Hey there, [memb_contact fields="FirstName"]!
Welcome to Module 8 of the Breakthrough Revenue for Resume Businesses program.
IN THE LAST MODULE, we introduced you to a consult form that provides a framework to streamline sales calls (download from Canva). One of the biggest complaints amongst resume writers is not knowing what to say during prospect calls.
Well, this consult form solves this problem by walking you through ideal topics for the start, middle, and end of sales calls.
To benefit you further, we provided some Q&As to prepare for, as well as an ADMIN section where you can keep abreast of optimal sales call strategies and learn best practices, such as asking "what" and "why" questions.
Like systemizing other parts of your resume business, having a consistent approach to prospect conversations makes the process easier and more effective. The consult form will help you standardize your process, better qualify leads, and gather helpful information to tailor future sales conversations.
IN THIS MODULE, we shift to project proposals and service offerings.
You've now conversed with the prospect and are considering taking the relationship further. You've completed the consult form and have a strong understanding of what the prospect wants, such as:
- Ideal Job Title
- Dream Industry & Employer
- Position With Niche Skills
- Focus on Specialized Projects
With this information, sending a project proposal outlining your service offerings is the next step.
KEY FEATURES OF PROPOSALS
To create a compelling "why buy from me" scenario, it's best that your proposals include typical categories, such as:
- Intro to You/Your Company Section
- Breakdown of the Project + The Proposed Solution
- Project Timeline
- Costs & Payment Options
- Your Guarantee
- Terms & Conditions of Your Service
- Call to Action
These are standard inclusions. But what can you do to boost the performance of your proposals?
Master Strategies: With any sales conversations, keep your proposal clean and concise. Don't overcomplicate things. Many sales pros will tell you that a confused mind does nothing, which could mean fewer sales.
- Use Conversational, Clear & Concise Language (Short Sentences)
- Provide Strong Social Proof (Many Client Testimonials)
- Answer Objections Quickly & Thoroughly
- Provide Visuals (Chart Showing Average Time Professionals Waste With a Bad Resume)
3 STEPS TO PERSONALIZE & CUSTOMIZE YOUR PROJECT PROPOSALS
MASTER STRATEGY: Customizing each project proposal can increase your sales conversations and conversions.
STEP#1: OFFER THREE (3) CUSTOMIZED PACKAGES
Why three? Well, the "rule of three" is used in many industries. Studies have shown that offering three packages to choose from increases sales because prospects are given the option of a lower, middle, and high-end service. This makes sense. However, you don't want to offer random services. Instead, present well-thought-out options using the information you gleaned from the prospect call.
For example, did the prospect mention "limited budget" or that "money is tight"? For those, offering lower package options like these could benefit you both:
- Middle (Resume & Cover Letter Only)
- Low (Resume Only)
- Low-Low (e.g., Paid Resume Review/Feedback Session)
It's essential to offer a "full ladder" of products and services as a means of helping more people where they're at financially. As much as we'd like every prospect to afford our complete, full-priced packages, that's not always plausible. Also, consider offering other lower-priced resources. Here are a few to consider:
- Modest Rewriting
- Editing Services
- Bundle of Resume Templates
- How-To Resource Guides (downloadable, of course!)
There will be times when offering higher package options may be warranted. Let's not overlook that not all prospects and projects are alike. So, as you develop your packages and pricing, consider other project demands, such as:
- Tight Project Deadline
- Complexity of the Project
- Prospects Need For More Professional Support/Attention
We're often asked about à la carte products and services and whether they're a good idea or not.
There are pros and cons to this strategy, of course.
- PROS: reduces confinement and dependency on packages; gives prospects more control over their purchase; can make upselling and cross-selling to additional services easier
- CONS: possible increased challenges with order processing; too many service choices can lead to selection overwhelm; potential for lower initial sales and future customer lifetime values (CLTV)
Selecting the right customized package options will ultimately be defined by your ideal client.
If you remember, in Module 1, developing one or more client avatars was stressed to help define (and benefit) your future sales and marketing efforts. Use that to guide you in selecting the best-tiered services and packages to maximize your ROI.
STEP#2: MATCH THE RIGHT TESTIMONIALS TO YOUR PROSPECTS
Positive testimonials can be the lifeblood of businesses. However, what resume writers often don't consider enough is the benefit of matching the right testimonials to the right prospects.
This is another way to set yourself apart from other resume writers. As you collect testimonials, group them by job title/role. For example, when providing a project proposal to someone in the medical field, reflecting testimonials from doctors, nurses, and medical administrative staff provides a nice added touch.
So, how is this done exactly? Depending on your business's technology and tools, this may become more complicated.
There's always a manual option, with a template proposal you customize and save for each prospect. This option is undoubtedly labor-intensive but cost-effective. However, shortcodes make the manual option much more efficient for those with membership capabilities embedded into their websites and present project proposals through a member portal-auto login link. Unfortunately, this is a much deeper topic and not something we can expand upon in this module.
