Freelancing Lessons - Learn How To Bid On Projects Effectively

All freelance job sites use a bidding system and it is the only process through which freelancers could win projects. Equally, the system enables project owners to decide the right persons for their jobs. Hence, both employers and employees have to depend upon the system to attain their goals. If you want to become a freelancer in any field, you need to know how to bid effectively. Let us analyze a few steps regarding this.

Step One: Read the Project requirements and guidelines.

Freelancing sites are major sources of jobs that most people do online and they attract participators from all over world. As a result, even the projects have special requirements; sometimes requiring people who speak a certain language to send a proposal.

In addition, some clients are very particular in regard to the needed skills. Sometimes they want only native English and if you are not a native speaker you had better keep your guts away. To stop applying for jobs you do not qualify for, read the project guidelines and requirements. It is common for buyers or employers to put you on a simple test. That is, they could ask you to start your bid with a given phrase or word. If you do not read the project at all the client will automatically ignore your bid.

Step two: Analyze your skills and see if you are really equipped to perform the task.

Never try to bid on a task that is beyond your scope of knowledge or service delivery. For example, if a client wants someone who can write web content you should know that the main requirement is not article writing. Similarly, if a client is looking to hire somebody who understands certain styles of writing and referencing, such as Harvard, APA and others, submit a proposal only if you can help. If not, you might accept a task that you cannot even start doing. This kind of behavior leads to waste of every person's time and resources.

Step three: Ask questions where necessary

If there is something you do not understand, go right ahead and request the employer to clarify. This can really help you in making the right decisions.

Step four: Analyze the rates

Sometimes the client's decision about the rates for a given project is final. In other words, he or she or the hiring company sets a fixed price and cannot adjust it up or down. If you come across such projects, and automatically you find the rates intimidating, just wait for another offer. If the client seems unsure about the rates, this means that there is a room for negotiation. Propose the rate you are comfortable with.

Step Five: Create a logical proposal

It is always challenging to create an attractive proposal. Some people address the project owner in two lines only and manage to convince him or her. Others express themselves in so many words that turn off certain clients. There seems to be no standard method of writing a good bid message. All the same, be sure to mention your strengths and if possible, send an example of previous work.

Step Six: Avoid fraudsters

Some buyers or employers have a trend of hiring many providers without any plans of paying them for their efforts. Since you do not want volunteer work online, always read feedback left on all buyers. The feedback scores can at least reveal bad or good behavior. If a buyer has a few bad ratings, do not dismiss him or her still. Open all other projects he or has opened and closed in the past. Sometimes you will find warnings on the bids placed by people who have been scammed by the buyer in question.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/6288729

samoa john walker appendicitis symptoms andrew bynum walker brothers academy car insurance quote