS OKAY.

But you need to define those things. The things you want. The things you don't want. Because it is those things that will help remind you why you set off down this path in the first place, especially when there's nothing but miles and miles of bumpy road ahead.

That is your homework today.

Do the homework. Post your response. In the next post I will teach you how to give yourself the best possible chance to get approved on Upwork. As of 2019, getting approved on Upwork is probably the single biggest barrier to entry for new freelancers.

Lucky for you, you're not a freelancer. You're an entrepreneur, and you have me as your guide. So follow this Upwork Tutorial and commit to continue even when the long road makes you weary. If you do, you may discover the distance between sunrise and sunset isn't so far apart as it seems.

By the way...

This is the only mindset post.

Get your mind right now. In the days that follow, we've got work to do.

Thank you for sharing all of your experience and insights in these types of formats.

Why are you doing this?

Learn a new skill and to push myself to start stepping up, especially after being through some rather difficult times. To try and make money and eventually build up good relationships with clients and turn it into a full-time thing, if I am able to stick at it.

2. Describe your endgame in specific detail...
After having someone close to me recently pass away, I am beginning to think about my approach to life in the short term and long term and trying to tell myself that by doing things differently now that this will affect the long-term in either a good or bad way, depending on how I approach the present. I want my family to have some security, I want myself to not be worried about the bill collectors sending warning letters to my flat anymore, it wears you down. I want to be able to say "hey, I'm fancying a 1-month getaway in a warmer climate with a beautiful scenery, lets just go".

3. How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?

£3,000-£5,000 per month (but of course this can easily vary to smaller or larger amounts each month)

4.Who are you failing if you give up or don't succeed?
My family and myself. For sure, my little cousins, niece and nephew also. My application up to this point has been sub-par, it's not good enough and I want to achieve more.

Best,
Arron

Deleted88861 · Mar 3, 2023

kommen said:
Coming back after giving up a few months ago.

The mindset shift truly was difficult and took a few months. Maybe it was even a mini-journey.

To anyone new, I'd recommend to start by being interested in other people's interests. Nobody cares about your interests. When you care about other people's interests, you are the 1% and will achieve 1% results.

Noting this insight, thanks.

Deleted88861 · Mar 4, 2023

Lex DeVille said:
DAY 3 - How to Write Your Profile Title and Tags

Once you get approved on Upwork, one of the first things you want to do is update your title and tags, unless you plan to perform the skill you got approved with. So that's what today is about.

Your Title - Keep It Short and Don't Get Cute...

Do a quick search for most skills and you'll find endless lists of freelancers who either use some cutesy, long-winded title, or who list every skill under the sun because they're afraid to miss any opportunity.

The thing is, your title is your first chance to let people know your area of specialty. While you might get work in a variety of areas with a title that lists 20 skills, you won't get paid highly for any of them, and you won't get found for the highest-paying skills in search results.

When it comes to titles avoid:

- Cute, clever, and creative titles.
- Listing a bunch of skills

Your goal if you want to make high pay for less work is to look like a specialist, an expert. Experts get paid well. But what does an expert look like?

- They do a single skill very well
- They show up when people search for them

How clients search...

Client's don't search for "Web Design Ninja Wordpress Elite Plugin Maester."

They search for, "Web Designer"

Or "Copywriter"

Or "Social Media Manager"

Or "Virtual Assistant"

And when that turns out to be too vague, they search a second time but this time they make it more niche so they find specialized experts. So now they search for:

"Wordpress Web Designer"

"Direct Response Copywriter"

"Instagram Manager"

"Financial Virtual Assistant"

So it starts with the high level industry, then it gets niche because it's hard to decipher who knows there shit in the industry itself. Since we know clients search this way, we can take advantage of it by crafting a title that speaks directly to those search results.

Also, the more niche you go, the less people there are to compete against for search rank.

Look at this screenshot from my latest title update:

View attachment 24000

It took a couple of days, but I'm ranking for NLP Copywriter. I'm not in the first position yet, but it doesn't matter, because based ONLY on my title, clients will skip the other people.

They searched for "NLP Copywriting" and my profile shows "NLP Copywriting."

It's crystal clear I'm the one...

In fact, it's so clear, clients won't even look at the other profiles even though they claim the #1 and #2 spots. It's like how I could tell you to find as many red items as you can in the room. You can easily look around and pick out red items from all the other colors.

