Grabbing your first project through online bidding website is not easy, but it is neither that much complex work. With over 14 million registered freelancers and over 6 million registered clients on Upwork itself, though to grab your first project through this online bidding portal is very competitive. I have gone through many blogs and websites which explains you to how to earn income online or successfully grab the projects by working on these portals but no one explains the process steps involved in grabbing the mobile app and website project.
Other comments arise in my mind by writing this article, that why other freelancers can easily grab the projects then why can’t the newly registered freelancers? Before jumping into this we have to dig further to understand the working patterns of all the online bidding websites like Upwork, Freelancers and other related websites. They connect the freelancers or companies and clients by the mutual monetary benefit for both the parties. Online Bidding Portals also charge the commission percentage for every project grab by the freelancers or the companies. Even they can also charge the fees from the client by creating a Pro or Enterprise project in the online bidding portals. Once the client register as above they assigned the dedicated assistance by the support team.
10 years back it was very simple to grab the projects in the bidding portals since the number of registered freelancers were few compared to now. Let's take an example of old freelancers or companies who build their profile 10 years back you can see the maximum number of project won, their completed Portfolios and Ratings/ Reviews they had received on all the completed projects. Dedication is the key factor that matters when you start bidding on these bidding portals. But once you grab the first project or positive rating from your client, then it becomes an easy job for you to grab more projects in the near future. When I started bidding the project in the portals I have received negative feedback from my colleagues and friend to bring down my dedication. But when I get my first project after 3 months of bidding I am so happy on the said date.
I am trying to share my views that can help the newly registered freelancers to grab the projects in the bidding portals.
Complete project understanding before you bid on any project.
If you are well versed in the particular type of project, you can easily hunt the client for the job, you can find that there are many projects for you posted by clients from different countries. Only try to bid on the project if you are clear with the project understanding and client needs and that you are confident enough in completing the project successfully, then go for it or else do not bid or bid other work.
Be confident enough in writing the initial proposal.
Kindly don't use the templated words while writing the proposal like “I am the best person to work on your project, or please award the project to our company”. If any client post the particular project requirement they receive many project proposals so try to be as much clear and concise while writing the initial proposal, explain the client that you have clearly understood the requirement, explain and enquire some project technicalities in delivering the project, the process to be followed by you to be taken care by you during the project phases, the technical skills you have and most important fees and timeframe with detailed task list. This gives confidence to the client that you had actually read and understood the client’s requirement and play a blind card game to be shortlisted from many proposals.
Show your completed or similar project work.
Once you have a clear understanding of project and client expectations, the next steps is to show similar project work of yours. The completed project portfolio should have the similar work of yours not other work to show. Even if you do not have the similar work in the portfolio than share the best ones you do. Your first impression is to be smart enough. Once you impress the client with your portfolio you can easily bang to win your first project.
Questionnaire of the project
Try to write few initials queries from the project requirement and asked in the proposal. The client will clearly understand that you have a good understanding of the project and they will come with some queries on the same.
Now came the negotiation, pricing of the bid amount.
Many freelancers have a false myth to bid lower price to grab the project. Estimate the efforts and cost required in delivering the project and bid the correct price. I generally try to maintain an average bid amount of the project from all other freelancers. If you think that the budget for the project described by the client is less compared to your cost and if you want to bid with your amount, kindly provide the proper task efforts for delivering the project and give your proper judgment what made your fees higher from the other freelancers. Even you can request the client to increase the budget in the bidding portals. There are many clients who can understand the above and award the project with the highest bid amount. I have earned many projects by placing higher bid amount.
Verify your initial pitch before submitting in the portal
Make sure that you cross-check the initial proposal writing before submitting in the portal. Use proper grammar, avoid spelling mistakes even don't forget to attach all the required files.
Once proposal submitted, now wait for the result, start checking your next deer to hunt. At the initial phase of bidding career you will take more time in writing the initial pitch but once you are used of writing the different types of project proposal your writing speed will be automatically increased. Even don't overspend your time in thinking about the project that you have submitted. Leave that part to your client, let him decide to award the project. Results will surely be fruitful if you are going in the right direction.
There are multiple freelancing portals available where you can register as a freelancer and start bidding on that, but it would be the best suggestion that you purely focus onto one portal initially and then once you start getting awarded with projects, you can start increasing your exposure towards other portals as well. I prefer to use UPWORK for the new freelancers.
