Wouldn’t It Be Easier?
“Wouldn’t it be easier to…” …just do a one page quote for the client instead of a more detailed three page quote?
“Wouldn’t it be easier to…” …email the client instead of setting up another meeting to go over your proposal in person?
“Wouldn’t it be easier to…” …run an ad in the local paper than to make cold calls looking for prospects?
People are always looking to overlook or even skip a few steps in their hurry to get to the end. The problem with this approach is that by taking the shortcut you are missing critical steps that have proven to enhance your chances of selling. I know that to create a professional strategic sales quote it will take three hours of my time. I also know that I can do a one page quote for a client with minimal information (as my competition does) in about twenty minutes. So why do I choose to spend more than two and half more hours on a quote? Because it matters. My longer quote is four times more effective in closing business than the one page proposal.
It is easier to send off an email to a prospect than to pick up the phone and call, but is it more effective? No. Is it easier to run an ad than to pick up the phone and call a stranger? Yes. However, these are the reasons why you must do it. While your competition is providing one-page quotes, you will be demonstrating your knowledge, creativity and effort to go above and beyond the bare minimum. If you put this much effort into creating a quote, just imagine what you would bring as a business partner. Let your competitors take the shortcuts and wait around for the prospect to contact them. You will be out doing the hard work needed to make selling look easy.
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