Thursday Tip Triad #7: Formatting Your Bid

So you've taken the plunge and jumped into the legitimate work from home jobs world and are now starting to search for private clients on sites like Elance, Guru or Odesk... So far we've talked about how to get past the bidding jitters, how to weed out some of the jobs that won't get awarded and how to form your proposal.  This week we're going to talk about how to actually format your bid.

1.  Break your pricing down.  Just like I said last week, you want to be as detailed as possible.  Don't just tell them "I'll do this project for $300" get elbow deep in your break down to make sure they understand exactly what you are doing for them.

I will provide you with 10 articles of approximately 300 words each for $30 each, or $300 total, which equates to about 10¢ per word within 10 days of accepting the project.

The above format lets your potential client know exactly what they will receive, when they will receive it by and how much it will cost them.  It gives them the total price, the per item price and the per word price this way they can easily compare your rates to those of other providers without having to do any of the math on their own.

It's like when you go to the grocery store, pick up two boxes of cereal and look to see which has the cheaper "per pound" pricing to help you decide which is the better buy.

2.  Explain why your price is what it is.  If you know that others are bidding at a lower rate than you are, or at a higher rate than you are, explain why your rates are what they are so that the potential client isn't left wondering.

I'm sure you've received several bids that are slightly lower than mine, but I have extensive experience with this type of project and can guarantee excellent results (in a short time frame/with impeccable English grammar/etc).

Or:

Although I am an experienced (data entry technician/SEO writer/etc) I'm willing to offer my services to you at a below average rate because of my new status with (Elance/Guru/Odesk) in order to begin establishing my credibility as soon as possible.

3.  Wrap it up with an offer to negotiate, a myriad of contact methods and then follow up!  Again, this was mentioned last week but I can't stress just how important it is.  The brief mention of negotiation and contact information will give your bid a professional appearance and encourage potential clients to at least talk to you instead of just dismissing you.

My prices are negotiable and if you would like to speak with me about my bid or proposal, feel free to contact me.

Thank you,
Name
Email
Instant Messenger #1
Instant Messenger #2
Skype

If you don't hear back and you notice that no one has been selected for a project.  Don't be afraid to contact the buyer through the message board or other means if you have access.  I have gotten several projects just by following up with a brief message to touch base after noticing that no one had been chosen.

I know this set of tips was a bit repetitious, but some things are just that important and deserve to be mentioned twice.  Best of luck, and remember, if you don't put yourself out there and keep trying then you can't get in on the legitimate work from home action!