Lesson one, this lesson is called profitable freelance sales process, and it will show you an overview
of how the sales process works on Upwork.
The reason this lesson is important is because when you approach something such as sales or freelancing
without a process, it's like trying to navigate a maze without a map.
You might start out and think you're going in the right direction, but then before you know it, you
hit a dead end.
And I'm talking from experience because I've been on the upward platform for years now, and when I
first started out, I had little to no success until I started to put into action everything I teach
in this academy.
So treat all of this as the map to your future freelance success.
You can't just enter the freelance world without a plan and without a sales process.
So that is what we will be covering, and that is why this lesson is so important to your future success.
The first step of the sales process all begins with you conducting a search on the upward platform.
That is where you go.
You can create customized searches, which I will show you in future lessons.
And from there, what you do is you find the right jobs that are the best fit for you.
Once you've established a job that is a good fit, then it's time to build a proposal using that proposal
handout.
And that is when you send something to the client.
Think of it as a resume or as an offer letter that you're sending to the client that shows them you're
interested in the work.
The whole goal of this is for them to get back in touch with you.
If you did it right and you built a proposal with the right format and you grab their attention, then
the client will get back in touch with you.
From there, the next step is getting the client on a sales call or an online demonstration.
Your number one goal here is to schedule that appointment and get them on the phone, even if it's just
a phone call.
Or better yet, if you're using Google Hangouts, you can also do a screen share to show them your screen.
But the whole point of this is that you're separating yourself from the pack.
You're getting the client on a phone where no one you can qualify them.
And number two, you can really set yourself apart by leaving a lasting impression on the client.
After a successful sales call or demo, then it's time to put together a quote and send that to the
client from there, that's when you close the deal.
So you don't want to think of this as a client gets in touch with you and you get on a call and immediately
you start working.
That is not how most freelance sales occur.
What happens is the client will speak to a wide number of freelancers.
So by you sending them a quote after the sales demo, it allows you to build their memory of you in
their head because then they have something in writing and you don't want to do this on the call.
You want to do it in writing, and the client might accept those terms.
Or most likely, they will schedule another call to speak in more detail.
And that is when I'm going to show you how you can use the phone to close the deal.
So those are the four steps in the profitable freelance sales process.
And now let's go over some of the biggest mistakes that I see freelancers make in this process.
So you can avoid them and save time on your journey.
The first freelance mistake that I see really often in the sales process is people applying and sending
proposals out to bad jobs just because they want to make some money, and they think it's a good idea
when you reach out to the wrong type of projects.
You're not only jeopardizing yourself because you might get a bad review or you might have a bad experience
with the client on the platform, but you're also sacrificing that opportunity cost.
And what that means is with any decision you make, you're also giving up something else because you're
doing something instead of something else.
So, for example, if you're reaching out to bad jobs, that is time you could be spending reaching
out to the right clients in the right jobs.
So just think about it like this when you're tempted to send proposals out to jobs that aren't good.
Focus on only cherry picking the best opportunities for you.
Then copy and pasting proposals is a surefire way to not have success on any freelance platform.
People need to know that you're talking directly to them and you need to make everything you do tailored
towards whoever you're speaking to.
So remember in the sales section, we spoke about making that client feel like they're the only one
that you're serving.
Don't forget about that because if you just copy and paste proposals just to send more out, you're
doing more harm than good.
Another mistake is not standing out from the pack, so being too generic and just blending in is another
way that you'll likely just get glanced over during the sales process.
In addition to that, if you're not willing to get on the phone with a client, that is a big mistake.
It's showing the client you're not that serious and it can even signal some red flags to them.
Clients like working with freelancers that they can get to know.
They can hop on a call with and get familiar with the way they work and the way they sound in the way
that they act.
If you're not willing to do that, you're likely not going to be able to set yourself apart and have
success.
Giving your price over the phone is another mistake, because it opens the client up to a bunch of different
objections and complaints that aren't needed at that stage.
Usually, it's time to figure out what the client wants first before you go into just giving them a
price.
Remember, every client is on Upwork and is hiring a freelancer because they need a problem solver.
So first, establish what the true problem is.
They need solved, and then you can focus on providing that written quote.
Another mistake is undervaluing yourself and your services you provide.
If you're not charging enough and not quoting enough for your services, not only will you not feel
satisfied, but you likely won't have enough money to make freelancing a full time reality for you.
So you need to learn these skills that are valuable so you can charge what you are worth.
Then focusing on yourself instead of the client is a big mistake that will stand out right away to a
client.
They can always tell when you're focused too much on the money and too much on yourself and not digging
deep into how you can help them.
The last mistake is having a slow response time, and this is with anything with a client and with freelancing
in general, the quicker you respond, the better you will do.
And that goes for before you have a client, after you have a client.
And even during that process, keep this in mind so you can always deliver the best quality service
possible throughout the sales process.
And now you have a map of the free land sales process, so you can navigate it easier.
I look forward to seeing you in the next lesson.