Shelley,
First of all, nine proposals is close to nothing, expecially when you're just getting started here. I think there are certain cultural norms around here that have evolved over the years that help attract business. But everyone has a different learning curve for this, I imagine.
So, I like to just go with Marketing 101. Does your profile convince me you're an expert. Yes it does. Does it convince me you are confident? Yes, it does. Does it convince me you are friendly and approachable. For the most part, yes it does. But I still come away from reading your write-up and thinking ... wow; it's a mess.
Another common marker I uses is to ask do you simply explain that you can solve someone else's problem(s).
So, here's a sentence: "I can help you with a comprehensive, audience-centered content strategy; OR with a strategy-implementation plan for new approaches to social media and email campaigns!"
You come right out and explain yes, you can help someone else with their problem. Terrific.
Two problems, however: You don't want to help people with their problems. You want to take the problem right out of their hands. Your clients (trust me) don't want to work with you. They want you to solve their prroblem from A to Z and pay you for that. "Help," sounds like you will work together and you certainly do need to work with clients to understand them .. but I still think you should sound more independent. "I will solve your problem ..."
OK, second ... did you really say "strategy implementation"? Did you really say "content strategy?" You do understand this isn't a seminar your giving? Zowie. Do you think your clients are walking around saying to themselves "I really wish I could find someone who can help me with my strategy implementation problem."?
Right from the start "Content strategy" just threw me. Can you try to get that back around sea-level somehow. How about "I manage online marketing from start to finish, everything from bulk emails to advertising to give your company the branding pizzaz that it needs." Doesn't that sound a bit more direct?
My guidelines for jargon are that it is very useful in convinvcing people you are a pro. This is your industry. This is what you do. Jargon helps convince people that you're in the know. But words like "implementation" don't really show any particular expertise. They're just really clunky words.
The other point here is that to sound friendly you don't want to say "I'm really friendly." That doesn't convince anyone of anything. Instead, just put a little of your humanity out there. "I love helping others ..." "I'd love to take this problem off your hands so you can go to the beach." You have to sprinkle just a little humanity into works. (My examples are pretty hammy, but I think you know what I'm getting at.)
Sorry if this sounds heavy. Writing this stuff out makes it sound very didactic. In truth, if you are an ace content marketing whiz, you should do really really well on Upwork. Just tone down the jargon and don't be afraid to spritz your style with a bit more personality. I think that would help.
All that said, your rate mighty be a teeny touch too high for Upwork. Sorry to say, this ain't the Ritz. But the reommended thing to do is search around Uprork profiles and pick a rate accordingly.
