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Timmy C

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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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Raoul Duke

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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.

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

User62861

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No, it's not a free forum ad. I've paid in approximately 12 hours of value-adding content creation in this thread alone and shared my processes that have helped me grow an ACTUAL freelance business. Additionally, my other GOLD and NOTABLE posts have helped others grow full-time freelance businesses.

I've shared STEP-BY-STEP instructions on how to do this.

Where have you shared anything on this forum that taught people how you built ANY business? Where have you shared ACTUAL steps that grew your own business? Because all I've seen are bullshit vague posts with vague statistics kind of like the one you threw out in your post here.



Please stop spewing your vague nonsense around the forum. If you can back that 90% up with proven data, do so. Otherwise, get lost.



No. This is the same dumbass statement made by every bottom-dwelling action-faker who doesn't know what they're talking about.



Wrong again. You are repeating the same crap nonsense, but your nonsense has already been disproven many times over on this forum.



This tells me you not only suck as a freelancer, you also suck as a client.



I closed nearly $3,000 in gigs on Upwork last week so...yeah...

I didn't need to write all of this out though. The forum has already seen the "value" you provide. They've already judged you, and instead of trying to fix it by striving to create value, you think a better idea is to passively attack someone who called you out on your bullshit.

Smart move. Good luck.
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?
 

Timmy C

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

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.
 
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Lex DeVille

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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.
 
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Xolorr

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Bookmarked for later, your content is GOLD Lex, thank you!

Took a very basic attempt at Upwork a couple weeks ago, but got my application rejected. Will give this a good read and see if I can get past that!
 

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This is a great thread to be honest, it doesn't matter if upwork or freelance is your option or not, it has a lot of value on the topic that wouldn't be easily found anywhere else. Keep going dude.

Ok so I followed the guidelines and I still got rejected. I will try again in a couple of days.
@Timmy1990 is from Melbourne, Australia so that tells me maybe it's not just because I'm from a "third world country" ;/
 
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Lex DeVille

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This is a great thread to be honest, it doesn't matter if upwork or freelance is your option or not, it has a lot of value on the topic that wouldn't be easily found anywhere else. Keep going dude.

Ok so I followed the guidelines and I still got rejected. I will try again in a couple of days.
@Timmy1990 is from Melbourne, Australia so that tells me maybe it's not just because I'm from a "third world country" ;/

It's hard to say what factors Upwork is considering now. I used to think it had to do with location, but they seem to have tightened their requirements on who they let in. Even people from the United States are getting rejected pretty regularly now. Check very carefully for spelling and grammar errors, and consider listing one of the skills Upwork has a lot of need for if you know enough about one of those areas to sound legit:

Upwork releases latest Skills Index, ranking the 20 fastest-growing skills for freelancers | Press, News & Media Coverage

Just noticed at the bottom of that page they also list relevant Udemy and other courses for getting training in those skill areas. Someone was asking about where to get skills training yesterday.
 

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I just had a quick look at Upwork out of curiosity, searched for "Flutter" (a framework to make mobile apps, quite niche), and had a look at a couple of examples:

1) A $100 (fixed-price) post asking to add a bunch of features to a custom plugin. This obviously takes a good amount of hours.

2) Website + customer app + merchant app + admin app + of course ordering online, all for $1.500 (fixed-price), which is ridiculous.

3) Android app to order good with admin panel (so 2 apps really, plus a backend), estimation arrival time and other advanced features. $200 (fixed-price). This even beats the previous example.

Most of other examples at a quick glance were similar.

Given that there's been some talk about prices, I got a question (maybe they'll be answered on future posts, sorry if that's is the case): is it common for clients to set an unrealistic price? I mean, is it common to ignore the price, apply and renegotiate with them?
 

Lex DeVille

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I just had a quick look at Upwork out of curiosity, searched for "Flutter" (a framework to make mobile apps, quite niche), and had a look at a couple of examples:

1) A $100 (fixed-price) post asking to add a bunch of features to a custom plugin. This obviously takes a good amount of hours.

2) Website + customer app + merchant app + admin app + of course ordering online, all for $1.500 (fixed-price), which is ridiculous.

