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

[Paladin]

As someone who hires for lots of gigs on UpWork, I can tell you that this thread is SOLID GOLD.

Often the person I hire bids way over my initial estimate. Sometimes I hire for jobs and I don't know what I'm doing. Last year I started my first comic book. Initially, I thought it was a single job, but then I realized that the writer and artist were two very different skillsets.

When posting my "budget" I had no idea what was appropriate as it was a new market for me. The guy I hired bid about 30% over my estimate and I'm his first job. He was able to close the deal with his proposal.

A strong portfolio and proposal can overcome being new to UpWork quite easily. I am shocked at how many applicants I see with no portfolio or a link to an external website. This is lazy and a big turnoff. The only thing worse than a link to Dribbble is a link to an Instagram profile that has a mix of your work and selfies.

I can understand driving someone to your personal website strategically, but a clean portfolio makes it much easier for someone making a hiring decision. I've also seen make website developers post a big list of links to all their past projects...including dead websites.

I'm really excited to see where this thread goes!

 

[juicemania]

Just wanted chime in and say @Lex DeVille has given some really awesome advice!

I've been using UpWork for about 3-4 years now (full stack dev) for various dev related side jobs. When I first started out I chose a skill level similar to where I thought I was, as Lex mentioned, but quickly raised both my hourly and skill level to expert after I got a few good reviews.

What worked for me to land jobs in the beginning was to record a short video, using something like screencast-o-matic, introducing myself and going over a few details about the job and why I'm a good fit. I'd do a PiP video with the job description page in the background. Then I'd throw it on Youtube (unlisted) and drop a link in the cover letter. These videos were no longer than 1-2 minutes and was a good way to stand out. After you do a few of these you can crank them out pretty quick.

Also, in my cover letters I generally didn't start out with the whole "Hi my name is ...." line. I typically would begin the cover letter by asking specific questions related to the job or maybe some suggestion that could improve the project. Using that strategy worked pretty well for me. I think the quicker you can show value the better chance you'll have at landing the job.

I'll still do the video intros here and there if I think its a big job ($$) and I'm a good fit but I don't use the platform much any more.

Once you land a few good clients they will typically come back to you for more work and at that point I always handle invoicing and communication outside of UpWork.

Anyhow, just my 2 cents. Thanks for the great info @Lex DeVille !

 

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[drpeppehr]

I landed my first job @Lex DeVille! thank you so much.

 

[Hijena1]

Lex, you're a rockstar!
Thank you for taking your FREE TIME to help us!!!

 

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[Lex DeVille]

This morning I was reading Upwork's Community threads and noticed a trend of their "Gurus" claiming you can't rank in Upwork search results due to Upwork rotating freelancers. I'm not sure why they're saying this when myself and others have proven the opposite is true many times over.

You CAN rank in search results both on Google and on Upwork and you can hold your position in the top 3-5 spots on the first page of client results as long as you don't change your title, tags, etc.

This is why testing is so important. If you just listen to what other people say and take their words at face value, you'd miss out on useful data that helps you get better results. You have to become someone who listens to what other people say, then tests things for yourself, and then decide for yourself what works and what doesn't and use the stuff that works.

Just because someone says something doesn't work doesn't change the results you get when the opposite is true...

 

[Schwarz]

My first 2 proposals were ignored and that's because I have no portfolio work to back up my skills.

That's a belief.
I believed it until last week when I got my first job without having any portfolio work or education to back up my skills!

A lot of it is about finding a specific client that clicks with you, that has the same interests as you. For example, this guy needed help on the Self Help niche, I had a lot of knowledge on the subject, so I could actually call him out on it in the proposal.

Do not let those beliefs hold you back from sending more proposals! That's the mistake I've been making over the past weeks.

 

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[foodiepersecond]

I haven't spoken much here about it but I also took one of @Lex DeVille courses. Mind you, I have no background in copy, freelance work, or any sort of writing beyond school. Taking the course and a few back and forth conversations with Lex, I set up my profile and have been hired for 4 projects. Literally accepted one invitation earlier today. Not making big bucks, a little over $200, but that's $200 more than what I started out with. I am talking about low quality, little to no research writing. Mere words for decent rates. I'm kinda excited about it.

