As we had been buyers on some of the freelance sites, we know and had some basic expectations of how a freelance developer will get evaluated.
-The Profile in the Freelance programming Sites should be very clear and good. The skill sets should be included only if one is really good at. Writing all the technologies in the world never means that we can win projects.
-There should be a niche area for the provider. Both in technology and domain wise. Quoting good examples of the previous work in the Freelance programming areas or some others will convince the buyer easily.
-The bids should never be very very cheap. It has to be a reasonable amount, worth paying for the work. Of course it can be adjusted in reference with market rates. It should also be at a very high levels as the buyer will never care to look at the bid, if it is high.
-Asking for any clarifications will prove the depth of understanding of the provider. But too many questions may scare away the buyer. Buyer will be happy to answer informed questions which are directed to him after the provider understands the requirements properly.
-It is better to be prompt with the replies. Making the buyer wait for longer times will have a possibility of losing the bid.
-Being honest is one of the most important things. The buyer or seller do not see each other. This sometimes is an advantages but at times may prove to be a big problem with communications. So being honest and prompt communication is very important.
-Every time during the discussion Provider should follow the basic etiquettes of email exchanges. Avoiding spelling and grammatical mistakes increases the confidence on the Provider.
-If the provider has a good past rating, showing it as a reference to the buyer will be a great plus.