Elancer

July 2007

New Providers Hit the Ground Running

As the Elance community continues to grow, new providers have quickly built outstanding reputations with Elance buyers.

Refine Your Approach

At first, the results were discouraging. "The first two weeks we couldn't win a contract," says Heather Villa of IAC Professionals (Elance username: IACProfessionals). "When we refined our approach and targeted the right projects, we started to see our business take off, especially as we started to receive great feedback."

What made the difference? Heather's team created a winning bid strategy. "We provide a brief summary in our proposal and we put the detail in a PMB [Private Message Board]," says Heather. "We fully utilize the Elance message board: we explain who we are, our experience, our rates, and how we build long-term working relationships. We also follow up. Every Saturday we go through all the projects that were closed and not awarded and we send those buyers a follow-up message – almost half respond back. Since our proposal is thorough and explains what we do, the buyer has a chance to see other ways we can help them. We provide as much information as possible so the buyer can develop a sense of trust in who we are and what we do."

Establish Trust

Another new provider focuses on building trust. "To win a project on Elance – or elsewhere – first you have to establish trust," says James Burns of CMS Website Services (Elance username: cmswebsiteservices). "We contact the buyer to get a clear understanding of their needs and provide a customized solution instead of a cookie-cutter proposal."

This approach is not only effective, it's efficient. "Make a 5 minute phone call before you write a 2 hour proposal," says James. "Talking on the phone builds trust and gives you the opportunity to suggest solutions. Always listen to the customer, but don't be afraid to make suggestions if you know there is a better solution for the customer's project."

Like Heather, James also targets specific types of projects. "You have to be the company you say you are. I think some new Elancers take the wrong approach and go after all projects, even if they don't have the expertise or portfolio to back it up. Elance has thousands of projects – don't try to win them all. Focus on the niche that you have the most experience in, and build on that base."

Bite the Bullet – Focus on Building Feedback History

Heather's advice for new providers? "For your first six clients, don't stop until they're completely satisfied. Your first few feedbacks are crucial. Even if it feels like you're killing yourself, bite the bullet and make sure your feedback is outstanding. In the long run going the extra mile now will make a difference to future clients."

James agrees. "Think of each project as your own, offer customized solutions, work hard, keep bidding and keep talking on the phone. We love what we do and buyers sense our passion. We all love working with passionate people because you know you're going to get extraordinary value for your money."

Winning Results

Heather Villa and James Burns both joined Elance in May 2007. In less than three months, Heather's firm (IACProfessionals) has been awarded 14 projects and James Burns (cmswebsiteservices) has completed 16 projects.