Any excuse to pull up to a local coffee shop, plug my laptop, and earn money is okay in my book.

 

[BaraQueenbee]

Another upcoming Gold.

Thank you so much for sharing allllll this, I can only imagine how many people you help with this!!!

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Was rejected on Upwork some time ago.

What is the best way to get approved if i have already tried?

It depends on the rejection. If it was permanent, then you might be out of luck. If it was just a rejection that said some bull crap like, "this skill is too saturated" then you still have a chance.

If that is the case, then re-apply using the techniques from the post I made earlier in the thread about getting approved. Others who have been rejected a bunch of times used this approach to get approved within the last year.

It doesn't work every time, but since it works some of the time, that's enough to make it worth another try!

 

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[Timmy C]

So posts like this arent clssified as free forum ad? If I make Youtube video and big post about branding than it will be ok to post?

Anyway...

Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr and any similar websites are waste of time for 90% of people.

Sure, you can make money. I used Fiverr when I was younger and I made $1k......in 1 year. Paying 20% (a bit more or less) to a website and paying tax to your country.

Those sites are race to the bottom. You cant compete with India or Pakistan.

Clients who are looking for a freelancers there, often looking for “everything” for paying almost nothing.

I also tried to hire few people, and the work they delivered was so bad I had to do it all by myself in the end.

I repeat, you can make some money in a looooooong run but its not worth it at all.

Because you believe that you are right.

 

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[Timmy C]

You can reskill, but you don't have to. Just use the advice from the other post. Upwork gives a canned response about not needing an area of expertise. In my experience, it's usually because your profile didn't give Upwork what they wanted, not the skill itself. But try changing the skill and using the info from that post first and see what happens.

Thanks Lex!

Doing my profie up today and making it sexy as hell.

This will be great for an additional revenue stream and inject some cash for my main Business.

Thanks alot for everything.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

I'm saying all this from a designer's point of view. Why there is no good designers from Behance and Dribbble using those sites? Because it is a race to the bottom!

I created value multiple times which can be found in my profile history. I could make a YouTube video and drive traffic my way....I guess it would be fine then.

When comes to the site you're promoting and trying to get views on your Youtube channel, you shouldn't do that, because many people will lose their time for nothing.

I was using the same sites and they are trash! My decision was to move away from them and invest my time perfecting my design and business skills. Today I make the same amount per gig that I was making in a year.

If you make $3k in a week....WELL DONE! You should move from the site too, you will make $15k in a week and you won't have time for YouTube, where you teach others how to make money from the same platform you getting paid!

That tells you I suck as a client? Brother, you have so many videos on YouTube where people test those sites....results are there, look for them. I don't have time to search for EXACT statistics for you.

Also, my goal isn't to shit on those sites and bring all clients to me. I LOVE THOSE SITES! They help me filter clients who actually respect designers, song writers, commercial actors, etc. and their time.

My goal is to educate new designers and clients the difference between good and cheap design. There is a reason why is something dirty cheap. Go to Fiverr and search for logo design....look at those design, then go to Freepik and you will see where they get those designs. You think thats legal? They don't design, they illegally flip digital art!

You are talking about statistics...I would love to share it, but unfortunately there is no clear ROI with design. That's why many people don't care about it, which doesn't mean it's not important.

Go to Reddit and you will find posts on a daily basis people posting logo requests how they need new one because they get shit on ''your sites''.

- Do you believe in phrase ''Those who can't do, teach.''?

- Why did you include your YouTube video here?

#blockedforbeinganignoranttimewastingspammymoron

Also, I recommend everyone else block @Logomet too because instead of adding value to the thread, he is actively working to clutter it with useless garbage to de-value it and waste your time.

 

[ZF Lee]

LOL India and Pakistan? that's awesome!

My english very guwd me do well hear aginst them.....

That is so not ment to be racist in anyway no one take it that way please.

My two last clients were actually from India.

