The Worst Advice To Give A Newbie (This Is For New Members)

[looseink]

I have been on Fiverr for about 4 years.

I have owned my own business for 20+ years.

I also have 40+ years of experience in Media/Marketing.

In the month I have been active on the Forum I have seen a lot of new Fiverr members asking for advice.

They usually get the same “bad” tips from other new members who must have seen something on YouTube by a so-called expert.

So…here is my list of the TOP 5 WORST PIECES OF ADVICE TO GIVE A NEW FIVERR MEMBER…

1. Stay online all day/all night.

This is just nonsense. Respond to orders when you see them during the day. You don’t win anything for being the first or 101st person to respond. You will get the job only if the Buyer likes what they see in your Gig and really needs your service.

2. Offer Unlimited Revisions.

This has got to be the most insane piece of advice. There are Buyers who will take advantage of this and you could be spending hours, days, weeks, months, and years pleasing just one customer with your unlimited revisions. That is a waste of your time. ALWAYS limit your revisions to 2 or 3 maximum.

3. Promote Your Gigs on Social Media.

Unless you know for a fact that some of your FB or IG or Twitter friends are in need of your service, this is another waste of your time. Concentrate instead on improving your skills when you are waiting for a job to come.

4. Charge No More Than $5

Sure, the platform is called Fiverr and five-dollar Gigs got the platform exposure. However, if you have certification in something like video editing or are a professional voice over performer, why would you lower your standards to get work at $5 a pop? Plus, some Buyers will look at your $5 price and simply move on thinking that your cheap price is an indication of the quality of your work.

5. You Need Just 5-Star Reviews To Succeed

Again, another really bad piece of advice. Plus, not every Buyer is going to give you a rating, either. This is not them insulting you (so don’t pester them for a review - it’s against the ToS anyway). I have a few 4-Star reviews and one 2-Star review. The rest are 5-Stars. My less than perfect score still brings me impressions, clicks, and jobs. As long as you provide quality work to Buyers, if you get some 4-Star reviews it won’t matter.

There are a ton more things I could add to this list but I’m going to leave it to some of the other more seasoned members of Fiverr to jump in here and expand on this list.

Remember, if you are new to Fiverr, you have a ton of competition. Trying to find shortcuts to get around the system does not work. You may go weeks or months without getting that first or second job. That is NORMAL. Get used to it and good luck!

[mjaninea]

Great advice! I hope new sellers will stop creating topics asking for tips and advices and instead, start reading and researching here in the Forum because there are plenty of them.

[looseink]

Great advice! I hope new sellers will stop creating topics asking for tips and advices and instead, start reading and researching here in the Forum because there are plenty of them.

That is what inspired this post, actually.

I just shared it on a thread from a newbie asking how to get that first job.

Argh!!!

[mjaninea]

That is what inspired this post, actually.

I just shared it on a thread from a newbie asking how to get that first job.

Argh!!!

Yes, I think it’s sad to fill the Forum with those questions because all the valuable information and topics get “hidden” by these 😓 I would love to see more topics with more consistence and useful tips coming from experienced sellers…

[katakatica]

I’ve been on and off fiverr for a couple years (travelling didn’t permit me to keep writing all that often, so I had to choose between the two) and once I’ve settled down again, it was fairly easy to pick things back up even though I’ve had my share of bad reviews / imperfect gigs!

I do think people need a fair amount of luck (I like to say I’m fortunate although I’m still starting out in many ways) but I don’t think there’s a surefire way to suddenly get popular / make a lot of money. It takes time and effort. (and you’re completely right, staying up 24/7 does nothing… other than make people crabby haha.) I hope that newbies will find this and benefit from it!

[visualstudios]

The fools dilemma. The ones who need that advice are precisely the ones who won’t read it / take it seriously.

[gelmas12]

Thanks for the good advice

[moditha_damindu]

This is great but I don’t know if this post can stay live for longer period why because new sellers need to see this.

If someone can make this post live for longer period that will be great because for new sellers before they get wrong advice from people. :star_struck:

[looseink]

This is great but I don’t know if this post can stay live for longer period why because new sellers need to see this.

If someone can make this post live for longer period that will be great because for new sellers before they get wrong advice from people. :star_struck:

All you need to do is copy ‘n’ paste the link and share that.

I have.

[english_voice]

You’ve put together a good and very helpful post for new sellers.

