With thousands of freelancers competing for jobs and perhaps a hundred
or more bidding on the same job, how do you make your bid stand out from
the rest? The fact is each employer is as different as each
freelancer, so there really isn’t a “magic formula” that works for every
bid. There are, however some important steps you can take to increase
the chances that a prospective employer will consider your bid
seriously. Here are ten simple tips for writing an effective bid:
1. Read the project description carefully. After all, if the
employer doesn’t feel you understand the project, you’re not likely to
win the bidding. Besides, many employers will ask for specific details
that you need to be aware of. In fact, employers often include a phrase
that must be included in your bid in order to have it considered. The
bottom line is, you should always take the time to go through the
description thoroughly.
2. If you have questions, use the
Project Clarification Board before you bid. Winning a project without
knowing exactly what you’re getting into isn’t a good situation for you
or the service buyer.
3. Keep your bid clear, concise and to
the point. Remember that the employer may have dozens or even hundreds
of bids to consider. It’s very likely that every word of every bid isn’t
going to be read. Bids with unnecessarily long descriptions may be
skipped over completely. Don’t invite the employer to ignore your bid by
making it too wordy.
4. State your terms clearly. Using the
project description as a guide, be as precise as possible in stating
exactly what you’ll provide, how much it will cost, and how long it will
take to deliver. Being vague about your terms implies a lack of
confidence. If you’re not confident in yourself, the employer won’t be,
either. As we’ve already mentioned, use the Project Clarification Board
to ask the employer questions if you need more details.
5.
Follow up with a private message. After you place your bid, use the
private message board to provide more information. This is the
appropriate place to add those less important details you avoided in
your bid. After all, if your bid generated enough interest to get the
employer this far, you’re halfway there. Now those details may make the
difference.
6. It’s always a good idea to upload samples with
your private message or provide links to online examples. Be sure,
however, that your examples are appropriate for the job and represent
your best work. Quality, not quantity is usually the rule of thumb when
submitting samples.
7. A word of caution: Unless you’re
prepared to give your work away, any samples you provide should bear a
watermark or other means of identification or at the very least your
name and a statement of copyright.
8. Be competitive with your
pricing. Note that this doesn't necessarily mean you need to be the
lowest bidder. Bidding in a world-wide marketplace makes for tough
competition, but if your work is truly above average, you may find that
employers are willing to pay above average prices. On the other hand, if
you’re relatively new to freelancing, you may need to establish a
reputation first. A little common sense will go a long way here.
9.
Don’t oversell yourself. A little self-confidence is a good thing, but
over-the-top claims probably won’t impress anyone. Being frank and
honest about your skills will get you much farther than a lot of hype.
10.
Last, but certainly not least, proofread your bid before you submit it.
Is it written clearly? Are there misspellings? No matter what kind of
project you’re bidding on, a poorly written proposal suggests a lack of
interest and poor work habits. Neither of those is going to work in your
favor.
Although
this website appears to be based in the United States there are other
countries involved and you should review this information carefully and
decide if it is as you expect.
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