Freelancers Guide to Get More Clients & Earn more in Upwork

You probably heard about Upwork, if you have plans to take a career leap or if you’re interested in starting your own freelance business soon. This guide will provide all the useful suggestions you need to win clients and earn more from this popular online job marketplace for global freelancers.

Why Choose Upwork?

Upwork connects you to thousands of global clients and agencies searching for experienced and qualified freelancers from all over the world. Freelancers send proposals following the project’s requirements or job description, while clients search for qualified recommendations, review freelancer credentials, and hire prospects that match their qualifications. As a freelancer, you can utilize the Upwork platform to make audio/video calls, exchange files, send messages, or track payments from your mobile phone or laptop.

Career growth and client prospects are endless with Upwork. There are a significant number of businesses and agencies searching for the best available talents, while freelancers can easily manage their schedules and work remotely. If you possess the skills and expertise needed for a specific industry, you may spot one of these high-paying jobs on Upwork listed below:

• Game developer
• Accountant or bookkeeper
• Legal services
• Content writer
• Transcription and translation
• Marketing or sales consultant
• Web developer
• Web designer
• Customer service representative
• Virtual assistant
• UI and UX Designer
• Database administrator
• Social media manager
• Graphic designer
• Mobile app developer
• Resume writer
• Software engineer
• Architectural and engineering design
• SEO expert
• Software developer

Staying Committed and Active

Being dedicated to work is one of the most important things to remember when pursuing a freelance career in Upwork. Always give your best for every project whenever you handle a project for a client. Because the higher the quality of work you do for a client, the more jobs you can expect in the future.

Being consistent in performing high-quality work is the key to get more project opportunities while building up your brand reputation for excellent work. Instead of sending proposals or searching on job listings, clients will call you and inquire about your work credentials. Consistency also helps increase your market value, which may allow you to raise your service rates.

It would be best if you also were active on Upwork to keep clients seeking you out. To do this, you should routinely review any latest project posts you see on the website. If you find any job that suits your qualifications, immediately submit a proposal to the client to increase your chances of getting the project. Frequent posting of project proposals can also make your career portfolio visible on the search results more often.

Getting Five Star Ratings

When you’re just starting in Upwork, try to get as many five-star ratings as possible, even if it means getting a low-paying project. You need to build up your brand identity and work reputation to gain more quality clients who can pay higher for your rendered services in the future. Your resume is like any product you see on different shopping sites with corresponding reviews and ratings. If you’re the client, you would probably feel hesitant to buy a product if there aren’t any credible reviews.

Also, maximize your proposal Connect, an Upwork virtual currency system used to send proposals for new work, to establish your network of clients. Over time, clients will directly contact you if you already prove your credibility and build up your expertise. Furthermore, request your clients to complete a review form for your accomplished tasks, as Upwork talent specialists browse through this form to look for qualified candidates for enterprise clients.

Polishing your Career Profile

Your Upwork profile acts as a work resume for any job type. Recruitment specialists and job posters often browse through profiles relevant to their job search queries when searching for qualified prospects. And they often look closely at your credentials when you apply for a particular job vacancy.

Whether you’re a neophyte or an experienced user of Upwork, enhancing your profile is one of the best ways you can do to get more prospective clients. Clearly describe your professional services and work accomplishments to make your profile appear realistic and trustworthy. With a complete work portfolio, you can have an opportunity to advertise your expertise and professional skills to potential clients.

It would help if you had a complete work profile to become eligible for Upwork’s freelancer classification, either as Top Rated or Rising Talent. Unlike a traditional work resume, you’re able to customize your account to access the kind of work you want. Upwork allows freelancers to set up their service offers, availability, and search filters to make job hunting easier or help clients find you easily. Utilize all custom features to describe your services, work experiences, and other proof points of how your expertise sets you apart from other competitors in your industry.

To create an impression from prospective clients, your profile should look professional. When filling up the title section, use appropriate words that clearly describe your expertise and represent the services you’re offering. Since only the first few sentences of your overview are visible on the search results, you need to highlight your expertise to grab your readers’ attention and encourage them to check your profile further.

Exploring New Opportunities

Upwork offers new opportunities for freelancers to try out something different. Consider uploading one or two previous work samples you can present to a client, especially if you’re unsure what project type to apply for. However, as a general rule, use your previous work samples to find relevant projects requiring the same set of skills. To increase your chances of getting the project, support these samples with precise project descriptions and a link to the contract summary.

Creating Short and Brief Project Proposals

Writing a project proposal requires continuous practice because each client has their requirements to follow. Each proposal should have a clear explanation of how you can help the client. To be considered, the details of your proposal must be complete and tailored to the project’s goals of the client. When you write proposals, be sure to avoid using templates and write the content briefly, about less than 300 words.

Being responsive is also an essential factor to get more potential clients on Upwork. If you receive any response from a prospective client, you should send a reply as soon as possible, since a client often asks for clarifications or follow-up questions. You’re also able to win the client’s confidence if you provide quick and detailed answers for every inquiry.

Establishing Work Specialty

If you focus on a specific skill set, you’re able to help your freelance business grow faster. You can build an impressive career portfolio that allows you to present yourself as a credible expert in that particular field. New clients may see how your expertise can help resolve their problems since you’ve completed that project for other clients many times before.

To build up a specific niche, you may use specialized profiles to demonstrate a considerable skill set or work experience. You can select to offer one type of service if you want, but a specialized profile enables you to find more specific services, increasing your chances of getting higher pay. After all, direct clients and job recruiters prefer to look for candidates who can perform multitasking jobs.

You can also include samples of previous projects, client testimonials, case studies, images, or anything that can show your performance’s quality. Your Upwork portfolio should tell a story for each completed project, explaining how you could provide appropriate solutions for the client. Remember that your portfolio details should reflect the niche and relevant skill set which you can offer.

Building Long-term Relationships

Having a good client relationship is one way to make your freelance business successful. Clients are always on a constant search for qualified freelancers who can answer problems that they can’t resolve. To improve your relationship with clients, you need to assess the situation and determine what capacity you have to complete a project for them.

Once you start a project with a client, try not to think of it as a one-time business deal. You must establish a long-term relationship with both existing and previous clients so that you can get repeat projects or direct referrals in the future. You can also offer additional services that can provide more value for the clients. This can help you earn their trust and confidence in your capabilities. If you’re a content writer who creates web content, for instance, you may offer to write social media posts, case studies, and transcription services for them.

Any successful freelance journey requires time, enthusiasm, and enormous effort, but it may only take one great client to get you on top of the freelancing world. Whether you’re looking for new projects to work on or starting a new freelance business later, Upwork may provide countless opportunities to help you get consistent projects and earn big.