3) Android app to order good with admin panel (so 2 apps really, plus a backend), estimation arrival time and other advanced features. $200 (fixed-price). This even beats the previous example.

Most of other examples at a quick glance were similar.

Given that there's been some talk about prices, I got a question (maybe they'll be answered on future posts, sorry if that's is the case): is it common for clients to set an unrealistic price? I mean, is it common to ignore the price, apply and renegotiate with them?

I'll address these concerns in a future post. But we can chat about it now too.

To put this in perspective, let's reframe the situation. Imagine your fuel pump goes out on your car today. You need it fixed, but you don't know how much it costs. But you definitely have to get it fixed because it's your only transportation. So you post an ad in a Facebook Group and offer $50 for someone to fix it. You don't offer $500 or $5,000. Why is that? Because you'd be a fool!

But unless you're a mechanic or you've worked on cars, you don't know what actually goes into fixing a fuel pump. You don't know the hours, the parts, or even the difference between someone who will do a good job or a bad job. All you can judge others on is your first impressions.

So you post your ad and let's say 3 people respond. Out of those 3 people, 2 are willing to do the work at your price. But one of them doesn't speak your language. You have no idea if he even understands what you need, and therefore he's out.

Another one of those people is fresh out of the school house. He has a month or so of training and has never fixed an actual customer's car before. He doesn't know what questions to ask, or if he'll even be capable of helping you. He won't even know that a fuel pump might cost more than $50 by itself, forget the labor. His goal is just to work on your car so he can get money and tell people he's worked on cars...

The third guy is a mechanic. He's new to the industry, but he's already worked on customer cars, and has even fixed a few fuel pumps. He talks with you about your car, asks what it's doing because he knows the fuel pump may not even be the real or only problem.

You explain the sounds your car is making and he walks you through it asking more and more questions to get a better feel for your situation, and to determine if he can help you. Along the way he learns all about you. What your car's been doing, its history, and even why this is so important for you to get fixed. He also asks about your budget, and helps you research the cost of fuel pumps to find one that's a fit for you.

By the end of your conversation you've had an hour long chat with this guy that was hugely valuable. You discovered that your fuel pump will cost a couple hundred dollars by itself. Based on the amount of help this guy has offered in terms of time alone, you know he's a true professional that cares about your situation. For that reason you KNOW he's the right guy to do this.

But to have him do it, the cost will be $1,000 total. That's the price of the fuel pump plus what he values his time at.

Now, you can scoff at his price. You can call him crazy. But you won't do that. Why? Because he wouldn't have offered his price unless it was within a budget you could afford which was already established by his earlier questions. Instead, you will accept HIS price because you've already seen "what else is out there" and this guy has proven he's the ONE.

So you whip out your card, fire off a $1,000 bucks, get a new fuel pump plus a seal it needed that the other guys didn't even ask about...and you're on your way again in a day.

This is my sales process in a story...
 
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srodrigo

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I'll address these concerns in a future post. But we can chat about it now too.

To put this in perspective, let's reframe the situation. Imagine your fuel pump goes out on your car today. You need it fixed, but you don't know how much it costs. But you definitely have to get it fixed because it's your only transportation. So you post an ad in a Facebook Group and offer $50 for someone to fix it. You don't offer $500 or $5,000. Why is that? Because you'd be a fool!

But unless you're a mechanic or you've worked on cars, you don't know what actually goes into fixing a fuel pump. You don't know the hours, the parts, or even the difference between someone who will do a good job or a bad job. All you can judge others on is your first impressions.

So you post your ad and let's say 3 people respond. Out of those 3 people, 2 are willing to do the work at your price. But one of them doesn't speak your language. You have no idea if he even understands what you need, and therefore he's out.

Another one of those people is fresh out of the school house. He has a month or so of training and has never fixed an actual customer's car before. He doesn't know what questions to ask, or if he'll even be capable of helping you. He won't even know that a fuel pump might cost more than $50 by itself, forget the labor. His goal is just to work on your car so he can get money and tell people he's worked on cars...