Their English and communication skills were just as good as any Westerner.

Paid me enough cash and interesting work to convince me to up my present rates per hour by at least 50% more.

Why bother? You're competing against, India and Pakistan. You will not win!!! Stay AWAY!!!

@Raoul Duke, IMO, Indian clients are one of the best to work for.

They are some of the few who have been hit hard by shoddy work.

If you really want to know how to find clients that 100% you can surely win, find those who have been scammed by freelancers who gave plagiarized work. You can see their client reviews at the bottom of the job description.

Then write your proposal to counter THESE market failures, put the relevant samples, and wait for fireworks.

But I understand @Logomet's POV, flawed as it may be.
I'm already edging away from freelancer because their pool of clients are simply impervious to You-focused proposals, plus their job descriptions aren't thorough enough for the best freelancers to offer pro-bono advice.

A huge number of the clients there are not payment verified, and have pretty shoddy freelancer reviews. Upwork at least monitors and cuts down on these things.

Plus there's very little entry barriers on freelancer. Unlike Upwork's approval system, any Joe can go onto the freelancer platform.

Whereas on Upwork, high-dollar clients are already there. I've actually never seen their calibre on freelancer, the most I've seen was $2000 for programming. So yeah, it's just a matter of going to where the good market is.

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:

1. It's an easy way to make sure your overview is long enough for SEO
2. It gives you a chance to address OTHER services you can offer
3. It answers common questions clients might have about working with you
4. It gives you one more chance to catch their attention
5. 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!

Done much of these stuff already!

I might update my own profile again though to add a Q&A.
Forgot to do it, although I've added one for my old versions of my Upwork write-up.

Instead, I used that space to write a simple 3-step procedure that explains to clients how they can expect to receive value from me.


Basically something like this:
1. A personal one-on-one chat to know more about your goals and needs (they can sometimes differ from what they are asking for)

2. Regular communication of updates on work (I do this regularly with writing clients, by attaching comments in my Microsoft Word, pointing out why I put that change or cut that paragraph)

I've noticed I can respond to clients within MINUTES (or seconds), so I could add that as an additional guarantee.

3. Welcoming feedback

It's not Midas' gold, but many clients need that information and guarantee of a consistent service.

BTW I've popped by at your NLP copywriting bio.

Very simple, and very straight-to-the-point! Love it!

You can reskill, but you don't have to. Just use the advice from the other post. Upwork gives a canned response about not needing an area of expertise. In my experience, it's usually because your profile didn't give Upwork what they wanted, not the skill itself. But try changing the skill and using the info from that post first and see what happens.

Yup, I did that. Started out doing data entry, and now moving up as a copywriter.

I think I could have started out doing short stories as well- as sales letters and emails can make use of that skill.

But I'm in a kind of a hybrid state now. I'm doing a bit of resumes and business articles on the side, which aren't 100% direct response stuff.

 

[Lex DeVille]

Wrong, wrong, wrong...

I had upwork (odesk) as my main (and only) source of income for 6 years. I started working for $4hr and when I left my highest paying project was at $80hr. Right before quitting working for nom more than 4hrs a day and making $3-4k which is close to top salaries in in IT in my home country. In the past couple of years I've been part of a team of 2 people, and my partner was making $100-120 hr. Never we had an issue with competition.

My biggest breakthrough was when after a long time I increased my rate from $20 to ~$35-40. I was impressed how the quality of clients got so much better instantly. So race to the bottom only exists in the bottom slice of the market on upwork.


P.S. Interesting how I see you being wrong about upwork but at the same time I realized how I myself fall the victim of this mentality when it comes to other marketplaces (e.g. Amazon) when I'm thinking about eCommerce... Something to think about

Are you responding to me or to someone else? I wasn't sure since there wasn't a quote attached to your post, but it doesn't sound like you were responding to me. Sounds like you did pretty well on Upwork. I agree there's really no such thing as competition when you approach it properly.

