As a client, I have checked more than 300+ proposals on Upwork and have one thing to know, most freelancers are losing their projects even before their proposal is opened.
With the availability of AI tools that write job responses within seconds, the quality of proposals has declined significantly. The platform is dominated by templates, filler content and robotic tone.
This is what I have observed – and the way you can shine in a field of AI-generated noise.
1 The First Paragraph Makes or Breaks You.
Unless your first paragraph catches the eye, your proposal gets killed before it is read.
The freelancers usually begin with:
Hello, my pleasure to apply to this job…
That’s pure fluff. Clients are fast and furious- unless you can address the issue they have at hand now, you are pushed into the back seat.
Pro Tip: Start strong. Talk about the specific problem that you will solve and how. You can bolden the first line of your work to get an immediate effect.
2 Trust is Being Murdered by Lazy AI Generation.
I know immediately when a proposal was generated using a single ChatGPT prompt:
Development of a job response to this posting.
The result? Dubious sentences, useless buzzwords and even ChatGPT formatting.
AI is not the issue but indolent application of AI.
Don’t use your voice, use AI as your assistant. Do not write your knowledge, Let it arrange structure.
3 Too Much of You, Not the Client.
Most suggestions are lost in veneration of their own:
I have 1000 certifications and have completed 500 projects.
Clients are worried about one thing, how are you going to get them out of their problem.
Show outcomes, not history. A case study is one of the relevant that beats a long list of achievements.
4 Long-Read Proposals Don’t Win
None of the clients would want to read a novel. In case your answer resembles an essay, it is omitted.
Make it concise, readable and organized. Make use of spacing, bullets and white space.
5 Formatting Gives You an Edge
Not many freelancers apply bold text strategically. It is easy – yet it makes your message stand out.
Emphasize the important sentences and CTAs. Be conspicuous in a crowded inbox.
6 Artificial Intelligence Walls of Text in Screening Questions.
Your opportunity to demonstrate clarity is through the use of screening questions, not by pasting a book that has been written by an AI.
Answer directly. Make it short, informative and work-related.
7 Stop Using Emojis
Emojis are a clear indication of AI-written text.
Clients do not require decoration, but they require communication.
Be professional, be basic.
8 Always Add a CTA
Conclude your proposal:
Will you be free tomorrow and have a quick 10-minute call with me?
A definite instruction is a demonstration of assurance and purpose.
9 Focus on the Job, Not Yourself
All proposals are to be regarding the needs of the client, not your portfolio.
Ask 1-2 intelligent questions regarding the project to demonstrate that you are interested.
Relevance Beats Repetition
The majority of the freelancers offer irrelevant projects by proposing,
I did something like this project recently…
But when everybody says that, then it becomes meaningless.
Provide one particular feature, solution, or outcome that demonstrates that you know the task.
What Catches My Eye as a Customer.
My response is typically the case when the freelancer:
Begins with an interesting, topical first line.
Attaches brief Loom demonstration or visual evidence.
Keeps it clear and concise
Demonstrates how they will resolve my issue.
Ends with a confident CTA
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Think different. Write different. Be human — even when you use AI.
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