Win Projects on Freelance Websites and Work from Home

The main obstacle people new to the freelancing world are likely to encounter is being selected for projects. Although the act of bidding on various projects sounds relatively easy, getting chosen when you are new to the community is actually harder. When you are competing against users who have been around on that specific freelancing website for close to five years and who thus have a history and reputation to show for it, you will soon find it can be an arduous task to have your bid chosen. Thankfully, there are ways of ensuring that your bids get noticed and eventually picked.

Your user profile

A common mistake is to overlook the importance of your user profile. However, many buyers will go around checking profiles before selecting a bidder and it is thus imperative to ensure that your profile is updated. Consequently, you should list your specialties on your profile along with anything you feel might boost your chances of being chosen.

You must also refrain from overloading your profile with pointless information that nobody cares about. You could very well be the best guitar player in your county, but it will not help you land a development project. Moreover, always include your real name in your profile as many buyers feel more inclined to trust someone who’s not afraid to show his name. It shows that you value your reputation.

The bidding process

Obviously, a brilliant profile alone is not going to having the big projects rolling in on a daily basis since it is still up to you to win projects and make money if you’re new to the freelancing world. The bidding process is something you need to be very good at. The good news is that most people who regularly frequent these freelance communities very often do not properly bid for projects.

You will most probably be appalled at the numerous “i can do it for $10″ and “done. pm me for details [sic]!!” bids that are posted shortly after a new project is approved by the website moderators. In most cases, these are automatic bids where the seller is not even aware of the tasks involved. There are also cases where people are actually posting such bids and hoping to be selected. It is clear that nobody is actually going to select such an unprofessional bid as it would amount to nothing less than a waste of money.

You probably understand now why your bid can play a huge role in attracting a project owner’s attention. Although the projects posted on a freelance website are very diverse, there are certain tips you can keep in mind that will help with your bid. Obviously, good grammar and spelling are critical. You also want to address the buyer’s specific needs in your bid as being too generic will hurt your chances of being selected.

The most important aspect of your bid in order to win freelance projects is that you should not be afraid to give as many details as possible. This will show the buyer that you know what you are talking about and that you have the passion needed to see his project through.

This is a guest article written on behalf of the Madagascar cargo company Southern Marine, which also is also a leading Mauritius shipping agency.