*edit*
Ah, nevermind, I see that you were quoting that guy I blocked. That's why I couldn't see it.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

@Lex DeVille I'm doing the 15 days to copywriting challenge. I was looking at your courses on your website, and I was wondering where you suggest I begin to help me grow as a copywriter (and perhaps which courses after the first and the order). Thanks.

Right now there's no copywriting courses on my website. One should go live next month. If you're just looking for general resources I recommend Ca$hvertising to get some of the basics down and then diving in with freelance work to gain experience.

If there's one area most copywriter training programs fail it's teaching new copywriters how to become independent, adaptable thinkers who can apply their skills toward any niche or type of copy even when they've never performed that type of copy before. The best way to get experience is to just start working with clients.

For the other programs most people start with the general business course and then go through the areas they need help with most. There's training on proposals to help with responses, and sales to help close deals once you get responses. There's an advanced profile training going live sometime this week to help you get found in search results.

The order doesn't matter that much. Just think about which areas you might be struggling with and go for that. But be sure you've applied the training from this thread first because those programs only build on what I've shared here.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

@Lex DeVille Sorry to be a bother. But any advice on how to apply to upwork without past clients/experience?

What should I put for skill level, overview and work history? Please point me if you've already answered this for someone else. Thanks.

Can't remember if I already answered this but when I signed up on Upwork I chose a skill level that fit my skill level. The only thing you really need to get rolling is a short bio. As long as you write YOU Focused proposals AND you're willing to get on a phone call with clients, then not having a fully filled out profile won't stop you from earning clients.

If you look at the thread where I deleted my Upwork account and started over from scratch you'll see that I didn't have any info filled out in my profile. Just sent one proposal with a YOU Focus and got a response. Then got on the call and sealed the deal. Everything else is extra for later on. It builds social proof and credibility but isn't necessary at the start.

You can add portfolio pieces as you finish client projects. You can use any past work experience or education as long as you can relate it back to your skill and show how it makes you better at that skill. Take some of Upwork's tests to build more authority on your profile. You can even add a few non-paid portfolio pieces to show what you can do. This way you don't have to have clients.

 

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[BellaPippin]

You know how to light some fire on people's chests, son!

1. Why are you doing this?

Because I need extra income to save. Because I want to buy a house to call my home and decorate it with a lot of plants. I WANT TO HAVE A LICENSE PLATE THAT READS "LANDLADY" and eventually I will buy more houses and rent them. My tenants will pay for my mortgage. I will milk my job for as long as I can/want but I will have TIME back. I want to go home to visit, to stay for more than two weeks, to go if something bad happens, if a friend gets married, if a baby is born. I want TIME and for that right now I need FUNDS, baby $$$$.

1. Describe your endgame in specific detail...

Ditto answer 1. plus ... extra $$ every month. Savings growing. Shopping for a multi unit house by this winter/next spring. Buy. Rent. Rinse and repeat while I keep growing passive streams until I can either work part-time out of desire or just stay at home and make paintings and work for myself. I don't need six figures I just need enough to not need a 9-5.

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

If I make an extra $150-$300 a month it's already worth it for me. Every penny counts. Every dollar brings me that house sooner.

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

Myself. Myself. Myself. I. Me. My mom. She deserves all the help in the world when it's time and I'm an only child. My family. My friends. I want to give them the world. All the foster doggies and kitties that are sitting in cages and could be sitting near a fireplace. The megachonker Oscar or parrot cichlid fish I want to have in a 75 gallon tank. All the extra homegrown veggies I can take to my local food depository.

If I sound like a total altruistic/philantropic maniac is because I think I am. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Ok HERE I GO! ...Maybe tomorrow evening, ima cook keto pizza with bf tonight n_o ~ But here goes my attempt.

 

[Isaac Oh]

1. Getting my head straight and committing to action

Recently, I've noticed the results of all my action faking. Living in my parent's living room and eating for free. Feels great! jk...

Anyways, I decided that I would start taking responsibility for my financial life and start making some money.

I stumbled across this thread and began. This was 20 days ago.

