It’s your responsibility to manage your time when freelancing. Your schedule determines when you wake up, how much time you spend working, and how many clients you can handle. You are also responsible for finding work and providing it.
This is liberating in many ways, but it represents the biggest challenge for many freelancers. Because of the industry’s dynamic nature, you rarely know if you will have enough work or, on the contrary, if you will have too much and can’t cope.
More than one-third of the American workforce is freelance, and they contribute $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy. There has been a 22 percent increase compared to 2021, and we can safely say that the global pandemic played the best role in speeding up this trend. Let’s look at ways to write a good proposal and land jobs?
1. Identify your strengths
You can choose projects or causes that resonate with you using this information. Find your strengths first if you aren’t sure where to start.
Writing blogs or marketing copy for teams related to education, for example, could be a good fit for someone with a teaching background.
If you know your skills, you’ll be able to identify jobs where you would be a good fit, improving your chances of getting hired. This will also make selling yourself easier to potential employers.
2. Read the job description carefully
You cannot overplay how important it is to follow instructions and make sure you match requirements before drafting your freelance proposal. It will be rejected by clients if it is not. Furthermore, even if you did everything right the first time, they may second-guess your future proposals.
If you don’t understand a part of the description, feel free to ask questions. This shows that you are paying attention to detail, which most clients appreciate. If you are writing a freelance proposal, be sure to match your credentials, experience, and expertise with the company’s needs.
3. Create a Freelance proposal template
There’s no doubt that this section is one of the most important on the list, and for a good reason: When submitting proposals for various jobs, it will serve as your best weapon.
How do freelance proposal templates work? In essence, it’s an outline that can be modified or edited according to the client’s requirements.
It will help if you keep the keyword in mind here: edit. Some freelancers make the critical mistake of submitting generic templates to clients. It has been years since many of these organizations were established. Additionally, they receive a large number of proposals daily and are capable of identifying templates.
The wrong impression will be immediately created if you don’t edit your freelance proposal template. A document that includes another organization’s name and information can be even more dangerous.
4. Consider your tone of voice.
Your voice dramatically impacts how people perceive you as a professional. What is the significance of this? Start by adopting the client’s tone for whom you are writing the proposal. On the other hand, a crypto startup will not look for the same freelancer as a significant financial company.
If you are dealing with some clients, you should sound professional, serious, and responsible. Some people are in the mood for whimsy, humor, and even a joke. Your proposal should be written in the tone you choose based on research about your client.
The tone of your voice should also match the client’s sensibility to create a bond and make them feel comfortable with how you express yourself.
5. Keep it concise.
The majority of proposals are sent to clients regularly. Their schedules keep them from reading everything. Any proposal that is too long will likely be ignored.
By removing unnecessary words or using strong verbs, you can reduce the word count. You should use two or three sentences per paragraph. Please make sure that your sections are correctly spaced and labeled.
6. Write an honest “About me”section.
Although you need to be somewhat technical and detailed in your proposal, pricing, and executive summary, this is a section where you can speak directly to the client.
Ensure you emphasize what makes you unique and how your expertise connects to the client’s needs. Have fun with the presentation. Inform them about why you can solve the client’s problem and why you are the best person.
If your reader is overly formal, be aware of who you are talking to and not get too friendly.
Capping Off
Even though freelance job proposals tend to be shorter than corporate job applications, care should still be taken in their formatting. Put in the same level of attention to detail that you will put into your work. Some clients will not be convinced, but the ones who are will make the freelance proposal writing worthwhile.