Tips for New sellers from a New Seller

[fiveroptic1]

In response to the everlasting posts from people asking why they have no orders and what they can do about it - I thought I'd post this brief overview of my first 3ish months on 5r as a New Seller - where I started from and where I am now. Maybe it will be of some small help to those newbies who are becoming frustrated at getting nowhere fast.

My brief 'Newbie' backstory
1. Set up 5r account in mid August 21 - I turned down many 'joke' offers of work, but still grew at a steady pace.
2. Reached L1 in Nov - put my prices up
3. On target, I hope, to become L2 around Feb, roughly 6 months after joining - my prices will probably go up again. 

I know that there are other new sellers who have reached income & levels much faster, but equally there are many who have never made a sale, so I suppose I'm an average. How did I do it? Well, amazingly, I just did the simple things - which you can do too. If you really want it! 

1. I do voice over work - that's what I am good at, know how to do and can charge accordingly for. So choose a niche that fits the same criteria for you. Not one simply because someone told you that's where all the treasure lies. It's your problem, if you rely on someone else to 'think' for you. 

2. Create a good gig description, with attention to keywords (all in perfect English naturellement). So, don't moan if no one buys - It's your fault. The buck stops with you!

3. Attractive pricing (after careful monitoring of the competition). Failure to research your market is again, your fault. Do it or stay static.  

4. Provide a great service. Self explanatory really. If this is troublesome for you - get an 'employed' job instead and get told what to do every day.

5. Supply a good product, which your customers have NO REASON not to be happy with - every time, without excuses. If you don't - well, you won't last long on 5r.

So, for anyone reading this, it's not rocket science - just do the basics right and the rest will follow. Or you can play the short game - e.g. try to cheat the system & do no work, for which your 5r business will eventually crash & burn.  Above all, don't listen to gurus or watch YT videos telling you how to do it - they rarely have your best interests at heart. You DON'T need to stay up for all night, you DON'T need to answer every message in 3 seconds for fear of losing out, you DON'T need to spam social media or this forum (he says - waiting for the inevitable 'thankyou' spam posts). 

If you are one of the few who legitimately wants to make a success of your business, then I hope this serves as a wake up call. Ask yourself, you've had weeks or months with no or few orders. You're making no money and perhaps feeling useless? Maybe now is the time to make the change and do it the right way! And remember with 5r (allegedly) looking very seriously at a payment subscription for sellers - now is the time to up your game or be left out. The choice is yours. Good luck to everyone.        
 

[enunciator]

Starting off is the most difficult period of time on FIverr. Happy to read of your progress! Hopefully this thread gets more attention than the innumerable threads full of terrible "advice" that get dozens of responses and hundreds of views.

[fiveroptic1]

28 minutes ago, enunciator said:

Hopefully this thread gets more attention than the innumerable threads full of terrible "advice" that get dozens of responses and hundreds of views.

@enunciator One can only hope.....& pray!  Although I doubt it.  

[imagination7413]

(*considers bookmarking )

I almost think this belongs more in "Stories" because it's such a good one (slow and steady)(do what you're skilled at), but it really is good advice, too (slow and steady)(do what you're skilled at).

[fiveroptic1]

11 hours ago, imagination7413 said:

(*considers bookmarking )

I almost think this belongs more in "Stories" because it's such a good one (slow and steady)(do what you're skilled at), but it really is good advice, too (slow and steady)(do what you're skilled at).

Thanks @imagination7413. I wish more sellers who visit this forum would take these simple principles on board. Although, the forum appears to be, for many, a refuge for the desperate looking for a trick from members to 'make it happen' for them, after they have exhausted all other options from 'experts' elsewhere who promised to 'make it happen' for them!
t's nothing magical, no special sauce or hocus pocus. Just doing the basics, 'right', rolling up your sleeves and giving it a bit of application.  Less of the '5r's got it in for me' attitude and more of 'what can I do to help myself' attitude. 
I fear though, that as @enunciatorhas said - all this info will fall on deaf ears to the very people who might need it most, as is evident from the innumerable people (timewasters) who ask "what is wrong with my gig" and then completely ignore the advice given to them!
(But then, they're only here for the clicks anyway).    

