1. Welcome to Clients 201: Estimating Time and Writing Proposals! Introduction: Larger projects and business clients often require time estimates and proposals. In this course, we offer guidelines to accurately estimate project time and help you put together a winning proposal. Instructor Profile: Sarah Buckwalter, CPO has been a Professional Organizer for over 14 years. In 2000, she founded Organizing Boston, a successful, multi-person organizing business and the 2014 winner of Best of Boston Home, Best Professional Organizer. Highly regarded and nationally recognized for her expertise, Sarah frequently lectures on business development and appears on television and in print media. She has appeared several times on the hit series: Hoarding: Buried Alive on TLC. Sarah has trained and coached hundreds of Professional Organizers who have achieved success in their organizing careers. Sarah founded Organizing U to provide Professional Organizers with the education and resources they need to realize their dreams. 2. The Consultation o See the space o Meet the client o Scope of a project o Should be on-site where the project is, not at another location o Some clients/projects may need a written proposal o Others will only need a verbal time estimate o Close the deal o Review goals and a starting point o When would you like to schedule your first session? o Ask even if you ll be sending a formal proposal get it on the calendar! o Don t push offer to follow up in a few days 3. To Charge or Not to Charge? o Free consultation o Your chance to get your foot in the door o Limit your time
o Don t give it all away o Great way to close the deal o Paid Consultations o Provide more information and possibly a written plan o May be in order if a new project is far away o Some organizers put the consultation fee toward the first session if hired 4. Asking the Right Questions o Past experiences? o Have they tried to get organized in the past? o Have they worked with an organizer before? o Priorities? o They may not be sure o What do they find most frustrating? o Goals? o Ask them to visualize and describe their ideally organized space o Their idea may be different than yours! o Do they have a budget? o This will help you appropriately tailor your proposal o Timeframe? o Helps you set your schedule and their expectations o What works? o What systems are working for them and why? o Do they like hidden storage or do they need to see what they have? o Helps reduce the trial and error 5. Taking Notes o Pay attention o Take limited notes so you can give the client your full attention o Make more detailed notes when you get back to your car or office o Remember names and details o Family members, pets, hobbies, etc. o Helps you provide a personal touch in your proposal and communication o Note any dates or deadlines
o Get all the info o All contact info, including their preferred method o Best times to reach them o Project Assessment Form available for purchase under Tool and Resources 6. Estimating Time o Go room by room o Easier, more accurate o More manageable o It lets the client picture the project in smaller sections o Look everywhere o Factor in all the layers o Ask permission to look in closets, drawers, etc. to get the full picture o Confirm priorities o The client may see things differently than you make sure you know what is important to them! 7. Estimating Time o Consider: o The paper factor o Paper always takes longer than anything else! o Client participation o Can speed things up or slow things down o Research o On-line, on the phone or in-person o Set parameters! o Shopping o Charge for your time o Think about deliveries, assembly and returns o Communicating o Communication time can add up o What you will include at no charge and what you will charge for? o Make sure your policies are clear so clients are not surprised
o Build in communication time when estimating larger projects o Donating o What will you include and what will you charge for? o Get to know your donation options and their rules and procedures 8. Estimating Time o Include other costs: o Supplies containers, closet systems, shelving and anything else you anticipate needing to complete the project o Resources what additional resources will you need? o Labor will you need to bring in additional organizers or outside vendors? 9. To Propose or Not to Propose o Don t propose o Small project o Disinterested client o Proposals take time, so consider whether it will be time well-spent o Do propose o Large project o Multi-faceted o Competition o The client may let you know they re looking at several organizers 10. Proposal vs. Plan o Proposal o What you will do o Estimated cost o Free estimate for potential client o Plan o What to do o How to do it o Paid plan for a client who prefers to do the organizing work on their own o More detailed and takes more time than a proposal
11. Creating a Great Proposal o Professional o Use your letterhead o Check all client details and spelling o Timely o Within 2-3 days o Let the client know when they can expect to hear from you o Include: o Objective/Goal (1-2 sentences) o Room by room o Tell them what you ll do, not how you ll do it o Offer a range of time you don t have to be exact! o Note the possibility of additional time for any TBD factors o Include other costs o Outside vendors and supplies o Get it signed! o Add up the total estimated time and costs o Include a place for the client to sign and approve the proposal o Organizing Proposal Templates available for purchase under Tool and Resources 12. Follow Up o Always follow up within a few days don t assume they ve received it o Phone is best o No pressure o Ask if they ve had a chance to review the proposal and if they have any questions o May need time to review it with a spouse or roommate o Maintain momentum o Following up promptly can help maintain their initial enthusiasm 13. Getting to Yes o Address concerns o Be ready to explain the time and money estimated in your proposal
o Organizing projects are like home improvement projects - you are investing in your home! o Revise to fit budget o Focus on what you can accomplish in a shorter amount of time o Discuss what tasks they could do on their own o Prioritize o Refocus the proposal on one or two priority areas o Do not promise that you can do everything in less time/for less money o Create phases o Accomplish their priorities first and they will come back to you! o Stay in touch o Don t be disappointed! o Follow up periodically o Add them to your mailing list o Send a coupon or special offer 14. Keys to Success o Don t guess o Be thorough in your consult o Break it down o Be professional o Follow up o Refer to this Course Handout as you go o Review the webinar recording as often as you need to 15. Take the Next Step o Download the Tools and Resources you need for success! o Project Assessment Form o Organizing Proposal Templates o https://organizingu.com/professional-organizer-training/organizertools-resources/ o Sign up for a one-on-one Business Coaching session with Organizing U o https://organizingu.com/professional-organizer-training/organizer-coaching/ o Use your 20% Off coupon to take the next step in your Organizing U education
o Contact us with questions, comments or feedback at info@organizingu.com We d Love to Connect with U! o LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbuckwalter o Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/organizinguniversity o Twitter: https://twitter.com/organizing_u o Join our mailing list to receive exclusive information and offers: http://www.organizingu.com/join-our-mailing-list/