Ultimate Guide To Cracking High-Paying Clients on Upwork

First of all, like always, I am sorry for such a delay in this newsletter. Most of you know that I have not been that well and have been taking things slow. I will surely try to speed up my newsletters. Kachcha waala promise!

Many of you have asked me to create the ultimate guide to cracking some high-paying projects on Upwork. Usually, I discuss the intrinsic details of Upwork and other freelancing platforms during my sessions, but since I have not conducted any group sessions in the last 30-45 days, I thought, why not talk about Upwork in this newsletter?

So, before we dive into some of the basic (yes, basic) tips to conquer Upwork, let me give you some updates about my company, team, and life.

• In mid-April, CJ Digitals onboarded a new client from Japan. They are into logistics and manufacturing, and this is our third collaboration from Tokyo. In your freelancing career, try to get at least one client from Japan -- they are one of the nicest people you will ever find, and it is always fun to work with them! The only issue? Well, a few of my writers will now have to attend client meetings at IST 5:30 am!
• Earlier this week, I onboarded a new client specializing in video and animation creation with AI. It's always ironic to work on such extensive projects where I have to manually create original content (blogs/newsletter/ad copies) for AI tools.
• CJ Digitals hired three new interns. I hope they get to learn some good/cool things from my team.
• Something is also cooking for Satvic; I will ask Maa to share its details.
• If you were waiting for an update from Caesar and Joey, then I would disappoint you this time. There isn't such an update! They both are just busy clicking their pictures.

Now coming to today's newsletter!

Upwork!

If you are into freelancing, you must have checked Upwork at least once in your life. The platform is filled with agencies and those freelancers who bid at such a laughable amount that serious freelancers or even legit agencies try to avoid it. But if you are not using Upwork, then my dear friend, you are missing out on something big!

I have known some amazing freelance writers who make over $10,000/month through Upwork itself. I know the platform cuts a lot of commission, but if you are serious, you will never have to worry about finding new clients or work!

Before I share some of the tips to crack deals on Upwork, let me tell you what you should not be doing on Upwork. And if you are doing any of the following points, then I request you to stop doing that ASAP:

• Only checking Upwork once a week. Meh!
• Putting out fake information in your headline. Double Meh!
• Not adding a portfolio! Bhai kya kar raha he tu?
• Not adding certifications or an About detailed section! Are you even serious about Upwork?
• Sending copy-pasted cover letters. This is not for you, man!
• Pitching at the wrong hour! Yup, that matters.

So, if you are doing any of the above, you must have realized your mistakes. Rectify them first, and then see how things change for you.

Now, here are some tips that you should follow in order to get some high-paying clients on Upwork.

Create a Strong Profile: The first step in cracking high-paying freelancing projects on Upwork is to create a strong profile that showcases your skills, experience, and expertise. Make sure that your profile includes the following:

• A professional profile photo (should have 80% face visibility).
• A compelling headline (show what you can do).
• A well-written overview that highlights your strengths and achievements (use numbers).

Optimize Your Profile for Search: Use relevant keywords in your profile to optimize it for search. If you are a graphic designer, make sure you do a proper keyword search for this profile and add them to your content. A trick here is to check out the content of the Top Upwork freelancers from your domain. Learn from their content and see how you can INSPIRE yourself to create your content. This will increase your chances of being found by clients who are looking for freelancers with specific skills and experience.

Apply to Relevant Jobs: Look for jobs that are relevant to your skills and experience. Don't waste your time applying to jobs you are not qualified for or don't match your skill set. If you are a finance writer but not an SOP writer, try to avoid pitching at such posts. Pitch where you know you can make a difference with your skills and experience.

Write a Compelling Proposal: Your proposal should be well-written and show the client that you understand the project requirements and have the skills and experience to complete the project successfully. Highlight your relevant experience, provide examples of similar projects you have completed, and explain how you plan to approach the project.

Cover Letter: I cannot stress this enough -- WRITE A PERSONALIZED COVER LETTER. The short answer or point here is that if you cannot write a personalized cover letter, then Upwork is not for you. Period.

Set the Right Price: Setting the right price is crucial when applying for high-paying projects. Do some research to see what other freelancers are charging for similar projects, and set a price that is competitive but also reflects the value of your skills and experience. Discuss with your fellow connections on LinkedIn or Twitter and understand how much they usually charge for such projects. Then come up with your price. But remember, you should always know how to justify your pricing! If you have just started out and don't have an active profile, you cannot ask for $50/hr. Try to understand that clients see your profile and Upwork has a technically advanced algorithm to detect the right candidate. Use that algorithm in your favor.

Follow-Up With Clients: After submitting a proposal, follow up with the client to show your interest in the project and answer any questions they may have. This can help to build a relationship with the client and increase your chances of being hired.

Stalk Them: Try to see the reviews of your prospect. See if you can find their name. Check their country. Now you have some information about them. Come back to LinkedIn, see if I have posted something new or exciting, and then go and find them here. If you are in luck and they are active here, try to send them a connection request with a personal note. And… you can never go wrong with an in-mail.

Choose The Right Time: If your customers come in the afternoon and you open your shop in the morning, do you think you can sell something? Try to learn more about your target audience and see at which hour they are active. Try to be online at that hour to stay ahead in the game! If they come at 4 in the morning, then set an alarm clock for 3:30. Scroll through posts and apply with a PERSONALIZED COVER LETTER.

See, just like LinkedIn, Twitter, or any other platform, the core trick for Upwork is consistency and understanding more about your target audience. Then go ahead and use all of your skills, links, samples, and content to impress them!

If you are facing issues with Upwork or even LinkedIn and are not getting clients or cannot understand how to get started with freelancing, DM me. I will try my best to help you out.

Till next time; hopefully soon :D

Baw-Baw

- V