Playbook / Lessons / First customers: the offer, the price

Ask for 100% up front on the proposal

Stark describes how he closes a project: present a proposal with three fixed-price options and ask for full payment up front to schedule the work. He says that when the conversation before the proposal went well, 70-80% of prospects pay without questions, and he offers a split with the second payment on a set date to those who push back. When a prospect claims company policy forbids paying in advance, he advises sticking to your guns.

“On the proposal, ask for 100% payment up-front to schedule the work.”— Jonathan Stark, What about: “Sorry, company policy expressly prohibits advance payment for services”, Sep 2016

Do this

Rewrite the payment terms on your next proposal today to read 100% payment up front to schedule the work, and send it to one prospect.

More in this pack

• Test the price before you build the product
• A price tells buyers what to think of you
• Charge more when losing a client would not hurt
• Aim for customers who cover your living costs

Get your plan

All steps · Trust · Pricing