The third guy is a mechanic. He's new to the industry, but he's already worked on customer cars, and has even fixed a few fuel pumps. He talks with you about your car, asks what it's doing because he knows the fuel pump may not even be the real or only problem.

You explain the sounds your car is making and he walks you through it asking more and more questions to get a better feel for your situation, and to determine if he can help you. Along the way he learns all about you. What your car's been doing, its history, and even why this is so important for you to get fixed. He also asks about your budget, and helps you research the cost of fuel pumps to find one that's a fit for you.

By the end of your conversation you've had an hour long chat with this guy that was hugely valuable. You discovered that your fuel pump will cost a couple hundred dollars by itself. Based on the amount of help this guy has offered in terms of time alone, you know he's a true professional that cares about your situation. For that reason you KNOW he's the right guy to do this.

But to have him do it, the cost will be $1,000 total. That's the price of the fuel pump plus what he values his time at.

Now, you can scoff at his price. You can call him crazy. But you won't do that. Why? Because he wouldn't have offered his price unless it was within a budget you could afford which was already established by his earlier questions. Instead, you will accept HIS price because you've already seen "what else is out there" and this guy has proven he's the ONE.

So you whip out your card, fire off a $1,000 bucks, get a new fuel pump plus a seal it needed that the other guys didn't even ask about...and you're on your way again in a day.

This is my sales process in a story...

Thanks for addressing this in advance. That answers my question. I've never tried Upwork or anything similar by myself (just did freelancing once and was through my network), so it's easy to get put off by those listings without actually trying to speak to people. I imagine most of the people who post there don't have much idea about how much what they want costs.

Looking forward for the upcoming content :) This is high value for any freelancers regardless of Upwork.
 

ZF Lee

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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.:playful:

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.:playful:

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!:smile2:

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.
 

ZF Lee

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No, it's not a free forum ad. I've paid in approximately 12 hours of value-adding content creation in this thread alone and shared my processes that have helped me grow an ACTUAL freelance business. Additionally, my other GOLD and NOTABLE posts have helped others grow full-time freelance businesses.

I've shared STEP-BY-STEP instructions on how to do this.

Where have you shared anything on this forum that taught people how you built ANY business? Where have you shared ACTUAL steps that grew your own business? Because all I've seen are bullshit vague posts with vague statistics kind of like the one you threw out in your post here.



Please stop spewing your vague nonsense around the forum. If you can back that 90% up with proven data, do so. Otherwise, get lost.



No. This is the same dumbass statement made by every bottom-dwelling action-faker who doesn't know what they're talking about.



Wrong again. You are repeating the same crap nonsense, but your nonsense has already been disproven many times over on this forum.

For instance, in this GOLD post:
GOLD! - Lex DeVille's: How to Make $1,000 a Week with no Degree, no Feedback, & no Portfolio.

And in this NOTABLE post:
NOTABLE! - Lex DeVille's - I Deleted My Upwork Account...



This tells me you not only suck as a freelancer, you also suck as a client.



I closed nearly $3,000 in gigs on Upwork last week so...yeah...

I didn't need to write all of this out though. The forum has already seen the "value" you provide. They've already judged you, and instead of trying to fix it by striving to create value, you think a better idea is to passively attack someone who called you out on your bullshit.

Smart move. Good luck.
Not again....

Welp, this means this thread is going to be a lot more dramatic:rofl:

I've just gotten an invite for an email job with a starter pay of $400.

$400!

If there's recurring jobs, it'll go up to $700. Very close to the thousand-mark.

When converted to my local currency, its like a few hundred bucks more than my monthly allowance.
Crazy!

What's even better is that my client is:
-Singaporean. My first client was ALSO Singaporean. So I have an advantage. I've worked with his kind of people before.

-My first gig (data entry) was for an educational company. THIS new gig is ALSO for education.

Effing crazy!

Will send in my reply and see how. It's like 2/3 hours since he sent me the invite. I had better fire my reply fast!

Thanks Lex! Those threads are simply life-changing!
 
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Thank you, Lex, for this thread!

Quick question as I know you were in the same position: I was already on Upwork but deleted my account... if I'm going to sign up again that's against their terms of services...
How would you try to solve this problem? Signing up again, wait for the ban and explain everything?
 