If any new freelancer have any query or concern, kindly comments, I will surely help in getting the projects in online bidding portals
Other comments arise in my mind by writing this article, that why other freelancers can easily grab the projects then why can’t the newly registered freelancers? Before jumping into this we have to dig further to understand the working patterns of all the online bidding websites like Upwork, Freelancers and other related websites. They connect the freelancers or companies and clients by the mutual monetary benefit for both the parties. Online Bidding Portals also charge the commission percentage for every project grab by the freelancers or the companies. Even they can also charge the fees from the client by creating a Pro or Enterprise project in the online bidding portals. Once the client register as above they assigned the dedicated assistance by the support team.
10 years back it was very simple to grab the projects in the bidding portals since the number of registered freelancers were few compared to now. Let's take an example of old freelancers or companies who build their profile 10 years back you can see the maximum number of project won, their completed Portfolios and Ratings/ Reviews they had received on all the completed projects. Dedication is the key factor that matters when you start bidding on these bidding portals. But once you grab the first project or positive rating from your client, then it becomes an easy job for you to grab more projects in the near future. When I started bidding the project in the portals I have received negative feedback from my colleagues and friend to bring down my dedication. But when I get my first project after 3 months of bidding I am so happy on the said date.
I am trying to share my views that can help the newly registered freelancers to grab the projects in the bidding portals.
Complete project understanding before you bid on any project.
If you are well versed in the particular type of project, you can easily hunt the client for the job, you can find that there are many projects for you posted by clients from different countries. Only try to bid on the project if you are clear with the project understanding and client needs and that you are confident enough in completing the project successfully, then go for it or else do not bid or bid other work.
Be confident enough in writing the initial proposal.
Kindly don't use the templated words while writing the proposal like “I am the best person to work on your project, or please award the project to our company”. If any client post the particular project requirement they receive many project proposals so try to be as much clear and concise while writing the initial proposal, explain the client that you have clearly understood the requirement, explain and enquire some project technicalities in delivering the project, the process to be followed by you to be taken care by you during the project phases, the technical skills you have and most important fees and timeframe with detailed task list. This gives confidence to the client that you had actually read and understood the client’s requirement and play a blind card game to be shortlisted from many proposals.
Show your completed or similar project work.
Once you have a clear understanding of project and client expectations, the next steps is to show similar project work of yours. The completed project portfolio should have the similar work of yours not other work to show. Even if you do not have the similar work in the portfolio than share the best ones you do. Your first impression is to be smart enough. Once you impress the client with your portfolio you can easily bang to win your first project.
Questionnaire of the project
Try to write few initials queries from the project requirement and asked in the proposal. The client will clearly understand that you have a good understanding of the project and they will come with some queries on the same.
Now came the negotiation, pricing of the bid amount.
Many freelancers have a false myth to bid lower price to grab the project. Estimate the efforts and cost required in delivering the project and bid the correct price. I generally try to maintain an average bid amount of the project from all other freelancers. If you think that the budget for the project described by the client is less compared to your cost and if you want to bid with your amount, kindly provide the proper task efforts for delivering the project and give your proper judgment what made your fees higher from the other freelancers. Even you can request the client to increase the budget in the bidding portals. There are many clients who can understand the above and award the project with the highest bid amount. I have earned many projects by placing higher bid amount.
Verify your initial pitch before submitting in the portal
Make sure that you cross-check the initial proposal writing before submitting in the portal. Use proper grammar, avoid spelling mistakes even don't forget to attach all the required files.
Once proposal submitted, now wait for the result, start checking your next deer to hunt. At the initial phase of bidding career you will take more time in writing the initial pitch but once you are used of writing the different types of project proposal your writing speed will be automatically increased. Even don't overspend your time in thinking about the project that you have submitted. Leave that part to your client, let him decide to award the project. Results will surely be fruitful if you are going in the right direction.
There are multiple freelancing portals available where you can register as a freelancer and start bidding on that, but it would be the best suggestion that you purely focus onto one portal initially and then once you start getting awarded with projects, you can start increasing your exposure towards other portals as well. I prefer to use UPWORK for the new freelancers.
If any new freelancer have any query or concern, kindly comments, I will surely help in getting the projects in online bidding portals
Great post! This article is most informative for shopping. Thanks for sharing! For, more information about Online Bidding and Purchasing
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