Dwight’s Fragrant Crap

I’m no expert when it comes to making sales pitches, but I think I know the difference between trying to persuade someone and making a fool out of yourself. A web designer looking for an opportunity to create a website for my girlfriend’s photography portfolio sent her a personal e-mail containing the following:

I would just like to offer and make your very own official website.  The features of multiply,blogspot,geocities and other free web hosting sites are very limited including the layouts,not to mention the ads that they are including in your site.  When you have your own website, I can make you the layout that you preferred up to the smallest detail.  Website helps your company in terms of marketing the products and services that you offer.

I always treat my clients with outmost confidentiality so your files are assured safe with me and will not be distributed to unauthorized people.

I can offer you the following services:

Webspace of 300MB (The webspace can be larger depending on your needs)

• Unlimited number of email addresses (shared webspace)
• Unlimited number of webpages
• Graphic design (for website use only)
  
• Website creation (programming and coding)
• Technical Support
• Static Webpages with flash contents.

It will only cost you P15,000 (1 Yr Domain and Hosting included).  I can make the entire website within 15 days when the layout has been approved and when files is already given to me,

I would like to discuss everything with you personally or even just by phone since this written proposal is just a brief summary of the services that I offer you.

I solely made these websites starting from scratch, I have other ongiong projects but I cannot show them yet.
www.martascakes.com.ph
www.robertblancaflorgroupinc.com
www.huffnpuffpartystuff.com
www.roccicoffee.com

Do not be fooled by other designers who offer very cheap services, their services are very limited.

I didn’t include his name to save his future career in case anyone here knows the guy. Anyway, perhaps some lessons I learned when reading his convincing e-mail are:

1. Use proper grammar.
2. Don’t give out the price! In any job where the service isn’t the same for all the clients (especially design) the price will definitely vary for the needs of the client in every project. Giving the price will already put the designer in a situation where the service will be treated like an item in a restaurant’s menu—it’ll simply be compared to others and treated as a commodity.
3. Eat your own dog food! A good friend of mine once told me that you have to eat your own dog food and patronize what you’re selling. In this case, since he’s a web designer, he has to have his own website to show the client.
4. Sell Quality! Take one good look at the websites he linked to, and you’ll know what I mean.
5. Don’t mindlessly ridicule competition! His last line, “Do not be fooled by other designers who offer very cheap services, their services are very limited,” simply shows insecurity. Let your work do the talking.