Same thing with your profile.

If you have the exact title the client is searching for, then you will stand out, and you will get clicked, and that means you're one step closer to an interview.

By the way, this goes for proposals too. Clients will notice a freelancer's proposal over others when it very closely relates to the skill the client is asking for.

How to Pick Your Upwork Profile Title

Keep it 4 words or less

Mention the industry (copywriter, web designer, video producer, narrator)

Mention the niche (creative copywriter, wordpress web designer, YouTube Video Producer, Audiobook Narrator

Research Your Niche

Niching down will help you rise to the top of search results, but you'll want to do some research on your niche to make sure people are searching for it. What good is being at the top of search results if nobody is searching for the thing you offer?

Two Ways to Research Your Niche

1) Use Google's Keyword tool in Adwords to check out monthly search volume
2) Search for your title and see how many gigs are available (and the time between each gig's posting)

Both of these will help you get a feel for whether or not people want the skill you offer. If you find there's low volume, then consider another title.

Your Tags - Relevant/Related Not Scattered/Deflated

Your tags are under the SKILLS section.

Pick tags that are very closely related to your title. Make sure all of your tags are closely related to one another. This will make them relevant. The more relevant your tags are, the easier it is to rise in search results.

Even if you plan to offer more than one skill, ONLY target your tags to your title. Have a look at the tags I used to help rank my NLP Copywriter bio:

View attachment 24001

At first glance they might look separate, like they target unique skills. But all of the tags except one are related to COPYWRITING and the only one that is different is related to NLP. What this does is help Upwork's algorithms figure out what you do so they can put you in the right place.

So pick tags that are closely related and are relevant to your title.

That's it for today.

Tomorrow I'll show you how to write a basic bio that stands out from everyone else.

HOMEWORK
Your homework today is to determine your high level industry (copywriter, blogger, web designer) and then to research niches within that industry to find one that might be worth pursuing. Once you've done that, set your tags around the title you create and make sure the tags are closely related to one another.

P.S.

The video above talks about the same topic, but I also mentioned some stuff about specialized profiles and how they are affecting my results.

Man, followed everything up until this point and I'm mega stuck!

My skill is music production and I genuinely don't know how to niche myself down.

I want to offer musical content within marketing and brand. I was thinking within the blockchain/tech industry to begin with and still would like to explore that as the music would be cool and fresh, much like a lot of tech companies and especially in the blockchain area.

So far, all I've been able to come up with for my title is something like "Tech Industry Music Producer" or "Brand-Centric Music Producer".

I was hoping to offer short musical pieces for ads, landing pages and general music to help with clients overall brand image and then scale it to an agency, add more high quality services and begin to outsource.

Grrr! Been at this all night and its now just after 8am and I still can't quite nail the niche.

Lex DeVille · Mar 4, 2023

SquishyBubbles said:
Man, followed everything up until this point and I'm mega stuck!

My skill is music production and I genuinely don't know how to niche myself down.

I want to offer musical content within marketing and brand. I was thinking within the blockchain/tech industry to begin with and still would like to explore that as the music would be cool and fresh, much like a lot of tech companies and especially in the blockchain area.

So far, all I've been able to come up with for my title is something like "Tech Industry Music Producer" or "Brand-Centric Music Producer".

I was hoping to offer short musical pieces for ads, landing pages and general music to help with clients overall brand image and then scale it to an agency, add more high quality services and begin to outsource.

Grrr! Been at this all night and its now just after 8am and I still can't quite nail the niche.

Have you looked at what clients are actually searching for help with? What kind of music gigs are clients posting jobs for? They usually put the exact thing they need right in the title of their job post.

Deleted88861 · Mar 4, 2023

Lex DeVille said:
Have you looked at what clients are actually searching for help with? What kind of music gigs are clients posting jobs for? They usually put the exact thing they need right in the title of their job post.

Good shout, I'll look into it from this angle for a while.

I reckon this is also down to my brain switching off due to lack of sleep but really want to get this nailed down before hitting the pillow.

To clarify:
I'm guessing I need to see what the most common job types are for the skill I'm offering and then pick the one that I deem to be the most suitable/profitable and niche myself that way? My issue is I want to offer musical content for all-things marketing (maybe that's where I'm going wrong perhaps?)