First assignment:

1. I want to be financially free from my Mom. I’ve been surviving off her allowance for the past 5+ years.
   I want to move out of my house and get a small place with my girlfriend. I want to have the finances to support our marriage and live with her.
   I want to get clients so that I can start growing my marketing business.
   I want financial stability in the future.
   I want to help people but I can’t even help myself yet.
   I want to be debt free.
   I want to stop worrying about finances all the time.
   I want to be independent.
   I want to make my parents proud.
   I want to show others that it’s possible to not go the traditional route.
   I want a nice car and house.
   These are the things that I want and are committed to obtaining.
   
   
2. My endgame is to come out with at least 8 recurring clients who I’ve been servicing more for than three months.
   I will be netting about $10k/mo in profit.
   I will have $10k saved up.
   
   
3. It’ll be worth it even if I make $1.5k
   
   
4. If I give up or don’t succeed, I will be failing myself. My girlfriend. My parents. Those who’ve looked up to me. Those who I’ve worked with. Those who have taken their time to help me.

2. Getting on Upwork and Setting up my profile

I have experience in many aspects of digital marketing so I decided that I would choose the one with the highest pay. Google AdWords freelancers seemed to be averaging $70+ per hour so I signed up as an intermediate asking for $59.95/hr.

I followed Lex DeVille's guide to the T, many times copy and pasting what he wrote here.

I was approved within the day.

THE DAY OF, I literally received three offers. Declined one, interviewed for two and didn't get accepted. I was offering ridiculous quotes because I didn't know where to start. Then I began reducing my quotes gradually, like literally -90%, until I finally got my first.

3. Optimizing my profile and action faking

I have this horrible habit where I obsess preparation. I have to really whip myself into taking action.

Anyways, after my approval, I quickly updated my bio. Further, I took two certification exams and received Top 30% on both.

Then I began working on my portfolio. I uploaded 4 examples of clients. Taking Lex's advice, I also put up case studies of what I would have done with certain clients.

I also added free resources for my clients in my portfolio. Stuff like a list of negative keywords they could use and a quick guide to writing better Google Ads copy.

Then, I mentioned those resources in my bio!

A few days into my journey, I received the Rising Talent status. IDK how lol but I took it!

Then came the action faking. I kept working on my profile rather than actually going out and reaching out to clients.

4. Recommitting and my process

For the last three days, I've been submitting 5+ proposals per day. I submitted 10 the first two days. Before that? I sent maybe 5 TOTAL.

Putting myself out there was a stretch for me but what I realize is necessary for my success. It's also what I was neglecting to do for my business.

Keeping in mind that it's a numbers game helped. Also, the first couple of proposals were the hardest to write. The first one alone took me 2 hours.

After that, I developed sort of like a flexible template and I'd be able to submit those 10 proposals within 2 hours.

5. Conclusion

This thread was the single tipping point that got me towards taking action when it comes to getting clients.

I resorted to this because in my own desire to have an agency, I never reached out to anyone. Nada. Zilch.

20 days into this process and I am considered a Rising Talent, have two certifications to show that I'm top 30% in a marketing skill, and I received confirmation for my own potential with my first client.

W.T.F. @Lex DeVille
Why is this free again?

What I took away was more valuable than a client, it was the mindset shift towards putting myself out there.

Funny enough, while helping this client out, I'm gonna move away from UpWork and recommit to getting clients for my agency.

 

[itfactor]

Reading all 8 pages just remind me that my top-rated upwork profile with 50+ extra connects has been languishing for months.

I did mostly copywriting work too, started from like $5/1000 articles about 3 years ago to $60/article (still long ways to go from FU money). Wish I had all these info here when I started.

Just want to say thanks OP for this helluva value bomb.

There’s so much info here put out that most other “gurus” will be selling for $XXX or more.

Will get off my action faking butt tonight, start cleaning up my profile and start sending proposals.

 

[Lex DeVille]

After sending 22 proposals, I've received 2 responses and 0 contracts so far.

Either I'm doing something really wrong in my approach, or clients are really stingy on their rates for writers.

Feels a little demoralizing, as it wasn't this tough to land jobs a year ago.

Anyways I've signed up for Plus to get another 70 more connects to give it a few more shots.

