how to write cover letter in upwork

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How To Write An Upwork Cover Letter: 5 Tips + Free Template

One of the reasons most freelancers struggle to land clients on Upwork is failing to write a convincing cover letter.

The cover letter is the main component of your job proposal and if you don’t write it well, you won’t be able to get the client’s attention.

Each client who posts a job on Upwork gets dozens and sometimes hundreds of proposals from freelancers. And the only way to grab their attention is to write a cover letter that addresses their needs and requirements.

So if you’re new to Upwork and trying to land a client, keep reading. This guide will help you write better, more focused, and well-optimized Upwork cover letters to get more responses from your clients.

What Is An Upwork Cover Letter?

The cover letter is an essential part of a resume or CV. Normally, when you’re applying for a job, you include a cover letter with your CV to let your potential employer know why you’re applying for the job, what kind of goals you have, and why they should hire you for the position.

Upwork cover letters use the same concept. Whenever you’re applying for a job on Upwork, you now have to fill out a section called Cover Letter.

Here, you can write a detailed yet concise message to clients explaining how you can help the client and why you’re the best person for the job.

As you can imagine, this is a crucial part of a job proposal that will determine whether you will get the job or not.

Before You Apply For Jobs..

Before you apply for jobs and start writing cover letters, make sure you complete the following steps. Because without these steps, clients will never hire you, even if you write the perfect cover letter.

1. Improve Your Communication Skills

Improving your communication skills is the first thing you should do before applying for jobs.

Learn to write better messages to clients and learn the proper etiquette for writing emails. You can follow this guide to learn more about it.

Also, I highly recommend that you take an online course on copywriting and business communication. Think of it as an investment in yourself.

And it will go a long way to help you write great proposals, cover letters, and communicate with clients like a professional.

If you’re interested, start with these Skillshare classes:

• Business Communication Skills: Write & Speak More Professionally
• Copywriting: Essential Skills For Writing Engaging Marketing Copy
• Professional English Emails: Write Clearly and Effectively

2. Optimize Your Upwork Profile

The next thing you need to do is optimize your Upwork profile.

When you apply for a job and send a proposal to a client, one of the first things they do is check your profile.

Now imagine doing all the work to find the perfect job and write a great cover letter while you have a terrible profile. It will only send those potential clients away. Don’t make that same mistake.

I wrote a complete guide on creating an effective Upwork profile. Give it a read and optimize your profile accordingly.

3. Gather Some Samples

Now, you can say all you want about your skills and abilities in your proposal but the client will never believe you if you don’t have hard evidence to back your claims.

So make sure you have some samples of your work to show the clients.

If you’re a writer, you can include links to your previously published articles.

If you’re a graphic designer, you can include a link to your portfolio.

If you don’t have any links to show, attach sample documents and files in the proposal.

4. Ask For The Right Price

When using Upwork to find jobs, asking for the ideal price is very important. Because it’s always going to be a bidding war between freelancers.

But the key to finding the right price is not to ask too low that clients think you’re desperate. Or ask too much that turns clients away.

To figure out the sweet spot between the two, you can check the Upwork services section.

Browse the category related to your work to see what other freelancers are charging for similar jobs.

Then come up with a price that fits your client’s budget and the regular rates at the same time.

5. Only Apply For The Right Jobs

There are some freelancers out there who apply to every job that comes up in their feed while copy-pasting the same cover letters and proposals.

This is a huge mistake that will get you nowhere.

Learn to pick the right jobs that fit your set of skills. Find jobs that have detailed descriptions that give you more information about the job. So that you can research the client and their industry to write better cover letters.

What To Include In Your Cover Letter

Once you complete all the initial steps to optimize your profile and writing skills, here are the most important points you need to cover in your cover letter.

• Address the client by their first name (eg: Hi John,)
• Mention that you’ve read the entire project description
• Do some research to understand what the client is asking for
• Provide solutions to the client’s pain points
• Mention why you’re the perfect person for the job with facts (eg: I have 5 years of experience in social media marketing and I worked for client X)
• Show examples of your previous work, portfolio, or client case studies
• In the end, mention that you have a strategy in mind for the client’s project and ask them to DM you for details
• Remember to keep it short, detailed, and concise

You’ll see how all these points come together in the example and the cover letter template below.

How To Write Cover Letter for UpWork

It’s best to write the cover letter on different software like Google Docs or MS Word and then copy it over to Upwork. You wouldn’t want to accidentally hit send while you’re writing the cover letter.

As I mentioned before, learning to write well is very important. Taking a copywriting class will not go to waste.

Take all the key points I mentioned in the previous section. Write in friendly and simple words to describe your proposal for the client.

Here’s a quick Upwork cover letter example to show you how it’s done:

Hi John, I read your entire job description and I think I’m the perfect person for the job. Here’s why: -I noticed that you’re looking to build an online store website. I think WordPress is the best platform to build your website and I have over 5 years of experience building WordPress sites -I’ve built WordPress websites for many clients including CocaCola and Pepsi -Here are just a few of the links to websites that I’ve recently built for other clients (include links here. Or attach your sample documents) -I have a really great concept idea for building your website that will make your brand look even better than your competitor (Do research to find the competitors and mention the name here). Send me a DM or respond to this proposal so we can discuss more details I’m really excited about this project and to work with you to build something amazing. Looking forward to your DM. -Your name

See how simple and concise that looks. And we covered all the key points in that 150-word cover letter. You can easily edit this message to include skills and experience related to your industry.

There are also great tools you can use for writing your cover letter online . They offer more professional-looking layouts that you can easily customize, which are ideal for applying for not just freelancing jobs but for any type of job application.

Free Upwork Cover Letter Template

I made a more beautifully formatted Upwork cover letter template that you can use when applying for jobs. You can download it below.

Make sure to edit and customize this template according to your needs.

5 Tips For Writing Professional Cover Letters

Follow these quick tips to make your cover letter look more professional.

