If you're a freelancer, or would like to be, then Elance is definitely a wonderful site to sign up for a membership. I'm a full-time freelance writer myself, and I can say from personal experience that learning your way around Elance is a great way to expand your business, get in touch with new clients, make some contacts with other freelancers, and make some excellent money, too. However, Elance is also a very competitive site, so it helps to know how to set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd and make a good impression to make sure you get chosen for the projects you want.
SPRUCE UP YOUR PROFILE
Literally the first thing you want to do after opening your new Elance account is fill in your profile as completely as possible. This includes uploading a picture, listing your credentials, adding plenty of relevant work samples to your portfolio, and outlining your business terms, as well as who you are and what you're about, as clearly and completely as possible. Make sure everything is completely free of spelling errors and typos, too - especially if you're writer who's supposed to be detail-oriented and good with words. Buyers WILL come to your profile and look over these things, so it's important that you're telling them everything they need to know - especially when you're new.
UPGRADE YOUR ACCOUNT
This isn't absolutely necessary for those that just want to test the waters and see what Elance is like, but it IS necessary if you're at all serious about making money on Elance. When you place bids on jobs you want, they cost you what are known as "connects". A free basic account only comes with three connects, but the upgrade level for individual freelancers comes with TWENTY and costs a mere $9.95 per month, which most of us can easily afford. Plus, you'll be able to view links, attachments, and other restricted members-only information within the job postings themselves.
As most Elance users will tell you, you have to place many, many bids in order to land even a few projects. This is especially so for new members with no feedback or ratings from past Elance jobs yet. It's essential to make sure you have enough connects every month, as well as full access to all the necessary resources on the site, in order to make a decent amount of money. The membership is very much worth it, and it easily pays for itself every month if you are consistent and dedicated to what you're doing.
WRITE YOUR PROPOSALS WITH CARE
Buyers don't like job proposals that sound canned or rushed. Take as much care putting together your proposal as you would preparing for a job interview. Tell the buyer a little about yourself or your company. Explain in detail how you will go about completing the project for them, and break down the price you're quoting into chunks so they know what they're paying for. If you have special expertise or experience that is related to the job, mention it, and always attach relevant work samples of your previous work whether the buyer asks for them or not. Check your proposal for spelling and grammatical errors before you submit it, and always respond promptly if the buyer sends you a message in order to interview you further.
UNDER-PROMISE AND OVER-DELIVER
Never make a promise to a buyer that you aren't absolutely certain you can keep. If anything it's better to quote two weeks for a project you are sure you can finish in one, for example. If you DO finish it that quickly, the buyer will be impressed with your efficiency. If you need the extra week after all because something came up or you wound up unexpectedly swamped? Well, then you're covered! I find it's also a great idea to go above and beyond if and when you can as well. Buyers like to work with providers that take pride in a job well done, and repeat business for good providers is common on Elance. If you do an outstanding job for the buyer, there's an excellent chance that they'll hire you again and again in the future.
SPEND SOME TIME ON THE FORUMS
A great way to get tips on how to do your best on Elance is to spend a little time on the talk forums. It's a great way to find or ask for advice if you're new, or to get some valuable insight into what working through Elance is like from other providers who've been there. It's also a great way to find out what makes the buyers tick. They're in there talking about their Elance pet peeves and success stories the same as everyone else. Plus, it's an additional way to connect and network with other freelancers, which is a good thing all around.
BE PERSISTENT
In order to make good money on Elance, persistence is key. Even if you're incredibly talented and experienced, you'll probably have to place many, many bids before you even land that first job... or the second, or the third. Eventually, after you earn some positive feedback from satisfied buyers, it will get somewhat easier, but it won't become a piece of cake by any means. Just accept right off the bat that you will lose most of your bids, place a LOT of them, and place them regularly. If you run out of connects, purchase extras (they're only fifty cents apiece) and keep right on bidding. Eventually, you'll begin to attract repeat business, and maybe even land a regular client or two, which definitely keeps things rolling. Just keep at it, and before you know it, you'll have plenty of regular work to do, and a nice chunk of change to show for it, too.