After 2 years and more than $100k made, I deleted my Upwork profile last week.
I'd been pussyfooting around taking my copywriting business off of Upwork for months. My workload had gone down, my feedback score was sinking, and I was getting frustrated with Upwork in general, but every day I had a different excuse.
"I'll have to build a website..."
"I won't be able to find clients on my own..."
"I'll lose my feedback..."
Last Wednesday, after closing out my last contract, I decided to just pull the plug. I didn't think it over any longer, I didn't talk about it with my husband, I just did it.
Once my account was closed, I stared at my laptop for a full 10 minutes, half excited, half horrified... "Now what?"
After glancing at my sleeping 3 (nearly 4) month-old daughter, I didn't give myself any more time to freak out over it. I took a deep breath and got to work.
I decided I wasn't going to invest any time in things that didn't make money, so instead of building a website, starting a blog, or even setting up a merchant account, I decided to get someone to pay me something first.
In my time on Upwork, I got really good at writing landing pages. I can fix crappy landing pages, and I can split test & optimize good pages to make them even better. I got my best feedback and made more money writing landing page copy than I did anything else, so I decided to laser-focus on landing pages to start.
I'm a huge Reddit nerd, so I turned to the forHire subreddit and posted a short cover letter with some links to some of my work.
2 days later, someone contacts me saying he likes my style and "needs my help" to fix his poorly-written landing page.
So I do a Skype call with the guy to find out what his problems are, and instead of trying to sell him right then and there, I offer him some great advice on how to fix his landing page, without asking for a dime.
After hearing my suggestions, he goes, "You're absolutely right, that makes so much sense... Could I pay you to write up something like that for me?"
I didn't even have to ask for the sale. He asked for me.
After talking for a few more minutes about his other copy needs, I send him a proposal, detailing exactly what I'll write for him and how it will help him with his launch.
The total price? $1000. I tell him I want 50% upfront, plus an ongoing hourly rate for landing page optimization.
It's a far cry from what I was making on Upwork, but I wasn't worried about money. I was focused on helping this guy. The money would come later.
The next day, he gives me a very enthusiastic "YES."
I draw up the contract, sign up for Quickbooks Self-Employed, and send out my first invoice (he signs the contract and sends the first $500 that same day).
So I got my first quick win. I'll get 1 or 2 more clients before I worry about building a website, just to prove that there's a reliable base of folks that are actually willing to pay me for this, and test my pricing and service offerings out.
I'd been pussyfooting around taking my copywriting business off of Upwork for months. My workload had gone down, my feedback score was sinking, and I was getting frustrated with Upwork in general, but every day I had a different excuse.
"I'll have to build a website..."
"I won't be able to find clients on my own..."
"I'll lose my feedback..."
Last Wednesday, after closing out my last contract, I decided to just pull the plug. I didn't think it over any longer, I didn't talk about it with my husband, I just did it.
Once my account was closed, I stared at my laptop for a full 10 minutes, half excited, half horrified... "Now what?"
After glancing at my sleeping 3 (nearly 4) month-old daughter, I didn't give myself any more time to freak out over it. I took a deep breath and got to work.
I decided I wasn't going to invest any time in things that didn't make money, so instead of building a website, starting a blog, or even setting up a merchant account, I decided to get someone to pay me something first.
In my time on Upwork, I got really good at writing landing pages. I can fix crappy landing pages, and I can split test & optimize good pages to make them even better. I got my best feedback and made more money writing landing page copy than I did anything else, so I decided to laser-focus on landing pages to start.
I'm a huge Reddit nerd, so I turned to the forHire subreddit and posted a short cover letter with some links to some of my work.
2 days later, someone contacts me saying he likes my style and "needs my help" to fix his poorly-written landing page.
So I do a Skype call with the guy to find out what his problems are, and instead of trying to sell him right then and there, I offer him some great advice on how to fix his landing page, without asking for a dime.
After hearing my suggestions, he goes, "You're absolutely right, that makes so much sense... Could I pay you to write up something like that for me?"
I didn't even have to ask for the sale. He asked for me.
After talking for a few more minutes about his other copy needs, I send him a proposal, detailing exactly what I'll write for him and how it will help him with his launch.
The total price? $1000. I tell him I want 50% upfront, plus an ongoing hourly rate for landing page optimization.
It's a far cry from what I was making on Upwork, but I wasn't worried about money. I was focused on helping this guy. The money would come later.
The next day, he gives me a very enthusiastic "YES."
I draw up the contract, sign up for Quickbooks Self-Employed, and send out my first invoice (he signs the contract and sends the first $500 that same day).
So I got my first quick win. I'll get 1 or 2 more clients before I worry about building a website, just to prove that there's a reliable base of folks that are actually willing to pay me for this, and test my pricing and service offerings out.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
