When you apply for work in a traditional brick and mortar workplace, you depend on your dress, your resume and your mannerisms to show your professionalism. Bidding on gigs online does not allow this type of opportunity. Here are some ways to make sure that you put forward a great first impression when you are bidding online.
Understanding the Market
Freelancers today are up against even more competition than they once were. The reason for this is simple, the economy is becoming even more global than ever before. Along with the global economy, the freelance market is becoming a global competitive force in the freelance market. You can no longer depend on clients hiring someone just because you live in a specific geographic area, you now must depend more and more on the impression that you make on each client.
This is where a cover letter for your bids comes into play. Just remember, that the old theory still applies – - you never get a second chance to make a good impression.
Tips for a Great First Impression
Just how do you write a cover letter for a freelance job when you know you are going to be competing with other freelancers from all over the world who have similar skills? Well, it’s not easy, but then again, life is not easy. For those who are depending on outsourcing sites like oDesk, Elance and others like them, a cover letter must be customized to the job opening or you are likely to get ignored due to the sheer number of applicants for each job posting.
There are ways that you can create a shell cover letter and customize that shell to be unique for each job opening. Here is an example of the items that you can include in the shell:
Acknowledge the job posting – One of the first things that you need to do is to acknowledge the job posting that you are applying to. Do this by highlighting something in the post that relates to your skills or answer any specific comments that the buyer indicated with something relevant from your history.
Explain why you feel you’re the best person – Remember that while clients are interested in lower rates, they have practical needs to. They want the best possible work with the least amount of hassle. If your rates are higher than average, acknowledge this and point out why your rates are justified. Don’t make apologies, just acknowledge the rate and advise why it’s reasonable.
Simple timetable (optional) – Using assumptions in the posting you can state some loose terms regarding how long it will take you to complete the assignment based on the information that the buyer has provided. Make sure that you create a caveat that this is based on the outline provided by the buyer and subject to change when the full scope of the project is known.
Where to find added information – Point your potential client to your online profile or portfolio. Highlight in your cover letter your feedback scores, specific portfolio items, etc. that you might want the client to see. Make sure if you have a number of open assignments that you acknowledge this as well and clarify how much time you have available for the new assignment.
Closing – In closing your cover letter for online freelance bids, thank the buyer for taking the time to consider you, express enthusiasm for the potential opportunity to work for them and wrap up by indicating that you hope to hear from them soon.
In Closing
Sometimes writing cover letters for online sites can seem like an endless, fruitless cycle of wasting time. Remember, you are as likely to get accepted for an assignment as you are to get rejected. This does not mean that you shouldn’t write a unique cover letter for each assignment, it is in your best interest to make a good first impression.
About Doreen Martel
Well-rounded freelance writer who contributes to various blogs, paid to write sites and revenue sharing sites. Doreen is legally blind and has worked at home for more than 10 years. She uses the lessons learned from this experience to enhance her writing and share information with others.
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