Direct Message

[rose-suzanne]

I've been contacted twice via Direct Message. Neither were prior clients. In both cases, I responded positively to their questions regarding availability and interest but received no reply. I find this annoying and unprofessional. I don't appreciate being directly messaged by a client I don't know and, after responding, receiving no response. I can't look at the job post because the job isn't posted, and I have no idea why I did not "win" the bidding for the project. It may be convenient for the client, but I find it offensive when the client won't bother to respond to a direct message.

[boshoffirene]

Direct message? As in contacting you in messages directly? Was it not an old client, perhaps, or someone on an old client's team?

[2a05aa63]

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Irene B wrote:

Direct message? As in contacting you in messages directly? Was it not an old client, perhaps, or someone on an old client's team?

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Pro clients can directly message freelancers even if they didn't create a job post.

[rose-suzanne]

Neither were former clients nor associated with former clients.

[2a05aa63]

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Suzanne R wrote:
Neither were former clients nor associated with former clients.

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Yes, former client can send messaged to freelancers. But this topic has nothing to do with that. 

[rose-suzanne]

No, neither were former clients.

[gilbert-phyllis]

I have occasionally been approached directly by a client who was browsing. I just make sure not to invest more time in responding than I'm willing to write off in case they're tire-kickers. Goes with the territory.

[rose-suzanne]

Sure, but the direct messaging capability is for clients who are members of
Upwork Plus, Upwork Business, and Upwork Enterprise per the Upwork website.
It gives these members the ability to "directly contact freelancers they
haven't interacted with on previous contracts." The most recent direct
message I received was from a professional services firm in New York with a
project that I was very interested in. The message represented he had
viewed my profile and that I seemed perfect for the project. He only wanted
to check my availability. I responded within 5 minutes. I haven't heard a
word from him since.

So, I didn't blow this off as someone browsing because the firm was legit
and the project was very attractive. However, I find this type of direct
messaging for unposted projects from clients I don't know annoying and
unprofessional if the client is not going to be responsive to my reply.

[kinector]

If I understood right, we're talking about this feature: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/360046621873-Direct-Messages-

I also find this annoying. Nothing but spam so far. Fortunately, though, I don't remember getting any this year...

Earlier, I worked around it by creating a simple and polite message template advising the client to post a job and invite me to it (with a link to the support page that shows how to do it). I copy-paste it as a reply to everyone sending me direct messages.

I don't have time for getting stuck with these kinds of things.

[rose-suzanne]

Thanks. That's a good idea. Interestingly, the client got back to me and
hired me for a project. He apologized for the delay in his response. It's a
good project and may lead to consistent work. So, maybe I was too
impatient?

[kinector]

Suzanne, that's great to hear, lucky you!

This is the first time I witness direct messages leading to business. 🤑

Congratulations! 👍👍

[hglewis]

Congratulations Suzanne!!

Those messages, like emails and phone calls from would-be clients, used to annoy me too!

Then one day, I realized, if they don't call back, what headache(s) was I spared.

I appreciate when those individuals disqualify themselves without me having to do it for them.

[allpurposewriter]

 Woodrow rules!

What if you opened a store on Main Street and some customers came in, walked the aisles, browsed around, then left without buying ... oh well. What can you do? You invited them in ... you can't exactly fault them for browsing. Worse, they come in and ask 20 questions, then leave witout buying. You have to be polite to these non-buyers. But you want to kick them out the door. 

[kinector]

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Phyllis G wrote:

I have occasionally been approached directly by a client who was browsing. I just make sure not to invest more time in responding than I'm willing to write off in case they're tire-kickers. Goes with the territory.

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"Tire-kickers" ... that's exactly what it is. 😁

- Can I help you with anything?

- No no, just looking...

🤣

[booksist]

It looks like anyone who can see your profile (and is logged in) can send you a direct message. Recently I shared the link to my profile with a potential client who hadn’t used Upwork before. I thought he would send me either a direct offer or an invite, but he was able to send me a direct message prior to that. I was surprised, but I had nothing to complain about, and we worked happily ever after 🙂

Edit: Memory is unreliable. It was a direct offer, but it did appear in a newly created message room before I accepted it.

[AleksandarD]

Hi Valentina,

Only clients that are members of Upwork Plus or Upwork Enterprise can choose to reach out to freelancers directly. You can check this article for more information.

Thank you.

[hassaan_ned]

Hi, i just want to know, what should be freelancer approach on this. Should the freelancer ask the client to start the contract? 

Because i have been directly messaged, but there is are no offers yet , he just is discussing the project only!!! 

Actually i am not aware of the process in direct message. Do i have some option, where i can create a contract with him??? 

[759e32fa]

Hi Hassaan,

Thank you for reaching out to us. The client has to discuss the project with you and if you think you can deliver his expectations, instead of telling him to start a contract, try asking when he would like to start. 

[jeribirkes]

I am increasingly getting 'tire kickers.' The only information on the right side is "client profile" but we can see no other details about their past projects, feedback, or payment history. This is annoying and very much wastes time. Either the DM vanishes and not for anything said in response to their vague requests. The two last calls, if I had been able to see their full profile and past jobs, I would have responded politely, negatively. I recently had one of these promising outreaches but the client stated "we have used Upwork a lot and have been very successful." Client profile shows 1 hire of 7 postings, and only $1,000 spent. That is someone who is either lying or has multiple accounts. Another client, great interview, then narrowed the scope so tightly it was a waste of my time. I think we should be able to see the full Client profile. Why is Upwork keeping this information from Freelancers? This has happened several times since DM started and I am finally speaking up because I dont like games and I dont like wasting my time that I do not have with less than honest clients. Professional freelancers can easily spot the information they need. Also, if they are able to DM, location should be required beyond "United States" and frankly their corporate entity name. I wish we could report the tire tickers.

[2e395a62]

We should see the client's profile when contacted directly, I second that. Not all of these clients are tire kickers, though (just signed a nice coaching contract yesterday and the client came from "nowhere" 🙂 ), so I treat them just like the regular ones who post jobs. And ghosting is so common nowadays with regular clients, that being ghosted by a client-from-nowhere doesn't bother me more than being ghosted by a regular one.