Lex DeVille

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Thank you, Lex, for this thread!

Quick question as I know you were in the same position: I was already on Upwork but deleted my account... if I'm going to sign up again that's against their terms of services...
How would you try to solve this problem? Signing up again, wait for the ban and explain everything?

If you deleted your account then you should be able to sign up again without trouble assuming you don't get rejected like a lot of people. I didn't have any trouble at all except I had to delete twice because I forgot to delete my client account the first time. If you don't delete both the freelance and client accounts then it just reopens your old account (at least it did in 2017). You could also consider contacting Upwork to reinstate your old account first. That might work but no guarantees.
 

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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.
As an offensive, I find this Indian.

a6c65e63627b451a8c10c723a697a3102e93d20cb94dbde6e817965d9ac54f86.jpg
 
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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.

The shown income is for the last project? Or the monthly/yearly or even the whole income since the account exists?
 

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The shown income is for the last project? Or the monthly/yearly or even the whole income since the account exists?

I assume you're talking about the number my Upwork account shows. It shows the lifetime earnings. About half of which are from a single project. I restarted my Upwork account in 2017 (see the thread titled "I deleted my Upwork account") so I could prove you could generate full-time income just through their platform. Once it was proven, I didn't really have any reason to keep taking clients through Upwork because I had clients outside of Upwork. However, the number shown isn't completely accurate either because Upwork only updates in amounts of $10,000 once you cross the 5-figure mark on their platform. I'm not sure why they do that.
 

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''Hi Timothy,
Thank you for your interest in joining Upwork. We have reviewed your application to join, and regret to inform you that we are unable to accept your Upwork freelancer registration at this time.
Please do not consider this a reflection of your abilities – while we would like to offer every qualified freelancer a spot, admission is highly competitive as Upwork receives more than 10,000 freelancer registrations daily. To help ensure that the freelancers we accept have the best chance at finding opportunities on our platform, we can only accept a small percentage of those who want to join.
If you feel that the profile you submitted does not accurately represent your skills and experience, you are free to update and resubmit your profile.
Sincerely,
The Upwork Support Team''

Well GG upwork!

I will wait another week and try again.
 
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''Hi Timothy,
Thank you for your interest in joining Upwork. We have reviewed your application to join, and regret to inform you that we are unable to accept your Upwork freelancer registration at this time.
Please do not consider this a reflection of your abilities – while we would like to offer every qualified freelancer a spot, admission is highly competitive as Upwork receives more than 10,000 freelancer registrations daily. To help ensure that the freelancers we accept have the best chance at finding opportunities on our platform, we can only accept a small percentage of those who want to join.
If you feel that the profile you submitted does not accurately represent your skills and experience, you are free to update and resubmit your profile.
Sincerely,
The Upwork Support Team''

Well GG upwork!

I will wait another week and try again.

That's interesting, haven't seen anyone get tbat message before. Did you try a new skill or the same one as before?
 

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That's interesting, haven't seen anyone get tbat message before. Did you try a new skill or the same one as before?


My last profile was sales dominant skill wise, with business development and customer service listed also.

This time i zoned right in and made my profile 100% customer service and got that message.

Next time around should i switch it up do you think and list another skill?
 

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My last profile was sales dominant skill wise, with business development and customer service listed also.

This time i zoned right in and made my profile 100% customer service and got that message.

Next time around should i switch it up do you think and list another skill?

Yeah, based on that message I think trying a different skill would be worth it. See the skills index link I posted yesterday above. Maybe try for one of those. A skill I recently saw from the old index that I don't think was listed on the one above is "Lesson Planning" which has to do with planning lessons for online courses or for other kinds of instructors. Even though it's not listed on the index, it's still an in-demand skill that wouldn't require a lot of technical knowledge to write a good profile around. Might be worth a shot.
 
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Thank you so much for this post. I will get from it as much as I can. I closed my eyes and answered the questions, so thats the homework.
1.Why are you doing this?
Because I am a young 18 years old guy, I want to learn myself new things and do as much as I can.