The problem is that those who need your information and insight the most are precisely the same ones who will ignore it in favour of the bad advice that you’re highlighting.

People follow like sheep. Many don’t critically analyse what they’re being spoon fed in these nonsense YouTube tutorials. The issue is only get worse and not better.

I’ve promised myself to take a step back from the forum this year. I won’t disappear altogether, but I can no longer stomach reading the same posts from lazy individuals parroting the same damaging nonsense, or those that don’t research before asking such lame questions about ‘why no sale’ or ‘why bad buyer left bad review’.

The simple truth, in my opinion, is that 99% of the questions have all been asked and successfully answered previously. People just don’t research.

It’s a shame. But the standard of posts has nosedived over the past year.

[looseink]

You’ve put together a good and very helpful post for new sellers.

The problem is that those who need your information and insight the most are precisely the same ones who will ignore it in favour of the bad advice that you’re highlighting.

People follow like sheep. Many don’t critically analyse what they’re being spoon fed in these nonsense YouTube tutorials. The issue is only get worse and not better.

I’ve promised myself to take a step back from the forum this year. I won’t disappear altogether, but I can no longer stomach reading the same posts from lazy individuals parroting the same damaging nonsense, or those that don’t research before asking such lame questions about ‘why no sale’ or ‘why bad buyer left bad review’.

The simple truth, in my opinion, is that 99% of the questions have all been asked and successfully answered previously. People just don’t research.

It’s a shame. But the standard of posts has nosedived over the past year.

I have seen a dip in quality of posts here in the month I’ve actually spent any time on the Forums.

I’m thinking that the “smart” members will just copy ‘n’ paste the link to my list and post it whenever a newbie asks those questions.

I totally agree that only so many will read or do any research.

That brings me as much frustration as you may be feeling here…lol

[Guest]

I would nail your topic at the top of the forum with titanium nails and highlight it with the reddest color and make it blink like a strobe. Perhaps then the number of useless topics will decrease, and then there is no hope, haha.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write these points.

[socialhonor]

Kudos! Awesome advice! :ok_hand:t4: I’ve been on here almost from conception - since 2012 - through it ironing out the initial glitches, and when all gigs were JUST $5 - and I just SMH when I see some of the absurd “valuable advise” folks are giving on this forum. Why don’t people value themselves, their time and their skills/services more? I don’t get it.
Well done!

[tl_shakil]

Great advice. I’m new seller, it’s very helpful for me. Thank you so much

[shuvo14500]

Thanks for your advice and open up your point. Logically that right. I appreciate your logic. But i think you know every new seller want job but there’s not.

[zreine]

Thanks for your advice and open up your point. Logically that right. I appreciate your logic. But i think you know every new seller want job but there’s not.

Not true. I started selling two and a half months ago, and I get jobs. I got 6 orders and am currently waiting for a returning buyer to sent me what I need for the 7th one. It may not seem like a lot, but if you take into account that what I do take time (around one week for most orders.) I’ve spent most of my time here actually working.

The problem is that most new members I see offer all the same services. Mostly data entry or logo design, ect. Those are like the worst gigs you can offer now, because there is just so many sellers offering those services.

I’m an illustrator, and there is a lot of competition, but I have one thing that give me an advantage: Art style. It help me stand out a little bit. I think artistic gig here have it a little more easier because of that. Every artist have his own style.

Older sellers here often say: “Do a market study before making your gigs.” I think it’s a very good advice to follow if you want to get sells and avoid over saturated markets.

[greystorm2]

This post should be pinned everywhere. It’s clear, concise and accurate!

1. Additionally, it’s not helpful to just park on an open page and walk away from the computer. Auto-refreshers are a no-no.
   What WILL help: Actively searching through the site, actively improving your gigs and profile. Using information from your analytics to tweak and adjust your gigs. When you’re online, make it worth your while and use that time to learn and improve your business.

2. Amen to this. And a buyer who is belligerent and demands free unlimited revisions is a person who, at best is just rude and doesn’t value your time and professionalism, and at worst is actually scamming you for free work.
   What’s helpful to both you and your potential buyers: Include a clear, concise revision policy in your gig description and/or the FAQ section of your gigs. Fill out all of your FAQ’s and put that space to good use.