Cheers for getting back to me so soon, Lex.

Lex DeVille · Mar 4, 2023

SquishyBubbles said:
Good shout, I'll look into it from this angle for a while.

I reckon this is also down to my brain switching off due to lack of sleep but really want to get this nailed down before hitting the pillow.

To clarify:
I'm guessing I need to see what the most common job types are for the skill I'm offering and then pick the one that I deem to be the most suitable/profitable and niche myself that way? My issue is I want to offer musical content for all-things marketing (maybe that's where I'm going wrong perhaps?)

Cheers for getting back to me so soon, Lex.

That's one way to approach it.

Remember, the market doesn't care what you want. It cares what it wants. That might be a specific style of music, a specific purpose or use for music, a specific sound, etc.

- Advertising Jingles
- Video Music Production
- Background Soundtrack
- Sound Effects

I don't know what clients are specifically looking for, but if you see a trend in job listings, then that could be a good place to start.

If all else fails, just title yourself, "Music Producer" or something a bit more general and start from there.

Deleted88861 · Mar 4, 2023

Lex DeVille said:
That's one way to approach it.

Remember, the market doesn't care what you want. It cares what it wants. That might be a specific style of music, a specific purpose or use for music, a specific sound, etc.

- Advertising Jingles
- Video Music Production
- Background Soundtrack
- Sound Effects

I don't know what clients are specifically looking for, but if you see a trend in job listings, then that could be a good place to start.

If all else fails, just title yourself, "Music Producer" or something a bit more general and start from there.

Cheers mate, definitely given me something to go off of.

Will do some research and figure it out.

Appreciate the help a lot.

Take care,
Arron

Deleted88861 · Mar 6, 2023

SquishyBubbles said:
Cheers mate, definitely given me something to go off of.

Will do some research and figure it out.

Appreciate the help a lot.

Take care,
Arron

Lex DeVille said:
Day 3 - How to Write Your Upwork Overview to
Stand Out and Get Noticed

Yesterday we covered your title and tags and before that we helped you get approved and set the stage for a positive mindset. Today we're digging into your Upwork Overview so you can stand out and get noticed even if you're brand new.

Despite what many people say, your overview is EXTREMELY important. YOU Focused Proposals (which we'll cover in an upcoming lesson) are also important, but you should know that every client who looks at your proposal will also check out your bio.

Beyond that, your bio is one of the first things clients see in Upwork search results. So if it looks like every other freelancer's bio, or if it looks worse, then you'll get skipped for sure.

But before we get into how to write a bio, let's look at how NOT to write a bio.

Avoid the following instant-death mistakes:

NEVER start with the word "I" or "me" or "my"

NEVER start by talking about your education or degree

NEVER start by talking about your years of experience

NEVER start by talking about what you want

NEVER start by describing your passions...

All of those trigger a hazy glaze over client's eyes and they won't even see you. So avoid those mistakes unless you want to look just like every other boring, lame, self-focused freelancer on the planet!

What is important in your overview?

To let clients know they're in the right place

To let clients know you have the right skills

To show clients you care about them

To make it clear you operate as a professional

To establish credibility

To describe their pains and problems clearly

To set ground rules and expectations

To give them an action to take

To give them a peek at the kind of person you are

To answer their questions

All of these will help you stand out and get noticed, and the more of them you add, the better off your overview will be.

Okay, but what do you actually say?

Below we'll work through a sample bio so you can see what goes where. Hopefully this will give you a sense of structure in case you struggle with this. First we'll look at a full example, then I'll break it down to explain each piece.

---

Dental Web Designer

Do you need help with dental web design? Are you a dentist short on time losing clients to competitors with modern, mobile-friendly sites? If so, you're in the right place!

Hi there!

I'm Lex DeVille, a Wordpress Web Designer who helps dental businesses overhaul your website for a modern, mobile-friendly look that helps you attract more customers. I've built websites for more than 10 dental clients and helped them to:

- Instantly rank higher on Google search results
- Earn new clients almost instantly
- Look as professional as the services you offer

When you work with me you'll get clear communications, and fast turnaround. First I'll design a mock-up framework, and once you approve it we'll go forward into full production. In the end you'll come away with a sales-optimized, mobile-friendly website!

If any of that is what you need, contact me!

