What clients REALLY want to see in your Upwork profile

Some people — especially copywriters — tend to use “pain points” to try to sell clients on working with them. The idea is to paint a picture of something the client doesn’t want, in order to get them to hire you. I’ve also heard it referred to as “twisting the knife” or “agitation.”

But what if there’s a better way?

In fact, what if this approach is having precisely the opposite of the desired effect?

It stands to reason that trying to make people feel nervous or regretful or scared isn’t the right way to start a mutually profitable, trusting relationship.

Even if you look at it from your own personal (selfish) point of view, at best they’re going to associate you with those bad feelings. So even if you end up getting a client out of it — which probably isn’t likely — it’s hard to see how it can blossom into the kind of deeper, long term partnership that leads to big results.

Fortunately, there is a better way: Instead of pressing on pain points, you can press pain relief buttons for the client.

Tell them about all of the things they don’t have to worry about when they do business with you. Paint a picture of all the things they can joyfully forget about. Talk to them about how you have their back, how you’re capable of fulfilling all of their needs and desires while eliminating hassles and stress and responsibility from their end.

Not only do you then become the exact freelancer they want to hire right now, today — but over the long term they’ll associate you with all of those good feelings. This is how you get lots of clients, higher fees, and repeat business to flow your way with less effort and more enjoyment.