This is one of the main mistakes that can be made by a freelancers, relying on a market space such as upwork and fiverr to find a job as a freelancer.
Why? Because you can not believe this big corporate website.
The market modifies platform fees and not knowing when they will change their conditions of use or prohibiting your account for no reason.
ditching upwork and fiver in the independent markets were the best decision I made and there was a reason why I could get more as a freelancer.
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Table of Contents
The Problems I Find In Freelance Marketplaces
Independent markets can be very brutal when it comes to closing accounts. A good example was given by Reddit user kastar23.
In this Reddit post, this freelance writer recounts how his account was suddenly banned for no reason without warning.
This user has had a premium Upwork account which he has been using for over 4 years with no problems. And then one morning, they found out that the account was banned.
The reason for this ban is that this freelancer is trying to contact a client outside the platform to process the bonus payment. This goes against Upwork’s policy, but it cannot be a good reason to ban an account rated 4 years with more than 700 hours worked.
This story dates back several years, but it is not the only case where liberal platforms ban accounts without a valid reason.
Prohibition is only one of the many disadvantages of using the free market. The high platform fees that these sites charge for every payment you receive is like stealing your blind.
My Experience When Using Upwork
freelance market platforms can be very brutal when it comes to closing accounts. A good example was given by Reddit user kastar23.
In this Reddit post, this freelance writer recounts how his account was suddenly banned for no reason without warning.
This user has had a premium Upwork account which he has been using for over 4 years with no problems. And then one morning, they found out that the account was banned.
The reason for this ban is that this freelancer is trying to contact a client outside the platform to process the bonus payment. This goes against Upwork’s policy, but it cannot be a good reason to ban an account rated 4 years with more than 700 hours worked.
This story dates back several years, but it is not the only case where liberal platforms ban accounts without a valid reason.
Prohibition is only one of the many disadvantages of using the free market. The high platform fees that these sites charge for every payment you receive is like stealing your income.
Take First Steps Towards Your Freedom as a freelancer
Most freelancers don’t realize that there are other ways to find freelance work than through the marketplace. This is what keeps them from growing up.
Having said that, you shouldn’t quit Upwork yet. I still think sites like Upwork are a great starting point for freelancers to learn the basics.
When you’re ready to take your business to the next level, follow these tips to move away from the independent markets.
1. Building Relationships with Clients
Building long term relationships with clients should be your primary goal as a freelancer. When you have a better relationship with your customers, they will give you more work.
You can start by communicating with them more often. Greet them before each email, ask them how your weekend went, and share a short personal story about yourself to bond.
2. Build your own customer base
Next, find and connect with your customers outside of the freelance market.
Don’t ask for their email in Upwork chat or Fiverr messages, however. Just search for their email using other tools and send the email.
You can use a tool like Hunter to find anyone’s email address using their first name.
Use an Excel sheet and gather emails and information about the clients you have worked with to create your own client base. It will be very useful.
3. Learn How To Write Killer Proposals
When you apply for a job outside of the market, writing killer emails is crucial.
So improve your writing skills and learn how to write and create awesome project proposals. This is the only way to convince the client to give you the job.
4. Improve Your Skills
Find and learn new skills that complement your basic service. For example, if you are a web designer, learn graphic design. If you are a programmer, learn UX design.
These additional skills will greatly contribute to making your service more competitive. And give you an edge to get more customers.
You can use platforms like Skillshare to learn new skills at a reasonable cost.
How To Find Jobs Without freelance Marketplaces
Find a job outside of the marketplace
The good news is that there are ways to find freelance work without having to use marketplaces like Upwork or Fiverr. Here are some methods you can try that really helped me.
Asking for references
Contact a client you have worked with before and ask if they have a job for you. If not, ask them to refer you to a friend of theirs or a company they know.
If you ask kindly, they will always help you. And don’t forget that it’s important to establish a relationship with the client before making a request like this.
Using the job board
You can also use the job board to find projects outside of the marketplace. When using the job board, you don’t need to create an account or have a highly rated profile to get the job.
You can post a job and contact the customer directly via email with a proposal.
Go to Careers Section
Go to any business or startup website in your industry and scroll to the bottom of it. In the footer, see if you can find a link titled “Career”.
This link will take you to a page showing open positions in this company. If you see a position you can apply for, give it a try.
Don’t Fear the ColdEmail
If the careers section of a website doesn’t have a position for you, email the company’s human resources officer and ask if they’d like to hire you.
Again, do not use the contact form on the website. Use a tool like Hunter to find the hiring manager’s email address, then contact them personally.
Using Facebook groups, LinkedIn and more
Facebook groups, LinkedIn, Reddit and more can also be used to find freelance and remote work. You just have to look and search for them in the right places.
Instead of spamming generic Facebook groups to apply for a job, join the Brain and Value Delivery Groups. Convince other team members that you have the skills to help them grow their business.
Now It’s Up To You
Sites like Upwork and Fiverr are run by companies whose main purpose is to make money out of your skill. It’s up to you to use it to your advantage and go when you get the chance.
As I mentioned before, plan your exit and gradually work your way out of the independent markets.
