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Do You Make These Two Mistakes When Quoting?
by Steve Slaunwhite
A potential client asks you for a price. It's a writing project that's right up your alley. You're excited! You want the job. So you ask all the right questions, prepare a knockout quotation, attach it to an email and, with bated breath, push the SEND button.
What do you do next? Wait until the client calls you back and offers you the job? Surprisingly, that's what many freelancers do. Which leads me to
MISTAKE #1 – Not following up.
Some writers feel they don't need to follow-up after sending a quotation. Their reasoning goes something like this: "I don't want to seem like a pesky salesperson. The client has my price. He'll call if he's interested."
Oh really?
Sure, sometimes a client will call and say, "It's a go." But just as often the client needs a nudge. He may like your quote but, for whatever reason, is sitting on the fence of indecision. Your follow-up call may be just the impetus needed to get him to hire you.
More importantly, the client may have a concern about your price, availability, or ability to do the job. But if you don't follow-up, you may never know it.
I can't count the amount of times I've followed up on a quote, discovered that the client had some issue with my price or whatever, addressed those concerns, and then got the job. (A job I would have lost if I hadn't made that call!)
When is the best time to follow-up? I suggest no more than an hour after sending the quotation. (Really!) You want to maintain momentum. The client has called you for a price. You've discussed the project. You've sent your quote. Now, you need to keep that ball rolling.
So what do you say when you follow-up? That leads me to the next mistake.
MISTAKE #2 – Focusing on the price
When you follow-up on a quote – and this is going to sound a little strange – do NOT talk about your price. Don't even mention the word. (Unless, of course, the client brings it up.)
Instead, talk about getting started with the project. Assume that you have it!
I often say something like, "Hi Joan. I emailed the information you needed about an hour ago. To ensure we meet the deadline, I'd like to get this project into my schedule right away. Sound okay to you?"
That may sound bold. But, really, it's a natural next step. You've quoted the job. Unless the client has some objection to the price, "getting started" is the logical next step.
Of course, the client may indeed have questions about your pricing or terms. If so, deal with it.
The point is, you don't want to talk about price if you don't have to. So when you follow-up, always focus on moving the project forward. And the statement, "I'd like to get this project into my schedule right away. Sound okay to you?" is a great way to do just that.
Yes, there are other mistakes you can make when quoting. Plenty. But these two are the most common and really spoil your chances of getting the job. Avoid them like the plague.
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