Custom Offer Expiration Question

[silberma1976]

I have four custom offers out to four buyers who established they wanted to get to work with me. It has only been a day, and I will follow up and wait. This made me think…

Do you set end time on your custom offers? Why or why not? What works best for you?

I usually leave them open with no set expiration. I feel that may leave no incentive to just let them hang. I told the buyers, these would all expire Friday.

Thoughts?

[mjakkerman]

I don’t let my custom offers expire, but that’s a bit dangerous when there’s no overview of the custom offers that are still outstanding. Someone might accept a custom order weeks later when you’re not there or when you are already really busy.

[silberma1976]

I don’t let my custom offers expire, but that’s a bit dangerous when there’s no overview of the custom offers that are still outstanding. Someone might accept a custom order weeks later when you’re not there or when you are already really busy.

I really hate waiting for an order to come in. When I send the custom offer, it is because I know I can take the work on at that point. Days later, I may be in a different situation.

[zazi_developer]

I really hate waiting for an order to come in. When I send the custom offer, it is because I know I can take the work on at that point. Days later, I may be in a different situation.

Agreed with you 🙂

[capitalquality]

I always put expiry dates. Most of my custom offers are for bigger bits of work and if I get a few at once it can really mess up my schedule.

The time depends. I prefer not to work on the weekend so if it’s a 2 day delivery offer, then I make sure that they have to accept by Thursday. For longer deliveries, then I’ll make sure they get 4 working days normally. 3 or 4 days is usually how long it takes to have a conversation with someone else about another bit of work so I can control my flow that way.

[lisabaarns]

I have four custom offers out to four buyers who established they wanted to get to work with me. It has only been a day, and I will follow up and wait. This made me think…

Do you set end time on your custom offers? Why or why not? What works best for you?

I usually leave them open with no set expiration. I feel that may leave no incentive to just let them hang. I told the buyers, these would all expire Friday.

Thoughts?

Do you set end time on your custom offers? Why or why not? What works best for you?

I always set end dates, and usually it’s within a day or so.

My mindset is to grow my business, be able to charge more, so if they send me a request 6 months from now, I’m may not giving them today’s rates. It depends on the size/scope of the project and what I have going at that time.

Additionally, if they have unlimited time for your custom offer, why not go shop 6 other sellers? As a rule I put 1 day on it, but that’s just to encourage them to buy now and quit thinking about it and going back and forth too many times.

There is an old sales phrase I read years ago:

“Be Backs won’t” (Someone who says “I’ll be back” often does something else.) Too often they “won’t” be back. They just say that unless you give them a reason to act sooner rather than later.

All this assumes you’re good a what you do and provide great value.

[silberma1976]

Do you set end time on your custom offers? Why or why not? What works best for you?

I always set end dates, and usually it’s within a day or so.

My mindset is to grow my business, be able to charge more, so if they send me a request 6 months from now, I’m may not giving them today’s rates. It depends on the size/scope of the project and what I have going at that time.

Additionally, if they have unlimited time for your custom offer, why not go shop 6 other sellers? As a rule I put 1 day on it, but that’s just to encourage them to buy now and quit thinking about it and going back and forth too many times.

There is an old sales phrase I read years ago:

“Be Backs won’t” (Someone who says “I’ll be back” often does something else.) Too often they “won’t” be back. They just say that unless you give them a reason to act sooner rather than later.

All this assumes you’re good a what you do and provide great value.

I pulled two custom offers. I got immediate responses saying they were busy and wanted my services and asking if I was available. Point made, and orders recieved.

From now on I set expiration dates.

[lisabaarns]

I pulled two custom offers. I got immediate responses saying they were busy and wanted my services and asking if I was available. Point made, and orders recieved.

From now on I set expiration dates.

I pulled two custom offers. I got immediate responses saying they were busy and wanted my services and asking if I was available. Point made, and orders received

Don’t you love it! Without a deadline, most people wait… Now they had a reason to order now. Time tested sales process.

(Sale ends at midnight tonight… Be one of the first 15 callers to get this deal…)

When someone realizes you’re moving on, or may be too busy for them later, they either do something, or move on. Either way it’s great to know.