09/29/2024
I’ve helped hundreds of freelancers and agencies with Upwork.
These are the 5 most common mistakes I see them make:
#1.) Not submitting enough proposals.
Volume > everything.
If you do the volume, you have data.
Accurate data allows you to run real tests.
If you keep testing, you’re guaranteed to succeed.
#2.) Not personalizing proposals.
I’ve spent over $40,000 hiring employees on Upwork.
When I post a job, 90% of the proposals I receive have no personalization.
It’s an immediate turnoff.
Spend 5 minutes, personalize your proposal, and your response rate will triple.
#3.) Not optimizing the profile.
Your Upwork profile is meant to build trust with prospects.
We do that by:
- Filming video intros
- Providing case studies
- Providing an abundance of information
Skipping out on this massively decreases your chances of receiving messages from clients.
#4.) Using CHatGPT to write your proposals
It’s incredibly obvious when you have AI write your proposals.
Not to mention, ChatGPT doesn't have all the context that you have.
Use ChatGPT to proofread and edit.
Not to write your entire proposal.
#5.) Not understanding Upwork's TOS
This can be absolutely devastating.
I know freelancers who had earned 30K+ on Upwork, who unknowingly broke TOS, and got banned.
I encourage you to go to Upwork and read through their TOS, but here’s the most common mistake:
Sending links in chats to calendars, phone numbers, emails, etc.
(Upwork doesn’t allow you to contact the client outside Upwork until you sign a contract with them on Upwork)
And there you have it, those are the 5 most common mistakes people make on Upwork.
