5 Surefire Ways to Make Your Bids Stand Out Amongst the Competition (Without Lowering Your Price)

If you’re submitting a bid for a job, it is likely that you aren’t the only contractor in the mix. In fact, property owners are often advised to get at least three bids before starting a project so that they can compare prices and services before choosing a contractor that best meets their needs. However, submitting bids takes time and money, which makes it critical that you make your bids stand out from the competition, as this will give you the best shot of landing the job. 

While contractors often think this means offering the lowest price, this is not necessarily the case. The fact is that most customers want more than the cheapest contractor; they want a good contractor who will do the job right. Instead of focusing solely on price in your bid, you need to take steps to help your bid stand out from the competition.

Keep reading for a look at a few steps that you can take to make your bids stand out.

5 Ways to Make Your Bids Stand Out

1. Provide Social Proof

In most cases, people aren’t just looking at the price when comparing bids. People have heard enough horror stories about projects gone wrong that they want to make sure that they are hiring the most experienced person for the job who has a track record of providing high-quality work. You should then make sure to mention your five-star review rate on websites like Yelp and Google in your bid. If you do not have many reviews yet, consider contacting former clients to ask if they would be willing to provide reviews for your company. Being able to show that you have a history of providing customer satisfaction can help your bid stand out from the competition.

2. Provide References

In addition to providing links to your reviews, you should take things a step further and include references in your bid. Ask your recent customers if you can provide their contact information in your bids as references for prospective customers. You should then encourage prospective customers to contact your references to learn more about your work. Providing this information in your bid highlights your good track record and helps you to stand out from contractors who don’t have references. Try to include at least 20 references in your bid and encourage prospective customers to contact at least three.

3. Guarantee Your Work

As we previously mentioned, many property owners have a fear that something will go wrong with their projects. A great way to put a prospective customer’s mind at ease is to include your guarantee or warranty in your bid. This will show customers that you not only strive to provide high-quality work but that you also stand by the quality of your work and will make things right if the customer encounters any problems after you leave. This can help make your bid stand out from competitors who may not have included their warranty in their bids.

4. Highlight Your Qualifications

If you have any special certifications or qualifications, now is the time to flaunt them. Including what makes you the most qualified for the job can help your bid stand out from less experienced contractors. You should also include information about your licensing/insurance (if applicable); this shows transparency and diligence, as you were willing to provide this information without having to be asked by the customer.

5. Follow Up

Just like after a job interview, it is important that you follow up a couple of days after you submit the bid to make sure that they received it and ask if they have any additional questions for you. This simple step shows initiative that can help set you apart from other contractors. Following up with prospective customers helps ensure that they think of your company when they go to make their final decision.

The biggest mistake contractors make is assuming that price is the biggest deciding factor for customers and should be the sole focus of their bids. However, including additional information about your experience can help set you apart from the competition even if you aren’t offering the lowest price. 

Feel free to contact us to learn more about steps that you can take to help make your bids stand out from the competition.