It's not some victimized generalization about clients that's stopping you from getting responses.

It's your approach guaranteed.

If you want the rates you want, then you need to get clients on a live call.

But to do that you must get responses.

And the only way to get a response is to figure out what's stopping clients from responding.

Your rates might be why they don't respond, but it has nothing to do with clients being stingy.

It has everything to do with clients not believing your value is worth whatever rates you're applying with.

It's a perceived value problem.

In order to get responses you need to figure out what is causing your value to be perceived low relative to your rates.

Once you solve that problem you will get responses.

Then you can move to a call, prove your value further, and ask for the rates you want.

 

[Itzemp3]

Hey @Lex DeVille

Thank you so much for this treasure trove of info. Initially read this a month or so ago, and applied to upwork 2 times before.

Both times I was rejected with the standard template answer. They did not have a space for the work I listed myself for.

Then, I decided to apply just once more today whilst re-reading this thread for tips. This time I used the info you shared around skills they are looking for. Specifically, I targeted the education and training type of skills. I am currently a teacher so that fit. Then, I went to the courses suggested and registered for free.

I re-did my profile and made sure that every skill I listed and all of my education zoned in on the educational aspect of the skill. And I was approved within minutes.

So definitely your tip on finding the skills Upwork is looking for and seeing how your skills can fit ito this category works like a charm.

I'm super excited to be accepted after the third try!!! Could not have done it without this thread

 

[Impacto]

^Congratulations! Awesome work.

I also got my first gig today, I decided that I need to build some credibility and experience first so I checked out the entry-level jobs about article writing, as ZFLee suggested earlier in the thread. It's super low pay, but considering I've never written an article before (long forum posts don't count ) it was a decent start. I wrote an awesome proposal using Lex's guidelines and got the job. There wasn't even an interview...

I just finished the first article of the deal and I sent it to the client to see how he feels about it, but I am personally very proud of myself for getting to this point. And this is just the beginning.

I also started reading Ca$hvertising as I want to get good at copy, article writing is just to get me started, but who knows. Maybe I will do both.

I want to thank everyone in this thread again, we live in super hard times and having people helping each other is a beautiful thing.

 

[Madame Peccato]

Hi everyone

I've finished High School a month ago and I'm looking for a job. I don't have any work experience. Only option for me is to work as Virtual Assistant. If anyone needs one, I'll be more than happy to work for a minimal wage. I live in a 3rd world country and mayne 3-4$/h would be fine. Just need to start from somewhere. Thanks.

Hey Luna, welcome!

This isn't a good way to find work on this forum, or anywhere else really.

If you want to work as a Virtual Assistant, you will have to show people what they get by hiring you as a VA. What are your strengths? Maybe you are a fast worker, or you are available at times when other VAs aren't available.

Way too many people work for lower rates, thinking that lower rates equal to more work...yes, that is partially true, but even then, what differentiates you with all the other thousands of VAs from India / the Philippines who work for a similar rate AND have actual work experience?

I see you speak English pretty well, so you could leverage that maybe. Or maybe you have other strengths, like you are a good writer, or good at bookkeeping, or are very persuasive when writing emails.

I don't know you so this task is up to you, but once you have figured out your strengths, try again. Prove to people that you know what you are doing, and that therefore you can help them, and they will be more than happy to hire you.

 

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[Impacto]

Sorry for the double post, but there have been some recent developments!

How things change in just a month and a half... I finally found my first copywriting job and I finally made some useful money! Some of it happened completely by accident, just like me finding this forum actually. It's so mental.

For those interested, my process is simple - I pick my clients well and never lie to them. If I have no experience in something or I am unsure, I tell them straight. But I also tell them that I believe that I can do it and normally we set up a test job. Most times I pass it and from there it gets easier.

Because I'm still new to this, almost everything is unknown to me. At first, it's scary and I wonder if I can do this. Then I do some searches or sometimes I ask the client if he has an example of something so I can visualize in my head what he wants. And then I start writing and things come together like magic. I try to apply all the major principles for copywriting and so far it's working.

