If you have read my article here at EzineArticles "How to Get a Job on Elance -- Step One, Creating a Powerful Profile" or if you already know how to set up a winning profile at Elance, you are now ready to bid on jobs there.
Once you know how to bid on freelance writer jobs at Elance, you are well on your way to a steady income. Yes, it's true that many writing jobs there pay very little, but if you take the time to fine tune your bidding skills you can land decent paying jobs at Elance.
Most jobs at Elance are copywriting jobs. When you search for projects up for bid at Elance in the "Writing & Translation" category, you will notice "Copywriting" is a very small subcategory; however most of the subcategories in the "Writing & Translation" category are filled with projects that involve copywriting in the sense that it is traditionally defined : writing that promotes.
This includes most of the article writing jobs at Elance. While many of these article jobs tend to pay very little, as low as $1 per article, some pay $25 to $50 each.
The best paying work at Elance is in direct sales writing (sales letters for Internet marketers and direct mail campaigns), lead capture pages (also known as squeeze pages), web content and email campaigns. Copywriters completing these type of projects through Elance often make $50 or more hour. (The jobs are generally done for a flat fee, but this is how much the earings work out to.)
Note: If you're not yet trained in this type of writing do take time to learn the craft. There are many websites and books (probably at your local library) that teach sales writing skills.There is a learning curve, but if you enjoy copywriting, the money you can earn is worth the time spent learning this craft.
Many buyers at Elance are Internet marketers selling informational products, and then there are professionals, from dentists to real estate agencies, as well as a wide assortment of other business owners and management.
Before bidding, get an idea of what the competition's bidding. Most bids are closed, but you can get the low, high and average bid amount at the jobs listing page (the page that comes up when you search for a jobs in a specific category, such as "Writing and Translation." In the far right hand column you will see the number of current bidders. Mouse over one of these and you get the high, low and average bids. Also mouse over the buyer's information. Don't waste time bidding on jobs posted by buyers who rarely award them.
Do not be intimidated by the sheer numbers of the bids you see on many of the projects as they approach closing date. Many projects are posted a week or two in advance of closing date. If you are among the very first to bid you have a better chance of getting your bid at the top of the list. This can help immensely because when the list is long, not all buyers read through all the proposals.
The advantage of bidding late in the game is you can bid more competitively after seeing the high, low and average based on most of the bids.
Unless they are both taken, you can purchase one of the top two slots on the bidding list for an extra connect or more depending on the size of the budget. And there is another way to get noticed sooner...
If you have a legitimate question about the project that wasn't answered in the description or materials attached, you can open a private message board to ask your question and also use that opportunity to work in something that helps the buyer remember you or want to check out your proposal right away.
Buyers can award and close bidding early. Thankfully most don't do this. It it can be very frustrating to write a proposal, and just as you're posting it see the bidding close. This rarely happens though, but do be sure to check and see if it's still open before writing your proposal.
In their "Buyer's Guide," Elance encourages buyers to carefully consider proposals and not simply award projects to the lowest bidders, but more than a few buyers, especially new ones or ones that don't care as much about quality seem to award to the lowest bidder. When new at Elance, you may need to bid on the low end until you get some good feedback.
Quick Tips for Winning Bids
* Bid competitively but don't low ball.
* Remember that not all buyers shop only for bargains. Your proposal, profile page and feedback can win jobs even when you bid higher than most.
* Laser target your proposal for the project. You can create a template for part of the information you provide in each proposal, but don't let it sound generic. Your proposal should not only grab attention and be convincing it should also build rapport and show that you understand the needs of the buyer.
* If you're unclear about something in the project description use the PMB to ask questions, remembering to be respectful of the buyer's time.
* Try to bid early enough that your bid will place near the top, or if you want to wait to see how the bidding's going, consider buying one of the two top placements (if still available). If you have a legitimate question, you may also be able to secure the buyer's attention via the private message board (PMB).
Happy Bidding!
Robert Leichter
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