Freelancers who are still new to the game are under the impression that they mainly get freelance work by submitting proposals to potential clients.
They first build their Upwork profile, and from there they begin to look for jobs. Then they go ahead and start job submissions.
At first, it feels exciting.
Then the proposals start adding up.
10 proposals.
30 proposals.
50 proposals.
Sometimes 100.
But the replies don't come.
Somewhere down the line, the freelancer starts questioning themselves. They feel that maybe their skill level is insufficient. Perhaps their online profile is not looking very professional. Maybe the person is just having a bad day, or it is something else that has gone wrong, but whatever it is, it is definitely a major issue for freelancing to get back on track.
Sometimes those things can matter.
But another problem comes up that gets overlooked there.
The freelancer may be applying to the wrong projects and sending proposals that look almost the same as everyone else's proposals.
This is why one freelancer can send a small number of carefully chosen proposals and get several conversations, while another freelancer can send dozens of applications without getting a serious response.
It isn't because there is a magic number of proposals.
It comes down to how those proposals are selected and written.
Sending More Proposals Does Not Always Solve the Problem
When you're starting freelancing, sending more proposals feels like the obvious solution.
If one application gives you one chance, then 100 applications should give you 100 chances, right?
Not exactly.
Imagine you are a client looking for a video editor.
You receive 30 proposals.
Most of them say something similar:
"Hello, I am an experienced video editor. I can edit your videos professionally and deliver high-quality work. I am available to start immediately. Give me a chance."
Then you receive another proposal that says:
"I noticed you're looking for someone to turn your long-form videos into short clips. I'd focus on finding the strongest moments first, then edit them for vertical viewing with captions and a fast opening. Give me a chance to work. I will not make you upset."
That second proposal immediately feels different.
The freelancer has actually understood the project.
That is what matters.
The goal isn't to write the longest proposals or send the most proposals.
The goal is to make the right client think, "This person understands what I need."
The Client Is Looking for a Solution
One of the biggest mistakes new freelancers make is talking too much about themselves.
They write things like that in every proposal:
"I have three years of experience."
"I am hardworking."
"I am passionate about my work."
"I have excellent communication skills."
"I do not require any additional assistance or support to complete the task within the agreed timeframe."
These are very common replies, as freelance writers tend to believe that it is their duty to self-introduce to customers.
Nevertheless, the customer is fully aware of the fact that he/she is contracting a freelancing service.
What matters most to a customer is to find someone who can clearly see the situation from their side of the business and who is confident in getting the job done.
For example, a businesswoman is struggling with her Shopify store.
At first, do not write a lengthy self-presentation. Rather, try to figure out from the business owner's perspective what the actual problem is or the specific things that he/she wants.
Perhaps they have issues navigating their product pages.
Maybe the mobile version looks poor.
Maybe the store has an issue with product variants.
Maybe the owner needs help uploading dozens of products.
Your proposal should talk about the relevant problem they are facing.
For example:
"I noticed that the project involves updating a large number of product pages. I can organize the products, check the variants, and make sure the information stays consistent across the store."
That tells the client something useful.
You show that you read the project.
Relevance Is More Important Than Quantity
Sometimes it is not worth applying to each new project you discover.
On the contrary, such an activity may even result in wasted time.
At the very moment of preparing your offer, it will pay you to run through a few simple questions.
Do you really have the capacity to undertake the job?
Are you possessed of the very set of abilities that the potential employer is looking for?
Have you got a clear picture of the nature of the job?
Do you have portfolio pieces that correspond with the job's nature?
Does the budget reflect the amount of work being undertaken?
Would I be a happy employee at a company where this particular client works?
If you say "yes" mainly to the above questions, then, indeed, you might be on the path towards getting accepted for that job.
However, if the majority of the questions bring the "No" answers, then, indeed, your best bet is to abandon this particular job posting.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the most fundamental aspects that separates haphazard job postings from sound freelancing strategies.
Actually, you do not want all jobs that come your way.
On the contrary, in a perfect scenario, you only want jobs that match your skills and personality.
Make Your Decision Based on Full Understanding of Job Description
A great many freelancers do not read the job descriptions carefully.
All they do is give quick looks.
