10  Tips  for  Writing  and  Effective  Bid  

With  thousands  of  freelancers  competing  for  jobs  and  perhaps  a  hundred  or  more  bidding  on  the  same  job,  how  do  you  make  your  bid  stand  out  from  the   rest?  The   fact   is  each  employer   is  as  different  as  each   freelancer,   so  there   really   isn’t   a   “magic   formula”   that  works   for   every   bid.   There   are,  however  some  important  steps  you  can  take  to  increase  the  chances  that  a  prospective  employer  will  consider  your  bid  seriously.  Here  are  ten  simple  tips  for  writing  an  effective  bid:  

1.  Read  the  project  description  carefully.  After  all,  if  the  employer  doesn’t  feel   you   understand   the   project,   you’re   not   likely   to   win   the   bidding.  Besides,  many  employers  will  ask   for  specific  details   that  you  need  to  be  aware  of.  In  fact,  employers  often  include  a  phrase  that  must  be  included  in  your   bid   in   order   to   have   it   considered.   The   bottom   line   is,   you   should  always  take  the  time  to  go  through  the  description  thoroughly.  

2.   If   you   have   questions,   use   the   Project   Clarification   Board.  Winning   a  project   without   knowing   exactly   what   you’re   getting   into   isn’t   a   good  situation  for  you  or  the  service  buyer.  

3.   Keep   your   bid   clear,   concise   and   to   the   point.   Remember   that   the  employer  may  have  dozens  or  even  hundreds  of  bids  to  consider.  It’s  very  likely   that   every   word   of   every   bid   isn’t   going   to   be   read.   Bids   with  unnecessarily   long   descriptions   may   be   skipped   over   completely.   Don’t  invite  the  employer  to  ignore  your  bid  by  making  it  too  wordy.  

4.  State  your  terms  clearly.  Using  the  project  description  as  a  guide,  be  as  precise  as  possible  in  stating  exactly  what  you’ll  provide,  how  much  it  will  cost,   and  how   long   it  will   take   to  deliver.   Being   vague   about   your   terms  implies   a   lack   of   confidence.   If   you’re   not   confident   in   yourself,   the  employer  won’t   be,   either.   As  we’ve   already  mentioned,   use   the  Project  Clarification  Board  to  ask  the  employer  questions  if  you  need  more  details.  

5.   If   the   employer   contacts   you   through   a   private   message,   be   sure   to  respond  promptly.  Most  employers  award  projects  within  the  first  24  hours  of  posting,  so  ensure  you  keep  yourself  available  for  contact.  

6.  It’s  always  a  good  idea  to  upload  samples  with  your  private  message  or  provide  links  to  online  examples.  Be  sure,  however,  that  your  examples  are  appropriate  for  the  job  and  represent  your  best  work.  Quality,  not  quantity  is  usually  the  rule  of  thumb  when  submitting  samples.    

7.  A  word  of  caution:  Unless  you’re  prepared  to  give  your  work  away,  any  samples   you   provide   should   bear   a   watermark   or   other   means   of  identification  or  at  the  very  least  your  name  and  a  statement  of  copyright.    

8.  Be  competitive  with  your  pricing.  Note  that  this  doesn't  necessarily  mean  you   need   to   be   the   lowest   bidder.   Bidding   in   a  world-­‐wide  marketplace  makes  for  tough  competition,  but  if  your  work  is  truly  above  average,  you  may   find   that  employers  are  willing   to  pay  above  average  prices.  On   the  other   hand,   if   you’re   relatively   new   to   freelancing,   you   may   need   to  establish  a  reputation  first.  A  little  common  sense  will  go  a  long  way  here.  

9.  Don’t  oversell  yourself.  A  little  self-­‐confidence  is  a  good  thing,  but  over-­‐the-­‐top   claims   probably   won’t   impress   anyone.   Being   frank   and   honest  about  your  skills  will  get  you  much  farther  than  a  lot  of  hype.  

10.  Last,  but  certainly  not  least,  proofread  your  bid  before  you  submit  it.  Is  it  written  clearly?  Are  there  misspellings?  No  matter  what  kind  of  project  you’re  bidding  on,  a  poorly  written  proposal  suggests  a  lack  of  interest  and  poor  work  habits.  Neither  of  those  is  going  to  work  in  your  favor.