How do I keep a deal from falling apart before I send the proposal?
Settle three things with the prospect first: scope, timing and budget. Every deal you work comes down to those three. Get all of them clear before the proposal goes out.
What is a scope of work?
A scope of work is the written list of what you will deliver, by when, and what is not included.
How can AI help me write the scope?
Record every conversation you have with the prospect, and make sure they know you are recording. Put those transcripts into AI along with the emails and text messages from the same deal. Have it help you draft a scope of work that works for both of you. Read it, fix it, and own it before it goes anywhere.
How do I ask about timing?
Ask it straight: if you meet every expectation they have, when are they ready to move forward? Tomorrow, next week, next month, three months, six months, a year. Get a when.
How do I ask about budget?
Budget is the hard one. Ask anyway: if you meet their expectations, what are they looking to pay for the service? Go from there.
What if the prospect balks at the price after the proposal?
Adjust the scope. They get less, and a second version might work for them.
What this does not mean
It does not mean AI writes the deal for you. AI drafts the scope from your own conversations. You check it, and you own what goes out.
The decision
Before your next proposal goes out, write down the scope, the timing and the budget you heard from the prospect. If one is missing, go get it.
Transcript
As captioned in the Fargo Walks clip.
This is how every deal lives or dies and how AI can help you. Scope. Timing. Budget. That's it. Those three things. Scope. Record every conversation you have with the prospect. Make sure they know you're recording. Put every transcript of those talks along with emails and text messages into AI to help create a mutually beneficial scope of work. Two, timing. Ask the prospect, if I meet all your expectations, unicorns jumping through rainbows, when you're ready to move forward. Tomorrow, next week, next month, three months, six months, a year, when? Last is budget, and that's a tough one. But ask them, if I meet your expectations, what are you looking to pay for whatever service you're offering, and go from there. If they come back and balk at the budget after you've given them your proposal, adjust the scope. They're going to get less, but version two might work for them. Give it a shot. I'm Jeff Fargo. I can help you streamline and scale with AI. Go forth.
Jeff Fargo is the founder of Fargo Factor and host of Fargo Talks. Fargo Factor advises established businesses on AI Search Authority, AI Decision Systems, and selective AI-enabled implementation.
WHEN THE DECISION MATTERS
Close the deal you already have.
Fargo Factor helps established businesses put AI to work on the parts of the sale that slip, starting with a scope both sides agree on.
