iPixel Creative - Singapore web design & web development company

Thursday, January 31, 2013

5 Excellent Options for Creating Proposals

A major part of being able to secure clients for design projects is the ability to present proposals and communicate with clients who are trying to decide which designer to hire. Having a professional-looking proposal that provides the right details for clients will help to increase your conversion rates and to land more work.

There are a few different web design Singapore apps that exist for the purpose of helping with the creation and the management of proposals. In this post we’ll take a look at the leading options, along with some templates for printed proposals.

Bidsketch

Bidsketch is an excellent proposal app with a ton of features. You can re-use content of your proposals, which can drastically reduce the amount of time that you spend creating proposals for new clients. You can use your own custom templates (HTML/CSS) to control the look and feel of your proposals, which is great for branding purposes. Bidsketch also has a selection of templates that you can choose from if you don’t want to create your own custom template.

An interesting feature is the support for optional items/fees, which is great for upselling additional services or products to your customers. Bidsketch also supports online signatures to help get your proposals approved faster. Included analytics and notifications will allow you to know when clients have viewed the proposal. Bidsketch also integrates with popular invoicing, accounting, and CRM apps Freshbooks, Harvest, and Highrise.

Pricing starts at per month for an Freelancer account that allows up to 200 proposals and 25 clients. To get access to the electronic signature feature you will need at least the Studio account at per month, which allows unlimited proposals and unlimited clients. The first 14 days are free on all plans.

QuoteRobot

QuoteRobot allows users to manage proposals and invoices. You can create your own custom templates (HTML/CSS), or you can use on of their pre-designed templates. QuoteRobot integrates with many other apps, including Freshbooks, Highrise, Salesforce, Xero, Google Apps, and Capsule.

QuoteRobot offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. After 30 days the price is per month for unlimited use.

Quote Roller

Quote Roller includes many of the same features as Bidsketch. With Quote Roller you can also have some control over the look of your proposals by customizing one of their pre-made templates. You can also get digital signatures on your proposals, and this is available on all of their plans.

Quote Roller includes analytics that help you to know what your clients are looking at and how much time they spend on proposal. You’ll also be able to integrate with a number of other apps like Freshbooks, Highrise, Google Apps, Xero, Harvest, Free Agent, and more.

Pricing for Quote Roller starts at .99 for a Basic account, which allows for unlimited proposals but does not include analytics and some other features. Each plan comes with a 14 day free trial, no credit card required.

Proposal Pad

Proposal Pad is another interesting option because it offers a free account (not a trial, but a limited account that is always free). Paid plans are also available starting at per month with additional features. Features like electronic signatures, data export, and custom templates are not available on the free plan.

Vandelay Premier Identity Sets

If you’re looking for a template for creating printed proposals or PDF versions, at Vandelay Premier we offer several Identity Sets that include proposal templates in InDesign or Illustrator format. Most of the Identity Sets include resources like invoice templates, letterhead, and business card templates.

Stylish Identity Set

Blue Identity Set

Nature-Inspired Identity Set

Simple Identity Set

Colorful Stripes Identity Set

5 Excellent Options for Creating Proposals

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Metricons – 210+ icons for Windows 8 UI

Metricons is a set of 210+ free PSD icons designed for Windows 8 user interface. Designed by Oliviu Stoian.

The post Metricons – 210+ icons for Windows 8 UI appeared first on Freebiesbug.

Metricons – 210+ icons for Windows 8 UI

6 Ingredients To A Successful Pitch

Startup entrepreneurs, in particular, are keen to get investors for their project and even if they have a winning idea that investors look foward to, the idea itself may still not be enough to convince investors. Startup entrepreneurs should realize that a brilliant idea alone will not get the funds from investors; they also need to express their ideas in a way that will impress investors enough to part with their money.

(Image Source: Fotolia)

To make the cut, you will have to support your ideas with hard evidence and facts, which will give the impression that your project is designed for success. And that you have a plan for that success. Every investor can be different, and might have their own opinion or criteria for success, governed by certain sets of principles.

Some investors appreciate honesty and sincerity in what you say. Regardless of what you put in, the pitch is the key to getting through to your investors.

