[Rex Mann]

It seems more and more of our proposals are being sent out via email. Currently we send the proposal and references out as attachments in Micro Soft Word.

They are very plain and do not stand out from the the other guys'. I want to add some sizzle, pictures, logos, and the like to the proposals. The colors, pictures and links will set my proposal apart from others.

Does anyone have a program they use: is there one out there, that will help me add the sizzle I am looking for? Any cons to adding the sizzle?

Peace,

Rex

Paving stone installs Phoenix and valley wide residential and commercial

[GLAN]

You have to create a template, which you can do yourself......or have a printer do it.

You may find some programs that contain business forms....for what you intend.


Did you try searching "Business Forms"?

[Stonehenge]

Rex, you might try Adobe Acrobat. You can create a pdf, which anyone can open, and it can contain links, images - everything. I don't know how good the layout part of the program is (haven't used it) - but if links are critically important, you can do layout in any program (Word, Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, Corel Paint, Microsoft Publisher (check - you probably have this bundled with your office suite)), then use a free PDF creator to turn it into a nice online document.

[jshilan]

Quickbooks lets you customize your proposals any way that you want. You can add your logo, change the fonts and add color. It also allows you to email it right from the program itself. It arrives as a PDF to the customer which can be opened with Adobe, which almost everyone has.

If you want something immediately, you can select from their customized templates and just add your name etc. Some of these are very colorful and eye catching. Another great thing is that they have, proposals, invoices, and statements so that you can be consistent with your image.

If you don't have Quickbooks, you should consider getting it. It is a very intuitive, easy to use program and it is very reasonably priced. I would get the Pro version minimally, and the Contractor Version if you can swing the extra bucks.

If you do have Quickbooks you may need a current version to get these features.

I am attaching a form that I use to obtain client information from the contractors or homeowners that I work with. I hope this information is useful to you.

[Terre]

You might look at using Power point. Most computers come with it, but you can prepare your presentation with a pack n play so if they don't have power point they can still view it, but it presents as a slide show on their computer. It is also very user friendly to learn.

One of the computer design programs I was experimenting with would export to Power point, but you can also import from CAD, Excel or any number of other programs, then add pictures of the individual components for their yard. It's very visual. I can use pictures of mature trees or plants, so they know what it'll look like in a few years, and to me is much better than the 3D 'aged' part of most design programs. Also, on each slide I can present a picture, and then ad text to provide info, or explain why I'm recommending a particular way of doing something. To me, I can tell someone I'm installing a smoke tree, but when I show them the picture, I get their check.

[Paydaze7]

i use .pdfs as well.. i think they are more professional looking.its a lot cripser and cleaner than your regular old word doc. also nice its not as easy edited like a word doc.. i have heard stories about guys emailing the contract in word docs, the client changes the prices, prints it out and both parties sign it... im sure there are more reasons, because pretty much every state/govt agency uses .pdfs as well...

[Matt Kulp]

I'm on the Adobe boat as well, can't beat the options. Also, I would advise everyone that emails documents to customers do it in PDF. If you send in Word, the customer has the option to change your document. If it is sent in PDF it is not as easy.

[Hamons]

Also, if you need a very simple way to create a pdf try CutePDF - Create PDF for free, Free PDF Utilities, Save PDF Forms, Edit PDF easily. It is a free application that creates a pdf of any documents just as easily as printing it.

[Paydaze7]

rex,

another thing to think about is fonts and what not.. our proposals have some really cool fonts/layout.. i bought a font package from like staples, so if i sent my proposals in anything other than .pdf the customer most likely wouldn't have my fonts/layouts saved in their computer...