How to Get Your First Order on Fiverr — A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Do you know what the hardest job on Fiverr is? Getting the first order. Making a gig is easy, setting up a profile is easy — but with no reviews and no work record, why would a client order from a brand-new gig? The answer to that question holds the whole strategy for landing your first job.

Let me start with an honest truth: getting the first order can take a few weeks — that is normal. People who give up after one week without work stop right at the starting line. In this guide I have laid out that path, step by step — how to set up your gig, how to catch a client’s eye, and what to do once the first job lands.

I am Dewan Masudur Rahman (DMR) — Virtual Entrepreneur & Digital Marketer. If you want to know more about me, take a look at my DMR page.

Step 1: Pick one service — and narrow it down

This is where beginners make their first mistake on Fiverr — creating ten gigs claiming “I can do everything”. But clients do not look for someone who can do everything; they look for the person who can do their job well.

So pick one service and narrow it down. Instead of just “graphic design”, say “YouTube thumbnail design”; instead of just “writing”, say “writing English articles for blogs”. A narrow service has less competition, and the client can see that you do exactly their job.

If you are not sure which service to pick, read my How to Start Freelancing guide first — it covers the whole beginning, from choosing a skill to setting up your profile.

Step 2: Set up your gig so a client stops and reads

When a client searches, hundreds of gigs appear in front of them. Yours needs to be one they stop and read. Three things matter most:

• Title: write clearly what you will deliver and for whom. For example: “I will design an eye-catching YouTube thumbnail” — the client understands the job at a glance.
• Image (gig image): on Fiverr, the image is what the eye catches first. Make a clean, bright image with a sample of your own work. Never copy someone else’s image — if caught, your account suffers.
• Description: start by writing what the client will get, in how many days, and why they should choose you. Less about yourself, more about the client’s benefit. No complicated English — simple, clear words.

And yes, keep three packages — Basic, Standard, Premium. Keep the Basic price low, so the first order comes more easily. When you are new, starting small jobs at $5–10 is the smart move — the goal of your first 2–3 jobs is not money, it is building reviews and a record.

Step 3: Without sample work, a gig stays empty

No reviews — that is fine, every new seller starts there. But without sample work, why would a client trust you? So before you publish your gig, make 3–4 sample pieces.

An easy way to make samples: be your own client. Design a thumbnail for an imaginary YouTube channel, design a post for an imaginary shop, write a sample article on a topic. Show these in your gig images and on your profile. Clients want to see whether you can do the work — not whether it was for a real client.

Step 4: Reach out to clients — every day, with care

Just making a gig and waiting does not bring orders — especially at the start. Keep some time every day to reach clients:

• Look at the job requests clients post on Fiverr — apply where they match your service. Read each client’s request before writing — sending the same message to everyone does not win jobs.
• Share your gig link on your own Facebook page or blog — where people already know about your work. But do not spam; scattering links everywhere does more harm than good.
• Stay online on Fiverr as much as you can and reply to messages fast — fast replies win more jobs, and that is the easiest advantage for a beginner.

One thing to remember: the first order often comes from someone you already know — a job for a friend’s shop, a design for someone’s page. Even a small job starts the review count.

Step 5: Once you get the first job — give it your best

When the order lands, the real test begins. This one job will open the door to your next ten, if you do it right:

• Deliver on time — late delivery hurts your rating with the client and in Fiverr’s eyes.
• Give a little more than you promised — one extra sample, a little extra care. Clients remember that.
• Communicate politely, listen to the client and work accordingly — arguing never wins work.
• After the work is done, you may politely ask for a review — but never push, and never buy fake reviews. If caught, you lose the account itself.

Step 6: How you get paid

• Fiverr takes a 20% commission on every order — so on a $10 job, you get $8. Keep that in mind when you set your price.
• For new sellers, the money takes 14 days to clear — that is the rule, nothing to worry about. As your reviews and level grow, this time gets shorter.
• You can withdraw through Payoneer — and from there to a bank in Bangladesh. Open your Payoneer account in advance, so there is no delay when the first payment arrives.

Five common beginner mistakes

1. Making ten gigs at once — focus on one, make it stand, then move to the next
2. Copying someone else’s gig text and images — if caught, your account suffers, and clients can tell too
3. Charging too much at the start — early on, reviews are the real capital; you can raise prices later
4. Replying to messages late — clients do not wait, they move on to the next seller
5. Falling for scams that ask for money first — a real client never asks you to send money outside Fiverr; if someone asks you for money before the work, it is a scam

Your next 14-day plan

• Day 1–2: Pick one narrow service, make 3–4 sample pieces
• Day 3: Set up your gig — title, image, description, three packages
• Day 4–14: Check client requests every day, apply with care where they match; reply to messages fast

And if you want to know about the other ways to earn online, read my How to Make Money Online: A Beginner’s Step-by-Step Guide.

One last thing — on Fiverr, the first order is the hardest; the ones after it get easier. One good review opens the door to the next ten jobs. So set up your gig today, start applying tomorrow — and do not give up.

— Dewan Masudur Rahman (DMR), Virtual Entrepreneur & Digital Marketer