1. Keep it Concise and Clear

Write a concise and well-structured letter. Keep it to a single page and use a professional tone. Use short paragraphs or bullet points to convey information effectively. Avoid excessive jargon and focus on presenting your qualifications in a clear and compelling manner.

2. Highlight Your Relevant Skills

Clearly communicate how your skills and experiences align with the job requirements. Use specific examples to demonstrate your qualifications and achievements. Showcase how your unique abilities can contribute to the success of the company.

3. Research the Company

Take the time to research the company’s values, culture, and recent projects or initiatives. Incorporate this knowledge into your cover letter to demonstrate your genuine interest and alignment with the company’s mission.

4. Address Potential Concerns

If you have any potential concerns or gaps in your experience, address them proactively in your cover letter. Explain how you plan to overcome those challenges or how your transferable skills make you a strong candidate despite any gaps.

5. Proofread and Edit

Ensure your cover letter is error-free by thoroughly proofreading and editing it. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes, and ensure proper formatting. Read it aloud or ask someone else to review it for clarity and coherence. A polished and error-free cover letter demonstrates your attention to detail and professionalism.

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How to Write a Winning Upwork Cover Letter (+Sample)

Crafting an Upwork cover letter that wins you the job is one of the two things that drive new Upworkers crazy (the other being how to get approved on Upwork ).

This drove me crazy too when I started out. In fact, I must have spent countless hours and sent so many proposals before I started getting replies.

I almost purchased a $300 course just to get access to their community’s Upwork proposal vault.

If you’re in a similar position, you have come to the right place.

In this article, let’s discuss how to write an effective Upwork proposal cover letter that will win you the job.

Let’s get this started!

From Zero to Hero

When I started using Upwork, it was a while until I was able to land a contract.

When I did manage to land my first contract, I thought I had cracked the code and all I had to do was submit the same cover letter again and again.

Here’s what that (cringy and embarrassing) cover letter looks like:

(Good thing it happened before Upwork started banning accounts who submit way too many proposals without getting an offer.)

Using that stinky cover letter above, I still receive a few replies. But that’s it — no new offers or whatsoever.

Two realizations hit me:

• I knew then that I didn’t crack the code.
• Canned, word for word cover letters don’t work.

After three years, here’s my marketing effectiveness:

Stick until the end and I will show you an example of an Upwork cover letter I used to land a premium deal with a client.

Now, here’s how to make your cover letters better:

Sign up for exclusive updates, tips, and strategies

Answer the Additional Questions First

Many job postings will require you to answer additional questions besides submitting a cover letter.

Here’s a good example:

As you can see, the cover letter comes first followed by the additional questions you have to answer.

Naturally, you may spend most of your energy trying to make that cover letter flawless and then, answer the additional questions with a one-line sentence only, like an afterthought.

What you may not know is that when the client reviews your proposal, he will see the additional questions first.

I discovered this when I posted a job on Upwork.

Here’s one of the answers I got:

As you can see, clients will see the answers to the questions first. The cover letter will be the last element. That’s why when you see questions in the job posts, focus your energy first on the questions.

In a way, additional questions are more important than the cover letter itself.

Address the Client by Name

Whether it’s an Upwork cover letter, a cold email, or a private message on Facebook, addressing the client by name has a great impact.

After all, names are the sweetest and most important sound in any language according to Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People book.

But does it really increase the effectiveness of your Upwork proposal?

Well, calling the client by name is just the first part of making your cover letter more personal.

It shows that you have done your research and most likely, the content of your cover letter isn’t canned.

As an example, let’s say that you’re the client and you need someone to write new articles on your website.

One of the proposals you received is this:

Would you hire him? Exactly!

The question is, where will you get the name of the client?

How to Find the Client’s Name

It’s easy enough when the job post has the client’s name.

Unfortunately, only around 1 of 10 posts has the client’s name.

If this is the case, scroll down to the client’s recent history and find reviews from past contractors that mentioned the client’s name.

For example, this job post doesn’t contain any clue about who the client is.

But on the client’s recent history, you will find two mentions of his name there.

Sometimes, you may find different names on the client’s history. Some may have addressed the client as Darren, Karen, or John.

To make matters easier, use the name mentioned in a review from a freelancer with similar services as you.

Let’s say that you’re a content writer. A past content writer left a review and addressed the client as John. In this case, use John in your cover letter.

There may also be instances when the client, together with his name, wrote the name of his company. There’s a lot of gold in here simply because you can make even more research.

One of my clients, when he posted the job, only displayed the company name. There was no clue about the recent history of his name. But since the company name was there, I was able to dig deeper.

Here’s a portion of the cover letter I sent that I’m quite sure caught his attention:

This has led to an active partnership. (I can also confirm that working with his particular client’s team is fun and exciting!)

Show Interest

By that, I don’t mean writing a line that says “I’m interested in your job post.”

There are usually two ways to do this:

• Make a suggestion
• Or ask a question

Let’s use this job post I found about a client looking for a content writer for his travel website:

Just because the job description was short, it doesn’t mean you have to put in the same effort and make your cover letter short.

This is often a mistake I see new freelancers do.

But how will you add value to a post as short as this?

If I were to submit a cover letter to do this job post, here’s what I would do:

• Explain to the client what an awesome about us page is and what it contains. (If you’re not aware, the about us page, in addition to telling your story, is an excellent waypoint to different pages or content on your website.)
• Include links to show him what I mean.
• Suggest how I can do the same.
• Ask him for a link to his website.

You can also show interest by mentioning something that only someone who dug deeper will be able to know. An example of this is the cover letter I showed in the earlier section where I mentioned something about the client’s team.

The Rate Matters

This part isn’t much about the cover letter itself but on what job post you submit your cover letter.

One of the things I have learned over the years is that there could be a mismatch between your rate and how much your client can afford or is willing to spend.

For example, no matter how good your cover letter is, it’s impossible for you to ask a high rate for this project.

How did I know this? Looking at the client’s recent history, he paid someone a measly $25 for an educational blog.

