They don’t move from slide one to slide two, absorbing each point in turn. While they do read proposals – and the vast majority get read – they jump to the areas that matter most to them.
We analysed engagement across more than 20,000 sent proposals to better understand what genuinely works – and, just as importantly, what doesn’t – when it comes to getting the best possible outcome from a sent proposal.
One question we’re often asked is where the valuation letter should sit. Should it appear near the beginning, making it quick and easy for homeowners to find the figure they’re most curious about? Or should it sit later in the proposal, encouraging them to move through your USPs and fully understand why you should be instructed?
Our analysis looked at both approaches. What we found was clear and consistent.
Homeowners don’t read proposals in order, and placing the valuation earlier or later made little difference to overall engagement or instruction rates. After viewing the valuation, homeowners don’t simply stop reading. They are still searching for reassurance
What this means in practice
Our analysis shows that moving the valuation letter earlier or later in the proposal does not change outcomes. Homeowners will find the price when they want to find it, regardless of where it sits.
What does make a difference is what happens next.
Once homeowners have seen the valuation, they are still looking for reassurance. They want to understand why they should trust you, how you will protect the sale, and what genuinely sets you apart from other agents quoting a similar figure.
That means the focus shouldn’t be on trying to control the reading order – but on making your USPs impossible to miss, wherever and however the proposal is viewed.
In practical terms:
- Each USP should be clear, specific and evidence-based, not generic claims
- Strong USPs work best when they are given space – often a single, focused slide per USP
- Every USP should answer the homeowner’s unspoken question: “How does this reduce risk or improve my outcome?”
- Assumptions don’t land – proof, process and real examples do
Homeowners don’t need more slides. They need clear reasons to instruct you, communicated powerfully and consistently.
Get that right, and the position of the valuation letter becomes far less important.