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Elance - What's the best way to get started?

by Hackbridge
4 replies
Looking at Elance, to get some experience working online but can You tell me what is the best way to get started?

I haven't done any projects but would consider initially the data entry?

Kind regards

Brian
#data entry #directory #elance #rentacoder #started
  • Profile picture of the author Art Turner
    Start by bidding low and overdelivering, collect testimonials. As you start to win more bids, you can be choosier about what you bid on and you can raise your prices.

    Check the feedback on the buyers as well, and look at the "non-action" ratio before you waste a lot of time bidding on a job that will never get awarded.

    Art
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    • Profile picture of the author dbarnum
      Hi,

      I wrote some tips on m blog here:

      Moving Ahead Blog: Elance Tips of the Trade for Buyers and Service Providers


      ..plus here's another one:

      Complete your profile and then bid a project at a time ( I think you get 3 free ones?). Then grow up to the next level. I.E. no need to pay to complete the profile and get started (or at least it used to be that way).
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      • Profile picture of the author Mac Wheeler
        I found eLance to be the hardest of the freelance sites to break in to, it took me several months to actually start wining projects regularly. I firmly believe this is due to the "new provider" icon they attach to every bid placed by a member of less than three months standing.

        Once you have a few reviews behind you, then you should be good to go, although eLance is fast becoming flooded with cut price providers in a similar fashion to many other freelance sites. Concentrate on quality, do not be tempted to bid low, even if it means winning less work, calculate your minimum rate and stick to it with every bid you make. Same goes for other freelance sites, just because you are competing with people willing to work for less cash per day than you spend on breakfast, does not mean you will not succeed, remember some people are buying on quality not price, fish for these clients and ignore the pond life.
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        • Profile picture of the author Alan Petersen
          I'm a buyer on elance and RentACoder. As buyers we're often told on ebooks/forums/blogs not to use unproven/new folks go with someone with a good rating and at least a few projects under their belts. Which is a nasty catch 22 for new entrants. How are they supposed to get a good rating if no one gives them work because they have no rating?

          I'm always open to newer folks because I figure the guy with a ton of ratings and customers probably has a few projects he/she is working on. The new person might devote more time on my project.

          On elance like some said bid low but then on the note back to the buyer, spell it out. Something like "my bid is low because I'm building my elance portfolio". Then spell out your qualifications. If you're a designer links to past work/your portfolio is essential. And when you respond to a bid request write your response so I know you read it. Something like "I read your bid for yada, yada, yada, and I have done yada yada yada".

          If someone responds with "I would be happy to do that for you". Forget it. Declined.

          As was already mentioned over delivering is a nice touch. I had a data entry job on RentACoder and I needed an excel spreadsheet with 100 lines back. She sent it back with 150. Got my attention. :-)
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