If you want to learn how to make money on Elance – how to write effective bids that get results, how to make the best use of your time in bidding on projects, and how to command a higher hourly rate for your work, then I have an eBook to recommend.
It’s called 7 Elance Bidding Strategies That Work by J. Smith Adams.
J. Smith Adams and I got acquainted on Twitter back when I was first starting out on Elance. At the time, he had a blog called “Elance Money” with a lot of the same ideas that are now part of his eBook. J. Smith Adams’ ideas were hugely influential in how I got my start on Elance – and now I’m an Elance Premier Provider and the Grand Prize winner of the Elance “New Way to Work” contest. (Not to brag.) The point is, the guy knows what he’s talking about. He helped me, and he can probably help you.
Anyone who uses Elance to find work can learn something from this book. Whether you’re just getting started on Elance or whether you’re an Elance veteran looking to boost your profits, I think it can help you. I’ve started to adjust my own project bids based on the techniques and tips in this book (including my phone number and e-mail with every project bid? D’oh! Why didn’t I think of that before?).
What this book emphasizes is that success on Elance is about words – the words you write on your project bids, the words you interpret from clients’ project descriptions, and the words you don’t see. J. Smith Adams shows you how to read between the lines, how to look for the hidden messages inside an Elance project description – how to find the unspoken needs that a client has so you can address what they’re looking for. He’ll show you how to create a concise and effective Elance profile – you might be doing something wrong that you’re not even aware of yet. He’ll show you how to convince a prospective client that you can confidently deliver the results they’re looking for – again, by focusing on the client’s needs and putting your best foot forward. Most of all, he’s going to challenge and change your mindset about the opportunities that Elance can deliver.
One of my favorite ideas from this book is the concept that “it takes just as much energy to win small as it does to win big.” Elance can be a little overwhelming, especially if you’re new – there are so many jobs with so many different skill sets and specialties. But what you need to keep in mind is that time is your most precious asset. If you’re going to spend time scanning Elance jobs and submitting proposals, you need to focus on the jobs that are truly worth your time.
The book costs $75.95. I think that most Elancers can quickly recoup the cost of this investment – if the book helps you get one additional $500 project that you otherwise might have missed, or if the techniques in this book help you boost your profit margin on a job by $150, you’re already money ahead.
Did I mention that the book is concise, lively, and practical? No fluff, no wasted words – just a tightly written and informative book that is designed to help you make more money on Elance. I’m glad to have read it, and I think you will be too.
Disclaimer: I do not have any financial interest in recommending this book. I do not get a commission, I’m not an affiliate – I just like the author’s ideas and so I’m recommending it to you. He did give me a free copy to review (we’re old Twitter friends, after all) but I would have gladly paid the $75.
