How To Create Proposal For Upwork

Freelancing is the future. From food delivery to graphic design to content creation, the gig economy is very much here to stay.

UpWork is one of the best-rated, most respected platforms for freelancers, especially creatives. But with more competition out there than ever, how do you write a killer proposal on UpWork that separates you from the others and wins clients?

A successful proposal is short and to the point. All you need to do is tell the client you can do the job, show relevant examples of your work, and provide a prospective deadline and budget. Back up your proposal with a killer portfolio and profile, and you'll win and keep quality clients on UpWork.

If you want to write a killer proposal on UpWork that wins clients, you'll have to do more than simply write a good cover letter.

While this is the first thing a client will see and is thereby super important, you've got to know a few of the unwritten rules, tricks and shortcuts, as well as the pitfalls and rookie mistakes to avoid if you want to successfully and consistently win clients on UpWork.

In this article I have included an example of a real cover letter that I used earlier this year. I've been honing my pitches, and this one took me about two minutes and landed me the contract within 24 hours. I give you permission to take it, change it, and use it yourself.

How to write a killer proposal on UpWork that wins clients?

If you haven't heard of UpWork, according to its own site and social media, it's a global freelancer platform and a leading online talent solution. But what does that mean exactly? Essentially, UpWork is a job marketplace for freelancers, especially those in creative sectors.

That means writers, programmers, editors, filmmakers, proofreaders, graphic designers, and more use UpWork to find clients, apply for jobs, and get paid for their work.

Some of the jobs are on-off, though as the creative gig economy diversifies and strengthens, there's more quality, long-term work on UpWork every day.

The jobs are listed on a feed, specifically designed for you by UpWork's algorithms, which looks a little something like this:

As you develop a profile, apply for, and win contracts, the feed shows you more and more relevant jobs.

Clients from all over the world list jobs, and there is more work than any one person could do in a lifetime.

Your job as a freelancer is to give the client what they want on time and on budget. It's as simple as that. However, there's much more to it than that if you want to develop a strong portfolio, a killer profile, and win lucrative contracts with quality clients.

Here's a quick list of things to remember, and I'll go into each bullet point in more detail:

Do your homework
Be honest
Be personal
Don't copy and paste
Don't repeat your profile
Don't be afraid to talk about money
Give relevant examples of your work

1 – Do your homework

It's on you to vette the client. One of the greatest things about freelancing is the personal responsibility when it comes to picking and choosing clients. However, this comes with potential dangers, as there's a huge range of jobs and clients on UpWork.

While the online gig economy's momentum is huge, and it's growing year on year, it's still pretty unregulated and comes with its own share of drawbacks and downsides. You'll need to be prepared to trade security for freedom in every aspect of the job.

I've been burned a few times, and every time it's been because I didn't do my homework. Check out the client's previous projects.

What's their rating? What's the feedback like from other freelancers? One of the great things about UpWork is its transparency. Use it to help avoid sketchy clients.

A simple, yet seemingly overlooked way to get your proposal to the top of the pile is by actually reading the job listing top to bottom.

Some clients write a sentence or two in the job listing, while others write hundreds of words. In general, the more information, the better, as it requires fewer clarifying questions from you.

Look for special words and phrases in the job description. Often, clients ask you to start or end your proposal with a specific word or phrase to show you read the job ad fully.

One of the skills of freelance writers is having an eye for detail, so prove you're able to read and follow directions by reading the entire ad.

2 – Be honest

It's important to ask yourself if you can really do the work. Everyone's got to pitch up, especially at the beginning while you're building a portfolio and profile, but aiming too high is a good way to get your proposals ignored.

Or, worse, if you get hired and can't deliver, your stats will take a hit. On UpWork, the transparency goes both ways; freelancers and clients rate and review each other.

It doesn't take long to gain and lose a reputation on freelancer marketplaces, so begin each application by asking yourself, Can I really deliver the work on time and on budget?

It also serves to be honest with clients. Be as honest as you can in your proposals and you'll win better clients. It takes a while to get the right tone of online writing, but I've found honesty to be the best policy.

3 – Be a personable, personal person

Clients are humans too, and if you treat them as such, you'll win more contracts. 'To whom it may concern' and 'Dear Sir/Madam' don't fly on UpWork.

It's a relaxed, relatively informal marketplace where clients and freelancers talk to each other like humans.

Sometimes, this goes too far. I've had clients reply in one or two-word answers and an emoji where a detailed brief was actually required. You're not texting your best friend.

A friendly professional manner is the way to go, as if you were emailing a colleague.

Remember, you and your clients are trying to get to the same place. Why not enjoy the journey? Be friendly, professional, and casual, and clients will love you.

One trick I learned when I was first starting was to dig through a client's feedback section until I found their first name. Often, in job descriptions, you won't find their name. Here is an example of someone revealing the client's name in the feedback section:

However, a few clicks on their profile should get you that information. Not only does it add a personal tone to your proposal, but it shows you've done your research!

4 – Don't copy and paste

The quickest way to get your proposal rejected is by copying and pasting. You don't have to write a completely different proposal each time, but copy and pasting makes the client's decision-making process so much easier.

Even if you assiduously change the client's name, job title, and other requisite information, a template-based proposal won't win you clients. Not only is copy and pasting super obvious, it's also a good way to never improve your proposals.

Like anything else, writing proposals is a skill in itself. Change up your proposals, especially at the beginning, and try to notice which ones are successful.

If there are similarities between them, keep them, and ditch the ones that don't win the bid.

