I've been working with clients for over 20 years. And at this point in my career, I've logged more than 23,000 hours working on Upwork projects alone. (That's the equivalent of working on the platform nonstop for more than 2.5 years straight!)
I'm confident in my ability to land and convert clients on Upwork with a well-structured proposal—and I want to show you exactly how I do it.
Put thought and effort into four areas to write a successful Upwork proposal that gets you hired.
- Why you should spend time writing a proposal
- What to include in an Upwork proposal
- How to structure an Upwork proposal
- What to avoid when sending an Upwork proposal
Why you should spend time writing a proposal
Upwork calls the process of responding to a client on Talent Marketplace™ sending a proposal. But there isn't a specific word count you have to hit when filling out the proposal form. So why invest the time?
Think about it like this—you'd never go to a networking event or job interview and expect the first person you meet to hire you for work based on a handshake alone, right? You've got to introduce yourself, work up to having a conversation, and schedule a meeting to show them your portfolio or pitch.
A good proposal acts as that professional introduction, handshake, and initial conversation. It's your chance to answer the client's initial questions, ask questions of your own, and illustrate that you're able to solve the problems they've expressed in a job post on Upwork.
What to include in an Upwork proposal
Whether you're reaching out to a client through Talent Marketplace and making the first contact or responding to an invitation, a great proposal should always include the following:
- An introduction to you and your work
- Recognition of the client's problem or need, and a top-level summary of how you can help
- Information about your relevant expertise and years of experience
- A timeline with clear milestones (based on what you know now—this may change as you talk to the client more)
- What you'll need to know from the client in order to finalize the details of your proposal
- Your rate
When it comes to sharing your rate on Upwork, you can opt to work on an hourly rate or fixed-price basis—assuming the client agrees, of course. When I work on fixed-price projects, I like to include a menu of services and prices.
I keep a list on hand that I can easily edit to fit a prospective Upwork client's needs. By doing so, and then sharing this document as part of my proposal, I can speed up my process and get more done.
Also, keep in mind that you don’t need to include a link to your Upwork profile. That’s automatically included in the proposal when received by the client.
How to structure an Upwork proposal
While the process of submitting an Upwork proposal is fairly structured—you'll see designated fields for your freelance rate, cover letter, and additional documents—you'll want to be strategic about how and where you share key information with the client.
You can break the core structure of any proposal down into five parts:
1. The introduction
The first intro sentence of your proposal letter is extremely important.
Here's why: When clients post a job, they see incoming proposals in a long list. Check out what it looks like from the client’s perspective:
You have about two or three sentences of space to make your very first impression on the client. I like to jump right in and lead with how I can help deliver the results they need—this will grab their attention more than introducing myself in the first line. After all, my name and picture appear along with my proposal.
Here's an example of how I might start my letter so that this preview works in my favor:
I've spent X years helping clients like you achieve [solution to problem in job post]. I see a clear path toward your success—here's how. First, I'll... [begin to detail how I'll work]
2. Client questions
Let's say a potential client likes your introductory sentence and clicks on your proposal. If they asked questions as part of their job post, your answers are the first thing the client sees when the proposal loads—not your letter.
This is why it's very important to actually answer those required questions in the associated text boxes, even if you reference similar points in the body of your proposal letter.
After these answers, they'll get to review your full message.
3. Background information
While I use my first paragraph as the hook, I loop back around and talk more about my experience in the second paragraph. It might look something like this:
I've seen similar results with startups in [industry] and [industry] using [tool or service] at least [frequency]. Results typically take [time frame] to have an impact, and I'll meet with you [frequency] to review progress and answer any questions you have.
4. Rates and next steps
Finally, I'll move on to discuss my rate:
The cost for the core service, [define service], is [rate]. However, I'm also able to offer supporting services including [list services]. I've attached a full list of services and prices so you can select exactly what you prefer.
To end the letter, I include a call to action that invites potential clients to speak with me further:
I'll be happy to share more information with you about how we can work together, what results we may be able to achieve, and answer any questions you have. Please let me know your availability for a 20-minute call during [timeframe]. I look forward to speaking with you further! Best regards, Melissa.
Personally, I prefer speaking with a client on a call using Upwork's built-in Zoom integration. I find this to be the best way for me to vet prospective clients.
But I know other professionals who prefer to carry out their initial conversations using Upwork Messages. It's all up to your personal preference (and how far apart your time zone is from the client).
5. Follow-up
Immediately after ending our first meeting, I send my prospective new client a high-quality slide deck attached to a thank you message. This deck reiterates key points from my proposal and our call. I also include things like:
- Examples of similar past work
- Case studies
- Projected results
- An updated timeline based on the additional information I've gathered
- A clear list of what is and is not included in the package we've discussed—including file formats and ownership rights
- A schedule of our expected milestone and meeting dates
- A review of my office hours and availability
- A reminder that I only accept payment through Upwork, with help center links to guide them through the process
If the client agrees to everything we've discussed, they can invite me to accept a contract. If the client requests a consultation call, don’t be afraid to charge your typical fee for time spent, especially if they are exceeding 20 minutes—your time is valuable.
What to avoid when sending an Upwork proposal
Because I hire talent for my agency on Upwork, I see a lot of other people's proposals. There are a few things that give me pause when I see them:
- Generic proposals written by AI. It's fine to use AI to help you craft a proposal, but be sure to tailor it to the job, the client, and your experience.
- Immediate and continuous followup. One job post on Upwork can generate dozens, even hundreds, of proposals. It can take time to go through all of them. Send a follow-up message after a week or so. If I start getting follow-up messages within a matter of hours or days, I don't want to hire that person. It's overwhelming.
- A hard sell. Of course I expect everyone to talk about their skills and success in a proposal. But when I feel like I'm only getting a hard sell—without empathy for me or my needs—it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
- Vague messages without details. These are an immediate no for me. I'm already busy and trying to find help—don't make me chase down information about what you might be able to provide.
- Requests to message outside of Upwork. Keeping all communication on Upwork before a contract starts is important. Doing so means that I can get support from the Upwork team if something goes awry or I suspect a possible scam.
- Requesting payment off of the Upwork platform. Keeping payment on Upwork gives an added layer of protection, too. If someone tells me in their proposal that they accept payment off of Upwork, I won't hire them.
Where to turn for more help
While I'm confident in my proposal-writing skills, the most important thing to do is to adapt my guidelines and make your proposals your own. Make your proposal a showcase of how you provide a unique service or skill.
Luckily, there's lots of great advice on Upwork to help you craft a winning proposal that feels true to the way you work, from guides like this one to step-by-step instructions on how to submit your first proposal.
And if you find you need marketing help for your growing business, don't hesitate to reach out. Through my agency, Web Rocket Media, I work with a variety of businesses in need of reliable, effective digital marketing services—visit my profile to learn more.
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