Respectfully,
Lex DeVille

P.S. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed and I'm happy to make revisions so your website works for you!

F.A.Q.

Q - Can you create a contact form for my website?
A - Yes, contact forms are one of my specialties, and I can even design it so it looks really need and is fun for your customers so they want to get in touch.

Q - Can you add a way to sell merchandise?
A - Yes, for an additional small investment I can build an ecommerce system directly into your website so you can easily sell your products and wares.

---

Alright, now let's break this thing down...

Do you need help with web design? Are you a dentist short on time losing clients to competitors with modern, mobile-friendly sites? If so, you're in the right place!

This is about how much shows up in search results. See the screenshot below for reference:

View attachment 24010

What your first paragraph should do is:

Get the client's attention

Talk about them before yourself

Show you do the exact thing they need

Target them directly

Touch upon their pain

Let them know they're in the right place

When I ask if they need help with dental web design, I'm directly stating that I do the exact thing they searched for. Since I asked a question, the reader is engaged. Since I said "you" I have their attention.

The second sentence gets even more targeted. If they're a dentist, then it's quickly becoming extremely clear that I'm someone who can help them. If you wanted to capture others, you could also state, "Are you a dental professional?" That way your question would also apply to their office staff.

When I mention them being short on time and losing clients to competitors I'm reminding them why they can't do this on their own, and how it's hurting them. After that I describe the outcome they want and let them know that's what this is.

---

Hi there!

I'm Lex DeVille, a Wordpress Web Designer who helps dental businesses overhaul your website for a modern, mobile-friendly look that helps you attract more customers. I've built websites for more than 10 dental clients and helped them to:

- Instantly rank higher on Google search results
- Earn new clients almost instantly
- Look as professional as the services you offer

Once you've targeted your audience, spoke directly to them, addressed their problem, and agitated their pain, NOW it is okay to talk about yourself.

Start with a greeting.

It mentally prepares the client to shift from talking about their problems to describing how you can help. We're creating a bridge for them to cross between the problem they have and the solution you will offer.

Connect yourself to their problem.

After your greeting you want to connect yourself as the solution to their problem. So introduce yourself, and describe yourself as a [whatever service they need]. Then describe how you help people exactly like them to get similar outcomes to what they want.

Add credibility to establish authority.

When I mention helping 10 dental clients I'm throwing out a number that says "I'm credible." You could also name big dental clients you've worked with, or mention how much sales increased for other clients after getting your help. All of this builds you up as an authority and a professional.

Alternatively, you could also mention your degree or experience IF you can show how they back up your ability to solve the client's problem.

Examples of credibility:

Increased sales by $1,500 in one day

Helped 3 dental clients to rank 1st on Google

Worked with Dental Depot, a Fortune 500 Company

Bachelor's Degree in Modern Web Design Concepts

Built 20 dental websites in the last year

Built a website for the dentist who cleans Kim Kardashian's teeth

Use bullet points to describe positive outcomes.

The final part of this section is bullets. These bullets are a chance to describe the outcomes the client wants. You may not know which one is most important to them. By describing several outcomes (3 to 5) you have a chance to say exactly what they need/want to hear before they act.

It's kind of like offering a child a new toy, an ice cream cone, and a video game if they clean their room. You may not know what's most important to them, but one of those 3 will probably get their attention, and getting all 3 is definitely worth the effort to pick up their bedroom!

---

When you work with me you'll get clear communications, and fast turnaround. First I'll design a mock-up framework, and once you approve it we'll go forward into full production. In the end you'll come away with a sales-optimized, mobile-friendly website!

Set expectations and overcome simple objections.

In this part I start with an NLP presupposition which assumes the sale, "when you work with me." More importantly, I set expectations that show I'm a professional and make it clear what will happen once we go forward together.

Clients have a lot of fears about working with freelancers. They've often had bad experiences. So address some of those things. Fast communication. Fast turnaround. A clear picture of next steps and what the client will come away with at the end.

---

If any of that is what you need, contact me!

Respectfully,
Lex DeVille

P.S. Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed and I'm happy to make revisions so your website works for you!

Give the client a next action to take and sign off.

Always close out your bio with a call to action. It should be a CTA to contact you in some way shape or form. Nothing else. The next step is to contact you, period.

