Sometimes, you can learn about writing proposals by reading providers' winning proposals, although since Elance made the bidding sealed by default, most bids are sealed. However, you can quickly find ones that aren't sealed by scanning the project listings for ones without the picture of the padlock. You won't get to see all of them though because some bidders in open bids will attach their proposal to the PMB so that it can't be viewed by other bidders.
With sealed bids, you can click on the winning bidder's user name to view their profile. Then check out the profiles, feedback and portfolios of the winning bidders, especially of those that win several bids on projects of interest to you. This will give you an idea of the type of information they are including in their proposal.
Figure out what the competition is doing that works and what you can do better.
To find these awarded projects, filter your job search for "Hiring Closed." Not all will be awarded yet, but it will save you some time. Click on the project listing and look for a star by one of the bids to see if it's awarded and to whom. Then simply click on the user name.
When reading others' proposals, you'll see many of the generic ones that are obviously just copy and pasted from one project to the next don't generally do as well except for on projects where they win simply for having the lowest bid. Buyers, especially ones that have been at Elance for a bit, really don't like generic bids.
For best success, target your proposal to the buyer after reading the project description and any additional information you obtained via the PMB in pre-bid stage.
It's really important to capture attention right away in your proposal. You can do this several ways, such as using a creative lead or by noting a highlight or two of the things that you can bring to the project in terms of experience, such as skills/talents, interest, professional background etc.
What with all the generic proposals, it's wise to include in the first line or two something that shows (not just says) you have read the project description and this isn't just another generic proposal.
Also, if you see you and the buyer have something in common, consider using that to build rapport.
Very important - show that you are enthusiastic about the project and that you are interested in the client's needs.
Finally, while you don't want to give away your secrets, you may want to say something about how you plan to handle the project because by doing this you can demonstrate that you do really "get it."
Yes, this all takes time - some of the leading providers spend a full hour on proposals for the really high paying projects. Again, you can save time with your proposals by creating a template for section of them, but always remember to laser target a proposal to the project.
Happy Bidding!
