1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:07,190 Lesson one, this lesson is called profitable freelance sales process, and it will show you an overview 2 00:00:07,190 --> 00:00:09,560 of how the sales process works on Upwork. 3 00:00:10,730 --> 00:00:16,760 The reason this lesson is important is because when you approach something such as sales or freelancing 4 00:00:17,180 --> 00:00:22,280 without a process, it's like trying to navigate a maze without a map. 5 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:28,040 You might start out and think you're going in the right direction, but then before you know it, you 6 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:28,820 hit a dead end. 7 00:00:29,420 --> 00:00:35,300 And I'm talking from experience because I've been on the upward platform for years now, and when I 8 00:00:35,300 --> 00:00:42,380 first started out, I had little to no success until I started to put into action everything I teach 9 00:00:42,710 --> 00:00:43,760 in this academy. 10 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:48,830 So treat all of this as the map to your future freelance success. 11 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,930 You can't just enter the freelance world without a plan and without a sales process. 12 00:00:54,200 --> 00:01:00,080 So that is what we will be covering, and that is why this lesson is so important to your future success. 13 00:01:03,780 --> 00:01:10,890 The first step of the sales process all begins with you conducting a search on the upward platform. 14 00:01:11,610 --> 00:01:12,660 That is where you go. 15 00:01:12,870 --> 00:01:16,950 You can create customized searches, which I will show you in future lessons. 16 00:01:17,250 --> 00:01:22,500 And from there, what you do is you find the right jobs that are the best fit for you. 17 00:01:25,050 --> 00:01:31,830 Once you've established a job that is a good fit, then it's time to build a proposal using that proposal 18 00:01:31,830 --> 00:01:32,340 handout. 19 00:01:32,670 --> 00:01:35,670 And that is when you send something to the client. 20 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:41,700 Think of it as a resume or as an offer letter that you're sending to the client that shows them you're 21 00:01:41,700 --> 00:01:42,870 interested in the work. 22 00:01:43,410 --> 00:01:46,710 The whole goal of this is for them to get back in touch with you. 23 00:01:49,650 --> 00:01:56,040 If you did it right and you built a proposal with the right format and you grab their attention, then 24 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:57,930 the client will get back in touch with you. 25 00:01:58,380 --> 00:02:04,410 From there, the next step is getting the client on a sales call or an online demonstration. 26 00:02:04,950 --> 00:02:11,100 Your number one goal here is to schedule that appointment and get them on the phone, even if it's just 27 00:02:11,100 --> 00:02:11,820 a phone call. 28 00:02:12,090 --> 00:02:18,180 Or better yet, if you're using Google Hangouts, you can also do a screen share to show them your screen. 29 00:02:18,540 --> 00:02:22,560 But the whole point of this is that you're separating yourself from the pack. 30 00:02:22,770 --> 00:02:27,270 You're getting the client on a phone where no one you can qualify them. 31 00:02:27,450 --> 00:02:33,390 And number two, you can really set yourself apart by leaving a lasting impression on the client. 32 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:43,170 After a successful sales call or demo, then it's time to put together a quote and send that to the 33 00:02:43,170 --> 00:02:46,260 client from there, that's when you close the deal. 34 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:53,640 So you don't want to think of this as a client gets in touch with you and you get on a call and immediately 35 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:54,480 you start working. 36 00:02:54,870 --> 00:02:57,600 That is not how most freelance sales occur. 37 00:02:57,810 --> 00:03:02,340 What happens is the client will speak to a wide number of freelancers. 38 00:03:02,700 --> 00:03:09,240 So by you sending them a quote after the sales demo, it allows you to build their memory of you in 39 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:14,520 their head because then they have something in writing and you don't want to do this on the call. 40 00:03:14,550 --> 00:03:18,120 You want to do it in writing, and the client might accept those terms. 41 00:03:18,390 --> 00:03:23,010 Or most likely, they will schedule another call to speak in more detail. 42 00:03:23,190 --> 00:03:27,300 And that is when I'm going to show you how you can use the phone to close the deal. 43 00:03:27,990 --> 00:03:31,830 So those are the four steps in the profitable freelance sales process. 44 00:03:32,250 --> 00:03:38,040 And now let's go over some of the biggest mistakes that I see freelancers make in this process. 45 00:03:38,250 --> 00:03:41,130 So you can avoid them and save time on your journey. 46 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:50,530 The first freelance mistake that I see really often in the sales process is people applying and sending 47 00:03:50,530 --> 00:03:56,350 proposals out to bad jobs just because they want to make some money, and they think it's a good idea 48 00:03:56,710 --> 00:03:59,320 when you reach out to the wrong type of projects. 