2.Describe your endgame
Use my experience, look at fails and good things that I have done.

3.How much money is needed
I need to be able to make about 3000 dollars per month to come back to my home country and have a enough good life for me. 100 dollars per day.

4.Who are you failing if you don't succeed?
I am the one who takes a risk.
 

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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:

  1. Why are you doing this?
  2. Describe your endgame in specific detail...
  3. How much money do you need to earn to make this worth it?
  4. 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.


Hi Lex Deville, how are you? My name is Matheus and I wanted to join UpWork, but I live in Brazil, and I do not get on so well with the English. Would that be a drag on me to follow in this business?
 

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Hi Lex Deville, how are you? My name is Matheus and I wanted to join UpWork, but I live in Brazil, and I do not get on so well with the English. Would that be a drag on me to follow in this business?

Only if you think it will be.

I understood what you were saying well enough. You may want to consider a skill that doesn't require strong English. Anything you can build, design or create. Websites, logos, illustrations, music, landing pages, email funnels, anything that doesn't require writing basically.

As long as you can communicate clearly enough to understand the client and deliver what they need then clients won't have a problem working with you.
 
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My profile was approved immediately, but I've got to figure out what my niche is going to be. I've been jack-of-all-trades for many years, except in one area (legacy systems migration) but there doesn't seem to be much demand for that specialty on Upwork.
 

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Upwork Tutorial Day 4 - How to Build Your Upwork
Portfolio Even Without Paid Client Work



Right after clients look at your overview, they scroll down and check out your portfolio. While your overview tends to tell them what you can do, your portfolio shows them. If your portfolio sucks or doesn't exist at all, then you'll probably get passed over for the next person. So today I'll show you how to build one even if you don't have any paid jobs to use as examples.

General Portfolio Rules:

  1. ANY portfolio pieces are better than none
  2. One full page is the bare minimum (4 portfolio pieces)
  3. Two full pages is the minimum I recommend to establish credibility
  4. Portfolio pieces with an image are better than without an image
  5. Demonstrate your best work even if it is unpaid work
  6. Make the first 2 pages look consistent
What Image Should I Use for My Portfolio Pieces?
There are three kinds of images I use for my portfolio pieces. Before I share them, you should know that you should use whatever makes the most sense based on the skill you offer.

For example:

  • Web Designer = Screenshot from the homepage of the website
  • Logo Designer = Images of the logos you've designed
  • Brand Designer = Images with consistent colors and style
  • Copywriter = Screenshot of website homepage copy or free stock photo image
  • Illustrator = Images of illustrations
  • Musician / Audio = Stock photo
  • Customer Service = Screenshot of website homepage (preferably with smiling face)
  • Virtual Assistant = Same as customer service
  • Sales = Image with the color red in it
  • AI / ML / Anything tech = Screenshot of app, software, or website

The 3 Kinds of Images I use
:

What Goes in Your Portfolio?

As a copywriter my portfolio pieces usually have samples of my copy. Most portfolio pieces can be made in a Google Doc for free. Either add text, images, or text AND images to create a sort of case study. However, you don't have to do this if the copy/design is already visible on the website. You can just link to it in the portfolio piece.

As for specific pieces, give clients what they want. What kind of clients do you want to attract? If it's Real Estate clients, you'd better have Real Estate samples. Think about what your clients are specifically looking for. Does a client looking for a direct response sales page want to see creative poetry? NO! They want to see sales pages and landing pages using direct response style. Give them that!

What if I Don't Have Past Clients?
If you don't have past clients, then you need to make sample portfolio pieces. Here's how...

  • Copywriters = Write sample copy in the skill style you want to do. For example, if it's email marketing, write some cold and warm emails. For direct response, write a sales page.

  • Web Designers = Build a website or several one-page websites in Wordpress. If you need a free option do it in Wix to get started.

  • Logo Designers = Make several logos in Inkscape for free or in your program of choice.

Basically just make some samples. There's no requirement that they be paid work. A lot of people get hung up on this for some reason. Don't let not having clients stop you. Create something to showcase what you can do and then load it up.

