For a better experience, read the article here: https://banjoalfred.medium.com/7-lessons-learned-winning-100-jobs-on-upwork-275ab2511c0d


These are lessons I have learned closing 100+ jobs on freelance platforms.

Reverse the ‘standard’ focus

Putting your focus on external things — ideas, optimizing your profile, gaming proposals — limits your potential to win jobs. Instead, put your focus internally.

Put your focus on your own skillset and expertise.

This expertise determines how much wealth you can create.

If you want to become more valuable to a market, enhance the service you offer.

You have to be great at your craft. If your work isn’t good, you’re not going to land any job.

You Need A Sandbox To Perfect Your Craft

Create an environment to practice in to be great at your craft: your sandbox.

It should be:

Low cost or free: makes starting easy

Low stakes: makes failure bearable

Public: for feedback and accountability

Examples:

Writing: Personal blog on Medium or WordPress.

Design: Sketch & Dribbble

Social Media Marketing: Accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Programming: Account on Github

How to use your sandbox:

Look for recipes.

Recipes are step-by-step instructions to practice a skill.

Recipe resources:

Books

Books are useful as introductions to skills.

I have used books to improve my digital marketing skills and my writing.

Blogs

You can use written content online to self-educate.

These online content will either teach how to do something specifically or navigate everything else out there.

Online Courses

The internet is full of paid and free online courses that can teach you anything from programming to stand-up comedy.

Dedicated platform for online courses:

SkillShare

Khan Academy

Coursera

Codeacademy

Udemy

You can also find freely distributed courses like:

MIT’s OpenCourseWare

Harvard’s Open Learning

Free class recordings

The Best Way To Get Good Fast Is To Start With A Complimentary Skill

A question every beginner freelancer asks: ‘What in-demand skill will make me money?’

The only skill that will make you money is the skill you use to help people solve problems.

No skill makes you money unless it provides value for clients.

You have to be good to help clients get results. Pick a skill you’re already good at.

If you’re good at writing, pick a writing skill.

If you’re good at art, pick a design skill.

If you’re organized, pick a virtual assistant skill.

If you’re social, pick a social media skill.

Use The Sore Thumb Method To Get Client Attention And Get More Responses

I had no degree or portfolio when I started freelancing. Yet, I got responses from clients.

What helped?

I used the sore thumb method bidding for jobs.

It’s a two-step process.

1) I looked for what everyone else was doing
2) I did the opposite

What was everyone else doing?

They start their proposals rambling about themselves:

“I’m this and that”
“I want this”
“I have this”
“I won this and that”

Clients don’t care about what you want. You get a client’s attention when you show you care about them and their problems.

Doing this made me stand out from a sea of other freelancers.

Start Your Proposals With ‘You’

You have five to ten words to get your client’s interest and show you’re worth reading about.

Start your proposals with ‘you’ so it focuses on the other person. It shows you care about them. After that, say things the client wants to read.

How do you say things clients want to read?

Repeat their words back to them.

If the job post says, “I’m looking for a Ninja developer”, you would say, “You’re looking for a Ninja developer”.

This gets the client’s attention because you’re talking about them instead of yourself. Repeating his own words back to him also shows you paid attention.

Now, he’ll keep reading the rest of your proposal.

Use ‘Undeniable Truths’ To Gain Agreement From Clients

Say something in your proposal that gets the client to agree with you. Then, they’re more likely to be open and receptive of what you write or say. Use undeniable truths to do this.

How do you do this in your proposals?

Repeat the clients own words back to them.

Client: “I’m looking for a brand copywriter”

You: “You’re looking for a brand copywriter”

Client: “I need someone that can write articles for my food blog”

You: “You need someone that can write articles for your food blog”

These are undeniable truths because they’re a direct reflection of the client’s own words. Each time you repeat back what the client has said, you gain a little bit more agreement.

The more they agree with you, the more rapport and trust you build.

Your Portfolio Is Your Marketing

Two freelancers bid for a job.

One writes his proposal telling the client how good his web designs skills are.

The other links previous jobs in the client’s niche in his proposal.

Which one is getting the job?

Your proposals should have a link to your portfolio to communicate your expertise and ability. Show, don’t tell.

Portfolios are replacing resumes.

How has your experience been on freelance platforms? Please, share.

P.S. I’m now on Twitter (@banjoalfred) too if you want to follow my adventures. If you need sample proposals to use to land jobs, follow me and send me a dm. Also, If you have any questions, reach out.

Hi, Op, that's an incredible read. I will check it out for full write up so we pursue the goal of having a successful online business.