[rabihumakhan]

I second ya matey! Can I take you for a dinner though? 

 

Well, jokes aside, I've a similar story. Joined Fiverr around the same time you did. So far, made 30 sales and one order is in progress with 21 five stars reviews. 

I'm planning to get that level 2 badge by the mid of January and boom. 

 

However, I need to know will my 'ranked gigs' lose their top places if I edit them to change packages' prices? 

[fiveroptic1]

1 hour ago, rabihumakhan said:

I second ya matey! Can I take you for a dinner though? 

 

Well, jokes aside, I've a similar story. Joined Fiverr around the same time you did. So far, made 30 sales and one order is in progress with 21 five stars reviews. 

I'm planning to get that level 2 badge by the mid of January and boom. 

 

However, I need to know will my 'ranked gigs' lose their top places if I edit them to change packages' prices? 

I'm not an expert on the 5r algorithm, but I raised my prices and noticed no particular difference. By and large, a newbie charges less than a L1 charges less than a L2, etc etc. I would imagine though that Christmas is a good time to experiment in any case, as things tend to get quieter this time of year- apart from retail & hospitality industries of course! Good luck

[gajuseidi]

On 12/1/2021 at 1:42 AM, fiveroptic1 said:

1. Set up 5r account in mid August 21 - I turned down many 'joke' offers of work, but still grew at a steady pace.
2. Reached L1 in Nov - put my prices up
3. On target, I hope, to become L2 around Feb, roughly 6 months after joining - my prices will probably go up again. 

It's really great to see your progress!

10 hours ago, fiveroptic1 said:

t's nothing magical, no special sauce or hocus pocus. Just doing the basics, 'right', rolling up your sleeves and giving it a bit of application.  Less of the '5r's got it in for me' attitude and more of 'what can I do to help myself' attitude. 

It does get tiresome reading the same lazy posts on the forum by people who are always asking for help (or some sort of magic trick more often) to bring traffic and orders to their gigs. It's never about what they can do to improve themselves or their gigs, it always has to be some easy magical solution that requires no effort. It's refreshing to read a perspective of a new seller who is willing to learn, adapt and improve, rather than sit on their a** and cry for help everytime their impressions drop from 5/day to 4.

On 12/1/2021 at 1:42 AM, fiveroptic1 said:

I know that there are other new sellers who have reached income & levels much faster, but equally there are many who have never made a sale, so I suppose I'm an average.

That's how I feel as well. I joined in February and achieved the requirements for level 2 in the second half of last month, so it took me roughly 9 months to reach level 2. There are sellers who are a lot more successful than me, but there are a lot more who are not (at least in my niche). I do have a comprehensive plan on how to grow my fiverr business, but I also take into account that I'm a junior student at Vilnius Academy of Arts, working on several e-commerce businesses and also working with a fashion designer on the side. All in all, I'm quite happy with the fact I now earn almost a minimal wage in my country on fiverr and I get really excited thinking of ways I'm going to improve my gigs and brainstorming ideas for new ones. The potential is really there, just need a little more time.

[mel_mitch]

On 12/1/2021 at 1:42 AM, fiveroptic1 said:

In response to the everlasting posts from people asking why they have no orders and what they can do about it - I thought I'd post this brief overview of my first 3ish months on 5r as a New Seller - where I started from and where I am now. Maybe it will be of some small help to those newbies who are becoming frustrated at getting nowhere fast.

My brief 'Newbie' backstory
1. Set up 5r account in mid August 21 - I turned down many 'joke' offers of work, but still grew at a steady pace.
2. Reached L1 in Nov - put my prices up
3. On target, I hope, to become L2 around Feb, roughly 6 months after joining - my prices will probably go up again. 

I know that there are other new sellers who have reached income & levels much faster, but equally there are many who have never made a sale, so I suppose I'm an average. How did I do it? Well, amazingly, I just did the simple things - which you can do too. If you really want it! 