The best thing is - the more jobs I get, the easier it gets to find clients. After I got the first job, I started using it in my proposals. Same with the second, third, and so on.

For the people that have doubts - JUST START! That is the hardest part. Once you begin, your brain will take care of you, I promise! It doesn't matter what it is, just start! And once you start, focus on helping people and solving their problems. Be a nice human and do your work as best as you can. The rest will take care of itself.

There was always something with me and writing, but now I have actual evidence that I can do this and people liking your work is so motivating and fulfilling! I can't thank Lex and everybody else in this amazing forum enough. I don't visit it as often as I should, but I will always be grateful for the value I got from it.

 

[Lex DeVille]

What do you think about Freelancer ?

Honestly, I don't think about freelancer. They wouldn't even be a consideration for me if I were still freelancing. Some people claim to be doing alright there, but I don't know what "alright" means.

If I were starting over, I wouldn't be on any of the platforms. Upwork is the most reputable freelance platform, but they're a shit company.

At this point, it would be easier, faster, and way more profitable to source clients locally, or at least outside of the platforms by cold calling/emailing or building inbound funnels. All of these paths lead to building valuable self-reliance skills that freelancers who get their clients from platforms almost always lack.

The problem with platforms is you have no control over anything, you give up a good chunk of your earnings, and if you ever get kicked out or the company goes under, then you're back to square one and you still don't know how to find clients on your own.

 

[kommen]

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.

 

[Lex DeVille]

Do you pay for the "availability badge" or the "boost your profile" feature to bring in the invites?

View attachment 52549

Or are neither necessary?

I used to be really active on Upwork, but I'm so out of the loop now I can't keep track of all these new features and which is for what.

I don't pay extra for any of Upwork's silly new money-siphoning tricks.

The best solution for most freelancers who want to get hired is to continuously find ways to improve your proposals.

Upwork is making it more difficult to get found in search results so you have to spend money if you want your profile to reach the top of search results for a period of time.

That said, I suspect you can still reach the top of search results if you build a profile around niche search terms.

It is also still beneficial to increase or decrease your price by $20 or more to trigger Upwork's algorithms.

 

[Andy Black]

@Madman1996 ... Lex is basically saying you have to figure it out.

Pick some skill people pay for that you might already have or could pick up. Go help people with that skill. Figure out how to get paid.

Entrepreneurship is basically a problem solving journey - figuring out which problems to solve (and in which order), and then solving them.

 

[Andy Black]

Thank you Andy I don't really have a skill where can I learn one or choose one also gonna as you say help people just help them is also a good way to provide value

It's not about "learning". It's about helping people and figuring it out as you go along.

Watch the 8 min video here:

NOTABLE! - MEETUPS - [TFLF Call Replay] - For teens & students getting started

Hi all. @Lawtiti (who changed his forum name to @Chet Shen) created a Meetup Thread a few days ago and had a Zoom call with @ZCP who gave advice on getting started etc. I offered to do a Zoom where I'll go through some of the main things I think holds people back when getting started, and how...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

And MJ's video here:

GOLD! - HOT! - From Flat-Broke to Financial Freedom: How to Get Started When You Have No Money

I see this question a lot here, and posted in a lot of introductions. How do I get started when I have no money and no skills? I made a video to answer... Also there's an update on my next book near the end of the vid! Enjoy, and if you're broke with no skills, I hope it helps you!

www.thefastlaneforum.com

 

[Lex DeVille]

This is the message i received.


''We’ve reviewed your profile and currently our marketplace doesn’t have opportunities for your area of expertise.

If you have more relevant skills or experience to add, you can update and re-submit your profile. You can find more information regarding our decision here.''


Can i regig the profile to reflect different skills than what was rejected or would that be a red flag for them?

Is it best for me to list the same skills and just set out my profile the way you have suggested above?

Timmy.

You can reskill, but you don't have to. Just use the advice from the other post. Upwork gives a canned response about not needing an area of expertise. In my experience, it's usually because your profile didn't give Upwork what they wanted, not the skill itself. But try changing the skill and using the info from that post first and see what happens.