Upwork Cover Letter for total BEGINNERS [FULL TEMPLATE!]

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares their personal journey as a beginner on Upwork, revealing the mistakes they made and how they turned things around. After struggling with no responses to proposals, they revamped their profile to focus on clients' needs, lowered their hourly rate, and created mock work examples to showcase their skills. With a new approach to proposals, they crafted compelling cover letters and won their first job. The video concludes with a promise of a free, customizable cover letter for viewers, provided they follow the same steps for success.

Takeaways

• 😀 Starting out on Upwork without reviews and job history can be tough, but persistence is key.
• 😀 Your Upwork profile should focus on the client, not on yourself, to attract more attention.
• 😀 Overhauling your profile to make it client-focused can significantly improve your chances of getting responses.
• 😀 Don't be afraid to adjust your hourly rate to match your current experience level and market expectations.
• 😀 Lowering your rate temporarily can help you gain initial experience and reviews, which can lead to future opportunities.
• 😀 Don't just focus on big jobs; start with smaller ones to build up a reputation.
• 😀 Asking potential clients why they chose someone else can provide valuable feedback for future proposals.
• 😀 You can create work examples for your profile even without having actual clients by showcasing hypothetical projects.
• 😀 Customizing each cover letter and focusing on the client's needs is essential to making a strong impression.
• 😀 A well-crafted cover letter should highlight your motivation, showcase your work, and guide the client to a clear next step.

Q & A

What was the initial problem faced by the person in the script when they first started on Upwork?

The person faced a lack of responses to their proposals, despite sending over a hundred proposals, and spent over $50 on connects without winning any jobs.

What was the first key realization the person had about their Upwork profile?

The person realized that their profile was too focused on themselves rather than the potential clients. They were highlighting their own skills and experiences instead of addressing the clients' needs and concerns.

How did the person improve their Upwork profile?

The person revamped their profile by shifting the focus from themselves to the clients, making the profile client-focused rather than self-centered.

What was the result after the person revamped their profile?

After the profile overhaul, the person received a response from a potential client, which made them feel optimistic, but they still didn't secure the job.

Why did the person decide to lower their hourly rate?

The person lowered their hourly rate because they realized that, as a beginner with no reviews, charging a higher rate was likely deterring potential clients. They also wanted to compete with others who had more experience on the platform.

What challenge did the person face after lowering their rate and sending more proposals?

Despite sending more proposals, the person still didn't win the jobs. They decided to ask one potential client why they chose someone else, and the answer was because the person had no Upwork client reviews or work examples to show.

How did the person overcome the lack of work examples in their profile?

The person created mock work examples by pretending they had clients and made examples of projects they could potentially work on, even though they hadn't worked with any clients yet. These examples showcased their abilities.

What strategy did the person use for writing Upwork proposals?

The person applied principles from sales copywriting to craft highly customized proposals, focusing on the client's needs and frustrations, showing motivation, sharing examples of their work, and providing clear next steps for the client.

What was the outcome after the person implemented the changes to their profile, rate, and proposals?

The person finally won their first Upwork job after implementing these changes, demonstrating the importance of a client-focused approach, appropriate pricing, and customized proposals.

What advice does the person give to others in the script?

The person advises others to follow the same steps they took: revamping their profile to be client-focused, adjusting their rates, creating work examples, and writing customized proposals. They emphasize the importance of persistence and learning from mistakes.