They focus on the skills demanded.
Then they immediately get to work writing a proposal.
That can, however, be a big mistake.
What is usually forgotten is that a job description contains information.
Look out for the following things:
What is the problem the client has been suffering from?
What outcome are they after?
What methods have they adopted so far?
What are they most frustrated by?
Which part of the project are they prioritizing?
To cite a client who may have said this:
“I’ve already hired two people to fix this website problem, but the bug comes back each time.”
This sentence speaks volumes.
The client is not merely seeking someone with expertise in websites.
They are after someone who could diagnose the issue and prevent it from recurring.
One proposal that acknowledges the underlying issues will generally be a much stronger bid than another that only states, “I’m an experienced developer.” Your portfolio is the best way to get the point across.
With a solid portfolio, clients are able to see your capabilities for themselves.
Compared to experienced freelancers, this is what really gives your career a boost!
It may have been just a few years since you started working with clients. That is fine; it is very common.
To begin with, it is possible to show your clients what an average work you do at your best by using your work for other people as examples. So, if you are thinking of becoming a web designer, you must make a couple of websites as examples.
Suppose you're thinking of becoming a video editor; you could showcase some editing samples.
Working towards becoming someone who deals with social media? Just come up with some pieces of online stuff that a fake business could use.
In your case of creating AI automations, you might start by making a couple of little automation systems.
To provide SEO assistance as a service, do an example website review.
Never be tempted to tell lies about your work.
You can't make the truth look nice for you by lying and making up a history with the client when you were merely doing a personal project.
But a very well-madepersonal project can show the client what you are worth and how skilled you are.
Don't Fill Your Portfolio with Everything You Do
The next typical wrong move is to produce a portfolio that showcases a whole bunch of skills.Freebies might include work like logos, websites, social media posts, video edits, Amazon listings, SEO reports, and AI tools.
One reason the client could end up confused is the fact that the freelancer actually does all those things but probably wants to get hired for only one of the works.
Away from showcasing your entire skill set, your portfolio should highlight and reinforce what you are mostly good at.
If it's going to be Shopify work that you'll be applying for, then display examples that pertain to Shopify work.
If you're targeting video editing freelance jobs, then you are to present video editing-related samples.
If you have a potential customer who uses AI automatons to manage repetitive customer-related tasks, then you should display such automation samples in your portfolio.
When you focus only on the things you can do for the particular person, i.e., the client, it will be a much easier job for him to figure out the kind of services you offer.
Keeping Your Service Clear and Understandable Makes Writing Proposals Easier
If you have one main service and it's crystal clear, then you'll find proposing your services extremely simple since all your efforts will be concentrated on one thing only.Take a look at this example—
The first version says,
"I offer digital services for businesses."
The second version states,
"I create AI automations so that small businesses can be helped with eliminating their repetitive customer support tasks.
Undoubtedly, the second description is far more detailed.
It is so easy for even someone who is reading this for the first time to get to know what it precisely means when you say you're good at something or you have a knack for doing something or other. For example, they will know that it's AI-related customer service task optimization that you specialize in.
Naturally, it doesn't happen that you will only have one single area of expertise that is always at work.
However, during times when you are out seeking new clients and customers, if a clearly defined main service is there, your profile and proposals can both be made a lot better and more attractive.
Personalization Doesn't Mean Composing an Extra Article Every Time
Sometimes when freelancers hear a word like 'personalized,' it dawns upon them that they may have no choice but to change their proposal every time when it comes to submitting to clients for the same type of job that they've done several times before.Actually, you're wrong in that understanding because
You have no reason to write a new cover letter for each client.
You are advised to make a general layout that you will be able to fill with details for every new client or client project.
Your initial idea is to start with something unique about this particular case.
Then you can briefly present what you have in mind by way of
Finally, provide the client with an answer or an inquiry of some sort.
The way you set up a proposal is something that you can keep quite the same.
What's important, though, is
The details have to match what the actual work looks like.
What You Write at the Beginning Matters
What is the very first thing that you put down in your proposal is important. It is what will keep or reject the client right from the start.That's why most generic openings are actually not so good.
Let me give you an example:
'Dear Sir/Madam, I hope you are well. I am a professional freelancer; my name is Sinan.'
