The boss’s guide to creating construction proposals – Info Email Marketing

The world of construction is competitive, but there is always something that needs to be built, designed, or renovated. As the boss, it’s your responsibility to create and develop construction proposals that will convince potential clients to use your services. And if you embrace the dawning of the digital age, you stand to set yourself apart from your competitors and land the contracts that really matter.

The construction industry is worth $147.08 billion in the U.S. alone. That said, to help you enjoy your slice of the pie and grow your building business in the digital age, here is a step-by-step guide to creating construction proposals that count.

How to create successful construction proposals

Follow these steps to develop construction proposals that will set your business ahead of the competition:

1. Set your primary goal.

2. Gather valuable data.

3. Produce your construction proposal.

4. Follow up swiftly.

Let’s look at each step in more detail.

1. Set your primary goal

The problem with a lot of construction proposals is that they lack structure and attempt to communicate too much information, diluting the overall message as a result.

Before you send your proposal to a potential client, you should set one clear, primary goal.

Doing so will not only help you to better focus your efforts, but it will also make it clear to the recipient what specifically you can do for them. Prior to outlining your proposal, sit down in a collaborative environment with key members of your team and go through the potential project with a fine-tooth comb.

After studying the elements of the project in detail, it will become clear what your client is looking for and how you can achieve this for them most efficiently. This will be your primary goal — and area of focus.

2. Gather valuable data

By 2020, experts predict that 1.7 megabytes of data will be created every second, for each person on the planet. That’s a lot of data.

With this in mind — and by using the wealth of digital data available to you and your business — you will be able to create a construction proposal rich with insight and peppered with valuable information that will really connect with your prospect.

Here are the kinds of information you can collect for your construction proposals:

Competitor data

By looking at your direct competitors’ reviews, testimonials, pricing, project history, social media interactions, promotional media and content, you’ll be able to spot potential strengths as well as gaps or weaknesses that you can exploit to your advantage.

If you discover your main competitor uses a specific material or supplier that is costly and less efficient than your own solution, you can highlight this within your proposal.

Trend data

By understanding everything there is to know about your industry’s current trends and developments, you will demonstrate a significant level of passion and expertise in your construction proposal. These insights will help set you apart from your competitors. Services such as Google Trends will help you gain a deeper understanding of what people in particular demographics are searching for within your niche.

Client insights

The internet is rife with information. So, before you begin to craft any construction proposals, do your research to find out all you can about your prospective client from the company’s history and key personnel right through to recent case studies and commercial practices.

Collect, collate and arrange this data and you’ll form solid foundations for your construction proposal (pardon the pun).

3. Produce your construction proposal

Once you’ve set your primary goal, conducted your research, and gathered all of the relevant data you need, you will be ready to start producing your construction proposal.

Many people overlook this, but much like a blog post or work of fiction, your proposal should take your prospect on a journey. It should build a narrative that reaches them on a personal level, while providing all of the most important stats and information in a concise, informative way.

Work through your data and decide on a clear-cut beginning, middle and end that will give your potential client everything they need on each and every page. For assistance, read GoDaddy’s guide to tools that will improve your written communication skills.

Also, to help you form the best flow for any construction proposals, here are five crucial elements you need to include:

Introduction

Outline the client’s pain points to show that you understand their project and its potential roadblocks.

Overview

Showcase your expertise and how you will help potential clients achieve their goals more quickly, more efficiently, and more effectively than they ever thought possible.

Pricing

Help your prospect visualize how their investment in your business will provide them with a solid ROI (return on investment) within particular time periods or milestones. You also can share your pricing structure and the costs of any materials or suppliers you might use during the project.

Case study

Either share a previous case study or create one based on a similar project you’ve successfully completed recently. Make sure you treat this as a story within a story with its own beginning, middle and end and fortify it with stats, outcomes, delivery times and client testimonials, in addition to videos and pictures, if possible.

Acceptance

Prompt the client to sign up with you so that they can enjoy the results they’re looking for ASAP. Always ensure you include links to your contact information, website, blog (here are some great WordPress themes for contractors) and social media pages.

4. Follow up swiftly

Provide swift and personable follow-up, either by phone or email, offering to walk your prospect through the proposal or answer any additional questions one hour after you’ve sent it.

This step will demonstrate your passion for the project, as well as your communication skills as the company boss, without coming across as desperate or intrusive.

One hour is enough time for a client to spot your proposal in their inbox or read and absorb it before you politely follow up and offer your assistance. This gives you an opportunity to delve deeper into your expertise while your proposal is still fresh in your client’s mind.

We hope our guide to construction proposals helps you get the results you need. For more pearls of commercial wisdom, find out how you can grow your empire with a .construction domain name.

Image by: eleven x on Unsplash