Setting a bid rule so you stop second-guessing your rate
A simple rule, a discount on what the client usually pays with a floor you never go below, removes most of the stress from bidding.
Pricing every proposal from scratch is slow, and it is where many freelancers talk themselves into bids that are too low or too high. A bid rule fixes that by making the decision once.
The idea
For hourly jobs, start from a number the job already gives you, such as the client's average hourly rate or the range in the post, apply a discount, and never go below your own floor. For fixed-price jobs, work from the posted budget the same way.
A worked example
Suppose a client has paid an average of $45 an hour. With a 15% discount, the rule produces a bid of $38.25 an hour. If your floor is $35, that bid is allowed. If the discount would take you to $32, the floor lifts it back to $35.
Why a discount at all?
Bidding a little under what a client is used to paying can make your proposal easier to say yes to, especially when you have few reviews on Upwork. Choose a discount you are comfortable raising later as your profile grows.
Set a fallback
Some jobs have no usable rate, for example a client with no hiring history. A fallback hourly rate gives the rule something to use instead of guessing.
Rules of thumb
- Pick your floor first, from what you need to earn per hour.
- Keep the discount modest: 5 to 15 percent.
- Raise both numbers as your reviews and results improve.