6 strategies to help you make 5 figures on Upwork
In episode 14 of Geegpay Diaries, Favour shares with us 6 strategies to help you excel and earn mor on Upwork.
3 minutes
In past Geegpay Diaries, we have talked about how one can excel in specific niches, from Chisom telling us how he broke into the gaming industry to Soye sharing tips on how to become a top-tier copywriter. In this episode of Geegpay Diaries, we sit with Bruno, the Einstein of marketing, to learn 5 proven strategies to help you get clients as a Freelancer. If you’re someone who is looking to build their freelancing career into a future-proof business, this session will equip you with the necessary strategies to get clients as a freelancer, as well as tips needed to market yourself as a business.
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1. Know Your Target Audience
The first mistake many freelancers make is trying to work with everyone. When you’re unclear about who your clients are, your message becomes vague and forgettable. Defining your audience gives you focus. For example, a writer who says they serve “everyone that needs content” will struggle to connect, but one who positions themselves as “a writer for tech startups looking to raise funding” immediately stands out. Knowing your audience enables you to tailor your portfolio, communicate effectively with your clients, and anticipate their needs. The more specific you are, the easier it becomes for clients to identify that you’re the right fit for them.
2. Have a Marketing Plan
Consistency is what separates freelancers who stumble into projects from those who build sustainable careers. A marketing plan is your guide to showing up intentionally. It could involve scheduling weekly posts that highlight your expertise, identifying events where potential clients gather and engaging with them. (speaking of engaging events, we’ve got Raenest Exchange coming up on October 9th in Lagos, Nigeria. It’s a gathering for anyone looking to build, grow and scale. If you’re yet to save your spot, RSVP now) or setting a monthly goal for outreach. Without a plan, you risk being invisible. With one, every step you take brings you closer to the kind of clients you want to attract. Think of it as creating a routine for your business in the same way you might create one for your health or personal goals.
A simple marketing plan for a freelancer could look like this:
The best part is that it does not have to be complicated. The point is to build habits that keep you consistent, visible, and memorable.
🔗Also read: How to get started on Upwork in 2025.
3. Reach Out and Show the Value You Can Provide
Clients are not impressed by generic introductions. A cold email that simply says “I am a freelancer available for work” rarely gets a response. What makes people pay attention is relevance and value. Before you reach out, take time to study the business. Identify something they’re missing or a way they could improve. Then position your skill as the solution. For instance, instead of saying “I design websites,” you could say, “I noticed your site does not load quickly on mobile, I can help improve that to keep visitors from leaving.” This approach shifts the conversation from you looking for work to you providing solutions. Clients do not buy services; they buy results.
Bruno shared a useful habit that makes this process even more effective: dedicate at least one hour each day to finding your ideal audience. Build a list of about 100 potential clients that you would genuinely like to work with, and take the time to create detailed avatars for them. That means noting their names, industries, challenges, and where you can fit in.
When you finally send that message, the goal is to give what Bruno calls a “no-brainer offer.” Remember, your potential client is likely getting several pitches a day. The only way to stand out is to show that you understand their problems and can offer a solution that feels too good to ignore. Sometimes this even means being willing to make a small sacrifice at the start, such as offering an entry service without immediate payment, just to get your foot in the door. The idea is not to undervalue yourself but to lower the barrier of entry for the client while proving your capability.
If you don’t know where to begin, you can use our sample email and pitch deck from the Geegpay Freelancer Toolkit.
Another golden insight from Bruno is to anticipate objections before they arise. Many freelancers assume rejection comes because their work is not good enough, but it’s most times not the case. For example, maybe hiring you means they need to dedicate time to onboarding, or perhaps they worry about long-term commitment. If you can address these issues upfront, you reduce resistance and increase your chances of turning a “no” into a “yes.”
4. Offer Freebies Strategically
Giving something away for free can be effective when it is done with intention. Free does not mean undervaluing your work. It means offering a taste of what you can deliver in a way that builds curiosity and trust. The idea is to create an entry point that lowers the barrier for a client to start working with you.
For example, if you’re a social media manager, you could prepare a simple one-week content calendar tailored to a brand. If it’s design you’re into, you might share one branded graphic that shows how they could elevate a company’s visual identity, or if you’re a writer, you could draft a short blog outline based on a client’s industry. These are small but meaningful samples that demonstrate skill without giving away your entire service.
The reason this works is simple: clients often hesitate because they are unsure if you can deliver what you promise. A small, risk-free preview addresses that hesitation. It shifts you from being just another freelancer making claims to someone who has already shown value. Even if the freebie is small, it gives the client something tangible to hold on to, and that can be the nudge that convinces them to commit.
5. Run Ads to Push Your Services Further
Sometimes, the only thing standing between you and your next client is visibility. People cannot hire you if they do not know you exist. Ads are a way to change that. With a small budget, you can put your work in front of the exact people you want to reach be it founders, hiring managers, or business owners in your space.
It does not need to be complicated. A straightforward ad that introduces who you are and the problem you solve is enough. Think of it like walking into a room and saying, “Here’s what I do, and here’s how it can help.” That introduction alone can open doors.
The beauty of ads is how they make you familiar before you ever send a proposal. By the time someone sees your email or profile, they already know your name. You feel less like a stranger and more like someone they have been noticing for a while. That small shift builds trust, and trust is what gets people to respond.
In all, Freelancing is built in layers. The work you put in today, whether it is reaching out, sharing content, or offering a small taste of your skills, forms the base for what comes later. Each step makes you more visible, more credible, and more likely to be remembered when opportunities appear. Growth does not happen overnight, but it does happen for those who keep showing up with intention.
And that’s this episode of Geegpay Diaries, if you learnt anything from the 6 strategies, be sure to follow and share with us on any of our socials: X @geegpay_hq, Instagram @geegpayhq, LinkedIn @Geegpay by Raenest, and TikTok @geegpayhq. Also, you can follow Bruno on X to learn more about B2B sales and marketing.
See you next time.
