10 Effective Tips on How to Get Clients on Upwork as a Nigerian

I keep seeing Nigerians complain about the difficulty of getting a client on Upwork. Being a freelancer on the platform, I understand getting a client can be pretty challenging, as it took me almost two years to get my first client. But subsequently, I found my way around the platform and decided to share a few hacks on how you can get clients on Upwork. Enjoy the ride!

How to get clients on Upwork as a Nigerian

1. Understand How the platform works

The first thing you should figure out before you plan to get clients on Upwork is how the platform works. Do not solely rely on what other freelancers have told you; remember, it is a digital platform that is being optimized from time to time. A simple way to know about Upwork is to learn from Upwork itself. I mean, who will be able to tell you about a product better than its owner, right?

On your dashboard, you will see a section that says “Upwork Academy” or “Explore Upwork 101” click on this will take you to a page where all introductory courses about Upwork will be shown to you. These courses will explain how you can understand the platform, optimize your profile, send a cover letter, what your clients look for, set your rate, etc. With the knowledge gained from the courses, you will understand how to sell better on the platform.

However, Upwork is more optimized for use on a PC; the mobile application is best used for chatting with clients. Therefore, I suggest you always access Upwork using your PC.

2. See your Clients as Recruiters

Another trick that has worked for me on this platform is attending to my clients the same way I attend to my supervisors at work. I do not assume that I should respond to them anytime since I work remotely. Instead, I ensure I show a sense of responsibility whenever I engage with clients on the platform. Also, note that the client’s background can determine how you communicate with them; for example, clients from US and Australia prefer to be addressed by their first name.

3. Visit the Upwork Academy, Take Courses, Assessments, and attend webinars

This is one hack that took me a lot of time to get. I discovered I could learn a lot on the platform by taking courses and assessments and attending webinars. So I always ensure I find time to do these three things. For example, I learned how to write a cover letter in a webinar I attended; one of the top sellers on the platform was a speaker on that webinar, and he explained how he could get many gigs through cover letters. So you see, Upwork webinars are very important. You can take many free courses on Upwork Academy; ensure you check them out today.

4. Optimize your profile

This is where most Nigerians do get it wrong. Some Nigerians have the misconception that they can only get a gig on Upwork if they sign up through a foreigner or are even put in the wrong location. Well, the truth is you can get a gig from any location in Nigeria as long as you are verified. Yes, You need to complete the Upwork verification process before you are allowed to withdraw your earnings from Upwork. A valid government-issued ID, International passport, driver’s license, and utility bill are required to get you verified on the platform. So any of the first three plus a utility bill is needed.

Another trick to optimizing your profile to get gigs on Upwork is to make your profile well-detailed; put the exact skill you are selling, the ways you work, why your client should use your services and remember to put a clear passport photo of you on your profile. You can learn how to optimize your profile from courses on the platform.

5. Update your Portfolio

Here is one thing you should do well if you want to learn how to get clients on Upwork, especially if you are a newbie. As a newbie on the platform, your potential clients understand that you do not have a job record, so they want to see proof that you can do the things you listed in your profile. So therefore, upload projects you have done in the past. If you have not done any project before, work on one and upload it. You can also include certifications, employment history, and testimonials from non-Upwork clients you have worked with. A portfolio is a great trick to help you get clients on Upwork.

6. Don’t Waste your Connects on Fake Jobs

Fake jobs are sometimes hard to detect on the platform because of some realistic offers the scammers include in the job application. However, a simple way to detect a fake job is to check if Upwork has verified the payment. Once you see “Payment Unverified” and no details about the poster, kindly ignore the post because it is a scam. This will save your Connects. Another way to get Connects is by subscribing to Upwork’s monthly plan for $14.99. This plan will allow access to more Connects and offer practical tips to optimize your profile. Try out the monthly plan when you start earning on the platform; it is also a great way to get more clients on Upwork.