From the client’s recent history, you can be certain that he’s only looking for freelancers with (super) low rates.

One more thing: Avoid low-ballers .

These clients will not pay you for what you’re worth. You will only be wasting six connects which you could have used to submit a proposal to a premium project.

Further reading : There are a few job posts that have a high budget but will actually pay you peanuts — they lure freelancers by posting big budgets. This is one of the things I shared in my tips for Upworkers article . It’s perfect for those who are still starting out in Upwork.

Mention Your Experience

I have read numerous posts from “freelance gurus” that you don’t need experience to land premium contracts.

Although there’s truth to it, it’s not the whole truth.

As a client myself, I would like to make sure that the freelancer has the capability to do the tasks and that he’s willing to learn if he doesn’t have the skills yet.

However, freelancers who have previous similar experience and can prove it will most likely win the contract.

Why? Because it’s more certain that they will be able to do the job better and faster, which is a win for clients who go into hourly contracts with freelancers.

In addition to experience, include samples of related work or outcomes that you know the client will love.

For example, after including relevant samples of my work, this client has responded well to my cover letter and we ended up working together.

If you don’t have any relevant samples, just create one, and show it to the client.

Include a Call to Action

At the end of your cover letter, invite the client to do something. It’s proven that they will likely do something if you tell them exactly what to do.

It’s tempting to say “Hope to hear from you soon” or “Hoping for your kind consideration”. But it doesn’t really invite the client to do something.

Here are good examples of effective CTA (call to action):

• Hit that reply button over there to continue our conversation. (Favorite)
• How about we hop on a five-minute call to discuss your business needs?
• If you want to collaborate, let’s discuss it more over the chat.

I have been working with different combinations and so far, the first one has worked best for me. However, I don’t think there’s much difference as long as you keep your call to action, clear, specific, and easy to commit to.

Keep a Swipe File of Upwork Cover Letters

If you’re not familiar with what a swipe file is, it’s basically a folder where you keep all awesome ideas, copies, content, and ideas you have encountered.

In this case, keep a swipe file of Upwork cover letters that worked. Then, reverse engineer them and see why they work.

This is actually how I started improving my cover letter. I found and saved the winning cover letters I found online and try to understand why they worked.

I usually have three places where I store them:

• OneNote (favorite)
• Google drive
• Local drive

A piece of advice: save your cover letters that worked.

Here’s mine:

Since I have a record of what works and what doesn’t, I regularly update and optimize my cover letter to reflect what I recently learned.

That’s how I knew which call to action I thought worked best.

In addition, you may want to include links to your best work too. This makes it easier for you to swap out the samples you want to mention in the cover letter to make sure you only mention the most relevant work samples.

Example of a Winning Upwork Cover Letter

As promised, here is a cover letter I used to land a premium deal with a client.

Note that you can use the pattern I set but make sure you don’t use exact words. This cover letter was designed solely for the certain job post to this cover letter was submitted to.

In a gist, here’s how I did it:

Hey [name] , I’m sure you’ve got a lot of pitches to deal with so I’ll keep this short. I help [your target industry] [the outcome your client would like to get from your service] . In the past, I helped [a previous client you worked with] [the outcome you helped your previous client achieve – should be similar to the outcome the client would like to get] . Here are links to some of my work: – [link 1] – [link 2] – [link 3] [Ask a question or suggest something] Simply hit that “Reply” button over there so we could continue our conversation. Regards, [Your name]

Feel free to use this template.

Win Premium Clients With a Personalized Cover Letter

Writing a winning cover letter is easier than you think. But it will need a lot of practice and trial and error to finally get it right.

As I said, it took me so much time and proposals before I got a reply. From there, I continued optimizing it and seeing what works for my target clients and industry.

I’m definitely positive that as you practice and write more proposal cover letters, you will get better and win jobs.

And if you get lost, try the template I provided above.

Now it’s your turn. Here’s what to do now:

• Go back to Upwork and apply what you have learned from this article.
• Use the template and check my sample for inspiration.
• Get back here and let us know how it went.

And as always, let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment down below.

Alan is the founder of Work Pajama and other sites by Content Growers. When he's not writing here, he's busy helping clients generate more qualified leads and increase sales by educating readers with strategic content and writing blogs.

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25 comments.

I am new and wanted to have virtual work ASAP. Thank you for this blog, will surely help me with my application. Wish me luck!

Stay safe always.

Hey Genera! Glad you find this article helpful to you. I know you can do it! I was able to do it even without experience (or skills) at that time so there’s no way you can’t do it.

Keep it up!

Hi sir I just want to ask in upwork sometimes it offer milestone in specific job how can i break the budget into milestone and what will a put in the description of each milestone ? Thanks God bless

Thanks Alan. Let me go back and re-strategize

Thank you so much for sharing this very informative article. I’m about to start my GVA career… your blog post truly help me a lot. I hope I could make it in this industry.

Good luck on your journey!

I am inspired by your post and I made some notes out of it. I believe it will go a long way to help. Am a newbie in upwork; am good in data entry, typing and I can handle Microsoft Office. But I do not have any past experience in any company or works done before except personal. How do I start, my first cover letter was rejected. Please help out, I will appreciate it. Thanks

My most regards, Hilary

That is tricky since the skills you have are the same skills that 99% of Upworkers have. If I were you, better learn a better skill and try again. For every job post that needs basic stuff, the client probably gets 100+ proposals, so your chance of even being seen is super low. Hope this helps!

thanks so much for this awesome reply of you Alan. We’ve same issue with Hilary. I think your reply here will surely help. Better learn a better skill!

Good to know. Thanks for dropping by!

Thank you for this Allan. This is very useful specially for people like me, just starting careen on being a Virtual Assitant.

Happy to help!

Wow, great tips on writing an effective Upwork cover letter! I completely agree with you on the importance of mentioning your experience.

