Registering on Workana is just the first step to successful freelancing – it can be challenging to get hired for new projects.

Here is a guide from someone who has been there, and with a few adjustments became one of the top talents on the platform.

1. Understand your role as a freelancer

The first order of business is to understand one’s role as a professional on the Workana platform. It can be tempting to try to cover multiple fields, but it is best to choose a single field and focus on it.

If a portfolio consists of examples of graphic design with development, community management and virtual assistance, eliminate the fields one does not specialise in and focus on improving one’s main skill set.

A solid profile that demonstrates specialisation in design or development will show the client expertise in a certain area.

It is better to be a master of one field than try to be a jack of all trades with lower-quality results.

2. Personalise your messages to clients

The second secret to increasing the percentage of projects won is to carefully tailor the message that is sent to the client when applying for a project.

Dozens of new projects are posted every day and, yes, writing a personalised message to each client can get tedious, but think about it.

There are hundreds of professionals looking to get hired for this project, so take the time to read over the client’s needs and respond to them accordingly.

Tip: Start the message with the client or company’s name. This adds personalisation and establishes trust.

3. Be patient

Be brief and do not force a proposal the first time. Start a conversation with the client and then establish a plan and determine the cost. Remember to always keep communication on the platform to prevent one’s account or the client’s account from being negatively affected.

4. Know how to pick your projects

Speaking of personalised messages, one of the most crucial points to help increase the percentage of projects won is knowing how to pick which projects to apply for.

There may be 10 projects available in one’s field but not all of them will be a good fit. It is important to clearly define the ideal client and the industries that are the best fit.

In order to obtain this information, analyse the 10 most recent clients and identify which elements help define them as the “ideal client”. This can be communication, budget, the market, the way they provide instructions, country and so on.

With that list, go back to the available projects and after reading each project’s requirements, look for those elements.

Once the ideal client has been identified, the freelancer can provide a much more effective solution and increase the likelihood of being hired.

5. Show empathy

Remember that selling the service is not the goal, providing solutions is. Take the time to completely understand the client’s problem and send a proposal that demonstrates one is the perfect candidate for the project.

Empathy is a fundamental skill to use throughout the interviewing and hiring process.

In order to reach the next level and sell more, check out “You are the Product! A Persuasion Guide for Entrepreneurs”, which was published on Amazon. It discusses the strategies to become a top talent on the platform.

6. Don’t compete by price

This is a huge mistake many professionals make. Always talk about experience, knowledge, and ability to complete the work on each project.

Remember, an experienced freelancer is a professional who is constantly evolving.

Click here to find out more about Workana to start hiring or enlisting as a freelancer.