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uysimty
Community Member

How to win the first job as Upwork agency?

Actually, I am a top rate developer on Upwork. Recently, few of my friends and me. Decided to start a team together. We have started for one month. I started to bid some projects. After one month passed, we seem have no hope to get the first project yet. Anyone have suggestions or stories to get your first project. I'm appreciate for your sharing.
3 REPLIES 3
petra_r
Community Member


Uysim T wrote:
Actually, I am a top rate developer on Upwork. Recently, few of my friends and me. Decided to start a team together. We have started for one month. I started to bid some projects. After one month passed, we seem have no hope to get the first project yet. Anyone have suggestions or stories to get your first project. I'm appreciate for your sharing.

many clients are wary of agencies, and won't touch a freelancer who is associated with an agency.

Established agencies may have an easier time, new ones will struggle.

 

Given the choice, and all things being equal, most clients will hire an individual over a freelancer who is part of an agency, hiring agency freelancers only if they have complex projects which require the work of several specialists which just happen to be in the same agency.  For such a project they will likely look at established agencies or prefer to hire their own project manager to hire individual freelancers, for better direct control and cost.

 

I know clients who decline any proposals from agency freelancers without even as much as opening them.

 

 

 

uysimty
Community Member

Seem like I shouldn't create agency in the first place? Because most likely client prefer invidividual over agency

aliabdullahuw
Community Member

Here is what i have researched what are the concerns of clients that might be the reason.
1. By Agency means a high cost attached. And there might be a vibe that similar work is possible is lower cost?
2. People want to build connection with people not organizations. Sales persons of a company close the client and put it in the agency's process in the back. Client's have to connect with multiple persons for different matters. They want a single point of contact
3. Client's who don't have an agency experience won't go to agency. The long processes of agencies might overwhelm them. Its similar like a person who doesn't have any exposure won't even enter the Rolex Shop. Independant of if he can afford it or not. There is a sense of fear trying new things. 
4. So your profile is at 0. And you believed that I will have a hard time finding jobs. Well I don't believe that. I worked on an upwork profile of my friend. Sent 5 proposals initially. 4 of them were qualified leads. And closed one client. But I didn't send a single proposal for a whole month. I worked on Profile title, description, portfolio, considering my profile situation inwhich jobs I have a better chance. and a lot more. Your profile has weaknesses. So need to find a work around to overcome those.
5. Don't submit proposal blindly without a strategy. If you don't have a track of your strategies. You can't improve. Like which jobs you have a better chance. What your hourly rate should be, What kind of portfolio do you need to win this job?
6. You will win a job if you address the client in the below queries. 1) You are more than capable to do this job.   2) For each client their product is special to them And you care about it . 3) How you present them your past projects? 4) What kind of experience will they have as they will be engaged with you/your agency for the next couple of weeks/months

Any critical analysis on my finding is welcomed. And how you can address the above mentioned concerns

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