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No doubt you’re on Service Seeking because you’d like to win some jobs and make some money. You’ve been sent an alert by Service Seeking about a great project that you just know you could do. So you sit down, click on the link and get prepared to reply - but then what? How do you write a winning quote?
Quoting is not just about the amount you quote. In fact, if you are too cheap, people may assume that you’re not that good. Be competitive but don’t undercut yourself. By now you should know your industry, your market, be aware of what your services are worth and how much you can afford to charge.
If you quote your estimated hourly rate with a time frame (ie. $80 an hour for 8 hours), not only is it an efficient way to price, but clients may be more willing to shell out if you need more hours to get the project finished, as opposed to a fixed price. Also, quite often a fixed price may not take into account all the variables that the client may have forgotten to mention when posting their ad on Service Seeking.
Let the client know the benefits of choosing you. What can you deliver that some of your competitors can’t? Are you faster? Do you have more experience? Can you source different/better materials? Make a big deal about your Unique Selling Proposition, or point of difference.
Let the client know when you can start their job, how long you expect the job will take, any possible variables and then throw in an extra (ie, if you’re a removalist and someone wants their household goodies trucked to their new abode, point out to them that you can also pack their boxes, or that you have full comprehensive insurance). It’s never a bad idea to go one step further.
It’s obvious to point out that when you submit your quote to the client that you ensure you are being realistic. Don’t say you can start the job immediately if you can’t, or that the job will take 2 weeks when it will actually take 4.
If you want to be treated like a professional – be a professional. That means spell-checking your quote, being clear and unambiguous in your quotation and thanking the client for the opportunity to quote. Once you win the quote, make sure you stick to your time frames and deliver exactly what you said you would deliver, if not a little bit more!
The winning quote is not necessarily the cheapest quote. There are many factors that contribute to a client picking you to complete their job, but if you take the time to plan your quote thoroughly, it should see you winning more jobs.
Nikki Teller runs The Write Calibre, a business that evolved as she realised there was a considerable gap in the market for seriously creative, inspired and original online copywriting. Nikki's legal secretary background helped shape the high standard of her proofreading and editing skills and she further developed these talents while completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism and Public Relations). She has spent time freelancing as a copywriter in the UK and now contributes regular features to The Australian Writer.
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