There are always standard ways to do things in any industry, so when you take it one step further, people notice.
Case in point, my agency was asked to quote for a website redesign project. I knew my relatively small website design portfolio would be my weakness. My specialty is in social media marketing and brand building, so what could I do to show the client we are the best choice?
Let’s take it one step back and consider the standard quoting practices. It’s usually a short summary of what the client is looking for (project scope) and then a bunch of numbers (the budget) to tell the client what they have to pay for deliverables.
I like showing my client prospects what we can do for THEM, something relevant to them and not a portfolio of our other works – because who cares? It’s not relevant to their profitability or brand. So I created a mock up design of the landing page I envisioned for the client’s website redesign and provided a brief competitive analysis illustrating why I chose that specific branding direction for the client.
Usually mock ups are not provided until after contract signing, but who cares about the standard way of doing things? I care about how I can make the client remember us and notice that we work harder and take their project more seriously than our competitors. It worked and we left a positive impression with the clients.
Key takeaway? Do more than what’s required, go further than needed, and show people you truly care – it will make a difference in your success in the long-term.
What the Marketer Saw 