How To Follow Up A Consulting Proposal

How To Follow Up A Consulting Proposal
Copyright 2002 by Paul Bednar

After submitting a proposal, many consultants wait a short period
of time--maybe a few days or one week, before contacting the
potential client. The purpose is to find out if the proposal has
been accepted, rejected, or if modifications are necessary.
Contacting the potential client once is professional and
acceptable. However, if your phone call or email is not
returned, you will be tempted to repeatedly contact the potential
client for an answer.

Resist this temptation. Hounding the potential client for an
answer does not improve the situation. Don't take it personally.
After making your one inquiry about the proposal's status, forget
about it and move on. Begin searching for the 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 the company and why your
proposal hasn't yet been accepted. Perhaps the entire project
got cancelled? Maybe quarterly earnings were disappointing and a
layoff is now in the works? The possibilities are endless and
constant speculation for an answer can drive you crazy!

2. The potential client knows how to contact you. Once you've
submitted the proposal and followed up, you've done your part.
Let them make the effort to contact you to discuss proposal
changes and clarifications. When they do, it demonstrates their
interest and you are one step closer to being retained.

3. Getting clients is a numbers game. You have to submit a
certain number of proposals just to get retained. By moving on
to search for the next client, you increase the odds that your
next prospect will become a client.

Contacting the potential client more than once to ascertain the
proposal's status is counterproductive. Also, it forces you to
spend time and energy on what is now in the past. Keep your
energies and thoughts focused on identifying the next client.
Besides, when a proposal is finally accepted, you can be amazed
at your good fortune!