How do you properly make a proposal?

[translator_of_x]

Sorry for the inconvenience, but newbie here (although I joined Upwork quite some time ago, I never got around to using it. How do you properly make a proposal? I've had no success at all with properly attracting clients, even though I've kept it short, simple and to the point.

[michael_skaggs]

The biggest thing to remember with a proposal is that it's not about you. What you've done in the past, your accomplishments, your education, your experience, etc. is of no concern to a client. All that information can be found on your profile and in your portfolio anyway, so no need to repeat information.

What your proposal should do is entice your client. Your profile and portfolio are what backs up what you tell them, but the proposal itself is your time to tell them specifically what you can do for them on this particular job. A successful proposal will have the client wanting to continue the conversation with you by starting an interview. Sometimes the proposal itself gives them that feeling, other times a direct invitation can work as well.

I've had success before in simply asking a straightforward question like "How about we setup a brief meeting/conversation to discuss things further? I'll be able to answer any questions you have, and get a better feel for the project as a whole to make sure I would be a good fit." (or some variation thereof).

How you go about all of that depends on your field, your abilities, and even your personal style. But the short version is that you want to make it easy for them to say "yes" rather than just "Well, I guess we'll pick this guy."