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Skill tutorial

Get your first five reviews

You will have a simple, honest plan to win small first jobs, deliver them well and ask for fair feedback, without breaking any platform rules.

8steps
30minutes, about
Beginnerlevel

Updated · Built from the official sources listed at the end · How we research

What you’ll need

  • A complete freelance profile
  • One small service you can deliver fast
  • A notes app to track orders
  • 30 minutes to plan

30 minutes, about. Your progress saves in this browser, so you can stop and come back.

Step 1 of 8

Learn what is not allowed first

Reviews only help if clients trust them. That is why platforms and regulators take fake reviews seriously.

Upwork calls fake jobs, hiring yourself from another account, paying for feedback and swapping reviews "feedback building", and says it can lead to account suspension (Upwork Help). Fiverr prohibits review manipulation, including asking a client for a 5-star review (Fiverr Help). In the United States, an FTC rule bans buying fake reviews and paying for reviews that must say something positive or negative (FTC).

Watch out: Selling "review packages" is a common trap. Using them can get your account suspended.
Checklist
Quick checkA friend offers to order your gig so you get a quick 5-star review. What should you do?
Show the answer

Say no, because fake orders break platform rules. Upwork says not to create fake jobs for reviews, even with someone you know (Upwork Help).

Step 2 of 8

Offer a small starter service

Your first clients are taking a chance on you. Make that easy with a small, clear, low-risk offer that you can deliver very well.

  1. 1Finish a perfect first order
  2. 2Deliver on time or early
  3. 3Ask once, politely, for honest feedback
  4. 4Win a second order from a happy client
  5. 5Reach five genuine reviews
Never buy, swap or fake reviews. Platforms remove them and can close your account.

Pick one task you can finish quickly, like editing one page or designing one social media graphic. Price it fairly for its size. Do not work for free in return for a review. Upwork lists asking for or offering free work to "earn" a good review as not okay (Upwork Help).

Example: "I will proofread one web page of up to 800 words within 24 hours."
Checklist
Step 3 of 8

Apply to small, clear jobs

Look for short jobs with a clear task and a client who seems organised. Small jobs end sooner, so you get to the feedback stage sooner.

Write a short, focused proposal for each. See Write a winning proposal.

Tip: Skip vague jobs and clients who want huge work for a tiny budget. They are harder to make happy.
Checklist
Step 4 of 8

Set clear expectations before you start

Most bad reviews come from surprises. Before you start, confirm in writing: what you will deliver, by when, how many revisions, and how the client will send feedback.

Keep all of this in the platform's messages so there is a record. See Communicate with clients and handle revisions.

Example: "To confirm: one logo concept in PNG and SVG by Friday, with up to two rounds of changes."
Checklist
Step 5 of 8

Deliver early and a little better than promised

Deliver on time or early. Check the work twice. Add one small helpful extra that costs you little, like a short note on how to use the files.

Send a short delivery message that lists what you did, so the client can check it quickly.

Checklist
Step 6 of 8

Ask for honest feedback, politely

When the client is happy, it is fine to ask for feedback. Ask for honest feedback, not for a star rating. Keep it short and pressure-free.

Upwork says it is fine to ask for honest feedback at the end of a project, as long as it is respectful and pressure-free (Upwork Help). On Fiverr, asking for a 5-star review counts as review manipulation (Fiverr Help).

Example: "Thanks for working with me. If you have a moment, honest feedback on the platform helps me improve. No pressure at all."
Checklist
Quick checkWhich request for feedback is safe on Fiverr?
Show the answer

Thanks, honest feedback would help me improve, no pressure. Fiverr lists asking a client to improve a review, including asking for 5 stars, as review manipulation (Fiverr Help).

Step 7 of 8

Handle a weak review calmly

Sometimes a review is lower than you hoped. Do not argue, threaten or ask the client to change it. If the platform lets you reply, write one short, polite, professional response.

If a review truly breaks the rules, such as a threat, report it through the platform. Upwork notes you do not have to go along with anyone who threatens bad feedback, and you can report it (Upwork Help).

Tip: One weak review among good ones matters less than how you respond to it.
Checklist
Step 8 of 8

Repeat until you reach five, then raise your price

Track each job in a simple list: client, date, delivered, feedback received. Repeat the small-job cycle. After a few good reviews, raise your price a little for new clients. See Set your hourly rate.

Checklist

Sources

Checked in October 2026. Platforms change their rules often, so follow the links for the latest version.

  1. Upwork Help: What is feedback building? support.upwork.com
  2. Fiverr Help: Our Community Standards help.fiverr.com
  3. FTC: Final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials ftc.gov

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