Including samples of related work or outcomes is also a fantastic idea. It provides concrete evidence of your skills and expertise, and it gives the client a glimpse of what they can expect from you. If you don’t have relevant samples, creating one specifically for the client is a brilliant approach to showcase your abilities.

I also appreciate the emphasis on including a clear call to action (CTA) in the cover letter. It’s true that clients are more likely to respond when you tell them exactly what to do. Your examples of effective CTAs are spot on, and it’s important to make them clear, specific, and easy to commit to.

Overall, these tips are insightful and practical. Thank you for sharing your expertise and experience in writing Upwork cover letters. I will definitely implement them in my future proposals and strive for better results. Keep up the great work!

Your style is so unique compared to other people I have read stuff from. Thank you for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this site.

Thanks Eileen!

That’s quite an interesting read. Of late I figured out that it is very difficult to get new jobs in Upwork, though clients are viewing my proposal. So I feel the best way is to rewrite the proposals. Thanks a lot for your input.

Hi Alan, this was very very helpful and am looking forward to learn more from you. I would hope that a Q&A platform will be provided in place for people like us who would wanna feed from your brilliant experience. Thanks!

Thanks, Alin!

Just discovered your content through Google search. Awesome and unique content. Just about to start freelancing on Upwork and I can tell it is of a great help to me. I believe I’ve just find a good teacher here.☺️

Thank you Allan and God bless you.

Hey Patrick!

Appreciate the compliment. I wish you a good fortune on your journey.

Thank you Alan! hope it works. Good luck for everyone.

Hey Alan! Best inspiration tip, Thanks alot.

Excellent information. This article offers practical tips and a clear structure for crafting effective Upwork cover letters. It’s a valuable resource for freelancers looking to stand out and secure projects on the platform.

Thank you for this fantastic guide on writing a winning Upwork cover letter! The tips and sample you’ve shared are incredibly helpful for both beginners and experienced freelancers like myself.

The sample cover letter is a valuable resource. It not only demonstrates the principles you’ve outlined but also serves as an excellent template for crafting our own personalized letters.

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Last Updated on September 6, 2023 by Alan Anthony Catantan

So, you want to create winning cover letters on Upwork? Read this

Are you dreaming of landing freelance clients remotely and get the control to quit your job?

The first step is writing a cover letter on Upwork that wins a client over to your side. In this guide, you and I will dive deeper into what good and bad proposals look like and the specific steps to master writing them.

You’ll need to know less than you think and practice more but don’t worry, we’ll cover everything you need. This is the best skill you can master to earn money on the side. I know that’s a bold statement and think about it: even if you could do nothing else, you can offer to help businesses write proposals or sell their services for them. 

I take a different approach than most others because I don’t feel good about coming across as salesy. To my luck, it turns out to work really well as you might have seen in the case studies here .

The trade-off is that it requires more work than the average freelancer puts in, so truth be told, this is not for everyone. If you feel lazy and freelancing isn’t that important to you, no judgment from me but this probably isn’t what you are looking for.

With that note out of the way, let’s dig in!

Update : I prepared an article on writing strong Upwork proposals over at Millo in case you are serious about landing clients.

No matter if we are looking for a freelance gig, a traditional job, running a marketing campaign, writing copy or anything else that has an element of persuasion to it, we tend to win by first understanding what the client is looking for before crafting what we’ll show them.

To make this guide on writing a winning cover letter on Upwork very real, let’s first upload a project to the website and see what happens before we dive into the nitty-gritty of how to master the Upwork proposals.

How freelance clients experience Upwork

We could have picked any type of project, so to make this easy to follow for many of us, let’s pick a project around lead generation research.

First, we need to decide on a job title and category.

Next, we click update and move on to writing what we think is a good and descriptive project description. I took the liberty of preparing one that you can see below – I apologize for the zoom out, I wanted to add everything there for you to see.

Let’s make this a one-time project and move on.

There are so many different skills we can attach to the project. It feels as if there are too many to choose from, so let’s just pick quantitative research and move on.

On the same page we also have to pick some skills. It is unclear what this is for, so let’s stick with market research and data entry. 

We also need to share what level of experience the freelancer should have. It’s difficult to judge, so let’s pick the one in the middle. It’s probably a nice balance.

Next, we have to select if we only want to invite a specific freelancer or make it public, and how many freelancers we need. One freelancer will do for this project. Let’s keep it open and get some bids so the freelancers can show us what they got, shall we?

Finally, it seems, we have to enter the budget. A fixed price seems like a good bet but I don’t know how much this is worth. Especially, since we don’t yet know how many leads are out there and we want to pay what’s fair without getting ripped off.

Let’s say $1 per lead and add $200. Perhaps we are able to change it later.

A quick review of our details and we are off to the races.

Yay! Our project is live! We are taken to this page and suggested to invite freelancers but since we don’t know any, we’ll let the freelancers come to us with proposals.

Fast forward two days… Let’s see if we got any proposals.

..We did! We got 20 proposals. This is what it looks like when we browse through the proposals:

Somehow Upwork has decided for us that 14 out of the 20 options are the “best match”. Let’s take a look. I have blurred out any personal details out of respect for each freelancers’ privacy.

Let’s look at the other proposals…

Wow, this is a long proposal. Interesting. The freelancer found and included my name which is great.

This next proposal is long, so I had to bite it up into two screenshots.

Besides the fact that this is very long and a good chunk of it feels like rewording of the project description, this isn’t bad either. The freelancer has a few questions and has thought about the project along with specifics that we will receive as a client. Not bad at all.

This next one has attached an example from a similar project. For privacy of the people in the doc, I’ll not add it here but the formatting looks like what you and I are looking for.

The proposal is nice, short and not bad at all. Let’s see what else we have.

I’m not entirely sure how the language skills help with the project. Are you? Anyway, let’s not sit and think about how it might, with all the cover letters we have to go through. 

We are busy and this is just one task out of many that we have to do as a client running a business. It’s one of those cases where it would be great if the freelancer had explained how it could help the project.

