Making money even when you are home is now a popular concept, and almost everyone can do it. The key is in finding the best place where you can find opportunities. If you have solid skills in writing, graphic design, marketing, programming, and web development and would like to pursue a career as a freelancer , then Elance should be one of your top choices. Elance is a popular online platform for freelancers where you can set up you profile and start bidding on available job options.
How does Elance Work?
Elance does not hire freelancers. As a platform, the website connects freelancers and clients from all around the world. A client posts a project in Elance, aiming to find the best contractor to accomplish work for him. The employer should clearly specify his job requirements, deadlines and budgets so as to attract the right kind of applicants. Once his job post goes live on Elance, freelancers will then see his posted job on the website, and if they believe that they qualify for the job, they will bid for it. The applicant should clearly showcase his capabilities and skills so that the employer/client will be impressed enough to interview him. Once the client decides that the applicant is able to meet his requirements, Elance will allow him to hire the freelancer.Employers look at several criteria before hiring a freelancer. It can be the freelancer's Elance reviews, or the quality/quantity of previous experience in a particular area that can win over the client. If your bid is chosen, you will then go into an agreement with the client according to the terms of his job posting. This agreement can include payment terms, deadlines and quantity of work to be assigned.
You should be a basic member to be allowed to bid on projects that are listed as "Basic". If you paid for a Select Membership, you can bid for higher paying and premium jobs.
5 Steps to Making Money on Elance
1. Go to www.Elance.com and register for a membership. You can start by choosing a lower level membership for which you can spend less. By doing so, you can try the system out and see how the entire process works.2. Look around and check the projects you are qualified to bid. You can select a category or view all the job posts. To read the details, click on the project header and look at the description to verify if it is something within your skills or capacity.
3. Once you have found a project that fits your requirements or capacity, you should set up your profile. Make sure that your profile will showcase your personality, experience and skills. Keep in mind that your Elance profile is your only way to impress clients at first sight, and is also your oportunity to sell yourself. Your contact information should be valid and current.
4. Showcase services, projects or packages that prospective clients can choose to "Buy Now". In your profile, you can also set your own rates for particular projects that are within your expertise. Employers can also look at these and select your services that can fit their requirements.
5. Do not misrepresent your skills. Choose only the projects that you can really work on and follow deadlines. Clients can give you negative Elance reviews which will affect your credibility in the long run.
5 Tips on How to Earn More Money on Elance
1. Keep in mind that you will have a lot of competitors on Elance, and many of them already have established profiles. You have to make your bid or profile stand out and the best way to do this is to personalize your responses. Be humorous in a professional manner. You can also show your personality in your Elance proposal. Clients are more interested and impressed with natural responses compared to generic cover letters.2. Bid high and do not be shy. Do not be caught up in a low-rate trap just to outbid other bidders. Many people tend to devalue their skill by lowering their rates. This in turn attract clients that are not willing to pay for high-quality work as much as it deserves. Remember that many clients do not mind paying more as long as they can expect a high quality output from a freelancer. Do not sell yourself short.
3. Look for long-term and ongoing jobs. In the Elance "Search" option, type in the keyword "ongoing." You will find a lot of SEO companies that are looking for long-term engagements with freelancers. You can earn more money with Elance if you have a client who always need work to be accomplished. This will also save you from constantly bidding for jobs. Once you find an ongoing client, make sure that you provide excellent work so that you can keep the project going.
4. Specialize in one aspect of work and showcase that on your Elance profile and in your Curriculum Vitae, too. Some people focus on press releases, others focus on Copywriting. If you have a technical background, mention that in your profile and refer to it as your strongest point.
5. Always ask for a milestone or an upfront payment. According to many Elance workers, they received a higher award rate when they started asking for 50% upfront payments or milestones. Why? Because when you set a milestone, you also set a deadline or a date when you can finish a particular amount of work. Because you have provided a definitive end date, the client will know that you committed to start and end the project within a timeframe, which also puts some pressure on them to award you the project. Compared to when you say that you cannot immediately start, they will be compelled to look at other options.
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