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PDFs were designed for printing, not for modern workflows. They're useful for archiving, but in practice, business moves faster than a PDF could ever keep up.
They’ve been part of the accountant’s toolkit for years, and they still have their place. Usually at the very end of the process, as a static record of what’s been signed.
But as a live sales tool? They’re outdated.
They’re static, they go out of date quickly, and they offer no visibility into how clients are engaging with what you’ve sent.
At Socket, we don’t recommend using PDFs as your primary proposal format, or as the source of truth for what’s been agreed. Once a PDF is downloaded, it becomes disconnected from the rest of the process. No tracking, no updates, and next to no guarantee that the client is looking at the right version. Quite simply, the opportunities and insights we can get from a digital experience blows any PDF out the park.
Here are the top reasons why we recommend making the switch to an online sales experience.
Why an Online Experience Beats PDFs When it Comes to Sales
It's More Interactive
A CLEAN, PROFESSIONAL, AND MODERN EXPERIENCE
An online proposal isn't just a digital replacement for a PDF, it's a more dynamic experience that allows you to customise your sales process with rich content like video explainers and marketing brochures.
It’s more intuitive for the client to navigate as they’re guided through a clear, responsive flow from reviewing the offer through to accepting it. Your clients won’t need to pinch-zoom, scroll awkwardly, or guess where or how to sign. Because online proposals can also detect for mobile or desktop, and adjust the layout and font sizes automatically, they’ll also get the best viewing experience for their device.
We’ve gone a step further to create a dynamic proposal experience that you simply can’t get with a PDF.
- Clients can review and accept proposals easily, whether they’re on a laptop, tablet, or phone.
- Socket proposals support embedded videos and marketing brochures.
- Plus interactive features like Proposal Options which allow you offer tiered service packages and Socket will adjust the rest of the proposal dynamically based on their choice.
A dynamic environment also means lots of avenues for future improvements, and at Socket, we’ve got our sights on:
- Developing even more flexibility and layout customisation options.
- Adding in more interactive choices for the client, such as upsells and optional add-ons.
It’s Always Up To Date
THE SOURCE OF TRUTH FOR YOUR WORK AND BILLING
PDFs are static. They only capture a moment. And, the moment a proposal is downloaded, it risks becoming outdated. If anything changes (like the start date, scope of work, or pricing) that information won’t be reflected in the PDF the client has on file.
At Socket, we focus instead on a dynamic proposal experience that supports accurate billing and onboarding. The live proposal acts as the single source of truth, always reflecting the most recent updates with transparent version control. Plus, clients can only access the most recent version of their live proposal, to minimise unnecessary confusion.
In Socket, your proposals can be renewed and updated periodically or ad hoc, with or without resigning. What makes it even better is that these changes are then reflected in your billing without any extra work.
It’s Possible to Track Data
PAGE ANALYTICS AND FINE GRAIN TRACKING
An online experience gives you a clearer picture of your client or prospect's actions while you’re waiting for the deal to go through. With PDFs, once they’re sent, you’re left in the dark during a crucial time in your deal lifecycle. Did they open it? What did they read, and for how long? You're guessing, and email tracking won’t give you the full picture.
The data available in a digital experience is a goldmine to help you understand your clients and prospects, especially when you need to know what’s holding them back. It can also help you see patterns and improve your sales approach too.
In Socket, we track each time a client views the proposal - when, and, how many times. So rather than just pinging out an email with a PDF and being unsure if that proposal has even been opened, we know for sure when someone views the proposal.
There is more we can develop to get deeper insights, so you can better understand how your prospects and clients are interacting with your proposals:
- How far they've got through the proposal: Know which pages they've viewed and which ones they haven't, both during and after signing.
- How long they spend on each page: Are they dwelling on the pricing, or spending time trying to understand more about each of your proposed services? Are they deliberating on the different options presented - in which case maybe an offer to help talk through each would result in a better outcome?
The Future of PDF Proposals
It makes sense that many teams or clients still need a downloadable copy as a backup. That’s why Socket supports proposal PDF exports. But really, they’re meant as a fallback, not the main event. Think of them more like a snapshot, not the live feed.
So while it might feel familiar to reach for a PDF, the future of proposals is dynamic and built to work across the entire client lifecycle. At Socket, we’re here to make that possible, and easy to do.
