5 Tips for Writing Winning Upwork Proposals (with examples)

On Upwork, one of the most crucial elements for landing new projects as a freelancer is crafting a compelling proposal. Your Upwork proposal is essentially a cover letter that gives you an opportunity to pitch yourself and convince the client that you are the perfect fit for their job. With each project potentially attracting dozens or even hundreds of applicants, an excellent proposal can separate you from the crowd and improve your chances of being hired.

For freelancers looking to maximize their income on Upwork, it is essential to master the art of writing persuasive, engaging proposals. A poorly written proposal is likely to be quickly ignored by clients. On the other hand, a well-structured proposal that clearly demonstrates your abilities and understanding of the client’s needs can be the difference between missing out on a new opportunity or landing your next big contract.  

Now that we understand the immense importance of Upwork proposals, let’s dive into five tips that can help elevate your pitches and secure you more paid projects.

Tip 1: Quickly Restate the Client’s Core Problem

The opening lines of your proposal need to accomplish two key things – address the client directly and restate the core problem or goal they need assistance with. Doing this serves two purposes – it shows the client you have actually read and understood their job posting. It also allows you to quickly showcase your understanding of their situation right from the start.

For example, if the job posting is for a freelance writer to create website content, an effective opening line could be:

“I understand you are looking for an experienced writer to produce high-quality blog posts and articles that will help drive traffic to your website.”

With just one sentence, you have conveniently shown that you understand the client’s core need. This grabs their attention far more than a regular opening pitch about your background or experience.

Tip 2: Explain How You Plan to Solve Their Problem

After re-stating the client’s problem in your own words, the next part of a winning Upwork proposal should explain your recommended approach or process for solving that problem. This shows the client a glimpse of your working method and instills confidence that you have a concrete plan of action.

Going back to the freelance writing example, you could outline a proposed process like:

“To effectively meet your content needs, I would first have a brief consultation with you to discuss your goals, target audience, and any topics you need covered. From there, I will put together an editorial calendar proposing a series of blog posts with optimized titles, outlines, and draft deadlines. As I write each piece, I will ensure it is thoroughly researched, engaging, and focused on driving user engagement.”

With a few sentences, you have walked the client through the start-to-finish process you would follow if hired. This level of detail allows the client to vividly picture working with you on their project.

Tip 3: Provide Social Proof Through Portfolio Examples

One of the most powerful ways to build trust and credibility in your Upwork proposal is to back up your claims with proof of your relevant skills and experience. Clients want tangible evidence that you can deliver high-quality work, so attaching samples or linking to your portfolio can be hugely impactful.

When sharing examples, be strategic about highlighting your best work that most closely aligns with the client’s project needs. If possible, provide context around each sample and explain how it demonstrates skills that apply to their job. For instance:

“As a sample of my web writing abilities, here is a blog post I wrote on (Google Gemini) which earned over 3,000 pageviews in its first month and is still one of my client’s top-performing pieces of content. You can see my ability to engage readers while naturally incorporating (AI) keywords throughout.”

Tip 4: Ask Questions That Position You as the Solution

In some Upwork job postings, clients will include open-ended questions allowing freelancers to go into more detail in their proposals. When encountered, you should absolutely utilize these as another opportunity to showcase your expertise and make a strong case for why you are an ideal candidate.

The best way to approach open-ended questions is to:

1) Ask informed follow-ups that demonstrate industry knowledge. For example, if you’re applying to a writing job, you could ask about ideal word counts, their keyword strategy, what CTAs they want to include, etc.

2) Explain your relevant process or method for that specific scenario. For example, if asked how you would approach a redesign of their homepage, map out your research and discovery process before ideating on solutions.

3) Discuss your experiences with similar past projects. Tying your skills and abilities back to concrete examples further validates you as the right person for the job.

Tip 5: Close With a Call-to-Action and Enthusiasm 

The final section of your Upwork proposal should reiterate your excitement for the project opportunity and end with a call to action. This ensures you leave the client feeling confident and inspired about the prospect of working with you.

You could conclude with something simple but effective like:

“I am very excited at the possibility of helping achieve your content goals and would be thrilled to further discuss this project opportunity with you. Please let me know if any other information would be helpful as you evaluate proposals, and I look forward to your response!”

By exuding energy and clearly expressing your desire to keep the conversation progressing, you increase the likelihood the client will want to move forward in the hiring process with you.

Upwork Proposal Example

By quickly demonstrating your understanding of the client’s needs, outlining a clear process, providing social proof, and asking insightful questions, you will position yourself as the ideal candidate to solve that client’s problem. Ending with a confident call-to-action further reinforces your suitability for the task.

Let’s take a look at one more full proposal example, utilizing all of the tips covered:

“Hi Alice,

I noticed that you are seeking an experienced freelance content writer to help produce weekly blog posts for your parenting blog. As a writer who has spent the last 5 years creating content for popular parenting publications like ___ and ___, I have the expertise to craft the types of high-quality, engaging articles your audience craves. 

If recruited to your team, my process would start with discussions about your goals, target demographics, ideal topics, and themes. I would then map out a content calendar with 4-5 working titles, description summaries, and draft deadlines for a series of 1000-word posts each month. My writing style blends expertise with relatability, ensuring each piece resonates with your readers. You can see an example of this style in the attached blog post I wrote about ___, which earned over 10,000 pageviews and social shares.

I’m also happy to discuss incorporating SEO best practices, from conducting keyword research to optimizing titles, headers, meta descriptions, and more. On all of my client projects, I make it a priority to continuously learn and enhance my skills.

What has been your most successful blog post to date, and what made it so resonant? I am eager to learn more about the kinds of content that significantly impact the success of your business.

I am very passionate about helping your blog achieve greater success, and I believe my experience and adaptable writing skills make me well-suited for this role. Please let me know if you need any other information from me as I’d be thrilled to further discuss your needs and bring your vision to life.  

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

[Your name]”

By following the tips and examples outlined above, you will be well on your way to creating Upwork proposals that grab client attention. Also helps build trust, and most importantly – helps you land more paid freelance opportunities. However, if you want to explore other job-search platforms aside from Upwork, check here for alternatives. 

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