Being polite is a good practice.
Only that, the client will not find such letters original.
Do something different at the beginning of your letter.
'I understand you need a person who will automate the operation of sending leads from a visitor of your website to your CRM.'
By then, the client will be quite satisfied because they realize that you know exactly which kind of job they are asking for.
A short introduction to who you are might still work.
Examine Your Reasoning
You certainly are not expected to offer your client completely free consulting.
Yet, by a small display from you of what and how you think, you may be able to persuade the client.
Take it, for example, that you are given the task to redesign a company's website.
Instead of merely stating:
"I can improve your website"
How about you answer them this way:
"As my first step, I would examine your website's mobile layout, page loading speed, navigation, and main pages to decide where you want visitors to be prompted to convert"
This gives the client an idea of theworkfloww you have to do as part of an engagement without being too technical.
Don't make statements you can't support
This is crucial, especially if you are just starting out.
You may be tempted to present yourself as someone who has a lot of experience.
But saying your portfolio has hundreds of clients without actually delivering is not a smart way to go.
A customer will eventually request samples of your work.
They may go into details to ask some very specific questions.
They may find out the initial statement was untrue.
On the contrary, be truthful about your current state.
Present your personal projects if you have them.
You may mention that you have just undertaken a series of very small tasks voluntarily for some friends/local small businesses,s and it's perfectly true.
If you are gaining experience, make efforts to find ways you could actually provide what is expected through your skills.
Trust is not a thing that can be easily built,lt but its value exceeds a compellingly presented proposal.
Cost Is Not the Only Factor in Client Selection
Pretty often we see how beginner freelancers think that the cheapest of them all will be the one who bags the client.Even though in some cases lowering the price might actually help you get more people when you are gaining expertise, being the lowest price alone is not the main way.
Sometimes a client will pick a freelancer because they can clearly express themselves.
Another client might be drawn to someone because they have a solid portfolio.
While someone else might decide to hire that freelancer who can better understand the project.
Competing solely on price can eventually lead you to only securing work where price is the only consideration.
Better yet, focus on offering your services in a way that is quite easy for the client to understand.
Be transparent about your work.
Specify your deadlines and other commitments.
Framing the right questions is an art in itself.
Proper communication is essential, be it through written or oral communication.
All of these factors influence decision-making.
What If You Haven't Any Experience?
For sure, the lack of experience is one of the major stumbling blocks that beginner freelancers usually confront.Your ability to demonstrate to a potential customer that you are competent is what will determine whether you get clients or not, at the very least.
But on the same line, you need your clients to have experience, too.
To get out of this cycle, you can create your own proof that you can do the job.
Make your decision on just one service.
Making up three to five realistic scenarios is your starting point.
Narrative of the problem with a simple sentence for each.
What did your project look lik,e and what were your expectations from the solution?
List the tools and methods that you employed.
You can be like: if you want to be an AI automation freelancer, you can create the following:
An automation for capturing the customer.
A customer support automation flow.
Creating the perfect email follow-up system.
You can set up a straightforward appointment scheduling system without the use of a booking platform.
A workflow connecting a website form to a CRM that will automatically transfer all leads.
Thanks to such examples, if a customer inquires about what you're capable of, you will have an interesting story to share.
Learn to Distinguish between the Worth of Projects
Monitor Your Performance
- Date.
- Project type.
- Service.
- Budget.
- Proposal.
- Proposal client viewed.
- Client replied.
- Interview.
- Project won.
Will You Still Go Ahead If You Have No Result Out Of 100 Proposals?
The Main Outline of Your Proposal
It's important to remember that no freelance proposal is one-size-fits-all.
Nonetheless, adopting a straightforward framework can serve the purpose.
Begin by discussing the project.
"I got to learn from your description that you need help with..." you may say.
Then demonstrate that you have a good grip on the problem.
"As far as the problems you mentioned go, the core problem is likely..."
Next, let us know what you are going to do.
"A good starting point would be..."
Then show your proof.
"Once, I delivered a project and here is how I did it that was really similar to yours..."
Lastly, ask a meaningful question.
"Right now, are you still using...?"
