How Do I Sell Myself On Upwork

So, you’ve got your Upwork account up and running, and you’re set to start making money by completing jobs. So How Do I Sell Myself On Upwork, or how do you market yourself to more potential clients? This is an important consideration, especially when you’d have to share the platform with millions of other freelancers.

Many people would like to know how they can get an edge in their budding Upwork. You may already have a few significant clients and need to broaden your bottom line with some marketing.

What options do you have?

I’m here to show you how you can start the right way and get more people to know about your skills.

How Do I Sell Myself On Upwork

Build a Solid Social Media Presence

I understand that advertising yourself effectively might seem daunting, but you don’t have to start the hard way.

Given Upwork is a digital marketplace, it makes sense to promote your account using the most effective digital medium available: social media.

You may think that social media marketing is expensive: on the contrary, you can build a professional social media presence without spending much.

One great way to start is by linking whatever social media account you already have with your Upwork profile.

That way, you’ve created a channel that would let more people know about your skill.

You could also set up a professional LinkedIn account where you can add your freelance work samples and certification.

Don’t forget to add your formal headshot and make the profile as professional as you can manage.

Do a Lot of Guest Posts for Blogs

The world of blogging holds so much opportunity for freelancers. You can use blog posts to reach more people about your skill and work experience. You could start by guest posting for other blogs if you don’t have yours yet. However, I must tell you that using this technique requires patience, hard work and focus. You must have a command on written English (or hire someone who has), as that’s necessary to create blog content that people can share.

Also, you must understand the fundamentals of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as it would help you to write blog posts that answer questions people are searching online about your skill or field. Over time, your Upwork account would begin to gain traction as more people get to read about the services you render and the experiences you have.

Ask for Reviews and Referrals

Most times, relationships with Upwork doesn’t end once you deliver their jobs successfully – at least, it shouldn’t. You can ask for reviews and referrals from your most satisfied customers. That could help you convince prospective clients that you can delivery satisfactory results. On the other hand, a satisfied customer would be more than happy to give you a positive review on Upwork.

Also, when you get a new client from a referral, it’s best to follow up by connecting with them. Address them cordially, and let them know that you appreciate that they followed through on someone else’s referral. This strategy improves your chances of converting these new customers to repeat ones.

Pay Attention to a Winning Pitch

Do you feel you’re not getting as much exposure on Upwork as you’d have liked? Maybe it’s because of your pitch and proposal to every job you apply for. A common mistake I see most new freelancers make is that they reuse proposals on multiple clients. Even worse, some people use a single proposal template for every pitch they send out (check out why that’s on our list of things you should never do on Upwork).

The only way you can attract more clients is when you remain unique in your pitches. Customize your proposals to meet each client’s needs and answer their specific questions. Successful Upwork freelancers try to come up with high-yield pitches every time, and would know what tone and direction to use for which client.

Organize your Portfolio

Another way you can sell yourself on Upwork is by attending to the one place where clients would come to see your works: your portfolio. Your portfolio is important, as any prospective client would like to know your past works and some of the projects you’re currently working on. Since you can have a portfolio for almost any skillset you have, you can start uploading your works as soon as you can.

Furthermore, having a robust portfolio is especially useful when you’re still waiting for referrals and testimonials. Another tip you must note is that you should try to keep your portfolio as diverse as you can: include finished works from as many previous clients as you can. That would give prospects a more balanced view of what you do as a freelancer.

Keep Your Links Active

Last but not the least on this list, you’d want to remain consistent in managing the inbound links to your Upwork account. Typically, this involves updating your Upwork profile whenever you make a change to anybody your social media accounts. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t active on every platform: once you can consistently post content to one or two channels, it would greatly help your Upwork profile’s visibility.

Another thing you’d want to avoid is pushing your social media handles into prospective customers faces. You want to be as subtle, brief and professional as possible.

Wrapping Up on How Do I Sell Myself On Upwork

Freelancers would like to know how they can effectively put themselves out there.

For example, you might be working part-time for a few clients or full-time for a company or agency on Upwork; whichever it is, trying to improve your visibility on the platform is essential.

It’s not just because you want to get more customers; advertising yourself also safeguards your bottom line, so you wouldn’t be stranded when your primary customer ends their contract with you.

That’s why I’ve explained six practical tips on how you can market your skills on Upwork.

First, you can implement them on your new freelance account or an established profile if you’re an experienced freelancer.

They take advantage of creating awareness of your Upwork account from within and outside the platform. In the end, you get to boost your earning potential.