Consulting experienced freelancers is essential to successfully navigating the Gig economy. However, finding a real-life mentor in a competitive online marketplace is easier said than done. Real-life seller Charles shares his experience in this three-part series dedicated to helping our community members connect with and learn from other Fiverr sellers.
The more you know about using Fiverr as a seller and a buyer, the more you can get out of your mentorship experience. We’ve discussed the importance of doing research to find a mentor. Here are three actionable tips to help you find and work with the right mentor for you.
Read an eBook
While reading cannot entirely substitute communicating frequently with a person, it can nicely supplement your relationship. I have seen my fair share of electronic books created by Fiverr sellers, along with websites on selling on Fiverr. These can be nice tools, but because the platform is always changing, your best bet is to visit the Fiverr Academy to learn about selling on Fiverr. Arm yourself with information to bring into your mentorship situation.
Tinker/Complete a Project
Creating a project to complete is another great way to find mentorship. You may decide that you need a website for your professional portfolio and you are going to get it done through Fiverr. This means you have to communicate with many sellers who can assist with different parts of your project. You may need a seller to create the site, another to create the content, and yet another to optimize it for SEO, and yet another to market it through social media.
Naturally, you will have questions for each seller on how they will do your work, in what time frame, for what price, and so on and so forth. In the process of asking all these great questions for your project, you are learning. Thus, you are being mentored without calling it an outright mentorship, and accomplishing an important project through the very platform you intend to sell on! Likewise, collaborating on a project for a client that requires skills from other sellers can achieve the same result. Just be aware that you need to be very clear with the client and sellers you are doing a collaboration and who is doing what for how much.
There’s Gig for That
Some sellers offer Gigs to help you with your Gig, such as Gig videos, write Gig descriptions, or to give feedback on your Gig. I even offer a mentoring Gig ( at the risk of shameless self-promotion, you can visit it here). Why would you pay someone to help you when all the above methods are free? Because a savvy seller values their time. They realize that the time is the most valuable commodity and (most likely) have tinkered with their selling formulas over time to maximize efficiency and sales. Now you see why they charge to mentor! Now you probably see what you can learn by doing the paid route! Sellers who have Gigs to mentor you or help your Gig are no doubt going to have some great advice to offer. If they ae highly rated on Fiverr, they must know that delivering high-quality work matters.
A Note of Caution
If you are looking to make money fast, pause before considering a mentor. Fiverr is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It takes time and work. You can learn the skills to succeed, but it won’t happen overnight.
Also, communication is very important on a digital platform. If you struggle with English, be straightforward with the person you are messaging. Otherwise, your well-intended note may be discarded as spam. On that note, please do NOT ask someone to mentor you in the first message—nor should you message sellers and offer your services in the hope of getting sales from their overflow. This puts the seller in an awkward position. If the seller chooses not to respond, their response rating goes down, and that can hurt their sales. If they think you are spamming them, they can (and will) report you, which can cause you to lose your Fiverr account privileges.
Lastly, patience is key. After messaging someone, give them time to respond. An online green light does not mean the person will respond within a minute. A good rule of thumb is to wait at least 48 to 72 hours. Messaging someone “Hello,” followed by “Hi,” followed by “You There” is inconsiderate and will push most people away from you.
In Conclusion
Becoming a successful seller in a growing Gig economy can be hard. With the right mentorship, mindset, and work ethic, it is possible. Finding the right mentor may take time, and the mentorship may come in different formats. However, there are several ways to find mentorship on Fiverr depending on the level of mentorship you require. In this process you will not only learn a lot about selling on Fiverr, but you will learn what it is like from a buyer’s perspective, as well as learn many other important Gig economy skills. Done right, mentorship on Fiverr can open doors you may never have imagined. It may allow you to create and earn income in ways you cannot yet see. I know because when I started selling here, I never dreamed I would be developing online courses for my profession, or writing for the Fiverr Blog. The possibilities are endless. Simply ask your mentor, and I am sure he or she will agree.
How did you find your Fiverr mentor? What qualities do you look for in a mentor? Tell us in the comments below!
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