These are sufficient for most cases.
Besides, it should be mentioned that it's quite unnecessary to add all kinds of irrelevant information into your proposal.
Better Quality is Resulted from Less Effort on Editing
Picture this scenario: you have just sent out 100 proposals and not kept track of them.
Only two of the clients responded.
It's quite impossible to figure out what it was that made the two clients respond positively.
Even when you think about the ones who did not respond, it's impossible for you to identify what was wrong since no feedback was given.
However, let's suppose that you've put your proposals to test by sending targeted 20 only then have you done the tracking.
The advantage here is that you know for sure what kind of projects your clients have chosen to respond to, and what is the best way to communicate with those projects in the future.
You will be able to spot the services that are getting a lot of attention.
You will know if the clients are actually reading your proposals.
Your work can be enhanced by the fact that you have actual results.
That is what makes it all worthwhile.
When you get rid of all the noise and think of each freelance proposal as feedback, you will find a much better way to navigate your freelance life.
A rejected proposal does not mean that you are not a good freelancer.
Perhaps the project was not the best choice for them.
Your portfolio could have been a bit off-topic.
A different skill set was what the client wanted.
There was another freelancer who was a much better match for them.
That experience itself is a learning one.
If you Have Three Very Good Proposals, There Is Still a Possibility of Rejection.
Realistic setting of client expectations is very important.
Just because a proposal has been written well does not mean that is enough to attract the client.
They might already have decided upon a freelancer.
The project could have been put on hold by ther.
There is the possibility that the needs have been completely reworked by the client.
They have also decided to go for another person who has done freelancing work.
They also have the possibility of not hiring任何人.
Dummy clients and projects are whatthey ares. It is just the normal thing.
Your intention should not be to create a pitch that magically guarantees a contract.
The ultimate objective is to have better quality of your opportunities.
If you keep applying for the right opportunities, producing solid evidence, speaking in a clear w,ay and continuously optimizing your technique, then you are putting yourself in a much more favorable positionion.
Stop Chasing the Proposal Number
It's simple to let the idea of numbers drive your focus.
“20 proposals today”
“30 tomorrow”
The truth is, the number of proposals is not the only thing that will define your success.
Reflect on this:
Am I targeting the right jobs?
Have I clearly explained the client's issue?
Did I present examples of previous work that are in line with the requirements of the client?
Was my offer clearly explained?
Have I explained how I could assist them?
Can I take something away from the client's response?
You could say that these questions are much more valuable than a mere application count.
A Better Goal for Your Next 20 Proposals
Forget about sending 100 proposals as fast as you can; use this strategy:
Filter projects that are very much aligned to your expertise.
Carefully read the client description.
Pull one detail from it that you can make the main point.
Explain the client's issue in plain, easy language.
Make them see your way - how you'd approach it.
Include an example of a portfolio piece relevant to their issue.
Make the proposal as simple to understand as possible.
Ask at least one question that is helpful.
Keep track of the answer.
When you have done 20 proposals, look back at the whole thing from a bird's-eye view and see what the patterns are in the results.
You may see that certain types of projects work well for you much more than other kinds of projects.
That piece of information is quite valuable.
Make sure then you use this knowledge for making your next batch of 20 even better.
Final Thoughts
Finding freelance clients is more of an art than a mechanical task.
Sending more proposals means more chances, yes, but just blindly and randomly sending more won't bring in clients.
It is the nature of the project that will decide whether it is good or bad.
Your proposal will influence that decision.
The level of work you have shown in your portfolio will also decide what kind of client the person gets.
The details of your proposal will further confirm or disprove the client's belief in you.
Most crucial of all, your capacity to comprehend the client's difficulty will be the deciding factor.
Don't just throw another hundred proposals into the void if you have sent 100 already and are not seeing any leads.
Take a moment to break away.
Analyze the present method and identify the part that is the weakest of the whole.
Then make changes and try once again.
You might even come to discover that it would be enough to send just a few applications every week.
To achieve long-term career stability in this freelance world, you should be learning and getting better day by day at identifying and pitching the most fitting opportunities for your clients.
Actually, it is a far more effective freelancing skill than learning how to be more productive with the number of proposals you send.
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