Build a library of proposal building blocks, not templates
Pasting one template into every job hurts you. A set of reusable pieces lets you move fast and still sound written for the client.
A single template saves time, but clients on Upwork tend to recognise a copy-and-paste proposal immediately. The alternative is to keep a small library of building blocks you assemble differently for each job. It is almost as fast, and it reads as written for them.
The blocks
- Opening lines. Two or three patterns for restating the client's problem, which you fill in each time.
- Proof points. One short paragraph per type of project you have done, each with a link.
- First steps. A line on how you would begin for each kind of job.
- Closing questions. A few easy, specific questions that invite a reply.
- Answers to common screening questions. Honest, short and specific, ready to adapt.
How to assemble one
Write the opening fresh, pick the nearest proof point, adapt the first step to the details in the post, and end with a question. Five minutes of assembly beats twenty of writing from scratch, and it keeps the most important part, the opening, original.
Keep the library alive
- When a proposal gets a reply, save the best line.
- When a proof point is outdated, replace it.
- Retire blocks that never seem to help.
What not to reuse
Never reuse the opening paragraph verbatim, and never leave a placeholder or another client's name in a block. Read every proposal once before sending.