The rest of the proposals are quite similar… except for these two:

Nice! Look at this doc:

The freelancer showed a sample of what our project would look like. There were only one other candidate that did the same thing:

The proposal itself doesn’t feel that relevant to the project but based on the sample below it feels as if the freelancer understands what we are looking for. Right?

There are plenty more, similar, proposals. Since you are busy and don’t have all day to look at this (just like clients don’t), let’s leave it with those highlights. 

Looking over these proposals, what do you notice?

I notice a few things:

We got a few different “categories” of proposals: 

• The “hail mary” copy-paste proposal that isn’t really relevant
• The ones that tried to explain how their experience was relevant
• The ones that showed us what the project would look like when it is completed

As a client it feels easier to judge if someone is the right fit by showing us something rather than telling us about their background. 

Particularly, because it is hard to trust that we are on the same page — even if someone says they understand, I’ve worked in outsourcing and remote projects for long enough to know that just saying someone understands is no guarantee that the two parties are on the same page.

Communicating between client and freelancer, and being on the same page is the biggest challenge with outsourcing, so it is extra important that even if we feel we understand, that we also work to make the client feel that we understand because there is a high chance we are not on the same page. 

Especially, clients experienced at hiring will be concerned about this and we’ll look experienced and score some easy points by pointing out that we know this is a problem and work to mitigate it. Telling something is easy – I can tell you that I know how to build a new Facebook but why would you believe me? Saying stuff is easy.. Especially on the internet.

It is really challenging to make the solution attractive based on explaining ourselves compared to showing the sample as a few of the freelancers did. There is something to the visual aspect.

At this point in the hiring process, we haven’t even looked at pricing, the Job Success Score, testimonials, top rated-badges or anything like that. 

It didn’t even cross my mind since we first need to make sure that we are getting what we are looking for and we got that proven from two people.

Almost all of the proposals were focused on the freelancer writing it rather than the project and the client. The irony is that I wouldn’t have thought about their background much if they haven’t focused so much on highlighting it.

And guess what: just as the freelancer is thinking about themselves, we as the client is doing the same. Everyone is and it’s normal. I don’t really care about their background, just whether they can do the project well or not.

Since most of the freelancer competition thinks about themselves, if we do the opposite, we’ll stand out immediately.

Another thing that I noticed in the proposals is that I didn’t feel any personal connection. I know this isn’t obvious but I would have loved to see a more personal or friendly way of writing the proposals. Most of the proposals felt very formal and in some cases even formulaic.

Even though freelancers are able to see how many proposals have been submitted, no one seemed to comment or mitigate the fact that there were a lot of competing freelancers for the same project. 

Many of the proposals would have been decent or perhaps even gotten a shot if there weren’t any other proposals… but there were. 

Since we can only hire one freelancer for the project, it’s a winner takes all scenario so if someone would make it 10% better, they would probably win.

With a lot of proposals and little time (being a busy client), it can feel overwhelming to look through many proposals and none of the freelancers seemed to consider that — and even if they did, we don’t know what they are thinking if they don’t share it with us. It doesn’t feel fair as a freelancer, I agree, but it is the world we live in and I’ve seen clients feel this way so many times.

I’m pleasantly surprised that there are more customized proposals whereas in the past, I’ve seen that most of the proposals have been lazy and irrelevant copy-paste cover letters.

Experienced clients see right through the template proposals, especially since there are many other proposals to compare with.

If we take the time to write even a basic custom proposal, we move from the worst bracket and into the middle bracket (in the three proposal brackets we talked about earlier) that might be considered for the project depending on the competition.

The challenge is that in most cases there can be only one winning freelancer, so we need to be the best. Luckily, it often isn’t that challenging.

Now, with a basic perspective of how it feels to be on the client side, let’s look at what good proposals look like and how we can create our own. 

But first, let’s look at why we keep sending the same proposals even if they don’t land us any jobs and how clients are pitched by other freelancers outside of Upwork compared to on the website so we have a basic reference point.

Why we keep sending proposals that don’t land jobs

We’ve all tried doing something that doesn’t work like sending out proposals that doesn’t land clients. After sending out a bunch of similar ones and not hearing back, why do we keep applying in the same way even though we know it probably won’t work?

Or in other words, why do we keep doing the same thing yet expect a different result?

This quote is often signed as said by Einstein but that doesn’t seem to be true: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”

Either way, the point is great.

For some of us it is because we feel like we are working even though we know that working and making progress is not the same thing.

We are used to focusing on the number of hours we work from our traditional job but here on Upwork/with freelancing, we win by focusing on impact.

To mitigate it, we can for example create a habit around having a “doctor’s appointment” where we go undisturbed to dive deeper into the project for a little bit.

This requires reframing since we are used to clock in and out of jobs for a long time, and so this will naturally take a while to change.

This is one of the most powerful life lessons I’ve learned from freelancing and ironically, working in a traditional job, modern bosses tend to love this since it moves their business forward. Clocking in and out is just a metric created to hopefully help drive an impact on the bottom line but it isn’t a very good fit for that.

Examples of winning cover letters on Upwork

An Upwork proposal is different from what clients normally consider a proposal. On Upwork, this is the first impression the client gets of us whereas outside of Upwork, the proposal is usually the final recap of a potential project.

This graphic can serve as a summary:

As you’ll see, we’ll normally have had the opportunity to establish that we are good at what we do, discuss a specific project, and perhaps even flesh out the details. On Upwork, it is the other way around.

An Upwork proposal consists of a cover letter and sometimes additional questions, although the word “cover letter” is sometimes used interchangeably with “proposal”.

So what does a good Upwork proposal look like? Let’s dig in by first look at a few example proposals that won the project they were pitching for!

Upwork cover letter examples

The job description

The Upwork cover letter

The project was won at $35/h.

Another example. The project description:

Won at $250.

The cover letter:

The Upwork cover letter:

Why did these Upwork cover letters work?

Let’s see which insights we can extract from the cover letters. What do you notice? 

