I connect with fellow freelancers every morning.
I was scrolling my LinkedIn feed this morning and came across something unusual.
A YouTuber was saying Upwork is the worst place for Freelancers.
One should look for clients somewhere else, Like Instagram.
And I was laughing at the person yet I was sad for my innocent freelance Amanos.
The thing is, there is one simple reason why I talk about Upwork so much.
It is simple to generate leads from Upwork.
You just need to learn to write good proposals and attend a few calls to close a client.
Whereas, if you decided to generate leads from social media.
You will have to engage with other people, create content, and DM people to let them know you sell something.
Plus leads on Upwork have high buying intent.
Whereas, leads on social media do not have high buying intent.
Now, that you know Upwork is a better option for most freelancers,
Let’s talk about how to secure clients in a competitive market on Upwork.
Well, I have a simple formula for that.
Before that you should know that I have always been the focus of Attention.
Home. Friends. College. Work.
I know very well how to capture and hold attention.
And this has paid off pretty well on Upwork as well.
Securing clients in a competitive market on Upwork is all about capturing and holding attention.
To do that, I deploy the VALUE Framework.
VALUE FRAMEWORK
As a kid, I used to tell stories and suspense scenarios to capture and hold my cousins’ attention.
As an Upworker, I use value validation projects to capture and hold my client’s attention.
This helps me showcase my skills and convert them like crazy.
Here is what this framework is all about.
VALUE stands for:
Validate
Align
Leverage
UtilizE
Essentially, you offer a small, impactful project, clients can see your work quality before committing to a larger contract.
Win-win for both of you.
This approach will build trust and demonstrate your value.
Which is our goal.
Here are 3+ simple steps to stand out with VVP.
1. Validate: Creating a Value Validation Project
The first thing to consider when creating your VVP is to decide on the most impactful task.
Choose a task that addresses a key pain point for the client.
It should be completed in a short timeframe.
Then, define what will be achieved and delivered in the project to ensure clarity and alignment.
2. Align: Presenting the Value Validation Project
Now, this is the fun step.
You need to decide how you will present your VVP.
I use Notion pages.
They are new, and unique and can be customized any way I want them to be.
Along with that;
- Communicate the purpose and benefits of the project in your proposal.
- Explains how it will help the client
- Highlight specific value the client will receive and how this project can mitigate their hiring risks.
3. Leverage: Executing the Project
Ensure the work you deliver is of exceptional quality.
After all, your sole goal is to impress the client.
So, give the client a glimpse of what they can expect from a larger collaboration with you.
4. Utilize: Converting Clients
Now, you must guide your client on what action he should take next.
I like to schedule a call.
So, I will drop a link to my Tidycal (Calendly alternative) in the proposal and at the end of VVP.
This has secured me more calls than any other method on Upwork.
Now, a framework is as good as gilded gold when you are thirsty.
You need a system to deploy that framework.
And today, I have something different in store for you.
Featured Resource: SOP Templates for Value Validation Project
For every repeatable task in my agency, we have an SOP.
This has saved us a lot of time and effort.
SOPs are very important in a competitive market with cut-throat prices.
So, to help you convert more clients with fewer Upwork proposals, here are my SOP templates for creating and deploying the VALUE framework.
This is how I turned 17 proposals into 5 clients on Upwork.
And it only took me 2 weeks to do all of this.
The whole credit goes to the value validation project.
Along with a few other factors.
I want to announce that I am opening new slots for my coaching program.
It is a 9-week coaching program for Freelancers who want to make it big on Upwork.
Read details here: https://tidycal.com/talhacopy/1-1-upwork-coaching
Only 2 slots are available.
I will personally coach you to secure 3-5 clients on Upwork.
And share everything you need to deliver top-notch quality service to your clients.
So hyped about this.
Excited,
Talha X
Dreamer & Founder @ The Notion Millionaire.
