When it comes to pre-project consultation, it’s always tough to draw the line. Most of us have a strict policy against design mockups, but what is fair to do pre-project?

For most of us, that line gets drawn based on what is easiest within the time we have available. Most of us remember a time when we won a job young in our career based upon our hopeless overworking of the proposal. Because we were so desperate for the work, and had little else to do, -we turned in the most thorough, and complete response of anyone in the group.

For most people with successful businesses, that day is long gone. There is simply no time to convey your ideas to a potential client as accurately as you would like. It’s called speculative work, -and that is a no-no.

So what defines speculative work? In its simplest sense, speculative work is anything that seems to give away too much information about your process, or takes too much time that could be used for more valuable purposes.

But what really is too much information?

How do you treat your mechanic, or your cable repairman? Because you have no idea what it is they are doing, you demand very specific explanations, and estimates of their process. The more detailed they can be, the more at ease you are about the process.

So since they told you exactly what was wrong with your car, -are you more inclined to take it to a different mechanic? No, in fact, you’re even more inclined to leave your car with them. You trust them based upon their openness.

So we can basically say that as an industry, it is good to be as forthcoming as possible. It’s important for us to develop standards where clients can trust us, and compare our services to others.

Jumpchart splits that divide; it provides a simple, quick, non-subjective way to illustrate what you will provide.

Clients simply just understand what you show them. Better yet, it doesn’t take long to get your ideas into a logical format.

Call it speculative work if you will, but it’s quick, it’s easy, and it simply wins jobs based on its comprehensiveness.