I notice that the proposals feel custom written to each of the projects — they show that the freelancer took the time to get to know the client and project before applying. There are some minor mistakes here and there. They are not perfect and that’s OK too.

The cover letters are SPECIFIC both in terms of addressing the project but also the freelancers’ background. They comment specifically on the project or business showing that they did their research.

I also notice that they often point out a specific unknown in the project that the client might not have thought about. Something that is needed in order to give accurate advice or price.

They take one of the following approaches (or both): friendly with genuine interest or focus on being the expert.

They are not trying to be the expert by writing a long essay about their experience, in fact, they tend to have only a small section about the freelancers’ expertise or background.

And finally, they end with a CTA to make the conversation and next steps easier for the client.

Other insights I’ve noticed are:

• The human aspect is more important than we think. I’ve earned a lot by being friendly, thoughtful of the client’s time, and focused on what they wanted – not always what I thought was best
• Showcasing our expertise and portfolio is important. Just not as always much as we like to think.

Next, let’s dive into how to apply these insights in our own Upwork cover letters.

Step by step guide to writing Upwork cover letters that win projects

A quick note before we begin. Since I’ve covered most of the frequent Upwork cover letter questions more in detail separately, I will not be diving into them here but I here are the links to each of them in case you need to dive in:

• Why do you think you are a good fit for this particular project?
• Do you have suggestions to make this project run successfully?
• What part of this project most appeals to you?

Let’s put everything we’ve learned together into the three key sections in the proposal:

Step 1: The hook

Direct response copywriting is the art of writing copy that persuades people to do  certain things — usually buy a product. 

That rule is that the headline only has one purpose: to get the reader to write the first paragraph. And the first paragraph only has one purpose: to get the reader to read the second paragraph.

You get the gist. When we apply for Upwork jobs with many proposals that are already submitted, this is particularly important, since it is easy to be lost in the sea of other proposals as we saw earlier. 

The first few paragraphs have one purpose, to get the client to open the proposal in first place. That’s it!

We can do that by addressing the client by name to instantly show that we are not wasting their time. Experienced Upwork clients are used to shitty and irrelevant proposals, so this is a good way to signal right from the get go that we are not one of those.

We can use the first few lines to write something that hooks them in since they can see that in their dashboard without opening the proposal. For example a compliment about the project or how we have similar experience.

For example “Hi NAME, I’m excited to see that you are also working in the language learning industry. I’ve helped a number of similar businesses drive customers with Facebook ads.”

Or “Hi NAME, I got excited when I saw your project about helping language students. I’ve learned two languages on my own and the most common challenge I see with students is that they are afraid of practicing because they don’t want to look stupid.”

You will often be able to find the name of the client in previous project descriptions or in the testimonials from previous projects.

Step 2: The meat

All other things being equal, this is the most important part of the proposal: We’ll show the client why we are relevant for the project. 

We can do that in a few different ways. For example by showing what we’ve done in the past but instead of showing our entire portfolio or work history, we’ll highlight just a few examples that are relevant to the project. 

That way, the busy client can quickly understand why we are relevant instead of looking at our life story and trying to guess it themselves. This is extra work and it is hard, and that’s why the client doesn’t do it. Most freelancers don’t do it either and so if we do, it’s so much easier to win the project.

For example “ As I understand you are looking for help running Facebook ads to drive more customers. I’ve helped a number of businesses similar to yours, one was teaching German and another Spanish.

By experimenting with different images, text, and audiences, I optimized the campaign from getting customers at $9/customer to $1/customer. There are many things to test but I’ve found that just focusing on the two that make a big difference will give the most bang for your buck. It would be great to speak with you to understand what you’ve already tried and how it went.”

If you don’t feel like you have perfectly related experience, highlight a project and show how one part of it is relevant. If the customers have been the same, you might highlight the pain points and show that you understand that type of customer well.

For example, if the project is for a business selling bathroom utilities like this one:

We might say: “ I helped another client in the bathroom utility industry generate leads with online marketing. We tested out three different channels: SEO, Linked ads, and Google search ads. LinkedIn was decent yet expensive. We built a great combo between different channels that I think you’ll find attractive.

Even though the items sold were slightly different, they were in a similar industry so there is likely overlap with the buying decision between their customers and yours.

With another client that sells portable gear for events, I’ve helped build a short term funnel with ads to get client leads quickly and a long-term approach with organic search traffic.

I figure your business is likely selling to event owners and in the second example my client was doing the same yet selling different gear.”

Do you remember the two best proposals we saw for the project we put on Upwork earlier? Showing samples as they did is another great approach to the “meat”-section of the proposal if we can show exactly what the project will look like. 

This is particularly great if you feel as if you don’t have any relevant experience because we move the focus to what the project will look like. 

We can expand this by walking the client through the process as well. This is also where we mitigate hidden client questions.

Common questions that are often not shared in the project description and overlooked are: 

• If there are changes/revisions during the project, will we, as the freelancer, disappear?
• Will we be easy to work with or does the busy client have to learn something new e.g. software?

We can mitigate that by for example detailing how communication might look like throughout the project e.g. if they will get weekly updates or a quick response time. 

Long-time readers of the blog will not be surprised: this is where putting in the extra effort upfront pays off.

However, I have noticed that even if something isn’t perfect, clients tend to love to see that we put in the effort because it doesn’t happen often. Modern business owners switch more and more from focusing on a specific skill set when hiring and instead, towards attitude and mindset because skills are easier to teach. 

We can show that by briefly explaining our thoughts behind what we are showing them and if relevant, the thought process behind it. 

For example if a job description is showing how a client want to run Facebook ads but doesn’t mention the project, we might explain that in order to recommend the best strategy we’d need to know more about the product and industry.

We might also show an example of how it changes depending on the price of the product e.g. that when a product cost more, a longer funnel/more time is needed in order to persuade the buyer.