Once you create your portfolio pieces in Google Docs, then download them as a PDF because it looks nicer in your portfolio.


How Should I Title My Portfolio Pieces?
Use something relatively short that clearly describes the piece. If it's a creative piece, then it's okay to use a creative title. You will also want to use your skill keyword in some of your titles to help rank for SEO.

NOTE: You can sort your portfolio pieces so you can put the best stuff on the front page even if it's buried 10 pages deep right now. Click the opposite direction arrows for this option on any portfolio piece.

Screenshot 2019-03-16 at 6.39.22 AM.png


What Goes In the Description?

Obviously this is the place to describe the work. Be sure to add something in there. I use my description space to write full-length copy. You only need around a paragraph for other types of gigs and skills. Be sure to use your keyword if you can to help rank for SEO.

Screenshot 2019-03-16 at 6.41.28 AM.png


What Tags Should I Use?
I use a wider range of skill tags than in my profile tags. At the very least you'll want to use your keyword tag in your tags area. As long as you have that, you can put whatever else you want in here. I recommend keeping them relevant. If you're a copywriter, use copywriting tags.


Thoughts on Consistency
This is a minor thing, but consistency is important if you want to create a professional look. Make sure your first 2 pages of pieces use a consistent image. It doesn't need to be the exact same image, but it should look similar in terms of style to the other images. For instance, my images all use my brand colors. It shows the client that you have your shit together. You're not all over the place.

Screenshot 2019-03-16 at 6.42.54 AM.png


Linking Out to Your Website

Inside each portfolio piece there is a place where you can add a link to the piece of work. You can link to a client's website or your own. Either is fine. If you want to go a step beyond to get clients to click the link, you can use your description to lead them in that direction.

For instance, some of my portfolio pieces tell a story, but then it ends abruptly on a cliffhanger and says something like, "...continue reading on my website at lexdeville.com"

This will trigger clients to click to your website. If you were so inclined, you could then deliver the content, and maybe have a contact form on the bottom of the page, or possibly an email opt-in. Either of these could help you connect with the client beyond the usual means if you catch my drift...

Screenshot 2019-03-16 at 6.44.09 AM.png


Final Thoughts
Poor Upwork portfolios lead to poor results. This is one of the biggest missed opportunities most freelancers make. Not only is your portfolio a chance to establish credibility and authority, when done right it helps you rank for SEO so you show up higher in search results. So spend some time on this, but NOT TOO MUCH TIME! If you're just getting started, get at least one page of portfolio pieces done and loaded in. Even if they're not your best work, it's better than nothing.


HOMEWORK
Your homework today is to create 4 portfolio pieces. If possible use work you've done in the past to create these. Doesn't matter if it was paid work or not. We want speed and momentum, not to waste time on creating new pieces if you don't have to. So create at least 4 portfolio pieces and load them into your profile. Add at least a 1 paragraph description and relevant tags and a title with your keyword in it. Do this now!
 

Lex DeVille

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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...

ezgif.com-gif-maker (8).png

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

  1. Never start with the word "I"
  2. Use some variation of "you" before "I" or "me" or "my"
  3. Use "you" 10x as much as you use "I" or "me" or "my"
  4. Repeat the client's own words back to them
  5. Connect your skills with their needs
  6. Establish credibility fast
  7. Prove your competence
  8. Call them to Action
  9. 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...
Screenshot 2019-03-17 at 6.09.11 AM.png

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

Screenshot 2019-03-17 at 6.09.56 AM.png

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!
 
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banjoa

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@Lex DeVille thanks for all the valuebomb.

Lex, it's a bit difficult wrapping my head around this:

'...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.'

-Is the utility here the METAPHOR?
 

Lex DeVille

Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
597%
Jan 14, 2013
5,351
31,935
Utah
@Lex DeVille thanks for all the valuebomb.

Lex, it's a bit difficult wrapping my head around this:

'...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.'

-Is the utility here the METAPHOR?

Only for this particular client. You need to show clients why you are the right person for the job. If I were applying for a web design gig then using a metaphor isn't going to demonstrate what I know about design or that I can help put together a website. In this case it would only serve to help communicate an idea.
 

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