sportsoleil

======================= I put this list together after reviewing lots of bids for a couple of projects. I really didn't want to give my project to one of the companies that seems to win everything, but I needed a good reason to make a decision that involved more risk. (It is much riskier for me to go with a 'new guy' than an established place with lots of good feedback). A 'new guy' really has to do an amazing job in the bid in order to win. I thought I'd put together some tips to help those guys - maybe you!... - price doesn't matter all that much - don't focus on the price or discount your services in a huge way - people believe that you get what you pay for. - send a PMB and complement SOMETHING in the proposal - for example, "your description was well-thought out and very helpful", "your existing website has some very interesting and unique points to it", .... etc. Even if everything is TERRIBLE, find something nice to say - first - it makes someone like me take more interest in you, and second - is shows you actually put some time into your reply. - if you submit a list of links of your work - make sure they all work!! - if you submit a list of links of your work, it is fine to have a long list of categories, but if you have 20 sites on your list, chances are that the reader is going to look at a few that are not your best work. Do you want to represent yourself with that??? Solution is to have the first category on your list be representative of 'My Best Work' - I will see that you have a lot of experience, but i will probably only look at your best stuff and judge you on that - instead of a list of links, give me one list - your website portfolio. I'm not going to report you for that, and it will give you a chance to throw a few things on your own site that show that you are a good, hardworking, interesting, talented human being and I will be more likely to choose you (and no problem with the broken link list that way too). - sympathize with the person choosing - something like, "It must be difficult to wade through so many responses! Maybe I can tell you in this short note, why my company just might stand out from the rest..." - be specific to the bid - anyone that does PPC knows that the links that get the high ctr are the ones that use the exact terms as what someone searched for in the first place - so use the same approach with your response! For your first sentence, write, "I see you are looking for a "xxx" specialist, who is also good at "YYY", for your "zzzz" project. Right away you have caught their attention! Then say, "Here is why we are an excellent fit for this project. We have "WW" years of experience in "xxx", and ....." - Don't assume that everyone is a "Sir", (as in 'Dear Sir'). Use, "Dear Sir or Madam," as this includes everyone and won't offend anyone. (I, for example, and a 'Madam'!) - Set yourself apart somehow and make yourself human and memorable - a little humour "I hope you are enjoying the freezing cold weather in Canada this winter! It is 118 degrees where I am today ;) " (Canadians love talking about the weather for some reason). "Choose us and you'll be amazed at how our developers seem to have the ability to work for 90 hours straight! We have excellent free coffee here..." - if you have no feedback and not much experience, find something that will give me more confidence in you and make me feel like you are a bit like me! My guess is that 75-85% (or more) of everyone that posts on this site is a small business and we know what it's like to need a break from someone, especially when you are an underdog to a big successful company! Most of us struggle to be able to do everything while still being profitable. So even if you have no experience... you do have some of the same experienceS - for example, "We may be half-way across the world from you, but we know what it is like to run a small business just as you do, and we probably share some of the same challenges and stressors. Let's help each other to become more successful by doing what we BOTH do best! While we may not have as much experience in Technology-X, we have amazing, comitted people, just like yourself, who want to help you become successful. Because we are small, we care a whole lot more about the quality of our work - it's all we have! Here's how we can help you..." - If you don't think there's a great chance of you winning a project, show your honest and offer value somewhere else. "Sir, or Madam, after carefully reading your description we fear that at this point we DO NOT have staff here to fulfill our own high standards of quality and execution on this project. It is our policy never to bid on projects that we cannot 110% expect to succeed in. However, we noticed that your site has a great deal of content that is out of date, and references the year 1862. Article writing is an area that we excel at, and so we would like to offer our services in the future for any bids you may put out to revise this content...." That shows me a lot about you and just might save me the headache of doing this whole process again - i might just throw a project straight to you. - Best of luck! Sometimes it must feel like you are doing a lot of work and not getting any response or care from anyone. It must be awful sometimes. Please know though, that while many people may not respond at all, that there are people like me out there who do appreciate your work a great deal, even though we may never comment. And also remember that if people are nasty that success is the best revenge and karma's a bitch! Linda