How to Submit Proposals on Projects (for Sellers)

Before you bid: set up your Freelancer Profile
Every proposal you submit links back to your public profile at /freelancers/{your-username}/. Buyers click through to check you out before deciding, so the profile matters. Set it up from your Zinner Dashboard → Projects → Freelancer Profile.

Fill in:

• A professional headline (one line — what you do)


• A full bio describing your experience


• Your primary category and up to 5 additional categories


• Your skills (from the Zinn Hub skills list)


• Hourly rate and typical project range


• Availability — Available Now / Busy / Available From a date


• Up to 10 portfolio entries (title, description, optional URL, optional image)


• Social links if you want them

If you already sell Zinns, you can feature up to 6 of them on your profile. Zinns are optional — Zinners can run a profile-only operation and take project work exclusively.

Finding projects
Browse /projects/ to see every open project. Filter by category at /projects/category/{slug}/ (for example /projects/category/web-design/). You can sort by newest, by deadline, by budget, or by match to your profile skills.

You may also receive invitations from buyers directly. Invitations appear in your Zinner Dashboard → Projects → Invitations, and arrive by email and Telegram if you have notifications enabled. An invitation isn't a commitment — you can still decide whether to submit a proposal.

Writing a winning proposal
Click "Submit Proposal" on any open project. The proposal form asks for:

• Cover Letter — up to 2000 characters explaining why you're the right fit. Specific is better than generic. Reference the project details, not a copy-paste pitch.


• Proposed Price — your bid for the work. Match it to the stated budget range.


• Proposed Timeline — how long you'll take (for example "10 working days" or a specific delivery date).


• Questions for the buyer — optional field for any clarifications.


• Attachments — this is where you attach one or more existing Zinns, or create a Custom Project Offer inline.

You can attach up to 3 existing Zinns from your shop. If you don't have any Zinns, this option won't appear — instead, use the Custom Project Offer form to spell out exactly what's included. Either route works, and you can do both.

The Custom Project Offer is a draft offer bundled into your proposal. It captures the offer title, what's included, the price, and the estimated delivery. Nothing goes live until the buyer accepts — at which point it's auto-created as a live offer for them to pay.

Proposal limits by plan
You're limited by membership tier, not per-proposal credits:

• Free Zinner — 25 proposals per month


• Pro ($25/month, flat 8% commission) — 100 proposals per month


• Agency ($50/month, flat 7% commission) — unlimited proposals

If you hit your limit you'll see an upgrade prompt when you try to submit. You don't lose anything — just wait until the new month or upgrade your plan.

What happens when you're accepted
When a buyer accepts your proposal, the project status changes to awaiting_order and you get a notification (email, Telegram, dashboard). One of two things happens next:

• If the buyer is going to pay via an attached Zinn, they'll purchase it from your shop. Your normal Zinn order workflow takes over from there.


• If you proposed a Custom Project Offer, the system auto-creates the live offer for you, pre-filled with the agreed price. The buyer gets a payment link and pays through checkout.

Once payment clears, the order enters your normal vendor workflow — requirements, delivery, revisions, completion. The project status moves to in_progress, then completed once the order is marked done.

Getting paid
Exactly the same as any Zinn sale. If you've connected Stripe or PayPal in the Payment Setup Wizard, payment lands instantly at checkout. Otherwise platform payouts go out every Friday to your choice of method — PayPal, crypto (USDT or USDC), bank transfer (UK, EU, US), or Payoneer. Commission is the same as your standard Zinn rate: 0% on your first $500, then sliding scale.

Tips for more acceptances

• Read the project description properly. Reference it in your cover letter.


• Don't low-ball or over-quote. Match your price to the stated budget range.


• Keep proposals tight — specific and concise beats long and waffly.


• If you have a Zinn that matches, attach it. It's social proof.


• If the project is outside your listed categories, consider whether it's really a fit. Buyers check your profile and mismatches hurt.


• Complete your profile fully before bidding. Half-finished profiles get skipped.