4 Steps to Making a Sale as an Independent Contractor
When you have several leads and interested parties that seem like potential customers, you’d definitely want to pitch your product and reel them in. You can easily wait for customers to fall onto your lap, but this doesn’t qualify as a sound plan to keep them genuinely interested in what you can offer. To win your potential client over, you’ll need to do a little more than just having the product.
Get to know your customer
When someone shows interest in what you have to offer, it’s good to start with a friendly approach. If your new prospect is a company, it will definitely be an advantage if you get to know the company a little more. Do some research, look at their website, and read their company objectives. Get to know the people involved in the firm, as well as their job descriptions. By knowing more about your customer, you’ll know exactly what they need. Most consumers rarely find freelancers and salespeople that have a real understanding of their needs, and seeing this kind of attitude from you will be comforting to them.
Let your customer know the benefits of choosing you over your competitors
Put your research to good use when meeting your client. Use their logo on your assessment forms, and include the complete name of the person you’re negotiating with. It’s also a good idea to coordinate your clothing with their company colors, as long as you can pull this off tastefully. If you’ve already talked to your client about your product and their needs, bring a report of these needs, including a list of goals and tasks that you can do in order to fulfill these needs. It may also help to bring a portfolio or a case study of what you’ve done for previous clients. This will definitely demonstrate to your potential client that you are knowledgeable in your field, and that hiring you would be of low risk to them.
Have a clear quote and proposal in hand
Your quote and project proposal should be direct, simple, and straight to the point. Reiterate your client’s needs, as well as what you can do for them. Have a set timetable for the project, as well as the cost breakdown of your project quote. If you’re working with a team, it’s good to include your staff’s profiles in the project proposal, to reassure the client that they are in good hands. Include your contact information in the proposal, so that the client can easily reach you if they have any questions.
Send in a thank you note
It’s only good manners to send a “thank you for your interest in our services” note to your prospective client, whether you get the project or not. They will definitely appreciate you for this, and they will keep you in mind when making a referral, or if they need you to do more work.
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