Harnessing The Power of Proposals

Credit: Pressmaster on Photodune.

Being a freelancer by nature, I’ve learned early on that producing great work is only half the battle. I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve sat idly by clicking the refresh button on my email client, waiting to hear from the prospective client that my bid has been accepted.

If you don’t get the job, you don’t have any work. Although confident that my portfolio could convince even the most skeptic decision makers, too many exiting and interesting projects were slipping through my fingertips.

Rather than continuing to allow great prospects to drift over to an unknown competitor, I put my problem-solving abilities to work to correct a flaw in my business structure. What I discovered is that while portfolios are a good start, a well written proposal is the icing on the cake that seals the deal on sales, turning that hopeful shot in the dark into a trusting client that is excited to hire you.

While a good portfolio peaks a prospect’s interest in your work, they can often be left with a feeling of uncertainty if that is the only basis they have in choosing you. A customized proposal will show the client exactly how your work history applies to their specific needs.

How to Structure a Proprosal

By beginning with a Purpose Statement, your client will know that you understand their needs, and by listing the Goals that the client has for their project, you are providing convincing evidence that you and your client are on the same page. For good measure, include any Background Information that the client has provided you, even if only to prove that you’ve been paying attention.

Rather than aimlessly trying to convince a prospect that you’re their best choice, your proposal will provide a focused draft of how you intend to complete the project by stating the Scope, Deliverables, and Schedule for the project.

The Scope will identify the services that you are providing, and the Deliverables section identifies everything that you will provide the client in order to turn the end product over to them.

By providing a tentative Project Schedule, your client will know when to expect the work to be completed, so that they may understand how the turnaround fits into their timeline. By providing these elements, you are demonstrating to the prospective client that you are organized and have already begun identifying the logistics of their project for them.

After impressing a prospect with your organization skills and demonstrating your interest in their project, you can provide them with an Estimate of the costs they will incur. By following up with a Benefits Summary, you quickly shift their focus from the dreaded pricing section to an uplifting note about the value they will be receiving.

Benefits of Creating Custom Proposals

You can also provide any additional information and appendixes that are relevant to the project, and feel confident that the extra effort you put forth will leave an impression that builds client confidence in your work. It’s helpful to understand more about the request for proposal process as well, especially for larger projects.

While it may require a bit more time than pasting your resume into an email, a customized proposal will ensure that you receive less rejections and start every project off on the right foot. You’re organized, your client is well-informed… Now all that’s left to do is what you do best.