How to Get Your First Client on Fiverr and Upwork (Step-by-Step)

Getting the first client is the hardest part of freelancing on Fiverr and Upwork. You have no reviews, no history and no idea why nobody replies. The good news: almost every successful freelancer started in exactly the same place, and the way out is a repeatable routine, not luck.

This guide walks you through that routine step by step — what to sell, how to set up your profile, how to pitch, and what to do the day the first order arrives.

Step 1: Pick one clear service

New freelancers often list everything they can do: "logo, website, video editing, social media, data entry". To a client, that reads as "not an expert in anything". Choose one service for one type of client, for example:

• "Shopify product page design for clothing stores"
• "Short-form video editing for coaches and podcasters"
• "WordPress speed fixes for small business websites"

A narrow offer is easier to search for, easier to trust and easier to price. You can add more services after the first few reviews.

Step 2: Build three strong samples

Clients buy with their eyes. If you have no client work yet, create three sample projects that look exactly like what you want to be hired for. Redesign a real brand's page (and say it is a concept), edit a public podcast clip, or speed-test and fix a demo website.

Three focused samples beat twenty random ones. Put them in your Fiverr gig gallery and your Upwork portfolio, each with one line explaining the problem and the result.

Step 3: Set up a profile that answers the client's questions

A client looking at your profile wants to know three things in a few seconds: Can you do my job? Have you done it before? Is it safe to hire you?

• Title: say the result, not the skill — "I will design a Shopify product page that sells" beats "Web designer".
• Photo: a clear, friendly face photo. No logos, no group pictures.
• Description: who you help, what you deliver, how long it takes, and what the client needs to send you.
• Packages (Fiverr): three simple levels — Basic, Standard, Premium — with clear differences in what is included.
• Skills and tags: use the words a client would type into the search box.

Fill in every field the platform offers and verify your identity. A complete profile ranks better and looks more trustworthy.

Step 4: Price to win the first reviews — not forever

Your first goal is reviews, not the highest price. It is fine to start slightly below the market for your first three to five orders, as long as you know your real minimum and raise your price step by step after each good review.

Not sure what your minimum is? Use the free calculator in our freelance pricing guide — it takes two minutes.

Step 5: Pitch every day (the routine that actually works)

On Upwork you win work by sending proposals. On Fiverr you can also answer buyer requests and promote your gig. Either way, the freelancers who get hired first are the ones who pitch consistently — a few good proposals every day, not fifty copy-paste ones once a week.

A short proposal that works:

1. First line about their problem — show you read the job post.
2. One relevant sample — link the closest thing you have made.
3. A simple plan — two or three steps, with a time estimate.
4. One question — something specific that starts a conversation.

Example: "Hi Sara — your product pages have great photos but no size guide or reviews near the buy button, which is where most shoppers leave. Here is a page I designed for a similar store: [link]. I would add a size guide, move reviews up and tidy the mobile layout — about 3 days. Which page gets the most traffic right now?"

For more detail, read how to write a freelance proposal that wins.

Step 6: Reply fast and talk like a professional

Response time matters on both platforms. Turn on mobile notifications and try to reply within an hour during your working day. Keep messages short and clear, confirm what you will deliver and when, and never move the conversation or payment outside the platform — it breaks the rules and removes your protection.

Step 7: Over-deliver on the first order

Your first order decides your first review, and your first review decides the next ten orders. So on that first job:

• Confirm the requirements in writing before you start.
• Send a quick progress update halfway through.
• Deliver a little early, with clean files and a short note on how to use them.
• Politely ask for feedback: "If you are happy with the work, a short review would really help me."

Common mistakes that keep new freelancers stuck

• Waiting instead of pitching. A gig alone rarely gets the first order. Sending proposals and messages does.
• Copy-paste proposals. Clients can tell in one line. Mention their project every time.
• Too many services. One clear offer converts better than a long menu.
• Giving up after two weeks. Most people who keep a daily routine for 30–60 days get their first orders.
• Losing track of orders. Missing a deadline on an early order can cost you the account's momentum.

Keep every order on track with Noveo

Once orders start arriving, the real challenge is keeping them organised. In Noveo you can track Fiverr, Upwork and direct orders in one place, see every due date at a glance, log the time you spend, and check what each client really pays you per hour — in your own currency. See how in managing Fiverr and Upwork orders.

Try Noveo free and be ready for your first client before they arrive.