Hunter -> Magnet: Right now you send proposals and wait — that's the Hunter. The goal is to make sellers find YOU as the obvious sourcing expert. Here's the shift. 1. Client Profile - Goal: Define exactly who you serve so every action targets them. - How: List your top 10 dream clients and extract their shared traits. - Tailored to you: On Upwork, filter for hire rate >60%, spend >$1k, payment-verified, US-based, hiring for TikTok/Amazon sourcing. - Avoid: "Anyone who needs sourcing" — that's a wish, not a profile. 2. Target List - Goal: A repeatable pipeline, not a scattershot search. - How: Build saved searches plus a tracked list of ~50 fitting jobs. - Tailored to you: 4 saved searches — "China sourcing", "product research TikTok", "Amazon FBA sourcing", "Shopify supplier" — each set to verified + fewer than 5 proposals. - Avoid: Chasing every new post; only track profile-fit ones. 3. Front-Door (Profile) - Goal: Pass the 3-second "expert, not vendor" test. - How: Headline = client value; About opens with who/what you solve. - Tailored to you: Title -> "I help US TikTok/Amazon sellers source low-return products from China." About line 1 -> the 3 problems you solve. - Avoid: "Experienced sourcing agent, hardworking & reliable" — that's B2C vendor voice. 4. Precision Targeting - Goal: Lock onto high-fit jobs at the right moment. - How: Stack signals inside search. - Tailored to you: "<5 proposals + posted <24h + verified + hire rate >60% + $15+/hr" — apply there first. - Avoid: Living only in Best Matches; build your own searches. 5. Warm-Up - Goal: Appear before you pitch. - How: Upwork has no feed — use the equivalents. - Tailored to you: View the client's profile and save their job 24-48h before applying, so "X viewed your profile" registers your name. - Avoid: Cold-applying the second a job drops, with zero footprint. 6. Outreach Script (proposal opener, <=3 sentences) - Goal: First two lines about THEM. - How: Name their specific problem from the post. - Tailored to you: "You're scaling TikTok Shop menswear and returns are eating margin — I build sourcing + QC systems that cut return rates. I've done this for 4 US sellers, dropping returns from ~15% to under 6%." - Avoid: Opening with "I have X years of experience…" 7. Value-First - Goal: Give before you sell. - How: Lead with a useful asset, not a pitch. - Tailored to you: When they reply, send a free 1-page competitor/supplier snapshot for their exact product before quoting. - Avoid: Dumping portfolio + rate the moment they respond. 8. Content Matrix (Profile as content) - Goal: Get found, not just apply. - How: Your Profile + Project Catalog is your 24/7 content. - Tailored to you: Add a Project Catalog "TikTok Shop Sourcing Audit"; write Portfolio items as problem -> method -> result. - Avoid: Listing tasks ("did sourcing") instead of outcomes. 9. Deep Research - Goal: Show up informed. - How: 10-min pre-proposal recon. - Tailored to you: Check their hire history and review wording, and search their brand + a competitor's TikTok Shop to bring one concrete insight. - Avoid: Sending a generic proposal you could send to anyone. 10. Cadence System - Goal: Discipline beats bursts. - How: Fixed daily/weekly/monthly actions. - Tailored to you (30/60/90): | When | Action | |---------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | Daily | 30 min: check saved searches, view 2-3 client profiles, note signals | | Weekly | Send 3-5 precision proposals, improve one Profile section | | Monthly | Review reply/interview/win rates, refine your profile | - Avoid: Doing it when you remember and stopping when you don't. Realistic timeline: expect traction in 3-6 months, not 1 week.