The pivotal factor in your favor is writing an Upwork proposal that grabs the attention of clients, making them believe that you are the most suitable person for the job. In this post, we look at the key elements of a successful Upwork proposal and share our own tips to help you create proposals that get noticed and win you more contracts. Optimizing your bidding strategies is essential here too, so we have written a separate guide on how to succeed using Upwork, whether you are a new or more advanced user.
How to Upwork a Proposal
Often, your job proposal on Upwork is the first point of contact with a prospective client. Here you finally get to say hello to the client, to subtly show off what you know in under two pages written in your most elegant voice and to implore the cosmic void that you are their only savior and deliverer of their interminable question or bring their project to whatever, that only you understand them.
In many cases, a carefully created tender that is bespoke to the company with whom you are subcontracting can be the difference between them giving you the contract and moving on. Tenders give you a chance to stand apart from others applying, to build trust with the client, and to start the ball rolling for what could be a fruitful relationship. But, given the increasing competition on the platform, just sending a generic proposal won’t cut it anymore. If you want to keep winning jobs time and time again, you have to learn how to craft tender designs that will deeply resonate with clients and naturally position you as the best of the best in your field.
Here’s What You Can Do to Make Your Upwork Proposal Job-Winning
Every project and client will be different, but there are a number of solid principles that underpin every successful Upwork proposal. We will dissect each of these elements so you know how to leverage them for the most effective influence.
An Enticing Offer: How To Create an Attractive Freelance Proposal
If catching the client’s attention from the first breath is one of the pillars of getting highly desired freelance jobs, both your proposal title and your opening should get the reader’s attention right away and show the benefits. Something generic, such as “Experienced Writer Available,” is not going to make you stick out. Write a headline that speaks to their priorities, like “SEO-blog posts that will double your traffic & leads!” The introduction, where you demonstrate close reading by using the terminology and mindset they put forth in the posting to you,. Speak their language, becoming a good friend in no time. Show that you really understand their needs, as you would be the perfect fit.
Emphasize Key Qualifications and Past Success
Highlight the experience that relates to the needs of the clients to persuade them to choose you. Highlight your skills applicable to the platform used, the coding language, and the tools available to the mobile app designer. Find examples of mastery and quantify the results. Provide evidence of successful projects of this kind by customers who are happy with the end results.
Have an Unbeatable Value Proposition
Differentiating among hundreds or even thousands of applications requires you to stick out from other candidates in terms of demonstrating how you outshine them. Your value proposition has to describe these advantages and results better than working with you. It could emphasize:
- Deep expertise in a niche vertical that is strategic to their business.
- Track record of delivering work on time with top quality.
- Communication and project management are sharp and in control.
- Being passionate about and loyal to their cause or values.
Customized Plan & Strategy
Demonstrating to the client that attention is paid to their particular project with a unique solution or plan provided in the proposal. Divide the approach into clear steps or stages and explain how each will take you closer to the desired results. Providing a clear and concise plan brings professionalism, forward-thinking, and control of the project and situation. It creates credibility, and clients will feel an experience of what working with you could be like.
Use a More Casual and Engaging Personality in How You Communicate
But also, even while coming across as an expert and professional, you have to be human and let some of your personality bend through the writing of this proposal. Use your own voice — friendly and conversational — and write as you would speak. Customers are likely to work with freelancers if they feel a personal connection, so go ahead and let them know who you are and what it is to work with you. And, if applicable, reference a mutual interest or experience concerning the project.
Competitive Pricing and Value
One of the most significant elements that will win you work on Upwork is all about pricing services competitively, but at the same time, winning at the lowest rate is not always the correct path to follow. They don’t want all your attention; they want you to offer amazing value to their investment. Expose the pricing structure via clear and well-broken-down details of the billing, whether hourly, per project, or milestone, etc.
When you do quote higher rates, make sure you clearly lay out the quantifiable value the client will receive for that investment. If the client is on a budget, recommend adjustments to the project scope or timeline so it accommodates their needs while still delivering high-quality results. This shows the client you are flexible and willing to work with their parameters when others wouldn’t.
Social Proof/Credibility Indicators
Including some form of validation of your skills and experience in your proposal goes a long way in creating a bond of trust with potential clients. A few tips to prove your credibility are: your relevant certifications or degrees; your high Job Success Score on Upwork to show that your reputation is good; a limited excerpt from a positive review you got from a client in the past; and links to a portfolio or social profiles so a client can learn more about you.
Doing so demonstrates to the prospective client many things, most notably that at least one other person believes in your skills (and is willing to attest to them), that you are a more serious job candidate than myriad freelancer nobodies, and that your chances of being hired for the project have just tripled.
Which Leads to The Next Step: Call-To-Action
Wrap up with a clear call-to-action, like scheduling a conference call to discuss project specifics further or requesting further information the client can provide that will help you develop a more detailed bid. This way, it is easy for the client to keep the conversation going, which demonstrates that you are taking action and are ready to start providing value when the offer is accepted.
Crafting Well-Fitted Proposals for Best Results
With the basic building blocks of a proposal to get you started off on the right foot, see below for other tips to improve or refresh your proposal strategy and increase your win-rate on Upwork. Customize and optimize each unique proposal to the specifics of the job posting. This one is easy for clients to spot and also seems like you don’t really care enough to even think their unique needs through. Instead, really look through the job advertisement and make your proposal based on that. Use the client’s language, and even talk about the specifics from the duty description, to show you have done your research.
But there is a limit to how much information you can provide, as we want to leave a little mystery to pique the interest of the client as well. Develop short, scannable proposals—iinclude short paragraphs and lists, and divide the content with headers and subheads. Use bold italics to stress vital information. Limit your proposals to one or two pages.
Step 8: Proofreading
Before you submit your proposal, proofread it for spelling, grammar, and understandability. A great proposal that is not only free of embarrassing errors but is also nicely written sends the right signs to your audience — that you are a professional and attend to details, while on the other hand, a few slip-ups will make you appear sloppy and irresponsible. Have a coworker, friend, or mentor give you feedback on your request. They can help identify the places where you can improve the message and ensure your point is coming through loud and clear.
Follow up immediately and politely if and when the client responds to your proposal or asks for more information. Respond to any questions they have or any issues they raise in a friendly and helpful manner as the conversation goes back and forth. If you do not hear back after submitting a proposal, consider following up gently in the next few days to express your excitement and provide any additional information required to make a decision.
Treat your Upwork proposals as drafts and revise them often. Test response rates and client feedback continuously and adjust your strategy where you see opportunities according to what is working and what is not. Varying the structure and wording of proposals can help you find out what works for your end users. Eventually, though, with time and consistency, you will develop a fail-safe process that will have you landing projects with relative ease.
The Bottom Line
Crafting a winning Upwork proposal requires both exceptional writing skills and strategic thinking, as well as a deep understanding of what your ideal clients want and need from Upwork freelancers. If you incorporate all of the elements we’ve touched on and make sure to follow the tips to optimization, your proposals will be in a way different galaxy than the competition, and you’ll be the top freelancer of choice for the role. So, keep in mind that your proposal is the first step to creating a lucrative freelance business on Upwork. Get the job, and it’s your job to deliver quality work, communicate well, and maintain positive long-term relationships with your clients. By innovating your bid approach and remaining to…
