So this very quick marketing tactic is more proposal-specific — you can’t really implement it in ALL your marketing. But it is very easy to implement day today, and based on our experience it can increase the number of projects you sign on by around 25%.

Let me show you a common scenario how this works:

You just had a great meeting with a prospect and he’s asked for an estimate. You’re all fired up and ready to send him a simple one-page PDF with a breakdown of probable project costs.

VERY BIG MISTAKE

Why? Because you’re focusing on the wrong thing.

I’ve already told you about the thought sequence your prospect has to go through before he’s ready to buy. And you know how to structure a proposal to match that. So although it’s more work, putting in that extra effort to craft a proper proposal is really worth it — our experience says 45% of average proposals win, while only 30% of estimates do. (And that’s only for average ones — so if your proposal is following the other guidelines I’ve talked about, you’ll probably do even better.)

Here are three basic reasons for this:

Firstly, estimates just focus on price. So when you send one to a prospect, you shift his attention away from what you will DO for him, and onto how much he will have to PAY for it. Obviously, it’s better to focus him on the value you will create. Then the price becomes a no-brainier when you eventually mention it at the end.

Secondly, customers are wary of estimates because they don’t want to get burned by a project that goes over cost. If the price you quote seems low, he’s afraid you’re being optimistic, and worries that things will increase later. And if it’s high, he doesn’t want to pay — especially if there’s some uncertainty in the cost.

Thirdly, prospects tend to assume that if you can give an exact figure rather than a general range, you must have a clearer understanding of the project than someone who just provides an estimate. You seem more confident and decisive — which he subconsciously connects back to your skills. So you look good!

Of course, this still leaves the question of how much to charge, and how to avoid your prospects thinking you’re too pricey if you charge more than your competitors (which you should if your service is better than theirs).

I hope this article help you increase your business by sending proposal and not the estimation, please write your thoughts in comment box.

Happy Reading