How To Follow Up A Consulting ProposalWritten by Paul Bednar
How To Follow Up A Consulting Proposal Copyright 2002 by Paul BednarAfter submitting a proposal, many consultants wait a short period of time--maybe a few days or one week, before contacting potential client. The purpose is to find out if proposal has been accepted, rejected, or if modifications are necessary. Contacting potential client once is professional and acceptable. However, if your phone call or email is not returned, you will be tempted to repeatedly contact potential client for an answer. Resist this temptation. Hounding potential client for an answer does not improve situation. Don't take it personally. After making your one inquiry about proposal's status, forget about it and move on. Begin searching for next potential client. This practice of submit-follow up-move on defies conventional sales methodology where people are trained to continuously follow up with prospects in order to get sales. However, this method works for these reasons: 1. You have no idea what has happened at company and why your proposal hasn't yet been accepted. Perhaps entire project got cancelled? Maybe quarterly earnings were disappointing and a layoff is now in works? The possibilities are endless and constant speculation for an answer can drive you crazy!
| | 3 Traits for SuccessWritten by Bill Phillips
The other day I was conducting a group interview at one of my off-line businesses. I was addressing about 15 applicants for an office position and going over three basic character traits that I require. I've talked about these same principles with every applicant since I started hiring help for my businesses in 1976 and have since hired hundreds of people. I have hired and worked people of virtually all types: men; women; gay; straight; various races and religions; tall; short; skinny; fat. See, to me, it's not any of that. It's character and heart of an individual that matters. As I explained to them, these 3 traits are not only what I require of employees, but what I look for in anyone I associate with, whether they are vendors, advisors or friends. As are most values, these were taught to me at an early age by my parents. They are:Honesty-Dependability-Attitude Honesty-I only want to deal with honest people and I’m not just talking about stealing. I mean people who, if you ask them a question, they will tell you truth-good-bad-or ugly! And sometimes it isn’t only what you say that is dishonest, it is what you don’t say. My dad always said that lying was same as stealing and aside from fibs we tell for politeness (that was a good dinner Mrs. Jones), I believe he was right. Honesty in your business is a major key to long term success!! Dependability-I was raised in a successful family business and started working on payroll when I was twelve. In my family, you didn’t miss school or work unless you were too sick to get out of bed. Otherwise, you dragged yourself in and hoped some- body would have mercy and send you home. I was also taught to always arrive at least 10 minutes early for any scheduled event. There was no "fashionably late" to my dad. Of course result has been countless hours of waiting on other people throughout my life and being first to arrive at parties. Very few people today are that dependable and even fewer young people and kids are being taught these lessons. I call being habitually late and/or no showing, "The Silent Killers", because very few customers or friends will tell you that being undepend- able is why they no longer associate or do business with you!
|
