Freelancer Paul Maplesden writes content that builds trust with your customers and presents your business in the best possible way. He loves the challenge of taking complex subjects and breaking them down so they are easy to understand. Most importantly, he knows a Princess Bride quote for every occasion. Hire him for your next copywriting or content project on Fiverr Pro. Fiverr recently launched its high-end Fiverr Pro service. It’s a bold move for the freelance marketplace known for low-cost five dollar Gigs.
Why this expansion into premium services that can cost hundreds of dollars? It’s simple — Fiverr wants to broaden its appeal. The standard Fiverr Gigs offer low-cost freelance services to price-conscious buyers, while Pro Gigs provide high-quality freelancing to entrepreneurs with a bigger budget. Fiverr Pro connects hand-picked, higher-value, higher-priced freelancers with the business owners who need them.
The question is, does Pro make sense? The Pro service provides qualified, trusted, expert freelancers at a premium price. So, what do you get for your money? What exactly does a Pro seller provide that you couldn’t get from a $5 Gig? Well, I’m a successful Pro seller, and I’m here to explain.
I’m Paul Maplesden, a professional freelance writer in the business, finance, and technology fields. Fiverr approached me to become a freelancer for their new Pro service in May of 2017. After going through their rigorous application, vetting, portfolio review, and testing processes, I was invited to join Fiverr Pro just prior to its launch. Since the service started in July of 2017, I’ve been completing around 7 - 10 Pro orders every week.
I think and write about the world of freelancing a lot — what it means to be a freelancer, how to provide excellent freelance work, why clients choose to buy from us, and the value we can offer. Fiverr asked me to share my thoughts on what Fiverr Pro means to buyers, and I believe that means two things — value and trust.
Ultimately, people hire freelancers for one reason: Because the products and services we create are worth more than the money spent to have the work completed. You might pay $1,000 for a really good logo design because the brand collateral and recognition you get helps you really stand out from competitors. The $350 you spend on getting a white paper written could net you thousands of dollars in sales. In both cases there’s clearly a good return on investment. Fiverr Pro sellers are trying to maximize that return for you.
There’s a perception that Fiverr Pro is replacing the existing low-cost Fiverr marketplace. That's not the case at all — the massive success of the existing marketplace means there will always be a need for low-cost sellers providing services to price-conscious buyers.
Pro is aimed at different buyers entirely who want a different scale of return and are prepared to pay for it. Yes, Fiverr Pro costs more, but Pro sellers should always add more value to your business than you spend on them. The best way to show why both standard Gigs and Pro Gigs can work side-by-side is with a couple of examples.
Standard Gig — A client pays $25 for some standard marketing and branding work. The work is successful and nets $200 in sales, eight times what the client paid for it, for a total difference in value of $175. Pro Gig — A client pays $250 for some Pro level marketing and branding work. The work is very successful and generates $1,000 in sales, four times what the client paid for it, for a total difference in value of $750.Both buyers got exactly what they wanted from their marketing and the money they paid.
The Pro Gig didn’t give as much of a “multiplier” on the money spent (four times vs. eight times), but generated more “absolute” income ($750 vs. $175). Both types of service are valuable, and there’s clearly a market for buyers and sellers with differing needs. If you want standard, low-cost Fiverr services, there are thousands of excellent sellers who can provide them. If you want a little more, that’s where Pro comes in.
For all of the creativity, communications, cost, and more around freelancing, Fiverr Pro is about one thing above all others — trust. In the modern business world, trust is in short supply. With so many “unknown quantities” it can be difficult to know what you’re getting. When you’re spending money on freelance services, that transparency is difficult to find. Without a really good portfolio and a deep understanding of a freelancer’s experience, how can you be sure they will produce quality work? In other words, how can you trust them?
Fiverr Pro aims to solve that problem. By making all Pro sellers go through an in-depth, exhaustive review process, the Fiverr Pro Customer Success and Quality Control teams ensure all Pro sellers meet their rigorous standards. Among other things, they validate a freelancer’s:
The aim of this is to hand-pick fully-vetted, qualified freelancers capable of consistently producing work to an extremely high standard. Fiverr wants to remove that barrier to trust. They want you to have the reassurance your Pro freelancer will produce excellent work that you truly value.
Being a Fiverr Pro isn’t just about creating great work, delivering true value, and building deep trust — there’s more to it than that. A professional approach extends into every aspect of what we do, both on Fiverr and beyond.
If we want to produce work that’s really going to connect with your customers, we need to know who you are and what your business really offers. We dig into what makes your business unique, how it gets a competitive advantage, and the features and benefits that will make your customers stop and pay attention. It’s only once we understand those things that we can create content to truly express your business in the best possible way.
Trust has to cascade downwards — from your business, through us and our work, to your end customers. We need to know who they are and the best way to appeal to them. It’s only through understanding the people who want to buy and use your products and services that we can influence them through the work we create.
A Fiverr Pro will know what they are and are not good at. You need something written on business, finance, or technology? I’m your guy. You want something on nutrition, lifestyle, or fitness? I’m going to send you to another seller! It’s all about having the experience to create authoritative work. We can only give our best if we’ve already got a deep understanding of the niche you’re working in.
Fiverr Pro’s are small business owners, just like you. We know the importance of creating and nurturing great customer relationships. That extends into all the dealing we have with you — whether that’s proactive communication, friendliness and flexibility, meeting our commitments or delivering on revisions, fast. We know freelancing isn’t a “one and done” deal and we want to work with you now and into the future.
So, what can you expect when you hire a Fiverr Pro?
That’s what being a Fiverr Pro means to me, and hopefully what it will come to mean to you. Fiverr is providing a great opportunity for you and your business to access some of the best freelancers in the world. It’s time to take advantage.
What has Fiverr Pro meant to you? Have you tried it yet? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
