Tips for Writing Great Proposals

Drawing up successful sales proposals requires a clear understanding of your client’s needs.
Aug 7, 2008

By Kelley Robertson

Many companies and their decision-makers require written proposals, and many salespeople shudder at the thought of writing one. However, writing a good proposal doesn't have to be painful, providing you keep a few points in mind.

Planning Your Proposal
First, recognize that closing the sale in a business proposal is a process, not an event. It doesn't occur just because you ask for a commitment or because you present all the features and benefits of your product or service. When customers or prospects agree to do business with you after reviewing your proposal, it means that you addressed their key issues and demonstrated exactly how your solution benefits their company. This requires a bit of strategic planning.

Unfortunately, many salespeople spend too much time talking about their company, product or service at the beginning of the proposal. The drawback with this approach is that decision-makers are extremely busy and don't want to waste time reading something that has little or no relevance to their situation. Salespeople will argue that this information is critical and needs to be presented to show how their solution is appropriate to the situation. While argument may have merit, you must direct the proposal’s initial focus on the customer in order to demonstrate a good understanding of your prospect's issues and concerns.

Start with an Executive Summary
Great proposals often start with an executive summary that highlights how a prospect's current situation affects his company. Collect the information for that summary by asking your prospect key questions during initial meetings or conversations. In the hundreds of sales training workshops I have conducted over the years, I have discovered that the vast majority of salespeople fail to ask their prospects enough insightful, thought-provoking questions. As a result, they fail to understand the negative impact of a particular problem on the potential client’s business. Summarizing the impact of the problem at the top of your proposal can reinforce the importance of implementing a solution to the decision-maker.

Sealing the Deal
Closing the sale in a proposal means positioning your solution and demonstrating exactly how your prospect benefits by using your product or service. Far too many salespeople forget this critical element. They discuss many features and benefits of the solution, but fail to outline its impact on the prospect's business. If salespeople don’t discuss the impact with their prospect, they cannot address it in the proposal.

To be successful, salespeople must also reduce the prospect's risk. Many people would rather tolerate working with an underperforming vendor than make a change because they fear the unknown or lack motivation. I once retained the services of a particular individual even though I was not completely satisfied with his work simply because I dreaded the hassle of finding a new vendor. If this is a potential concern for your prospects, offer some type of reassurance or guarantee to reduce or eliminate this fear.

Closing the sale in a proposal also requires some form of call to action or commitment. Ending your proposal with a feeble statement such as, "If you have any questions, please let me know" is not effective. It is essential that you clearly outline the next step(s) you expect from your prospect, along with a time frame.

Lastly, keep your proposal as brief as possible. Unless your solution is extremely complex, keep it short, clear and concise because executives simply don't have time to read a 50-page document. Also, short proposals usually are much easier to read and understand. I recall the very first proposal I presented. Because I didn't know any better, I only included information that I felt was relevant to my prospect and outlined a $30,000 project in just three pages. After we reached an agreement, I asked what influenced the company’s decision. They said, "Your proposal was easy to understand."

The bottom line? If you ask your prospect the right questions, position your solution to demonstrate exactly how it is the best choice for your prospect and remove the risk, you greatly increase your ability to close the sale.

Kelley Robertson, author of The Secrets of Power Selling helps sales professionals and businesses pinpoint what they need to do differently to improve their sales. Receive a copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" by subscribing to his free newsletter available at kelleyrobertson.com. Robertson conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. For information on his programs, contact him at (905) 633-7750 or Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.

To Niche or Not to Niche?
Some promotional products distributors choose that path because it poises them as experts in a particular area.
If you’ve been in the promotional products industry more than a few months, I’m sure you’ve heard about the controversy concerning whether niching is good for your business. It is my goal to inform you of the opportunities of niching and how they may affect your business.
October 10, 2008

Growing Green
Effective marketing unlocks the profit in eco-friendly products and processes; here's how.
The worldwide "greening" of industries is not a passing trend, as social responsibility has become a mainstay in conducting business these days. Companies in the decorated apparel industry are doing their homework to properly educate and deliver green products and an eco-friendly philosophy to customers. But effectively marketing green products presents unique challenges for apparel decorators, so it pays to learn some green marketing lessons from the big boys.
October 01, 2008

Versatility Breeds Success in Wovens
Specialty detailing, functional features and washes give wholesale wovens advantages that rival those at retail.
The old saying, "You can't please everybody," doesn't apply to woven shirts in the wholesale apparel market. Today's wovens manufacturers offer an array of styles, fits and performance qualities to suit even the pickiest of customers. Specifically, in the corporate realm, these wholesale manufacturers have added specialty detailing that will allow custom decorators to give retail wovens a run for their money.
October 01, 2008

Thank You for the Opportunity to Correct the Problem
Understanding the basic rules of customer service can build customer loyalty and offer competitive advantage.
In case you haven’t noticed, customer service isn’t what it used to be. Enter a department store and you’ll be hard pressed to find someone to serve you — sometimes even to take your money — much less someone who’s knowledgeable enough about the product to be of genuine help.
August 12, 2008

Tips for Writing Great Proposals
Drawing up successful sales proposals requires a clear understanding of your client’s needs.
Many companies and their decision-makers require written proposals, and many salespeople shudder at the thought of writing one. However, writing a good proposal doesn't have to be painful, providing you keep a few points in mind.
August 07, 2008