Freelance platforms are competitive battlegrounds. Your profile is the first thing potential clients see—but it's custom proposals, fast responses, and quality delivery that actually win contracts. If you're overwhelmed by client acquisition and wish you could focus on work while someone else handles selling, there's a secret we'll reveal at the end.
This guide covers 10 proven strategies to overcome competition on bidding platforms like Upwork and Freelancer. Whether you're starting a freelance career or struggling to land clients, these tactics will help you stand out.
The 10 Strategies to Succeed on Freelance Platforms
Build a Strong, Credible Profile
Your profile is the first thing potential clients see. Put thought and effort into it. Fill in as much as possible showcasing experience, previous projects, recommendations, case studies, and success stories.
Profile Essentials:
- •Photo: High-quality, professional, friendly smiling face. Use same image across channels for recognition.
- •Description: Describe services as solutions to client problems, not just technical skills.
- •Updates: Add new projects and success stories regularly. Keep it active.
- •Proof: Clients face risks hiring freelancers with no reviews—provide maximum credibility proof.
Choose a Specific Niche
It's tempting to make your expertise wide and include everything you can do. However, it's best to focus on what you do best and narrow services to that.
How to Find Your Niche:
- •Think about previous work experience—what can you do better than others?
- •Look at developers with highest rates. Analyze their unique services.
- •Invest effort learning specialized skills that command premium pricing.
Why It Works: Having a specific niche is a great way to stand out in a crowd.
Be Active in Applying
On bidding freelance platforms, a lot depends on your active participation in the application process. The more effort you put into sending applications to job postings, the better results you get.
Action Plan:
- •Set a goal: Apply to 2 job postings minimum per day.
- •Follow through consistently—more applications = more opportunities.
- •Choose proactive approach instead of waiting for jobs to come to you.
Reality Check: It's tempting to fill out your profile and wait for jobs to fall into your lap, but that's not a successful strategy.
Respond Fast to Messages
It's important to respond fast to messages and interview invitations. Some platforms track your responsiveness and use it to rate your profile.
Best Practices:
- •Don't let messages stay in inbox for long.
- •If unavailable for extended periods, indicate that on your profile.
- •Being available helps you stand out and draws more clients.
Write Custom Proposals (Not Templates)
Creating one generic proposal to send to every job posting may sound easier and less time-consuming, but that strategy won't get you anywhere.
Custom Proposal Strategy:
- 1.Read job posting carefully. Note what client wants and phrases they use.
- 2.Tailor proposal to customer's specific needs.
- 3.Include case studies/success stories relevant to this posting.
- 4.Add example of your approach (video, text, screen recording).
Key to Success: Make every proposal custom. Generic = ignored.
Price Competitively (Then Raise Rates)
It's essential to do market research before setting your price. Look at what others charge for similar work and aim somewhere in the middle.
Pricing Strategy:
- →Beginners: Mid-market pricing covers client's risk when hiring without reviews.
- →After First Reviews: Start slowly raising prices.
- →With Experience: Make the amount you wish for (and more!).
Earn Platform Badges
Some freelance platforms have badges to distinguish the best freelancers. Usually, there's a list of actions you can take to receive it.
Action: Find out how to get a badge and aim for it. Badges help you get more trust from clients and stand out from the crowd.
Ace the Phone Interview
A phone interview usually comes after a successful proposal. This is where you win or lose the job.
Interview Strategy:
- ?Ask about specifics of client's business.
- ?Ask about the problem they're trying to solve.
- ?Ask about previous actions taken to solve it.
- →Use all information to tailor your solution for this client.
Goal: Position yourself as an expert and showcase your knowledge and skills.
Deliver High-Quality Service (Most Important)
This one is probably the most important. No matter how good your profile and portfolio look, no matter how well you sell yourself, the quality of your work determines your success on the platform.
Why Quality Matters:
- ✓Great work allows you to work with same clients in future.
- ✓Secures recommendations to other clients (reviews + word of mouth).
- ✓Long-term reputation beats short-term marketing.
Rule: Make sure you do your best for every client. If you're building a sustainable freelance career, quality compounds.
Request Client Reviews
After landing your first job and doing your best work, ask for a review. Reviews on the platform help clients trust you more and offer more opportunities.
Review Strategy:
- •Always Ask: Don't be shy about requesting reviews.
- •Remind: If they don't leave review right away, send a gentle reminder.
- •Remember: Mediocre review is better than no review.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most important factor for freelance platform success?
Quality service delivery (#9) is the most important factor. No matter how good your profile looks or how well you sell yourself, work quality determines long-term success. Great work secures repeat clients, recommendations, and word-of-mouth referrals. All other strategies help you get the first opportunity—quality ensures you keep growing.
Should I use template proposals or write custom ones?
Always write custom proposals. Generic templates get ignored immediately. Read each job posting carefully, note what the client wants and phrases they use, then tailor your proposal to their specific needs. Include relevant case studies and examples of your approach. Custom proposals require more time but have dramatically higher success rates.
How many job applications should I send per day?
Aim for minimum 2 quality applications per day on bidding platforms. More applications = more opportunities. The key is consistency—choose a proactive approach instead of waiting for jobs to come to you. However, quality matters more than quantity—2 well-researched, custom proposals beat 10 generic templates.
The Secret We Promised
If you're reading all of this and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work needed to be a successful freelance developer—if you wish you could focus on your work and have someone else handle selling and client negotiating—there's a way.
Vetted platforms take on the hustle of finding clients, matching them with the best developers, and negotiating and managing risks. Unlike bidding platforms where you compete with hundreds, vetted platforms handle all client acquisition so you can focus on doing your best work.
A team of dedicated people ensures both freelancers and clients are happy with results. You skip the competition hustle and start working immediately.
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