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8 Common Business Proposal Mistakes to Avoid

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Whether you’re a master in your freelancing field or not, it takes a special kind of person to land clients. And the best way to grow a successful freelance business is to land clients. Of course, it’s important to know your target market. Still, it’s essential to be able to write proposals that will attract the client’s eye and help you build successful business relationships.

No matter your new business idea, it’s vital you take the time to learn about creating proposals. And learning from past mistakes is a great place to start.

The good news is there have been other freelancers before you. When creating your proposal, keep these eight mistakes in mind and be ready to avoid them.

8 Mistakes Freelancers Make

Freelancing is a great way to create a more fulfilling work-life balance and comes with some amazing benefits. If you’re in the business but struggling to land clients, it might be time to reassess your proposals. Proposals are the first, and perhaps the only, chance to prove skills and win clients.

The entire process of creating proposals can be tricky. Although, there are definitely common pitfalls to avoid to help make things easier.

Take these eight mistakes into consideration. Review your current proposals. And get ready to create new ones that draw a more coherent picture of you and your business.

Mistake #1: Lack of Confidence in Your Expertise

Don’t undersell yourself! Confidence is key when it comes to freelancing. Convince your new clients that you can complete the work they need in a professional manner.

Remember that you are the expert in your freelancing career. Even if you’re just starting out, you know the business. If imposter syndrome has you down, learn the tactics to beat it and get back on the path to success. Being confident in your skills throughout the process is key. This will help make clients feel comfortable hiring you.

There are various ways you can upsell yourself. It’s essential you prove to your clients you have the skills they desire. Here are a few tips for ensuring you get your point across to clients.

It’s an important assumption that clients will want to see past work. Portfolios are a way to include your skills but not limit yourself to a description. Freelancing sometimes relies on the “show, don’t tell” method.

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It’s also important to keep in mind that showing off your work is in no way boastful. This is a way of proving you’re capable of everything being promised. Showing off past work is a way of building trust with the client.

Though it may be tempting to save time by swapping a client’s name and sending the same proposal to another client, doing your research and crafting a personalized proposal is key to landing clients. Every client has different needs. The more you can show the client that you understand theirs, the more likely you’ll land the gig. Thorough research will aid in building a successful business model and selling to a specific client. The first few sentences should show an understanding of what the client is looking for. It should also highlight that you feel comfortable completing the tasks.

Mistake #2: Slow Delivery

If you have potential customers waiting on a proposal, do not send it later! Send it now. Time is of the essence when it comes to an effective marketing strategy. Proposals are no different.

Not getting a proposal submitted right away may harm your chances of getting hired in the first place. This causes clients to wonder if their work ethic will be the same. Common business mistakes revolve around timing and not meeting deadlines.

Save time by using proposal templates with prefilled sections! Templates are perfect for anyone sending many proposals or in the planning process.

Mistake #3: Not Doing Enough Research on a Pricing Strategy

Financial projections can make or break small businesses. There’s no doubt that freelancers want to start generating a steady cash flow, but every successful business owner knows you must grab a client’s attention before you start focusing on financial gain.

It’s important to lay out exactly how you’ll charge your clients. Know the different pricing strategies that freelancers everywhere base their financial projections on. These will not only help build your company, but they’ll also show potential customers that you have experience freelancing.

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Mistake #4: Didn’t Remind the Client of Their Return on Investment

Many freelancers starting out spend too much of the proposal talking about themself: What they can do, why they want the gig, etc. Instead, you want the client to see what’s in it for them, not what’s in it for you. Remind the client about their return on investment. Talk about the potential growth their business will receive based on past results you’ve brought to previous clients. Paint a picture of the kind of success the client can expect, and it’ll be much easier to start booking clients. 

Every freelancer has underlying business secrets that can take their clients to a new level. Search for yours, and don’t let your clients miss out on them.

In your next proposal, be sure to highlight the Return on Investment (ROI).

Mistake #5: The Proposal Is Lengthy

Sometimes, the proposal is too long, which can turn a reasonable road map into a map with little to no direction. It can also lead to unrealistic assumptions as it’s too much for the target audience to digest and take in.

This is when finding a place that provides proposal templates is essential. These templates should always include the following:

This is your basic information and the project the client is looking for help with.

State the problem the client is facing. Highlight how your business plans to overcome the problem and find a solution.

This section is about proving to the client that you understand what they need. It also outlines a solution or business plan. The plan should describe how you will reach the client’s goals and objectives.

Give your client a visual of exactly what they can expect from you. With that in mind, though, don’t outline a goal you cannot reach. Be honest and thorough.

This depends on the project, goals, and objectives at hand. If the project is long-term, then creating a timeline could be beneficial for the client. If it’s a short-term project, then outline the deliverables. Create a timeline based on deliverables and the needs of the client.

This goes back to your financial plan. It’s vital to know, understand, and be able to use different pricing strategies.

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Mistake #6: The Proposal Is Missing a Call to Action

It may be easy to assume that the client will remember to contact you if they’re interested, but NEVER forget to include a Call to Action in your business proposal. This is vital to most investors. A good business plan will always have a CTA. The CTA should lead prospective clients to a place where they can reach out with:

Mistake #7: Not Enough Payment Options

Sometimes, as freelancers, we make general assumptions about payment methods. Some options include:

Finding a payment method that works for everyone is vital.

One way to figure out which payment methods you should offer is to research your target market. What financial institutions are being used by other freelancers?

Another idea is to join a project management platform that offers invoicing and payments. This will show clients you’re confident while also showing you already have a payment plan in place.

Mistake #8: It Wasn’t Proofread

Yes, at this moment, I am going to play the role of your high school English teacher. Your proposal should always be proofread. Not just proofread, but worked through with a fine toothcomb. From spell checks to grammar checks, your proposal needs to be free of any mistakes.

Business professionals will quickly be turned off while reviewing an article filled with grammar mistakes. Get professional help with the free Hemingway Editor. This editor will help you make the proposal easy to read and exclude any unnecessary jargon.

Wrapping Up: Create Smart Proposals

The best advice to give is don’t reinvent the wheel. There’s no reason to make a complete plan all on your own. There are so many different free and paid templates out there.

And knowing the mistakes that could cost you clients will make your proposals:

At this point, you know the common business proposal mistakes to avoid. This means you are ready to reach out to potential clients. It’s time to take your skills into the world and land your first or next client. Good luck!

Author Bio: Brandt Sohn is a copywriter for Indy, a project management software that helps freelancers organize and manage their businesses. In his free time, he writes articles to pass on his knowledge and first-hand experiences from freelancing.