From Good to Great – Writing Proposals to Attract High-Value Upwork Clients

During the early days of my newsletter, I would interview one LinkedIn Top Voice every Saturday.

I met a lot of amazing people. It was fun. I get on a call to pick the brains of some of the smartest people on LinkedIn.

My favourite interview was with Loiue Bernstein. A 71-year-old man who went viral for his advice on Reddit – 11.8 million views.

During our interview, I asked him if one should write daily. I was under the notion that writing daily wears out your writing brain muscles, just like a daily gym workout wears out your muscles.

He said:

In my 50 years of experience when it comes to brain muscles, things are quite the opposite. If you don’t work them daily, they will wear out. He was right but I didn’t believe him at the moment.

I went on with my life with my philosophy.

Last month, I took a 9-day vacation. And during my vacation, I did not write a single word.

The funny thing is, when I came back, writing became difficult for me.

Before the vacation, I could write 1000 words in the blink of an elf. Now, I avoid writing as much as I can.

Why?

Because my writing muscles wore out, and I did nothing to maintain my brain muscle.

I did nothing during my vacation except binge-watching series or reading all day.

So, I decided to do something about this. That is when I came across my old freelancer notebook.

I used this notebook to keep track of things as a freelancer.

At the end of the notebook, I wrote a technique to help me overcome writer’s block or when I wasn’t able to write anymore.

Whenever I am facing writer’s block, and unable to write persuasive upwork proposals, I try this technique.

Framework: Proposal Blueprinting

Ever wonder why some freelancers consistently win projects while others struggle?

It often comes down to how they write their proposals.

Successful freelancers on Upwork are good at writing Upwork proposals. And 90% of them got better at writing by implementing this or a similar technique.

You can too.

So, what is Proposal blueprinting??

It is a powerful technique to improve your proposal writing skills by studying and replicating the best.

This helps you understand the techniques that work.

You learn not just what to say, but how to say it.

This practice will polish your skills in:

• Grammar and Syntax – Understand how successful writers structure their sentences.
• Flow and Voice – Capture the rhythm and tone that resonate with clients.
• Persuasion – Identify the strategies that make a proposal compelling.

How to Implement Proposal Blueprinting

It has 3 really simple steps that even a child can do. And they do.

Step 1 is finding winning proposals.

Connect with successful freelancers and ask them for their proposals or Google for proposals from top-rated freelancers in your niche.

Analyze their structure, language, and approach.

Step 2 is where the real works happen.

Copy those proposals out by hand.

Write out these proposals word-for-word. Pay attention to the nuances in their writing.

Next, reflect on your learning. After copying, review what you’ve written. Note down key patterns and techniques you observed.

The last step is to apply the learnings to your own proposals.

Use the insights gained to craft your proposals. Blend successful elements with your unique style.

Practical Example

If you find a proposal that effectively addresses client pain points, copy it out.

Observe how the Upworker:

• Introduces themselves.
• Identifies the client’s problem.
• Offers a clear solution.
• Ends with a strong call to action.

Then, when writing your next proposal, follow a similar structure. Adjust the content to suit your voice and the specific job you’re applying for.

Daily Practice

Doing it once or twice won’t bring any meaningful results. Make this a habit. Dedicate 15 minutes a day to Proposal Blueprinting.

Over time, you’ll notice your proposal writing becoming more natural, persuasive, and effective.

To make this practice easy for you, I have created a Notion template so that you can practice this daily and keep track of your progress.

I am always eager to know my fam’s progress.

Let me know if this was the missing puzzle to your success.

Waiting,

Talha X

Dreamer & Founder @ The Notion Millionaire.