Let's Talk About "Un Solicited Web Proposals" - Webmasters - Nairaland
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| Let's Talk About "Un Solicited Web Proposals" by tundewoods(m): 4:04pm On Sep 30, 2007 |
Over the years i have been able to learn a lot of lessons,when i initially started out as a freelance web designer during final year in school way back to 2000/2001.I was lucky to have gotten my very first web client by simply summoning the courage to make a phone call (from my Dad's office where i use to hang out back then). An unsolicited phone call from "a bloody fresh about to graduate student cum freelance web designer"I took my chance by making the call and lucky spoke with the MD of the company himself and told him of my intentions regarding offering him a website.He was quite interested and we arrived at a compromise and the rest is history and still on my client list. Now this simple example was just an eye opener for me which later was rather deceptive in terms preparing and submission of unsolicited web proposals to propsective clients.Believe you me when i say that in my 6 years of professional web development,I have come to develop a strong dislikeness for preparing unsolicited web proposals with little or no contact people to help pull the necessary strings to make the job click without stess. I've typed,printed and wasted enough printer ink and paper preparing unsolicited websites,spend ridiculous amounts of money making phone calls and time preparing demos and making presentations to the necessary folks in charge of these prospective client companies,with the giving you the same answers[b]."It's a nice design or demo,we will be interested but we will get back to you"[/b] Trust me they never do! Funny as it may seem,I however got compensated by God,when i tried out "My Unsolicited Web Proposal Approach" with 2 banks.Amazingly they both clicked,and it started with a simple phone call but the secret was asking to be put online with the corporate affairs departments responsible for the web presence of the banks.Yes i must confess 2004 and 2005 were very good years due to the bank jobs i handled. " However i've not done much proposal writing ever since.I have infact adopted a "Zero Tolerance " mentality to submitting proposals to companies that never asked for them in the first place.That in my own words is an Unsolicited web proposal.Most proposals i write nowadays are Replies to "RFP" Request For Proposals from clients. I believe web professionals will save themselves a lot of stress,money and heartache with focus on more productive means of marketing and job sourcing apart from submission of unsolicited proposals to companies.Not worth nowadays,i rather bank on existing client referrals and recommendations. |
| Re: Let's Talk About "Un Solicited Web Proposals" by my2cents(m): 2:53am On Oct 01, 2007 |
tunde, your point is the whole point of business as a whole - at some point, you should develop your business to a point where, rather than hustle from dusk till dawn, you sit back and make your money via existing clients and referrals from such clients. The caveat of course is that you must have done exceptional jobs to the point where your reputation proceeds you. If you have nothing to show for yourself, then in my opinion, it will be hard for clients to ask for an RFP, especially in a country like naija, where I am sure everyone looks at everyone as though "419" were their middle name. I personally stopped the unsolicited proposals long time ago. Now, it is, like in your case, strictly based on referrals and I must confess, it is less stress that way. Good luck to you man!  |
| Re: Let's Talk About "Un Solicited Web Proposals" by smartsoft(m): 3:29am On Oct 01, 2007 |
hey you guys are looking at it at this point because you guys has started long time like say maybe 4years back or 5years back, what about those out there who are just starting ? and never design for any client and intends doing the callings for a start and see what the future holds for them, |
| Re: Let's Talk About "Un Solicited Web Proposals" by Afam(m): 6:28am On Oct 01, 2007 |
Focus on one thing, learn to design or develop good sites that are useful to both the owners and visitors. How do you feel when you phone rings and someone at the other end tells you he can sell you a car? Apart from the fact that you may be offering someone something he does not have any plans of getting you also run the risk of being treated with disrespect. When I tell clients that call me that I don't have the time to visit their offices some of them find it difficult to understand and some feel I am being arrogant but again I remind them that I do have an office and they can come around, that was even the main reason for having an office in the first place. I can entertain up to 10 clients in my office in a day but cannot visit more than 2 clients in a day in Lagos due to the traffic situation so does it really make sense to visit clients just because they expect you to come to their offices? After all, every single thing needed for a web project can be communicated to you without any physical contact as emails and phone calls can do the job. But because a lot of web developers are ready to do anything to get web projects some of these business owners think that they hold the 4 aces. |
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