When you submit a project proposal to Elance or any other online marketplace, you usually compete with a large number of other developers for jobs on that project. However, if you come up with a successful proposal, you have a better chance of winning the competition. This is the case even if your requirements are somewhat higher than those of other developers who are also submitting proposals. Below is helpful advice for freelance software engineers, including instructions on how to structure a successful proposal.
Be as accurate as possible when making your recommendations. Tell customers exactly what you plan to do to help them achieve their goals and give them what they want. Include any further advice and information you feel you need to provide in your submitted offer. Include just about anything you can think of to help clients understand your vision for their project. The more you invest in the project and clearly explain what will happen, the more the client will see the value of working with you as their developer.
Showcase samples Never forget to bring samples when bidding. Clients are more likely to hire you if they can see examples of work you’ve done in the past, especially if it represents your best efforts. Remember, they don’t know the quality of the work you’re making because they haven’t seen any samples. You can of course just tell them how great this is, but giving examples is the most effective way to show how good your work is. You can make offers to customers to provide samples, or send them along with your proposal so customers can see what they need to see before hiring you.
When making your proposal, you must ensure that your charges are reasonable at all times. It is critical that the price of your proposal is somewhat comparable to that of other independent contractors, who will give or take a few dollars. If your advice is lower than that of other freelancers, that’s good news, because clients may give a lower priority than the advice of other freelancers. You don’t want to make it any lower because you want it to be worth your effort, but having a proposal a little lower than what everyone else is suggesting can occasionally help you land the job that no one else can!
Keep in mind that when creating a proposal, you need to be as specific as possible if you want it to grab your client’s attention. The best way to win the contract is to provide samples and keep costs reasonable during the bidding process. If you use the advice you just got, you can prepare a successful proposal and get a great freelance developer gig. Good luck and have fun bidding!