Contact me

Message me

Reply and let's chat

Reach out to me

Hit me back

Talk with me

Speak with me

Schedule a quick chat

Let's have a quick call

Shoot me a message

After that you'll want to sign off with your signature. There is no WRONG way to do this. Only more or less creative ways.

More professional:

Sincerely,

Kind Regards,

Warmly,

Respectfully,

Warm Regards

More Creative

Friendly,

Lethal Weapon,

Creatively,

With Sugar,

Stars & Hearts,

Hired Gun,

From My Couch with Love,

Use something that makes sense for the kind of person you are speaking to. Don't use a creative signature for the sake of being funny or creative unless that's what your audience expects to see.

Add a P.S. statement.

The P.S. section is optional, but I like to use it as a last-ditch effort to grab client attention and say one more thing that might be the weight that tips the scale.

Here are some things you could write there:

Satisfaction guarantee

Keep my info in case you need me later

Did I mention I offer fixed-rates?

Happy to make revisions until it's right for you

---

F.A.Q.

Q - Can you create a contact form for my website?
A - Yes, contact forms are one of my specialties, and I can even design it so it looks really need and is fun for your customers so they want to get in touch.

Q - Can you add a way to sell merchandise?
A - Yes, for an additional small investment I can build an ecommerce system directly into your website so you can easily sell your products and wares.

Easily extend the length of your bio WHILE adding value with a F.A.Q. section.

This last piece is optional but I really like to have it because:

It's an easy way to make sure your overview is long enough for SEO

It gives you a chance to address OTHER services you can offer

It answers common questions clients might have about working with you

It gives you one more chance to catch their attention

It gives you one more chance to overcome objections

Think about what questions your clients will likely have. What limiting beliefs do they have that would stop them from contacting you? Try to answer those in your FAQ.

Alright...

That pretty much wraps it up for your bio.

There's a free template you can download here if you want something to fill in the blank, or to see another example bio I wrote.

HOMEWORK
Your homework today is to research your audience and then craft your bio using a YOU Focus. Remember to target their problems early on. Bridge them over to your solution. Offer them the outcomes they want, and finally...call them to action. Get on it. Do this now!

Nice one, Lex.

After taking the things you mentioned to me into consideration, I found what appears to be a very niched yet profitable area.

Mira · Oct 21, 2023

Hey @Lex DeVille ! Thanks for all the knowledge you've been sharing.

I've been checking out your posts here and catching your YouTube videos for some time now. I'm thinking of venturing into the world of long-form blog and article writing.

However, as a newbie in this freelance writing, I'm a tad unsure about which niches would be the best pick for my portfolio. Given your experience on Upwork, I'd really appreciate your insights on the most lucrative niches over there. Your advice would be super helpful. Thanks once again!

Lex DeVille · Oct 21, 2023

Mira said:
Hey @Lex DeVille ! Thanks for all the knowledge you've been sharing.

I've been checking out your posts here and catching your YouTube videos for some time now. I'm thinking of venturing into the world of long-form blog and article writing.

However, as a newbie in this freelance writing, I'm a tad unsure about which niches would be the best pick for my portfolio. Given your experience on Upwork, I'd really appreciate your insights on the most lucrative niches over there. Your advice would be super helpful. Thanks once again!

The most lucrative niches for articles are B2B. For instance, software companies that sell their service to other businesses, or industrial companies that are trying to reach clients through Google.

But you either need to find clients who don't know ChatGPT exists, or you need to stand out like the moon exploding over a fireworks show. Freelancers from the poorest countries in the world can churn out top-quality articles using AI.

Why should clients pay you top dollar for it?

Mira · Oct 22, 2023

Thanks for getting back to me! I'll definitely consider B2B niches. Speaking of ChatGPT, I reckon if someone's serious about advancing their business, they'd prioritize quality over quantity. Many of those articles lack that human touch, after all :happy:

Lana Ocean · Oct 28, 2023

Mira said:
Спасибо, что вернулись ко мне! Обязательно рассмотрю ниши B2B. Говоря о ChatGPT, я считаю, что если кто-то серьезно настроен развивать свой бизнес, он будет отдавать предпочтение качеству, а не количеству. В конце концов, многим из этих статей не хватает человеческого подхода.:счастливый:

I agree. GPT's style is quite recognizable.
Although he can really give fantastic ideas and push for results.

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