Lesson 6 of 11
Pricing Your Initial Proposal
One of the most common questions Pros ask: "Should I include pricing in my initial proposal?" Yes. Proposals that include an initial estimate see 3-5x more customer engagement than those that don't. That alone should guide your decision.
What Customers Are Looking For
When customers post a project, they're trying to answer two things:
- Is this the right person?
- Is this roughly within budget?
They are not expecting a fully scoped Statement of Work, nor a final price. They just want a credible starting point.
What to Include
Provide an initial estimate or estimated range based on:
- What they described
- What's most likely true
- Your experience with similar projects
Make it clear it's directional and will be refined after a short call.
Example:
"Based on what you've shared, projects like this typically fall in the $2,000–$3,500 range. I'd confirm final scope and pricing after a brief discovery call."
Then, enter a value in the "Initial Estimate" field - could be the minimum, or some reasonable estimate within that range. That's it.
What Not to Do
Don't:
- Omit pricing altogether
- Inflate your estimate to cover every possible worst-case scenario
- Add in features they didn't mention
If complexity emerges during the discovery call, adjust your pricing prior to sending the final proposal. This is expected. The discovery call is where refinement happens.