Proposals reply

jonathanxalo123 · ‎10-14-2019

Hi there,

Just one matter to understand: why must Clients on upwork not reply any proposal you wrote to them?

I think honestly that Upwork should ask them to do it more often. The problem here's that if they don't reply to your proposal, you'll withdraw it and lose your "connects you used when applying for that job.

As connects aren't free, why can't you get back those connects when the proposal is withdrawn?

I hope all who reads my topic understand that the way communication on Upwork works isn't super normal whatsoever!

martina_plaschka · ‎10-14-2019

Jonathan E wrote:
Hi there,

Just one matter to understand: why must Clients on upwork not reply any proposal you wrote to them?

I think honestly that Upwork should ask them to do it more often. The problem here's that if they don't reply to your proposal, you'll withdraw it and lose your "connects you used when applying for that job.

As connects aren't free, why can't you get back those connects when the proposal is withdrawn?

I hope all who reads my topic understand that the way communication on Upwork works isn't super normal whatsoever!

You are in for a rude awakening when you think that clients not responding to 50+ proposals is not super normal.

Plus: don't withdraw your proposals, you don't get your connects back and it's just a waste of your time.

jonathanxalo123 · ‎10-16-2019

Hi, Martina.

Thanks for your message indeed!

Your opinion can make sense, but I think in two months they should have enough time (despite not wanting clients to answer if they don't want to).

One solution could be that some free connects should be given to every user every month.

The thing is that I could either spend $7, $10 or 20$ dollars in connect and luckily, two, three people have replied my proposal, saying whatever, even "I'll get back to you" and I need to pay again for connects. I'm losing money when I applying for jobs vocationally.

I don't also want to generalise, not everyone disregards proposals. I'm sure of it.

That's my opinion but from a humble translator from Spain who has started. It isn't a client's opinion. Different circumstances, different standpoints!

resultsassoc · ‎10-14-2019

Jonathan,

The biggest loser in what you describe is the buyer who posted the job. I'm a buyer (and a provider). I acknowledge every response to a job posting and keep all applicants informed throughout the down-select process. When I choose a provider, I do my best to write to the unsuccessful candidates indicating that they didn't win, and telling them why. This is self-interest.

I want providers who apply for work with me to have a good experience so they will apply again in the future. I want freelancers to get better, which only benefits me. I want them to see my identity attached to a job and start planning how to win.

This isn't typical of buyers on Upwork, who mostly conclude that providers are interchangeable cogs in a machine. That leads them to buy on price. I won't play that game, either as a buyer or provider. Knowing how I operate, would you spend connects on applying to a job I posted or on a typical "interchangeable cogs" posting?'

jonathanxalo123 · ‎10-16-2019

Hi, Bill.

thanks for your well-thought-out reply indeed!

As I said to Martina:

Hi, Martina.

Thanks for your message indeed!

Your opinion can make sense, but I think in two months they should have enough time (despite not wanting clients to answer me if they don't want to).

One solution could be that some free connects should be given to every user every month.

The thing is that I could either spend $7, $10 or 20$ dollars in connect and luckily, two, three people have replied my proposal, saying whatever, even "I'll get back to you" and I need to pay again for connects. I'm losing money when I applying for jobs vocationally.

I don't also want to generalise, not everyone disregards proposals. I'm sure of it.

That's my opinion but from a humble translator from Spain who has started off on Upwork. It isn't a client's opinion. Different circumstances, different standpoints!

Regarding the investment you make on Upwork shoudn't be cheap at all. That's a client's opinion on Upwork. I'm sure you can also see the disadvantages you may be liable to.

I'm glad to hear you keep providers informed and show some of your interest to them.

By knowing now you're a serious buyer or client, perhaps I can't find now or rather, I'm not selecting buyers properly. That's why I'm getting this biased idea of Upwork.

I'm open to change my mind.

Kind regards and many thanks for your sincerity

wescowley · ‎10-16-2019

Jonathan -

My advice: treat your connects as marketing expenses, client acquisition costs, whatever. You may lose money on average at first until you're established, just like any other business. To be blunt - if you can't afford to do that, this may not be the right path for you right now.

You can't force clients to respond to your proposals, keep you updated after they make contact, or even hire anyone at all. The only thing you can do to influence that is to make your proposals and interviews professional and enticing to them. Bill's approach as a client here is the exception.

And as Martina said - don't withdraw your proposals. I've had people come back to me weeks and even a couple of months after a proposal, either because they were taking their time or they had hired someone else who didn't work out.

tlbp · ‎10-16-2019

Jonathan E wrote:
Hi, Bill.

thanks for your well-thought-out reply indeed!

As I said to Martina:
Hi, Martina.

Thanks for your message indeed!

Your opinion can make sense, but I think in two months they should have enough time (despite not wanting clients to answer me if they don't want to).

One solution could be that some free connects should be given to every user every month.

The thing is that I could either spend $7, $10 or 20$ dollars in connect and luckily, two, three people have replied my proposal, saying whatever, even "I'll get back to you" and I need to pay again for connects. I'm losing money when I applying for jobs vocationally.

I don't also want to generalise, not everyone disregards proposals. I'm sure of it.

That's my opinion but from a humble translator from Spain who has started off on Upwork. It isn't a client's opinion. Different circumstances, different standpoints!

Regarding the investment you make on Upwork shoudn't be cheap at all. That's a client's opinion on Upwork. I'm sure you can also see the disadvantages you may be liable to.

I'm glad to hear you keep providers informed and show some of your interest to them.

By knowing now you're a serious buyer or client, perhaps I can't find now or rather, I'm not selecting buyers properly. That's why I'm getting this biased idea of Upwork.

I'm open to change my mind.

Kind regards and many thanks for your sincerity

You should not spend money on connects until you are certain that you can successfully compete against the other translators who are applying for the same jobs. You will lose money instead of earning it.

resultsassoc · ‎10-16-2019

Edward,

You need to do a better job of screening clients. At first this will limit you to clients who have a history on Upwork.

Look at reviews of clients. Those that don't pay well, or pay late, should be ignored. You can do some screening using the filters. When I was applying regularly for jobs I filtered by "Expert," "Fewer than 30 hours a week," "Ten or fewer applicants" and "minimum $251 price.' I look at number of invitees. If the client has invited more than ten or twelve, I avoid that client.

Most sales advice is dead wrong. Don't talk about yourself, talk about the client, the client's business, and the client's project. Ask smart questions, such as "Who is the intended audience of the translated material?" "Is the translation to be used in court?" Asking questions invites answers, and now you're in a dialog which is where the work you want is won.

Establish that you're serious. Asking good questions does that. I ask questions that let the client infer that I know what I'm talking about. I also explain that I never accept work without exploring a fit with the client. And, I encounrage clients to explore a fit with every applicant who makes sense. That allows the client to conclude that I'm not afraid of competition. I also refuse to negotiate my rates.

I wait until the end to talk about myself. When I was serious about freelancing, I won 75% of all jobs to which I applied that were ever awarded, both Upwork and g***. Something obviously worked.