1. I do voice over work - that's what I am good at, know how to do and can charge accordingly for. So choose a niche that fits the same criteria for you. Not one simply because someone told you that's where all the treasure lies. It's your problem, if you rely on someone else to 'think' for you. 

2. Create a good gig description, with attention to keywords (all in perfect English naturellement). So, don't moan if no one buys - It's your fault. The buck stops with you!

3. Attractive pricing (after careful monitoring of the competition). Failure to research your market is again, your fault. Do it or stay static.  

4. Provide a great service. Self explanatory really. If this is troublesome for you - get an 'employed' job instead and get told what to do every day.

5. Supply a good product, which your customers have NO REASON not to be happy with - every time, without excuses. If you don't - well, you won't last long on 5r.

So, for anyone reading this, it's not rocket science - just do the basics right and the rest will follow. Or you can play the short game - e.g. try to cheat the system & do no work, for which your 5r business will eventually crash & burn.  Above all, don't listen to gurus or watch YT videos telling you how to do it - they rarely have your best interests at heart. You DON'T need to stay up for all night, you DON'T need to answer every message in 3 seconds for fear of losing out, you DON'T need to spam social media or this forum (he says - waiting for the inevitable 'thankyou' spam posts). 

If you are one of the few who legitimately wants to make a success of your business, then I hope this serves as a wake up call. Ask yourself, you've had weeks or months with no or few orders. You're making no money and perhaps feeling useless? Maybe now is the time to make the change and do it the right way! And remember with 5r (allegedly) looking very seriously at a payment subscription for sellers - now is the time to up your game or be left out. The choice is yours. Good luck to everyone.        
 

Absolutely brilliant advice. I often have to remind myself that I don't have to respond to messages immediately. It's been almost 2 years since I joined the platform and I'm still getting to grips with that concept. 😅

[karli_g]

Thank you for the tips! You mentioned adding the subscription model... Do you know how to add that to a gig? I have been trying and cannot find it. In one of the articles, it mentioned that only "eligible" sellers are offered this, do you know what the criteria are?

[lloydsolutions]

51 minutes ago, karli_g said:

adding the subscription model.

It is explained here: Fiverr Help and Education Center (Subscriptions)

[fiveroptic1]

2 weeks later - I'm glad my post appears to have been appreciated by so many. I'm particularly gratified by the amount of forum members who have posted interesting, thought provoking supplemental questions, shared their own experiences & given informative and constructive replies to help others. I.e. to contribute something of value. It really does seems that this forum is the place where 5r sellers can come together & engage with each other on a professional level.

And if you believe that - you'll believe anything. 

In all seriousness though, if my post helped just one new seller, it would have been worthwhile. I hope it has. 

[iceching143]

I can't get a Work now after changing the gig price? Why.please suggest me. what to do now. 

[fiveroptic1]

5 hours ago, iceching143 said:

I can't get a Work now after changing the gig price? Why.please suggest me. what to do now. 

change it back????

[steve1759]

Thank you so much @fiveroptic1 for this brilliant post.

I am a new seller. I've made a few sales on Fiverr but they all come from my trusted clients on LinkedIn. 

I am yet to get an order from a buyer who found me on Fiverr.

I've seen my mistake already. My gig price is high up there with the top rated sellers in my niche. I should charge as a new seller that I am and increase my rates as I grow on the Fiverr platform.

 

I will try out these tips of yours and hopefully will share my experience.

 

Thanks again

[sarahkhan97]

5 minutes ago, rokeyaanwartuli said:

i also want to know

https://www.fiverr.com/support/articles/360010736117

 

[sarahkhan97]

On 3/9/2022 at 4:29 AM, suruz124 said:

I am also first and new seller. i did 3 gig publish on fiverr platform but not response any buyer. my gig is just grow impressions and click . publish done minimum 30 days and I send many buyer request reply  reliable but they didn,t order now. So what can i do now ? I want to know it? Please tell me someone. Advance thanks

 

am also doing the same, waiting...but don't be impatient, there will be one soon or later, also post your gigs in ''gig improvement'' section. Let's see