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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.

Learn more about this author, Shannon Hilson.
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