I am going to advise you on what worked for me.
First, a little background.
I worked almost exclusively offering SEO-related services on Upwork for the past 4 or 5 years. During that time, I was able to sustain a 100% Job Success rate, Top-Rated Freelancer and, this year I achieve the badge of Top-Rated Plus with 100+ hours worked on close to 1,500 hours.
This is my advice to you.
Build Reputation First!!!
- Lower your rates a bit and ALWAYS over-deliver. Make sure to build a reputation you can later showcase and help you earn higher earning projects.
- Clients often are skeptical about hiring someone that doesn´t have a proven track record in the community. Especially if you´re charging market rates.
- Make sure to ask clients to leave public testimonials (I have 5), this will help to build a much-needed "trust bridge" between you and prospective clients.
- When applying for jobs, if possible, offer something for free.
- For example, when applying for jobs to conduct a technical audit of a site, I ALWAYS offered a free page loading speed audit report - Results? I got a much higher hiring rate because of it.
- Network yourself with others in your field. Upwork launched this feature where you can create a network of professionals within your industry. Talk to these people first and make sure they have a much bigger profile than yours (more hours and projects worked) and ask them to refer you whenever they don´t have the free time and, in exchange, you will share a % of your earnings - This is a win-win situation (Make sure to fulfill your end of the deal)
And that´s about it!
One last thing, I don´t know what is your hiring rate but, in the beginning, mine was
REALLY low. Something around de 1% or 2% rate. Meaning, for every 10 cover letters that I sent, I got hired once.
And remember, this was in the beginning when my profile was new, and didn´t have much client feedback, ratings, or experience in the community. But later on, my hiring rate improves considerably to something around 10%-15% which I think is the average (talking to other Upworkers).
The last couple of years was surely the easiest for me in terms of getting hired for new projects.
I got to a point where every single week I received anywhere around 5 to 10 invitations to apply for new projects and, as you know, when you apply to a project with you got invited you don´t spend any connects.
I know it´s hard but this is a process.
Don´t take it as if you need to lower your value or you don´t worth what you´re charging right now. It has nothing to do with that.
You´re entering a new online community where people don´t know you.
You might send the best cover letters and have the best profile showcasing the most knowledge and experience but if you don´t have a history or reputation inside the community it´s going to be hard for you.
I hope you find value in this.
Cheers!!
