Developing a Competitive Edge
In order to stand out from the crowd, you need to develop good habits in the bidding process. This is that time after you’ve submitted your proposal, and before the client has chosen her contractor. Fortunately, this isn’t difficult. Many top contractors use these same good habits to develop their competitive edge.
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The keyword to win projects by is quality. In the end, this is what the best clients want. Quality includes doing a great job in an efficient and positive way. The better you can communicate this, the more jobs you will win.
There’s a bit of an art to honing your bidding skills. Over time you will develop your personal style that works for you. Allow for this. Don’t try to fit into someone else’s mold. Learn from the best, apply what works, and add everything else you’ve found that works for you. Here are a few habits used by top contractors in the bidding process you might consider:
• Give prompt responses to questions or requests for more information from the client. This is part of your job. Show them you’re available and professional.
• Ask intelligent questions. This will show you’ve carefully considered their unique situation and have found an area that needs clarifying.
• Don’t deeply under- or overbid. I’ll get into pricing in the next chapter. But for many clients, under- or overbidding is an immediate put-off.
• Provide samples, especially if they request them, but don’t overdo it. One hundred and fifty of your best websites will exhaust the client before he even begins reviewing them. Pick those that most resemble his project, and say you can provide more on request or to view the Portfolio area of your profile.
• Bid on new job postings. This is a point that some contractors debate. However, see if it works for you as it does for many. Search for the most recent postings and bid on those to start with.
• If you have a significant language barrier with the person you’re submitting a proposal to, have someone check your writing. Hire an Elancer to do it on a regular basis. Poor grammar can be tolerated to a certain extent, but after a certain point it becomes a burden.
• Craft your proposal following the guidelines in the next chapter.
These habits aren’t foolproof, nothing is, but they will help you stand out as a quality contractor eager to work.