For many freelancers in order to obtain jobs on some of the larger freelancing sites you must submit a bid. Some prospective clients are fairly specific in their ads about the rates that they are willing to pay, while others offer little information. Take your time on each bid and do not rush through the proposal.

To begin, try to research the client if possible. See if they have posted other jobs on the site before. If so, how much they have paid and what kind of feedback have they received from the providers? If it appears they generally choose providers who bid very low, you may want to reconsider your decision to submit a bid at all.

In addition, take note of any feedback the buyer has left for those he or she has worked with in the past. If they have a tendency to leave negative or neutral feedback for a provider who, has otherwise positive comments about their work, you may want to think twice about working for them. On many freelance sites your feedback is paramount, and negative comments can have a real impact on your freelance career.

Make sure that each bid proposal you submit is original, do not be tempted to copy and paste the same bid over and over again. Keep the tone of your language professional but friendly. Provide specific examples of work you have done that is relevant to the current opening. Tailor your proposal to the position as you would a cover letter to any other job. You want to stand out against the providers and show why you are the best freelancer for the job.