As a Support Organization, we want to help our customers be successful and achieve their goals of business growth on Upwork. Oftentimes, freelancers are starting on Upwork as their first time providing services as an independent contractor. Marketing and running a successful business as an independent contractor on Upwork has many similarities, but also many differences such as:
- Creating a great profile, vs. a great resume
- Setting the rate for your services and negotiating with your client’s budget, vs. applying for a job with a set hourly wage or salary
- Submitting proposals to clients and presenting yourself as a business
When customers reach out and are working to grow their businesses as independent contractors, we can help them by guiding them to access our full suite of resources we have available to them, which includes, but is not limited to, Upwork Academy and one-on-one coaching help from an Upwork Coach.
We can also assist them by providing both Resource Guidance (our Help Center and Community site) as well as offering a helping hand (Connects/Promo Codes) when we interact with freelancers growing their businesses.
Who are these freelancers?
Honestly, it could be anyone! But, typically these are freelancers who are new to Upwork or new to freelancing on their own. Here are some signals to help you identify who can benefit:
- Asks for help setting up their profile
- Asks for help with proposals
- Unsure what to charge a client
- Frustration at inability to win work
- Doesn’t have a badge
- Not yet earned a JSS
- Newly Rising Talent
- Their question shows confusion about the basics of Upwork
- Their question indicates they may be / may have accepted jobs without talking to a client first
- They used to be part of an agency on Upwork and are now striking out on their own
What are our goals?
Our goals are to help them be successful by guiding them to our robust suite of resources and help! In addition to answering their questions of course!!
And we can measure our team’s impact through special links we have access to for Upwork Academy & Coaching found here. Seeing freelancers click on and use these links sent by CS is a great way to measure our impact!
YOU can make a difference in every freelancer’s success that you help by providing the tools and guidance (and even by using an encouraging tone!!) to help them succeed.
Resource Guidance - Comms
Variation One
Hi <FL>,
Congratulations on your decision to grow your freelancer career on Upwork! We’re happy to have you here and have a variety of resources to help you:
- Check out Upwork Academy to access an interactive suite of courses and tools to help you succeed on Upwork
- Visit the New to Upwork 101 learning path for an Upwork introduction and help with creating your profile
- The New to Upwork 102 learning path provides additional help to improve your profile and portfolio
- Once you’re ready to start finding work, check out the Working on Upwork 101 learning path for advice on submitting proposals and interviewing
- Join a coaching group to ask questions and engage with an Upwork coach and peers
- Visit Upwork’s Resource Center to search additional tools like help articles and blogs
If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know. Good luck!
Thanks!
Optional Additions/Nuances
In addition, to help you with getting started I’ve provided you XX new Connects to help you win your first projects.
And/Or
In addition, to help you with getting started, I’ve provided you with a free 3 month membership to Freelancer Plus. This is a great tool - especially for getting started because you can see other people’s bids and more. Here’s more information about Freelancer Plus and how to apply the Promo Code.
And/Or
If the customer is fairly new but you think Learning Path 101 & 102 are too basic here’s another variation -
Are you looking for some extra help in growing your business? You have the option to join a coaching group to ask questions and engage with an Upwork coach and peers. You can also visit Upwork Academy and learn about Growing Your Business or learn from one freelancer’s experience on nurturing long-term relationships.
What to say if a freelancer asks you for Connects, they’ve already had courtesy Connects in the last 3 months and you decide that’s enough OR you escalate to a TL and don’t get approval. Let them know you can’t, but have your focus be on what you CAN do for them. You’re still helping them and there to support them and you can feel good about this! An example of what you can say is:
Thanks for asking about additional Connects. I do see that you received some courtesy connects on DATE. Unfortunately, I’m not able to issue additional Connects as a courtesy at this time. I do have more information about ways you can earn Connects, and tips to maximize the impacts of your Connects.
Every freelancer receives 10 free Connects each month and you can purchase more - either buying Connects directly, or by subscribing to Freelancer Plus. You also may earn Connects for a few other milestones on Upwork. You can read more about each of these options and more here.
To make the most of your Connects, consider reviewing Upwork Coaching Tips about writing your proposal cover letter. Or, join a coaching group to ask questions and engage with an Upwork coach and peers.
Freelancer isn’t That New but Struggling
If you’re on the fence about whether or not to send the guidance because they’ve been around a while, just add some extra information to your email. An example of what you can say is:
“I’m not sure if you’ve seen these or not, but here’s some great resources … “
Or if it’s clear they have their profile setup and a lot of great prior winning proposals, then maybe skip the intro courses of the Academy links in your email, perhaps offer Project Catalog (there’s a course on Academy for that here!) and also send them to Community and the Coaching Cohort.
Resources - Connects & Promo Codes
If you feel it’s appropriate based on your interaction with them, check to see what bonus Connects or Promo Codes the freelancer has received in the past. If they’ve already received ~60 Connects or free Promo Codes for within the last 3 months, then check with a TL but if they haven’t:
You are empowered and expected as their Customer Ambassador agent to review their situation and help them!! You can issue up to 60 Connects and/or a 1-month free Promo Code within your own authority!
Use the form linked in this article to log the Connects you’ve given and follow the process there - but you do not and should not reach out to someone else as to whether it’s okay (as long as they haven’t gotten 60 Connects in the last 3 months). It’s for you to decide!