Recommended Reading: Entrepreneurs: 5 Startup Mistakes To Avoid

1. An Honest pitch

It’s perfectly understandable when entrepreneurs give a lot of significance to a pitch. However, some make mistakes in that when they try to make their pitch a unique one, they pack their pitch with unnecessary aspects, turning the pitch into a mere tool to impress investors.

They forget that investors are sharp and may focus more on how you feel about the idea i.e. your passion and your belief that this is the next thing to change the industry, or the world. The way you feel about your business idea will tell investors how serious you are with your idea, and how far you can push the idea.

In your pitch, tell them what made you develop the idea. Investors are keen to hear how the idea was born because the uniqueness of an idea is more likely to turn into a vision, and visions get funds.

2. Geared towards investor’s benefit

Investors have to deal with many pitches, all different to a varying degree and therefore, it’s not advisable to put the faith purely in your product or your business descriptions alone. More than your business, it’s the benefit that the investor will eventually receive that will keep you in the hunt.

Investors will only invest, when there’s a possibility of returning profits.

(Image Source: Fotolia)

It doesn’t matter what medium you choose to pitch your idea, at the end of it, it has to contain details about the benefits your investor is likely to receive.

You don’t have to list all your benefits, just the ones that stand out, particularly how their association with your business idea will be able to bring benefit to them. Even when they aren’t entirely convinced, making them interested gives you a second chance to elaborate and explain your idea further.

Also Read: 5 Reasons Why Your Products Are Not Selling

3. Short and decisive

Never settle for a boring pitch, make them attention-grabbing, and most of all make them second nature to you, the kind where you can easily pitch off the top of your head, in the back of a cab or better yet, when you find yourself in the same elevator with a financial investor.

There’s your chance, it’s now or never, you have 1 minute at most, to talk face to face with a possible investor and the both of you would not be interrupted by a secretary, a co-worker, or a phone call. What do you say? What should you share about your business idea that will be the clincher?

Build Your Pitch

Once you have figured that out, let’s get out of that scenario. Now, build your full pitch from that 1-minute scenario pitch. You have all the impertinent points, the things that cannot be left unsaid. You know what should be said, put that into your full pitch.

No one has the time to read or listen to a long-winded, unstructured and unfocused anything, let alone a pitch. Don’t waste your investor’s time. Get all your facts straight then get straight to the point. Even that alone will put you above others vying for the same attention and funding as you are.

4. Do your Homework

In a normal pitching session, your pitch could be interrupted midway with a barrage of questions from the investor(s). Don’t worry. It’s a good sign. The investor does that to check how you cope with confrontation, and whether you have done your homework and thoroughly understand and have thought out what you have been explaining all this while.

(Image Source: Fotolia)

Your awareness about the project will help you to answer them. For instance, you may be asked why you think you require this particular amount. Does it have to be this figure? Why? This is your cue to explain the allocation of your expenditure. The investor will try to pick signals from how you answer.

The more you know about the project, the better you will be able to tackle any of their questions.

5. Pitch should say something about you

Your past history may come as a help in terms of credibility to your business idea. They like to side with people who know what they are talking about, preferring those who can show that they have relevant knowledge in the business, thereby helping to increase the possibility of the idea taking flight.

Your connections with relevant industries may also be helpful and yes, your personality can help as well. It gives investors an inside look into the kind of person behind the idea – whether you are passionate, dynamic, capable or a flip-flop with half an idea that you won’t be able to see to fruition. A pitch riddled with dynamic personality can be very inspiring to say the least.

6. Eyeing Success

To recap, have an honest pitch, one geared to name all the benefits you can bring to the investor, be brief, but don’t steamroll over the important points, come prepared and don’t be afraid to get personal with your pitch. The path to success is paved with experience, and every failed pitch just adds to your experience in dealing with investors and stakeholders.

Don’t Miss: Handling Negative Product Reviews Professionally

6 Ingredients To A Successful Pitch

50 Awesome Business Card Templates

Having a great business card doesn’t require a huge expense or a custom design. Although a custom design is always an option, quality business card templates are available for purchase at very affordable prices (generally less than ). With a large selection of templates available, it’s usually possible to find one that will fit your needs.

Additionally, if you are working with a client that needs a business card design, you may be able to find a quality template that would fit their needs and save a lot of time for you, as opposed to doing the custom design work yourself.

In this article we’ll showcase 50 excellent business card templates. Most of them come from a few different sources that are the best places to find quality, affordable business card templates: