Rate my proposal (and profile, if possible)

[bstevanovic]

I have spent a lot of time researching how to write perfect proposal, took and edited perfect picture for my avatar, and applied around 30 proposal, and no single response.

Is there something I am missing, maybe my proposal is not good? Or it is just that I have to apply more. 

PROPOSAL

Julie, one and a half year ago, at the seminar I attended, I met a guy who said that he is a "marketer". With no intentions I mentioned that I am a graphic designer.

He told me that he needs someone for long term product editing project for his website.

Next thing I know - I am working for Serbia's leading manufacturer of electronic devices;

All it took is him seeing my photo editing skills 😉

I told you this story because, same as you do, this man was looking for someone to edit objects, enhance picture and do general touch ups. I see that it is for your grand daughter, so we can agree to make these pictures look in a manner that suits a children book (dreamy, cute etc.)

Best regards,

Bogdan S.

PS. I will attach samples of my previous similar works

[prestonhunter · Accepted solution]

You should not have "a proposal."

I have worked as a freelancer for many years and have had hundreds of jobs. 

I have never had "a proposal."

If you are struggling, it is because you think that a proposal is supposed to be about you.

A proposal is not supposed to be about you.

[bstevanovic]

Thanks for insight, but what should I do then?

[prestonhunter]

Do what I do:

Never write a standard proposal.

Never create a proposal template.

Never copy and paste from a previous proposal.

And never talk about yourself.

In your proposal, you should write about the three things clients care about:

- the client

- the client's project

- how you will make the client's life better by working on his project

Be brief.

But make it clear that you understand the client's project deeply.

Bogdan:
Most proposals that clients receive are terrible.

If you write good ones, then you're likely to get hired a lot.

[bstevanovic]

Ok, thanks a lot, that was helpful...
Actually i tought that this is exactly a letter where I talk about clinet and his job(and about myself only for the purpose of stating why it should be me)

You think differently?

[roberty1y]

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Bogdan S wrote:
Ok, thanks a lot, that was helpful...
Actually i tought that this is exactly a letter where I talk about clinet and his job(and about myself only for the purpose of stating why it should be me)

You think differently?

---

No. You need to stick more to the subject of the job at hand - what it involves, how you would propose to do it, what further instructions you may need, how long you think it will take, etc. Whatever the client needs to know about you, they can get from your profile. 

[martina_plaschka]

---

Bogdan S wrote:
Ok, thanks a lot, that was helpful...
Actually i tought that this is exactly a letter where I talk about clinet and his job(and about myself only for the purpose of stating why it should be me)

You think differently?

---

Look at this text more closely. You only talk about yourself, and how YOU got hired. You say nothing about how happy the client was later. So you focused on the hiring part, not the work part. Bluntly stated, it is meaningless fluff.

[tlbp]

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Bogdan S wrote:

I have spent a lot of time researching how to write perfect proposal, took and edited perfect picture for my avatar, and applied around 30 proposal, and no single response.

Is there something I am missing, maybe my proposal is not good? Or it is just that I have to apply more. 

PROPOSAL

Julie, one and a half year ago, at the seminar I attended, I met a guy who said that he is a "marketer". With no intentions I mentioned that I am a graphic designer.

He told me that he needs someone for long term product editing project for his website.

Next thing I know - I am working for Serbia's leading manufacturer of electronic devices;

All it took is him seeing my photo editing skills 😉

I told you this story because, same as you do, this man was looking for someone to edit objects, enhance picture and do general touch ups. I see that it is for your grand daughter, so we can agree to make these pictures look in a manner that suits a children book (dreamy, cute etc.)

Best regards,

Bogdan S.

PS. I will attach samples of my previous similar works

---

I wouldn't read past the first line if I were a busy client looking for someone to do a task. I might be inclined to read a "get to know the freelancer" style proposal if I were paying $100+ per hour and expected to be wowed. But no one is going to put that much effort into evaluating you for an entry level task. You are applying the wrong strategy for the Upwork audience. Use this type of store for your website about me page. 

The first two lines of your profile are all that is viewable when clients are previewing it. You have wasted them with an announcement that you are a student (a.k.a. not a professional freelancer) and a blank line. 

Much of the Upwork marketplace is goverrned by harsh market forces. I think your approach might work on some propsects. But, as you have noted, those prospects are rare. 

[martina_plaschka]

Storytelling is a good concept, but not like this. You write the same text in your proposal as well as your profile, that's the first mistake. Second - it is a story about somebody who hired you because he liked your work. Sorry: duh. Everybody will hire you because they like your work, so that's really a non-story. It has no place either in your proposal or profile. 

If you want to use storytelling, it should not be about you, it should be about your client. Or a previous client, like in: my previous client liked my bla bla bla so much, hired me, and his sales increased 25% because of bla bla bla. But better don't use it at all. 

Generally it seems clients don't read long proposal texts anyway. 

[atreglia]

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Bogdan S wrote:

I have spent a lot of time researching how to write perfect proposal, took and edited perfect picture for my avatar, and applied around 30 proposal, and no single response.

Is there something I am missing, maybe my proposal is not good? Or it is just that I have to apply more. 

PROPOSAL

Julie, one and a half year ago, at the seminar I attended, I met a guy who said that he is a "marketer". With no intentions I mentioned that I am a graphic designer.

He told me that he needs someone for long term product editing project for his website.

Next thing I know - I am working for Serbia's leading manufacturer of electronic devices;

All it took is him seeing my photo editing skills 😉

I told you this story because, same as you do, this man was looking for someone to edit objects, enhance picture and do general touch ups. I see that it is for your grand daughter, so we can agree to make these pictures look in a manner that suits a children book (dreamy, cute etc.)

Best regards,

Bogdan S.

PS. I will attach samples of my previous similar works

---

Oh wow.  I always wondered what others put in their photoshop proposals.  I feel much better about mine now.  Why on earth are you talking about a seminar you attended and marketing when all the client wants is their photo manipulated?  They're usually quick projects so just tell the client you can do the job, estimate the time it would take if it's hourly, and get on with it.  Holy moly.