Over time, you'll probably come up with a system that works for you. As you develop niches, you might build a template for each in your head. I recommend keeping it in your head, though, and rewriting a fresh proposal each time.

Clients can tell if you've written the bid for them, so make them feel special, and do your job right.

5 – Don't repeat your profile

One of the mistakes I made when I was new to freelancing was repeating my whole profile on each proposal. I'd regale each prospective client with my life story, education history, CV, hobbies, and hopes and dreams.

They don't care. Not only that, but all that information should be on your profile for clients to see. Assume that clients know how to navigate the website. Your proposal should hook them and make them click on your profile.

Don't waste anyone's time – your own or the client's. Keep proposals simple, short, and to the point. If there's already a specific section on your profile for the information, don't rewrite it in your proposal.

For example, your writing portfolio is visible on your UpWork profile so don't repeat it all in your proposal.

All you need to do is tell them you can do the job, show some relevant examples, and provide a prospective deadline and budget. If they're interested, they can find out more about you from your profile and other clients' feedback.

6 – Don't be afraid to talk about money

A key element to any successful proposal is two numbers – one monetary, one time-based. As soon as I started including how much the project would cost the client and when they could have it back by, I started winning way more jobs.

It can seem counterintuitive at first. I felt like it was up to the client to tell me how much they would pay me and when I needed to finish the work. However, as far as I can tell, clients are grateful when you start that conversation.

Your time and budget will probably have to be negotiated, so don't expect your initial bid to land every time. I suggest coming up with a number you won't go below and sticking to it.

It's way worse doing a job full of resentment and feelings of being ripped off than saying thanks, but no thanks at the start.

It's way easier to negotiate before the contract has been signed, hence why I recommend including the deadline and price in your proposal.

Leave no room for misunderstandings, as talking about money can get real tricky real fast, especially if you and your client had different expectations.

In order to write a killer proposal that wins clients, you're going to want to figure out a rate that works for you.

This might take a couple months of accumulating data before you can figure out some averages. If you're freelance writing, I recommend figuring out:

How long it takes you to write 1,000 words
Your hourly rate
Your rate per 1,000 words
Your rate per word (divide the above by 1,000)

If you're just starting out, check out other freelancers and writing jobs on UpWork. You'll see rates varying from $5/1,000 words to $50.

Try not to get caught in a race to the bottom, but you can use low prices to gain yourself some quick work in order to boost an empty profile and portfolio.

7 – Give relevant examples of your work

For a proposal to be successful, you're going to have to provide some relevant examples of your work.

Usually, I give two or three direct links to articles I've written. These are some of the most important details in your proposal, and clients nearly always ask for them.

The closer your previous work is to the job description, the better. If it's a niche you know, throw in a couple pieces of jargon to show you know the territory.

Even if they're unrelated, throw in a couple of links to show you know how to write.

If you don't have a portfolio, give two or three bullet points covering your credentials. Why are you the right person to do this work? Even if it's just because you're interested in the field, make it sound like it's your life's passion.

I also suggest namedropping some technical nomenclature. Do you know anything about SEO writing, linking, referencing, etc.?

Do you know how to use Grammarly, SEMrush, or other tools? Then say so in your proposal to show you know what you're talking about.

How to start winning clients on UpWork

If you're brand new to UpWork and freelancing, then you're going to want to start building a portfolio. As soon as I was able to provide a couple of links to previous, related pages I'd written, my success rate went way up.

Here are a couple different approaches I tried. Each has its own pros and cons:

Scattergun – 10 submissions per day
Slow and steady – one submission every day or two

If you're scattergunning, I recommend upgrading your UpWork profile to UpWork Plus. It shows your serious, plus you get tons more connects – the currency you use to 'buy' proposals.

It's surprising how fast you run out when first starting, so invest in UpWork Plus, instead of just buying more and more connects.

The slow and steady approach is, by definition, slower. If you have time on your side, then I'd go with this approach, as it allows for better-crafted, thought-out proposals with a better chance of success.

It's up to you, really; you can go for quality or quantity.

Even if you go for quantity, though, make sure each proposal is unique and specific for that particular job.

Whichever method you use, as soon as a proposal works and a client bites, use that one as a template for the next one. Success breeds success, so keep your winners in a folder somewhere.

Use them to create new proposals, but remember, never copy and paste!

Here's an example of a successful proposal:

This is a real job proposal I sent earlier this year. Fortunately, I have experience in the field – in this case, nutrition – so I was able to include some relevant links. To give you a sense of what the client was looking for, here's the initial job listing:

I Need A Content Writer For Ongoing Work

I am looking for a content writer to help write articles within health/wellbeing niche. These will be 800-1000 words and will need to be referenced. See attached doc for format, limited budget, but I do have 20 of these I can commission for the right price.

And here's the real (successful) proposal I sent in:

Hi [client's first name],

Hope you're doing well in these crazy times.
I'd be happy help write your articles on health and wellbeing. I have plenty of experience writing in that niche, including CBD company blogs, immunity eBooks, and men's health blogs.
Here are a couple examples of my writing:

[link 1]
[link 2]
[link 3]

I'd be happy to write each article for $[XX] and I could do 3/week.

Looking forward to hearing from you.
All the best,

Ben

Good hunting

Freelancing is fun. It's fast, loose, and free. If you're willing to work hard, act fast, and write quality content for money, then it's the game for you.

Writing a killer proposal is key to winning clients, but it's only the beginning. Treat your clients with respect and deliver quality work on time and on budget, and you'll not only win clients but keep them too.