Some paid online tools, such as Famewall, enable you to create a dedicated testimonial collection and categorize testimonials based on specific segments you assign, such as sales, technical, medical, etc. Although services like these offer free plans, you'll likely outgrow them quickly and require a $10-$20/month plan soon. Just a heads up!
STEP#3: INCLUDING PROSPECT-SPECIFIC DETAILS
Beyond position-industry testimonials, there are additional ways to personalize and customize your project proposals, such as:
- Mention the prospect's name one or twice
- Outline specific issues about their project and how you plan to resolve them
- Speak to their job role or industry to further connect with the prospect
To add prospect-specific details, consider adding a new category to your proposal (e.g., MY APPROACH TO YOUR PROJECT) could look something like this:
MY APPROACH TO YOUR PROJECT
Michael - my approach to your project will be three-fold.
First, expand your mechanical engineering position with Xanadu, focusing more on your staff development, project management, and new product development results. Since you're pursuing an engineering manager role, your old resume lacks relevant details that hiring companies will require from their next manager.
Second, introduce more position-relevant keywords and results you've racked up over the past 5 years. Future employers must see you within a lead role and less of the person who does the "hands-on" work.
Third, you have significant experience steering projects and streamlining product launches. Being agile and making quick market-entry decisions, especially with your prototype-manufacturing background, would look great highlighted in a new resume. Plus, your recently acquired security clearance needs to be emphasized, especially since you're eying the aerospace industry as a possible next move.
I'm excited to work with you, Michael!
Notice how some of the text was bulleted for emphasis. This isn't necessary formatting, but it enables someone to skim the next without too much hassle.
HOW TO DELIVER PROPOSALS
There are many different ways to deliver a project proposal. There are old-school ways of doing it, such as sending an email with the proposal attached. There are also more modern and accepted ways to provide prospects with proposals, such as:
- In-Person Proposal Presentation (great for those who meet with local prospects)
- Video Conference w/Screen Sharing
- Formal Proposal Software (e.g., Proposify, PandaDoc)
- Email w/Link to a Proposal on Your Website
- Email w/Link to a Google Doc Proposal
- Proposal Pasted into an Email w/Buy Link
See what we mean? There are many, many delivery methods, each with its own pros and cons.
Of these, some are more effective than others. In-person proposals oftentimes produce the most sales.
However, if you run a resume business virtually, sales professionals will tell you that video conferencing with screen share comes in second. There is some speculation about why this is.
First, video conferencing provides face-to-face interaction with real-time discussions and Q&A capabilities.
Second, prospects may feel more persuaded to buy because a stronger relationship and rapport are built by seeing your body language, hearing your voice, etc.
Third, some prospects may feel social pressure and obligation to buy because they can't say no while looking at you. We believe utilizing high-pressure sales tactics to get anyone to buy is wrong. Doing so can backfire, causing unease, skepticism, and potentially damaging your brand. This is something to think about as you establish and optimize your proposal delivery method.
INTRO TO THE SLAMDUNK OFFER
If you're unfamiliar with Alex Hormozi, he's a well-known marketing and business professional who coined the name Slamdunk Offer. He defines this offer as so enticing that the prospect would feel wrong not taking it.
So, what does a slam-dunk offer look like for a resume writer? The goal of an offer like this is to offer something that's of high value or produces an attractive outcome for the client with little input on their end. A slamdunk offer includes additional services, products, tools, or resources, similar to what others charge for.
It's sometimes tricky for resume writers to identify value-adds to their current offerings. Yet, here are a few to consider:
- Free Resume Update 12 Months After The Initial Service (Additional Writing)
- 2 Free Job-Search Coaching Sessions (Phone Calls)
- 5 Stealthy Ways in 5 Minutes or Less to Get Results From LinkedIn (Video Call w/Screenshare)
These are time-consuming, no doubt. Yet, adding just 1-2 hours of much-needed assistance to your offerings can boost your sales conversations by up to 10%. What would a 10% jump in closed sales mean to your resume business annually?
WHAT TO DO WHEN PROJECT PROPOSALS FAIL
Despite all your efforts in devising a customized proposal and presenting optimally priced products/services, you may not be the solution. Yup, we said it! Now is a good time to talk about referring prospects to someone else. Remember, a significant part of the sales process is providing the prospect with WHAT THEY NEED and WANT.
Sometimes, prospects don't want to buy from you for one reason or another.
Maybe the prospect doesn't like or trust you.
Maybe the prospect doesn't like the sound of your voice.
Or, maybe the prospect doesn't want to buy because they DON'T WANT TO. No reason. Just cuz!
Master Strategy: Are you interested in learning how to profit from prospects who aren't the best fit? Be sure to check out this relevant post called, "Referral Sources: Your Hidden Weapon For More Revenue."
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO CHECK OUT
Pricing | Best Practices For Pricing Your Resume-Writing Services
Legal | Example Terms For Contracts & Checkout Pages
Job-Search Services & Application Processing
Outplacement Services – An Ideal Add-On Service?
BONUSES
DONE-FOR-YOU DOWNLOADABLES
None at This Time
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