Getting clients on Upwork can prove to be an extremely challenging task, especially for beginners who are new to the freelancing world. With hundreds of experienced freelancers from across the globe, competing for the same job, it is easy to lose hope and give up. So, the question is how do you successfully defeat competition to get more clients on Upwork?
To get your answer, read below for some great Upwork tips and tricks that are guaranteed to get you more jobs.
Tip 1 – Upload a Professional Profile Picture
Your profile picture determines how you present yourself to potential clients at Upwork. Clients will only hire you for a project if they believe you to be a trustworthy freelancer. Thus, a professional profile picture goes a long way in building your image as a reliable and professional individual.
To get the best picture, pick an area that is properly lit, and gets a lot of natural light. Avoid overhead light as it can add a dark, unpleasant shadow. Also, make sure that the background is simple and plain – a solid-colored wall or an outdoor background works best! Lastly, focus the camera on your face, and don’t forget to smile. Clients believe that smiling freelancers are more trustworthy, reliable, and customer friendly.
Tip 2 – Complete the Title and Overview Section
The title and overview sections are very powerful tools that are often neglected by freelancers on Upwork. The title you write is going to be one of the first things that your potential client will notice on your profile. Thus, a few, meaningful words can have a major impact on whether they decide to engage you in their project. In fact, a lot of businesses that hire freelancers via Upwork have said that a well-thought-out title indicates a freelancer’s quality of work and expertise.
While the overview section isn’t completely visible to potential clients, it still plays an important role in building your Upwork profile. Whenever your profile appears in a search result, your potential clients will be able to view the first few sentences of your overview. So, make sure that you write these lines in a way that the client gets the impression you’re the perfect match for their needs.
Tip 3 – Take the Relevant Upwork Tests
Taking the Upwork test often seems like a chore. But if you want to get clients, taking these tests is essential! Upwork has a variety of different tests that are related to your specialty. You should take as many of these as possible to ensure clients that you possess the required skillset.
The most crucial test that you need to take to secure clients is the Upwork Readiness Test. Many clients won’t take a second look at your profile if you haven’t completed this test. Completing a single test generally takes about 20 to 25 minutes.
To take a relevant test, head to the “Tests” section on Upwork and search for tests that are relevant to your specialization under ‘keyword’ or ‘categories.’ Once you’re done with the tests, make sure that you display the results on your profile (especially if you scored well!). Taking these tests and scoring well on them will make your profile rank higher on Upwork’s search engine.
Tip 4 – Communicate Your Skills
Upwork has a very thorough list of skills that can help you in identifying your strengths and match you with relevant projects. Moreover, these skills also allow clients to reach you more easily. You should make sure that the skills you pick accurately depict your expertise and specializations. For instance, only claim skills that you can reinforce in other sections of your profile such as education, portfolio, certifications, or work history.
Ideally, you should list 10 of the most appropriate skills based on the type of projects you want to get. You can even move around the tags to your skills appear in the order from highest to lowest importance. If you’re multi-skilled (e.g. copywriting and graphic designing), list the number of your skills in accordance with your preference for the type of project. Make sure to add newly acquired skills to your list and remove redundant or obsolete ones.
Tip 5 – Build A Portfolio
Your portfolio is a sure way of attracting the attention of your potential client. It’s the only way you can show clients the quality of the work you deliver. While building a portfolio isn’t much of a challenge for experienced professionals, it can be difficult for new freelancers.
In case you don’t have sufficient work to make a portfolio, you can build your own website, create a blog, or engage in discussion forums to demonstrate your critical thinking ability to clients. When building a portfolio, it is important that select pieces that support your specialization and showcase your niche.
Tip 6 – Draft Your Proposal Carefully
Your potential client will look at three crucial factors to determine if they want to hire you. These factors include your profile, your reputation, and the proposal you put forward. As a beginner, you might not have a strong reputation, so you need to ensure that the other two factors are exceptionally convincing.
When drafting a proposal, steer clear from stock responses and template. Always write a unique customized proposal for every job that you want to secure. You need to assure the client that the proposal you’re sending is specifically written for them. You can do this by addressing all the details that the client has written in their work description.
Other things that you can add in your proposal include the reasons that interest you in a particular job and the skills and experience that make you a perfect candidate for it. You can even provide related samples and ask for clarity if there’s something you don’t understand about the project. Lastly, remember to keep your proposal short and concise!
Parting Words
We hope that these Upwork tips and tricks will help you get clients and assist you in building your career as a freelancer. Remember, there’s nothing more rewarding than hard work so, if you work with dedication and follow the tips above, you are bound to achieve great success.