Upwork is a dynamic site that helps freelancers build lucrative incomes by helping businesses reach their goals.

Every day, millions of professionals submit proposals to customers on the platform, hoping to land their dream job. Unfortunately, the competition on this platform is intense. Some businesses read proposals without completing them. Others archive these letters after skimming the first line, while a few finishes them and take no further action. 

Freelancers work hard to find the winning formula for a proposal that will stand out from the fierce competition on the site. 

In this article, you’ll learn five powerful tips that can help you draft a proposal that wins clients on Upwork.

Three Tips to Help Improve Your Proposal’s Chances of Success

Before you write, there are several tips you should keep in mind when writing your first Upwork proposal.

1. Create a Powerful Profile that Show Your Credentials

Before writing your proposal, create a professional profile that will make a good first impression on clients. First, use a professional image for your proposal. Avoid selfies because you don’t want to look unprofessional on your profile. Next, add several skills and certifications that are relevant to your freelancer profile.

Next, write a description that describes what you do. Your profile should include your area of specialization. You’ll generally get more projects if you seek fewer ones. List your skill set in bullet points, so they’re easy for clients to read.

Your Upwork profile should be more about your clients’ needs and less about yourself.

Next, use a grammar checker to edit your description to ensure there are no glaring mistakes. You can even use Specialized Profiles and Popular Projects Features to help clients learn about your skills.

Once you finish with a project, ask your clients to leave reviews to boost your credibility with social proof. It will serve as social proof of your skill set and build your reputation on the site.

Include professional samples within your profile that will show your capabilities.

2. Read the Project Description Before You Write a Proposal

Many freelancers apply to jobs without first reading the proposals. Many clients on Upwork will add a ‘read the full description test’ to find out if a freelancer has done their due diligence. It is usually a phrase that freelancers must mention in their proposal to prove they’ve read it. Most people miss these test phrases, and their proposals end up getting archived.

3. Don’t Copy and Paste Identical Proposal

Your potential clients can tell when you have copied proposals and didn’t change the details of previous assignments. Craft a personalized cover letter for your clients. If you don’t, clients may archive your proposal immediately.

Five Tips to Craft Your Upwork Proposal

There are five tips that you should keep in mind when creating a proposal to attract new clients for your freelancing business.

1. The Greeting: Personalize their Proposal by Using Clients’ Names

When creating your cover letter, personalize it so you can treat your client as a human being. Although it is a minor detail, everyone loves to be addressed by their name. Avoid using the “dear hiring manager or sir.”

Search through their past reviews from workers and find their names. If you can’t find their names, use conversational language to humanize your proposals. For instance, start off with “Hi,” “Hi there,” or “Hello there.”

2. Lead Paragraph: Show that You’ve Read the Client’s Proposal

Start your Upwork proposal by addressing your clients’ needs first. Many freelancers use their first paragraph to talk about their background experience. Although clients want to hear about your skills and talents, they rather hear what you can offer them.

In your lead paragraph, tell clients you understand how you can help them meet their goals. This step shows to customers that you care about their priorities. It also shows to customers you’ve read their job posting.

When you address your clients’ problem first, it shows them you’ve tailored your proposal for their needs instead of cutting and pasting identical proposals to different job openings.

Your lead paragraph can read: “I just read your posting, and it sounds like you need an expert in SEO article writing to advice you how to improve your inbound links.”

3. First Body Paragraph: Your Background Skills

The body paragraph will show your clients you’re an expert in your specialty. In this section, focus on your background and how your skills have helped other clients with a similar issue in the past.

Keep this section brief. It should be four or five brief sentences, at most. Don’t write long paragraphs since your customers won’t care about a long, biographical story. Instead, tell them how your skills can solve their problem.

For instance, you can say, “I have a background in SEO writing and have helped clients for four years in B2B marketing.”

4. Second Paragraph: Ask Questions About the Project

Next, ask your clients direct questions about their project. For instance, ask if they’ve tried a certain method. For instance, if you work in Search Engine Optimization, ask them if they’ve on-page SEO techniques to boost their rankings. You can tell customers how implementing these methods have gotten results for a previous client.

This step shows clients that you have expertise will make it easier for you to get hired. You can also ask relevant questions that pop up in your mind about the project, including ones about the monthly budget and their company’s goals.

For instance, you can write, “I can recommend topics and write articles that get results.”

5. Ending Your Upwork Proposal

Next, wrap up your proposal with a call to action. Ask clients when they’re free to talk about the project. For instance, you can say:

• I have a few more ideas I want to share. What’s the best time for us to talk?
• Reply to this message and let me know when it will be a good time to talk this week.
• Are you free to speak on Tuesday or Wednesday? If so, let me know the perfect time for you.

You can wrap it up with the following, “Let me know if my profile experience looks interesting, and I set up a time to talk with you. Sincerely, Andrea Lewis.”

How Long Should Your Proposal Be?

Your Upwork Proposal should be 90–100 words on average. Most hiring managers have hundreds of proposals to sift through, and when you are brief, it gives you a better chance of landing work on the platform.