An amazing Upwork proposal sample that will surely land you an interview

Your Upwork proposal is like the first interaction with your client. You need to create an impactful first impression through your proposal because it can make or mar the next steps. Writing an effective proposal can be challenging, especially when you are a beginner.

Most often, my inbox is filled with questions like:

• Why is an Upwork proposal so important?
• How to write an effective Upwork proposal?
• Can you share an Upwork proposal sample?
• Can I use fixed templates for sending my proposals?

Phew! And whatnot. So, I decided to address this issue, once and for all. In this article, I will share some tried-and-tested tips and strategies to write an Upwork proposal sample and also share some work with you.

If you are new to Upwork, check out this freshers guide on how to get started on Upwork.

Now, without further ado, let’s begin.

The best way to write an Upwork proposal

Your Upwork proposal is a chance to introduce yourself, express your personality, share your past work and highlight your expertise to the client. It can create a lasting impression on your client when written properly.

Starting off your Upwork proposal

The beginning of your proposal acts as a hook and should be strong enough to attract the client and motivate him to read till the end.

The very first sentence needs to be impactful and show the client that you have read their job description. While you should start with a warm greeting and salutation, the client would only care about his work.

Talking about their needs can be super powerful because it makes them feel important. It also shows your interest in the work, because you have directly jumped to the main topic.

To give you an Upwork proposal sample, this is how I begin my proposal:

Hi,

My name is Vikas. I have read your job description and it sounds very interesting to me. I have always had a strong interest in machine learning and am excited to take on this opportunity.

This makes them feel important and that the message is for THEM, not YOU.

Middle of your Upwork proposal

The body of your Upwork proposal needs to talk about yourself (of course, it should be relevant to the client and the project).

This is your chance to show your personality. You need to add two key elements to the body of your proposal.

First, talk about your background, the type of projects you have worked upon, how you have helped your clients and the results achieved. Keep this section brief and crisp. It should not take more than four or five lines because that would be enough to give them a hint of your personality.

Second, you need to highlight your expertise. This part needs to be stronger than the first one because ultimately, this will matter the most. You can show how you have mastered your skills, and also attach a few client recommendations. This would be a great proof of your work.

Check out this Upwork proposal sample:

I have worked on numerous projects in machine learning and helped my clients achieve visible results. I have recently worked on a similar project and the result was____. Over the years, I have mastered this skill. In fact, my previous client used to say that I am becoming a better version of myself every day.

Ending of your Upwork proposal

The last critical part of your proposal is the ending. You have completed the first two steps with confidence, so it is essential to end on a confident note with a strong CTA. Further, you can also ask a relevant question because that is a good way to get a response. You should also add a date and time asking about their availability.

Check out this Upwork proposal sample:

Can you help me understand more about your project? I would love to check out your website or other platforms to learn better about the work.

I will await your response. In fact, if you are free tomorrow, can we connect for a brief chat?

Let me know what works best for you.

Regards,

Vikas

Moving on, I want to highlight some common mistakes you should avoid.

Most of the time, while writing your proposal, you tend to make mistakes that can create an adverse impression on your clients.

Common mistakes to avoid in your Upwork proposal

First, ensure that the proposal is crafted for THEM, and not talks only about YOU. Do not focus only on your achievements and expertise, instead keep them relevant for the client. They should feel important when reading your proposal and it should feel especially crafted for them.

Second, avoid writing long and bulky paragraphs. Any reader will dread reading a long proposal. For clients who get over 100 proposals every day, do you think they will be interested in reading giant blocks of text? So, keep your proposal brief and crisp.

Practice with some good Upwork proposal samples, and include everything in a short way. Save your time and theirs, and increase your chances of getting closer to the selection.

Third, make it a point to sell the call, not the service. In simple words, aim to achieve the next step and not the entire battle at once. Most freelancers ask for an Upwork proposal sample that can help them convert the job, but a proposal can only help you convert to the next step. The step after that depends on how you perform in the interview.

The only goal of your Upwork proposal should be to get an interview, so do not try to sell everything at the same time.

Fourth, ensure your proposal is in sync with your Upwork profile. Your profile should back up all that you have claimed in your proposal. If you are claiming to be a true expert in a skill, you need to ensure that your Upwork profile states the same. If your client sees any difference between your profile and your proposal, your chances of getting the interview will reduce drastically.

Refer to this comprehensive guide to improve your Upwork professional overview.

Fifth, end your Upwork proposal with something that can generate a response. You can add some questions or suggestions, which the client might want to discuss and improve your chances of getting the interview.

Takeaways

Now that you know how to frame your Upwork proposal sample- how to write, what to include and what to avoid, I am sure you are going to write a killer proposal. Just follow these tips mentioned above, keep yourself in the client’s shoes and work on your proposal with a calm state of mind. Make sure it is brief, crisp and direct. Do a final check and ensure that your proposal is free from grammatical errors.

And, that’s how you write an Upwork proposal that gets you an interview. So, start writing your proposal and get new clients. If you have any questions, feel free to connect with me at [email protected] for any queries. I would be happy to help you! Join the Discord community of like-minded freelancers here.