I used Guru.com for a while doing web design and found it difficult because you are competing on price not quality or skill. I did 4 projects and finally threw in the towel after spending more hours on quotes then I was on paid work projects.

In my experience networking yields much better results and my word of mouth referals seem to be bring me clients that are looking for knowledgable, skilled help instead who value that and are willing to pay well for it.

I haven't gotten any work from Elance. I've been a member since January. I did get a project from getafreelancer.com. It's just really hard to compete with some of the VA's on there offering their services for $3-4 hour.

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Trena Stubbs of Apex Virtual Solutions
& Author of The Road to Going Virtual

LOL...my experience exactly!! I know that many of the people competing are in other parts of the world and do deserve to make a living too but what some people are offering to pay is not realistic for anyone, anywhere.

Originally Posted by D_Victoria_Virtual_Assistance

Don't get me wrong, I have found a few good opportunities on Elance. In fact, I found a longtime client there. So, I cannot really say anything bad about the website. Now that my marketing ideas and confidence have grown I rarely give Elance a second glance though.

I need some advice. How did you handle the payment within Elance? Their fee is 6.75%-8.75%. Here is my dilemma.

My client asked me to submit a proposal, so I did. Then we had a phone conversation and a few email exchanges and she has now decided that she has a project for me. Here's the catch, she wants to submit the project via Elance. How do I approach this situation?

Do I ask her to use Paypal instead, knowing if she submits the project to me via Elance she has to pay me through there so Elance gets their fee?

Do I ask her to pay? or Do I eat the large fee Elance charges?

Help!

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Rikki Green
www.timeforlifeconcepts.com

I've had clients in this situation insist on going thru eLance, and then after a while they're ok to just pay me directly. So I suggest going with it for the first task or two, and then if they want more, ask for the switch. I think your clients don't want to be blacklisted at eLance, which could happen if the site figures out they're getting gypped out of their fee (which they do earn, BTW, tho I agree it's a high percentage considering the volume).

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Mary H. Ruth/Virtual Writing & Communications
http://www.writingVA.com

If you do agree to it, set a limit on the amount of work you'll do and get paid for through Elance and then let her know that any additional work or payment after that point, goes through PayPal or check or however you choose. I haven't used Elance for a while now, but there where a couple clients and prospectives who I basically told that if they wanted to pay me through Elance, then my fee was going to be higher to cover that cost. The ones that decided they really wanted to work with me, ended up agreeing to pay me either through PayPal or by check. One is still a retainer client and the other has come back to me three times for additional projects.

Maybe ask her why she still wants to use Elance for payment to find out what the real issue is and see if there's a way around it.

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Kimberly
Facebook Marketing Magic!

I have had very good luck with elance.com. In the past 3 weeks, I have accepted 3 projects and made some pretty good money. You just have to search. It took about a week for me to find 3 jobs out of the 30 or 40 I bid on. The fees really aren't that bad. For example, if you are getting paid $150.00 for a project, with the elance.com fee of 8.75% you will profit $136. Once you make so much through elance, your fee rate begins to decrease and less money is taken from your payment. When you bid on a project be sure to remember the fee and adjust your bid to include it.
As for your problem with your client, elance.com is a very good way to guarentee that you will get paid. If you are not paid you may dispute the situation and elance will step in to help you get your payment. Try it a time or two and I believe you may just like it. The fees aren't that bad as long as you remember them in your quote.

Heavenlea

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Heavenlea www.meticulousassistance.com

I agree with the majority here that Elance, Odesk & Guru all seem to be a waste of my resources - both monetary & time. I have won one job through Guru. I've spent more time writing up proposals then anything. I'm concentrating my efforts now at networking in my local area.

I used Elance. But failed to get projects. I got some projects form Guru.com

Thank you everyone who gave me tips! I put them to good use. I wanted to let you know that we agreed to a term of service through Elance and then my client agreed to use other means. Thanks again!

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Rikki Green
www.timeforlifeconcepts.com