7. Learn to Write a Simple Cover Letter in Your Proposal

Writing attractive cover letters is another hack to getting clients on Upwork. People often assume cover letters have to be bulky and professional to sell themselves to potential clients. But the truth is your profile has already captured the majority of the information the client needs about you; all you need to work on when writing a cover letter is to “respond” to the job post.

Write the cover letter as if you are pitching to your client. Let it draw them to look at your profile; it should be brief, keep it short and straightforward, and always include a link to your portfolio in the cover letter.

Phrases you should avoid in your cover letter are; ‘Good morning sir,’ ‘Good morning ma,’ ‘Hello sir,’ and ‘Hi ma’ (you can start with ‘Hi James, ‘ ‘Hello Linda,’ or ‘Hello there.’ Also, avoid phrases like, ‘I am a professional Content Creator’ Nah, simply say, ‘I am a professional Content Creator with over five years experience in Content Creation’ or ‘I am a Google Certified Content Creator’ instead.

8. Apply to Jobs within your Niche

You cannot claim to be a Graphics Designer on your profile and submit a proposal for a UI/UX Designer job posting; this shows you need more focus on what you want to sell on the platform. When you plan to get clients on Upwork, you must ensure you stick to what you sell. Imagine how you would feel if your favorite suya seller told you he also sells fufu; funny, right? So that is how a client sees you when pitching for a job outside your niche. Stick to only complimentary services in your niche; you can choose to mix Motion Graphics or Photoshop with Graphics Design, which looks good. If you need clarification or know the niche to fit your service on Upwork, you can read about the categories and specializations on the platform here.

9. Respond to Messages on time

You cannot be looking for how to get clients on Upwork and leave messages unattended in your inbox. Remember, thousands of people like you are on Upwork, a global freelancing platform. Turn on your Upwork notification so you can receive an alert immediately when a client messages you on the platform. Once you fail to respond to a client early, the client will move on to pick another freelancer, and I am sure you wouldn’t want to lose your client.

10. Add extra services to the Job done and Ask for Feedback

This hack makes you to get clients on Upwork without stress. This is one thing that has worked for me and has helped me get clients on Upwork and retain old clients. I always ensure I add a free extra service to any project I do for my clients. For example, If a client asks me to write a 2,000-word article, I ensure I write between 2,050 to 2,100 plus words and edit manually and with AIs like Grammarly and Plagscan.

This will make it easy for my client to publish whatever content I give them faster (as they will not need to do much editing and plagiarism checks). This way, they get more impressed and want to provide me with more projects. Adding an extra service might be stressful, but it is one way to win the heart of your clients.

Also, I make sure to ask my clients to provide feedback on the projects I do for them, and I also drop feedback about them myself so that other freelancers can know how working with them feels. Feedback can help increase your chances of getting more gigs on Upwork.

10 Top Selling Skills on Upwork for Freelancers

Here are the top selling skills on the platform. If you are looking to get high paying gigs on Upwork, you can invest in any of these skills below;

1. AI
2. Robotics
3. Data Analytics
4. Machine Learning
5. Automation
6. Mobile App Development
7. SEO
8. Product Management
9. Social Media Marketing
10. Motion Graphics

6 Ways to Get Suspended on Upwork as a Nigerian

Being suspended on Upwork means your account will not be accessible to clients. Below are some actions that can get you kicked out of the platform; make sure you avoid them.

1. Creating two freelancing accounts
2. Working with clients from Upwork-restricted countries. Crimea, Syria, Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Cuba, and Iran are restricted on Upwork.
3. Selling or buying freelancing accounts.
4. Accepting payments from Upwork clients outside the platform
5. Sharing your contact details such as phone number, email address, or any direct contact links in your proposal.
6. Engaging in gigs which involves working on fake feedback and reviews or building fake followers on a social media platform.

Endnotes

To get clients on Upwork as a Nigerian, you do not have to spend money buying different resources online or asking people from outside the country to help create an account. The platform is now accessible to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora. This is why I have prepared this guide to help you understand how to do this without stress.

What do you think of these hacks? Is there any other effective hack you know to get jobs on Upwork? Kindly share with me in the comment section below.