3. While there could very well be professional and proficient ways to promote your gigs on social media, you’ll want to research how to deliberately target the audience you want to attract, without being spammy. That requires knowledge of how best to format your posts, what hashtags to use, how many to use, where to place them in your post, what time of day, day of the week, how to spread your posts out… etc etc. It’s not just about spraying and praying.
   What WILL help: Fiverr itself does a remarkable amount of promoting with its remarkably large budget. Let that work in your favor, and spend that extra time continually improving your gigs, and your business itself, which will in turn help improve your visibility and performance right here on the platform.

4. Thankfully, Fiverr has grown and expanded beyond the original $5 mandatory price structure. The consensus has been that there is still a certain amount of proving one has to do when first establishing oneself on the platform, but honestly I really don’t think anyone who’s truly professional in their field should be charging $5 for their services. I think it is helpful to break the ice, so to speak, in order to familiarize yourself with the technical aspects of the platform, but once you get the hang of that, charge what you’re worth!
   Possible suggestion: Even if you do want to start off by charging $5 to get some familiarity and a few reviews under your belt, don’t stay there for long! I’ve had fair success using my average selling price as an indicator of when to raise my rates. Example, when I started at $5, once my average selling price hit $10, I raised my base rate to $10, I may have even gone to $15, but feel it out for yourself and do what feels comfortable to you. And again, don’t just set your gigs and forget them, or ONLY focus on price–be always on the look-out for ways to tweak and improve your business.

5. There are some things you’re not going to be able to control. Some people and their rationale will remain a mystery to you.
   What you can control: Your own business, the quality you provide, your work ethic and the customer service you provide.

Another thing you can control, is to NOT be so desperate for those reviews that it hinders your ability to respond properly to warning signs that you could be dealing with a belligerent or even abusive buyer. You can spare yourself from the unnecessary stress of having to put up with someone who tries to strongarm you into providing free work, work outside of the scope of your gig offering, or someone who tries to use the review system against you. You do this by familiarizing yourself with the Terms of Service, so you can: 1. recognize these unwanted behaviors and report them when necessary, and 2. be a good, knowledgeable seller, and avoid breaking the rules, yourself. This helps to improve the entire platform for all of us, buyers and sellers alike.

[joynobjoy]

This is great advice new sellers like me, thanks ☺️

[akhmadpray]

thankyou for your advice,… i’m new here… 🙂

[gelmas12]

Not true. I started selling two and a half months ago, and I get jobs. I got 6 orders and am currently waiting for a returning buyer to sent me what I need for the 7th one. It may not seem like a lot, but if you take into account that what I do take time (around one week for most orders.) I’ve spent most of my time here actually working.

The problem is that most new members I see offer all the same services. Mostly data entry or logo design, ect. Those are like the worst gigs you can offer now, because there is just so many sellers offering those services.

I’m an illustrator, and there is a lot of competition, but I have one thing that give me an advantage: Art style. It help me stand out a little bit. I think artistic gig here have it a little more easier because of that. Every artist have his own style.

Older sellers here often say: “Do a market study before making your gigs.” I think it’s a very good advice to follow if you want to get sells and avoid over saturated markets.

Not true. I started selling two and a half months ago, and I get jobs. I got 6 orders and am currently waiting for a returning buyer to sent me what I need for the 7th one. It may not seem like a lot, but if you take into account that what I do take time (around one week for most orders.) I’ve spent most of my time here actually working.

The problem is that most new members I see offer all the same services. Mostly data entry or logo design, ect. Those are like the worst gigs you can offer now, because there is just so many sellers offering those services.

I’m an illustrator, and there is a lot of competition, but I have one thing that give me an advantage: Art style. It help me stand out a little bit. I think artistic gig here have it a little more easier because of that. Every artist have his own style.

Older sellers here often say: “Do a market study before making your gigs.” I think it’s a very good advice to follow if you want to get sells and avoid over saturated markets.

I completely agree with you. I am an artist. I received my first order seven days later.

[sabarahemu]

Thank you for your good advice

[social_service4]

How can i got more order on fiverr?

[rahman_shahed]

How can i got more order on fiverr?

Try to keep login regular and try marketing on social media. Regular come in forum take all suggestion from here.

[melanielm]

Excellent top post.

Seriously head-shaking moment when I got to the last post here, though.

[arbabzahoor]

Thank you for sharing good Tips. I am on Fiverr for almost a year. Everything was going good but then corona came, and i left Fiverr. I switched on the “out of office mode” and then everything went wrong. Gigs impression and clicks almost zero. I just came back and made new gigs. Now, i am enthusiastic and waiting for the good orders. I hope I will catch an order soon.