49 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:06,460 You're not only jeopardizing yourself because you might get a bad review or you might have a bad experience 50 00:04:06,460 --> 00:04:12,250 with the client on the platform, but you're also sacrificing that opportunity cost. 51 00:04:12,700 --> 00:04:19,150 And what that means is with any decision you make, you're also giving up something else because you're 52 00:04:19,150 --> 00:04:21,880 doing something instead of something else. 53 00:04:21,910 --> 00:04:26,860 So, for example, if you're reaching out to bad jobs, that is time you could be spending reaching 54 00:04:26,860 --> 00:04:28,840 out to the right clients in the right jobs. 55 00:04:29,260 --> 00:04:35,110 So just think about it like this when you're tempted to send proposals out to jobs that aren't good. 56 00:04:35,410 --> 00:04:39,750 Focus on only cherry picking the best opportunities for you. 57 00:04:41,490 --> 00:04:49,890 Then copy and pasting proposals is a surefire way to not have success on any freelance platform. 58 00:04:50,460 --> 00:04:57,030 People need to know that you're talking directly to them and you need to make everything you do tailored 59 00:04:57,030 --> 00:04:58,650 towards whoever you're speaking to. 60 00:04:59,070 --> 00:05:04,470 So remember in the sales section, we spoke about making that client feel like they're the only one 61 00:05:04,470 --> 00:05:05,250 that you're serving. 62 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:11,130 Don't forget about that because if you just copy and paste proposals just to send more out, you're 63 00:05:11,130 --> 00:05:12,690 doing more harm than good. 64 00:05:14,930 --> 00:05:21,050 Another mistake is not standing out from the pack, so being too generic and just blending in is another 65 00:05:21,050 --> 00:05:24,920 way that you'll likely just get glanced over during the sales process. 66 00:05:26,610 --> 00:05:31,530 In addition to that, if you're not willing to get on the phone with a client, that is a big mistake. 67 00:05:31,740 --> 00:05:37,200 It's showing the client you're not that serious and it can even signal some red flags to them. 68 00:05:37,590 --> 00:05:41,040 Clients like working with freelancers that they can get to know. 69 00:05:41,220 --> 00:05:46,410 They can hop on a call with and get familiar with the way they work and the way they sound in the way 70 00:05:46,410 --> 00:05:47,070 that they act. 71 00:05:47,370 --> 00:05:52,320 If you're not willing to do that, you're likely not going to be able to set yourself apart and have 72 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:52,890 success. 73 00:05:54,250 --> 00:06:01,540 Giving your price over the phone is another mistake, because it opens the client up to a bunch of different 74 00:06:01,540 --> 00:06:05,140 objections and complaints that aren't needed at that stage. 75 00:06:05,500 --> 00:06:10,630 Usually, it's time to figure out what the client wants first before you go into just giving them a 76 00:06:10,630 --> 00:06:11,110 price. 77 00:06:11,650 --> 00:06:17,410 Remember, every client is on Upwork and is hiring a freelancer because they need a problem solver. 78 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,590 So first, establish what the true problem is. 79 00:06:20,590 --> 00:06:24,220 They need solved, and then you can focus on providing that written quote. 80 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:30,170 Another mistake is undervaluing yourself and your services you provide. 81 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:35,330 If you're not charging enough and not quoting enough for your services, not only will you not feel 82 00:06:35,330 --> 00:06:41,750 satisfied, but you likely won't have enough money to make freelancing a full time reality for you. 83 00:06:42,020 --> 00:06:47,900 So you need to learn these skills that are valuable so you can charge what you are worth. 84 00:06:50,140 --> 00:06:55,720 Then focusing on yourself instead of the client is a big mistake that will stand out right away to a 85 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:56,110 client. 86 00:06:56,410 --> 00:07:01,930 They can always tell when you're focused too much on the money and too much on yourself and not digging 87 00:07:01,930 --> 00:07:03,820 deep into how you can help them. 88 00:07:06,300 --> 00:07:12,870 The last mistake is having a slow response time, and this is with anything with a client and with freelancing 89 00:07:12,870 --> 00:07:17,490 in general, the quicker you respond, the better you will do. 90 00:07:17,730 --> 00:07:21,600 And that goes for before you have a client, after you have a client. 91 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:28,800 And even during that process, keep this in mind so you can always deliver the best quality service 92 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,050 possible throughout the sales process. 93 00:07:32,190 --> 00:07:37,680 And now you have a map of the free land sales process, so you can navigate it easier. 94 00:07:38,310 --> 00:07:40,440 I look forward to seeing you in the next lesson.