Step 3: the close

This section is easy and focuses on next steps. Write a paragraph or two about the portfolio pieces or testimonials you have attached – don’t just attach things and let the busy client guess what it is.

Then conclude with one question so the client knows what to do next. I like to suggest a phone call to learn more but if you aren’t sure if you can help the client yet, you might ask a simple question about their business such as which industry they are in or about the products they sell.

For example, “I’d like to keep this short to respect your time. I have attached a few testimonials from previous projects, in case you are curious. Out of interest, what are your most popular products and what price point do they sell at?”

There is no real formula and it is more art than science as long as you add the key components and answer the questions that the client is looking to get answered. They might be described directly in the job description as well as those hidden questions we discussed before.

The client wants to know how we can help them and the more specific we are in showing them that, the easier it is to understand why they should work with us.

Portfolio, Upwork profile text, Job Success Score, etc. are all ways to show that and help the client “outsource ” the decision. 

We can either help them outsource the deciding by having them think “if this freelancer worked on x project or with y client brand that I like, they can probably help me as well”, or we can go ahead and show them directly how their project will look and what it feels like to work together with us through showing the process.

For example, if there is a big timezone difference we might realize that they could be concerned about it and instead of leaving it up to chance we can address it right away — which also shows that we thought about the client and how they might feel.

We might tell them that the time zone difference is actually a benefit because they can wake up to a project update in their inbox since we can work on their project while they are asleep because of the time zone difference. 

Notice how much we dive into how the client feels. That is not random. Clients often hire freelancers based on emotions even though most of us like to think that it is a logical decision.

Remember, your proposal doesn’t need to be the best in the world, it just needs to be better than the other applicants.

How to win projects if you have no experience?

You and I have already discussed this earlier in the guide and the overarching idea is to win by showing that we put in a lot of effort. We can also make it easier by picking an idea that can be done without crazy technical knowledge like leads research.

The most common approaches to show your attitude is to:

• Show a sample of how the project will be done
• Help the client visualize what the project looks like when it is complete and how the collaboration (incl. communication) will work throughout the project so they know what to expect
• Show that you’ve worked hard to understand the client by including small details that indicate you’ve done your homework instead of writing a long essay

How to write cover letters fast with templates

I don’t recommend using this section until you’ve landed plenty of clients and feel confident that when you send out a certain number of cover letters, you know you’ll land a client.

Only then does it make sense to optimize the process. Otherwise we are optimizing the wrong thing and not gaining anything.

That being said, the simplest way to go about it is to categorize the clients you’ve worked with into certain buckets depending on what type of job descriptions they use and then collect all the winning proposals for each of those job description types.

Next, mix and match each of the proposal sections for new proposals like a swipe file. For example, you might use half of the meat section from one proposal, another half from another proposal and the closing section from a third proposal.

The key here is to only use winning proposals since you know that they work. It makes sense to experiment with a few things here and there to develop new ideas as well. That works particularly well if you can reuse some proven sections of your old proposals.

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How To Write A Good Cover Letter For Upwork

When applying for freelance work on platforms like Upwork, a well-written cover letter can be the difference between landing the job or getting passed over. Your cover letter serves as your introduction and can highlight your expertise, experience, and why you are the best candidate for the job. Here are some essential tips on how to write a good cover letter for Upwork.

1. Personalize Your Cover Letter

One mistake many freelancers make when applying for jobs on Upwork is using a generic cover letter. Clients are often looking for someone who pays attention to detail and is genuinely interested in their specific project. Customize your cover letter for each job by addressing the client by their name and mentioning details specific to the job posting.

2. Start with a Strong Opening Paragraph

The opening paragraph of your cover letter should be attention-grabbing and clearly state why you are the best candidate for the job. Mention any relevant experience, skills, or qualifications that make you stand out. Describe how your expertise can solve the client’s problem or meet their needs.

3. Showcase Your Relevant Experience

Your cover letter should focus on your past experience that is directly relevant to the job you are applying for. Emphasize any projects or achievements that demonstrate your expertise in the required skills. Use specific examples to illustrate your capabilities and how you can add value to the client’s project.

4. Highlight Your Skills and Expertise

Make a clear connection between your skills and the job requirements. Highlight your relevant skills and explain how they align with the client’s needs. Use specific keywords mentioned in the job posting to showcase your familiarity with the required tasks. This will help the client quickly identify that you are the right fit for the job.

5. Demonstrate Your Professionalism and Reliability

Clients on Upwork want to work with freelancers who are professional, reliable, and have excellent communication skills. Use your cover letter to demonstrate your professionalism by writing in a clear and concise manner. Mention your availability, your ability to meet deadlines, and your commitment to delivering high-quality work.

6. Include Samples of Your Work

If you have relevant samples of your work or a portfolio, include a link or attachment in your cover letter. This allows the client to see tangible evidence of your skills and helps you stand out from other applicants. Make sure to explain why the samples are relevant to the client’s project and how they demonstrate your qualifications.

7. Proofread and Edit

Before submitting your cover letter, proofread it thoroughly to eliminate any typos, grammatical errors, or awkward phrasing. Ensure your sentences are clear and your tone is professional. Consider using a grammar-checking tool or asking a friend to review your letter for a fresh perspective.

8. Write a Compelling Closing Paragraph

In your closing paragraph, restate your interest in the job and thank the client for considering your application. Encourage them to contact you for further discussion or clarification. Provide your contact information, including your Upwork profile link, so the client can easily find and review your profile.

9. Follow Up

After submitting your cover letter, it’s essential to follow up with the client if you haven’t heard back within a few days. Send a polite message expressing your continued interest in the job and inquire about the status of your application. This shows your proactive nature and can help you stand out among other applicants.

Writing a good cover letter for Upwork requires personalization, highlighting relevant experience and skills, and showcasing professionalism. Tailor each cover letter to the specific job you are applying for, and don’t forget to proofread and edit before submitting. With these tips, you can increase your chances of landing freelance gigs on Upwork and building a successful freelance career.

