Job bidding sites like Upwork and Fiverr are bad news if you’re trying to build a successful freelance career. They seem like an easy solution to landing clients, but turn out to be problem makers instead of solvers. So, how do you land high-paying clients?
In today’s episode of the Freelance Success Framework podcast, Nicki and Kate are sharing the best (and proven) system for landing clients that pay you what you deserve.
Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!
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A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[0:30] Nicki and Kate welcome everyone to this episode and explain the topic for the day: avoiding job bidding sites like Upwork when searching for clients. While they seem like a great idea for finding work, in reality they only end up getting in the way of your success.
[1:04] Kate runs through an overview of how job bidding sites actually work. The hosts explain that when you list yourself on a job bidding site you end up doing a lot of work for free just to land a client, and then end up bidding your rates down to absurdly low numbers just to stay competitive with other freelancers who are listed.
[4:42] Nicki talks through why job bidding sites are always a losing game by breaking it down into best and worst-case scenarios. Worst-case scenario: you work hard for free only to not be selected for the job. Best-case scenario: you get the job but are paid no where close to what you deserve!
[7:03] As funny as it sounds, the best analogy for sites like Upwork is the popular reality show The Bachelor. Just like the 30+ women all competing for one man, you will be competing with many other freelancers for one opportunity. Nicki points out that when you use the Freelance Success Framework system for landing clients, you have control over the amount of work you have and you don’t have to wish and hope that a client selects you.
[10:00] Kate reminds everyone that working with a client is a partnership. Both you and the client bring value to the project, and your clients will respect you more for charging what you’re worth rather than bidding yourself down to peanuts on job sites.
[10:31] A huge downside to job sites is there isn’t an opportunity for a discovery call. Without this, you are setting yourself up for failure because you won’t have a deep understanding of the client’s business or the ultimate goal of the project at hand.
[14:04] One of the many benefits of pitching with the Freelance Success Framework method is that it empowers you to turn down clients that aren’t a great fit. Because you are getting paid what you’re worth by the great clients you’re landing, you have the luxury of avoiding clients who don’t strike you as the best partnership for you.
[14:40] Our hosts close the show with this final thought: job sites add to the misconception that freelancing is risky because so many freelancers struggle to land clients using them. But, if you know the proven scalable system (which we will discuss further later in the series) for finding opportunities, freelancing is the best way to take control of your career.
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Ep. 1: The Feast and Famine Myth: Why Freelancing isn’t Risky
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About the Freelance Success Framework Limited Series Podcast
Let’s demystify how you can start and scale a wildly successful freelance business of your own! The Freelance Success Framework limited podcast series is 11 short, info-packed episodes that answer some of the most common freelancing questions, bust through the biggest myths, and prove that it’s 100% possible for YOU to make a great living as a freelancer.
Whether you want to freelance full-time, part-time, or as a side hustle—from your kitchen table or from a beach in Bali—the best place to get started is right here. Hosts Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz have a combined 30+ years of successful freelance experience, working with multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Last Updated on April 3, 2024.
