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How to Win Freelance Gigs on Upwork
Rating: 4.5 out of 5(2 ratings)
44 students

How to Win Freelance Gigs on Upwork

Find and Convert Freelance Clients on the Biggest Job Board Site
Created byLaura Briggs
Last updated 11/2022
English

What you'll learn

  • Identify how to maximize Upwork features to land clients for your business.
  • Identify how to create a winning proposal.
  • Recognize what is needed to maintain good client relationships.
  • Search Upwork's job search to find the right jobs.
  • Discover who Upwork is right for and who may struggle to win clients there

Course content

5 sections23 lectures3h 40m total length
  • For Upwork Newbies: Basics of the Site47:42

    Learn the basics of Upwork for newbies, including how clients post jobs, fixed-price versus hourly work, escrow protections, and how to bid, sample, and earn with feedback.

  • Module 2: Membership for Upwork4:18

    Explore the value of upgrading to Upwork Plus, investing ten dollars a month for extra connects, bid visibility, and agency benefits to access leads with escrow and payment protection.

  • Membership for Upwork Continued4:18

    Upgrade to Upwork Plus for more connects and agency benefits, invest ten dollars a month to access leads, profile options, and escrow protection.

  • About Membership Fees3:50

    Explain Upwork's sliding fees for freelancers, with 20% on the first $500 and 10% on the remainder, and show how to reflect these costs in bids.

  • Understanding Upwork's Freelance Violations and How to Avoid Them4:34

    Stay compliant on Upwork by reporting scams, verify identity with a brief video, adhere to a two-year client stay, keep payments on Upwork, and avoid harassment or off-platform deals.

  • Understanding Per Project Fees5:19

    Learn how Upwork's sliding service fees work, including the 20% cut and reductions to 10% after $500 and 5% after $10,000, and how to build these fees into your bids.

  • Leaving the Platform5:07
  • Upwork Profile Details7:21

    Craft a standout Upwork profile with a photo, a mid-range hourly rate, and a laser-targeted tagline. Keep it concise, highlight relevant experience, choose categories, and include work samples and bids.

  • Win Jobs on Upwrok4:03

    Explore membership options, find jobs with open calls and advanced search on Upwork, and use invitations. Develop reputation with first jobs and feedback, and respond to invitations within 24 hours.

  • For Freelance Writers Only: Learn More About Marketing Off Upwork1:08
  • Denying Invites is a Must Do2:04
  • Makeup of a Winning Proposal57:26

    Learn to craft tailored Upwork proposals that win jobs or spark quick calls by using a compelling first line, concise pitches, and client pain points.

  • Managing Client Relationships14:23

    Learn to manage client relationships on Upwork by setting escrow, clarifying scope, and establishing revision limits. Deliver early with professional communication to earn strong feedback.

Requirements

  • Novice understanding of freelance work.
  • Interest in working as a freelancer doing things like virtual assistant work, writing, editing, development, design, voiceover work, customer service, data entry, etc.

Description

So you know you want to start freelancing as a copywriter, virtual assistant, graphic designer, project manager, website designer, developer, or something else on Upwork, but you don't know where to get started? I've been there.

Let's take a trip back to 2012.

I was driving ninety minutes each way to the middle school deep in the heart of Baltimore where I taught. The kids were hard. The supplies were nonexistent. The system was convoluted and inefficient. Needless to say, I was burned out.

With a master's degree and smack in the middle of my pursuit of a PhD, I didn't want to teach anymore. I was left with a question that seemed impossible to answer: What now?

What started as a Google search for "How to become a freelance writer" grew into an amazing online business. I left my teaching job and accepted another position while I figured out what was next.


In the year that followed, I:

  • Became a success story featured on the Upwork homepage

  • Worked with over 100 clients

  • Got my first $50,000 contract

  • Met and surpassed my monthly day job income

Not to sound cheesy, but freelancing really changed my life. And I've taken all that insight from beginning as a freelancer and boiled it down into the must haves for success on Upwork.

What if YOU were making an extra $500/month on jobs you won on Upwork?

  • Would you pay down your debt?

  • Would you be able to cover the bills?

  • Would you be able to save for a great vacation?

  • Would you start working towards leaving your full-time job, just like I did?

This is why I'm so passionate about helping other people find their freelance voice and turn it into a marketable skill that brings them recurring revenue from premium clients.

The easiest way to get your foot in the door as a freelancer and to convince people that it's really possible is using online job board sites and in particular, Upwork. Since clients are already pre-sold on needing a freelancer, you're more likely to book them quickly. Your clients often know what they want and give clear instructions. And many of these same clients can be converted into ongoing work.


One pattern I've noticed among new freelancers though is that they find the process of getting started overwhelming. They might be bidding on jobs at Upwork, but they're not winning. They don't know what they need to fix, often asking questions like:

  • Am I charging too much?

  • Is my lack of feedback on Upwork hurting me?

  • Am I bidding on the wrong jobs?

  • Is my profile inviting business or not?

  • Does my pitch suck?

I get it because I've been there.


That's why I took everything I learned in 10 years working on Upwork and put it into one course.


If you're ready to make money, hustle, and get away from that soul-sucking job you hate, now is the time.

Are you ready to start your freelance career but feel overwhelmed with all the tech setup?

You know Upwork has the clients you want to work with - but you don't know how to get noticed.


If you've ever used a freelance job board or service before, you know it can be challenging to:

  • Find the right jobs for you, while not getting lost in the array of bad opportunities

  • Set up your profile for maximum visibility and success

  • Get the ball rolling with a new client to increase your chances of getting paid and having repeat relationships

  • Discover which clients are the ones to avoid

  • Figure out how to deal with problems like unreasonable clients or disputes


But it is possible for you to make a killing on the site if you follow my strategies.

You just need a little guidance on how to set up your profile to stand out in the crowded freelance market, identify good and bad leads, and work with clients effectively so that they keep coming back for more.

And that's where I come in.

If you're thinking that there's no way you can pull this off as a totally new freelancer or Upworker, you're wrong. Let my story show you just how you can go from zero to hero pretty quickly.


What Others Have to Say About Laura's Upwork Advice:


"I had four employers on Upwork find and reach out to me for interviews within three days of updating my rate and profile."

- Jessica N.

"Using the selective criteria you suggested, I landed the first job I bid on!"

- Rachel F.


"I got my first Upwork job after sending six proposals by taking Laura's course. I knew absolutely nothing about Upwork before taking the course, but after completing it, I gained all the knowledge I needed to succeed on a very competitive job board. In addition to the course, Laura includes several bonuses, including Upwork proposal templates that I'm convinced helped me land my first job. Don't hesitate—this course is well worth the investment if you want to succeed on Upwork!"

Mike M.

This course is for you if...

  • You're totally new to Upwork

  • You're an established freelancer but never had much success on Upwork

  • You're bidding on Upwork but not getting any bites

  • You've never landed a job on Upwork.

This course is NOT for you if:

  • You're not willing to do the work

  • You're not critical or self-reflective at all (If you tell me your profile, pitch, work, and process are all perfect yet you're not booking business... there's a problem.)

  • You're already making six figures on Upwork.

Who this course is for:

  • All freelancers who are curious on how to use to Upwork to find work.