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Home » Cover Letter for Upwork: 08 Samples & Template

Cover Letter for Upwork: 08 Samples & Template

Do you need a cover letter for your Upwork profile? You’re in luck! I’m going to share with you my tips for writing an effective cover letter that will help you stand out from the competition. So, are you ready to learn how to write a cover letter that will WOW potential clients? Keep reading. Are you looking for a way to spice up your resume and stand out from the competition?

Check out this guide on how to write an effective cover letter for Upwork! also We’ll provide tips on what to include in your letter and how to make sure it catches the hiring manager’s attention. So whether you’re a beginner or experienced freelancer, read on for some helpful advice! Upwork is a great platform for finding freelance work, but it can be tough to stand out from the crowd. That’s where your cover letter comes in. A well-written cover letter can make all the difference and help you land your dream job. But, what makes a good cover letter? And, most important, how do you write one? Don’t worry – I’m going to show

Are you looking for a job? Check out this cover letter template for Upwork! This guide will show you how to write a cover letter that will stand out from the crowd. Are you looking for a job, but don’t know how to start? Upwork is a great way to get started. In this blog post, we’ll go over how to write a cover letter for Upwork. We’ll also give you some tips on what to include in your resume. Let’s get started. With this template, you can create a powerful and professional cover letter that will help you get the job you want. So why wait? Start creating your perfect cover letter today!

Table of Contents

Upwork Cover Letter sample for graphic designer

Dear Hiring Manager,

I am delighted to be able to apply for the Graphic Designer position with your company. Having done my research, I believe that you are looking for someone who has strong graphic design skills to create layout and design ads. If hired, I will bring this experience and more to the role.

Let me tell you why I would like to join your team as a graphic designer. I have very good communication skills and I can work well with others, but my creativity is outstanding. As a graphic designer, the projects that you will be able to see me complete for this position will speak volumes of that statement.

My experience includes:

• Creative design solutions that attract attention and convey the intended message
• Designing marketing materials such as brochures and posters
• Proficient with Adobe CS5 program suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator)

Ready to discuss my qualifications at any time. I look forward to speaking with you soon and hope that we will meet again soon.

Your sincerely,

Sample Cover Letter for Upwork Data Entry

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing this letter to express my interest in the opening position for Data Entry Specialist. I believe that my experience and background will make me a good candidate for this job. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

While completing my degree at XYZ, I picked up several new skills that are essential to successful data entry projects. I can learn new programs quickly and efficiently. I’m also good at troubleshooting software problems, which is very important for this job.

I am looking forward to interviewing with you soon. Please call me on 555-555-5555 or send me an email at [email protected] if you have any questions about my candidacy. I will contact you next week for an interview on Tuesday or Thursday afternoon.

Thank you again for your time and consideration, Mr./Mrs. Employer.

Best regards,

YOUR NAME HERE

Cover letter for Upwork Graphic Designer

I’m a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in graphic design. My experience includes both print and digital mediums, ranging from banners to website design. I have also worked on several large-scale projects including creating presentations for businesses and event signage. In addition to my graphic design skills, I am an effective communicator with strong research and writing skills. My background in graphic design makes me a great candidate for the following position at your company.

As seen on my resume, I have extensive experience working in print mediums. This includes work with large-scale banners, logos, business cards, flyers, postcards, posters , brochures among others. My work has been used by several companies across the country, including New York City. As seen on my resume, I also have experience with digital mediums. This includes work with web design, social media presence and video editing.

I’m an effective communicator who works well in both groups and independently. I take direction very well, but can also work without supervision. My background in graphic design makes me an ideal candidate for the position advertised on your website at (website address) . So please contact me if you would like more information or if you have any questions. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Please feel free to contact me at ( phone number ) or via email to set up a brief interview. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Sincerely, Your Name

Upwork Cover letter Sample for Data entry

I have been doing data entry for a number of years now and I am going to apply for this job with _________. I believe that my experience in the industry would help me climb up the ladder in your company. If you want, we can set up a meeting so I can show you how productive I am when it comes to typing projects. Also I am experienced in all kinds of data entry tasks be it simple or complex.

I can start immediately and will deliver your project on time. And I guarantee great quality work every time. Therefore, you can trust me to work on a confidential basis and not disclose any private information about your company or the details of the projects that you give me.

Do get back to me if this position is still open and if you want to schedule a meeting. I am looking forward to working with you.

Best regards, Name

Sample Upwork Cover Letter for Virtual Assistant

Respected Sir,

I have been looking for a job as a virtual assistant. So I came across your advertisement on LinkedIn and felt it would be something that I could do to help you with your company’s work. Below is my resume.

In addition, please find attached my cover letter which will give you a brief idea regarding my education, experience and skills.

I would love to have an opportunity to speak with you further about how I can help your company. I am available for the next two weeks if you wish to contact me before then. Thank You,

Upwork Proposal Sample for Graphic Designer

Your company recently posted a Project Request on Upwork.com, and we would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our graphic design studio. After having carefully viewed the project request and its requirements, also we believe that our professional services can be of assistance to your business. We welcome the opportunity to submit an Upwork Proposal.

In the attached proposal, we have highlighted our capabilities and competitive advantage within the graphic design industry. Please note that a detailed project plan is also provided as a separate document for your reference. We hope you find our proposal competitive and suitable for this assignment.

We would be happy to send more information on how we can assist your business. So please feel free to contact us by email at info@insert graphic design studio name here.com should you require additional information or clarification on any aspect of this proposal.

We look forward to working with you soon!

Sincerely, Insert Name | Graphic Designer | Company Name

So what do you think? Do you feel more confident in your ability to write an Upwork cover letter that will get you noticed? But always Remember, personalize each letter and make sure it is tailored to the specific job listing. And don’t forget to follow our tips for writing a strong opener, body, and closer. Finally, check out some of the best ways to follow up after submitting your application. So Let us know how it goes!

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May 28, 2023 10:40:33 AM  by  Rahad M

Cover letter

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