You're working on a project proposal for a client. How can you make it stand out from the competition?

When I create a client proposal, first I draft out the content myself so that it reads personalized just for the client vs. "cut-n-paste" of a similar previous proposal for another client. I make sure that the content catches their specific interests and needs, blended use of charts and graphics. Importantly I make sure that the proposal is very easily skimmable for those "give me the highlights" executive decision makers and influencers. Finally it's important to put a call to action, which will be your close and/or ask for a yes.

Key to success is truly understanding the customer's business, goals, and pain points. The solution offered should align with, and address, the customer's needs. Too many firms and sales professionals convey and discuss business from their perspective and not from the customer's point of view. Additionally, success comes from properly onboarding and engaging the client after the proposal is signed. Partner before, during, and after the RFP process

Tailor your proposal to the client's specific needs and interests. Research shows that personalized content can increase customer engagement by up to 20%. Understand their industry, challenges, and goals to make your proposal resonate deeply.

Say specifically how your offer addresses their pain points, improves their situation and brings them closer to their end game objectives. I also like to translate as many paragraphs as possible to graphs to better demonstrate the process of the solution.

Creating a standout project proposal involves a combination of: 1. Understanding the client's requirements and expectations, 2. Definition of Unique Value Proposition, 3. Case studies or success stories that showcase your expertise and past achievements.

Your executive summary should be a persuasive, concise overview of your proposal. Statistics indicate that decision-makers spend only 2-5 minutes on an executive summary, so make every word count to capture their interest and outline key benefits.

J'utilise une seule tactique : celle de l'after. Comment va se trouver le client après l'intervention/le projet. Car c'est la construction de ce changement que le client veut vraiment acheter. Et donc, je vais aussi expliquer comment concrètement je peux embarquer le client d'un avant à un "après". En étant super imagé sur l'après.

What I religiously do is translate the value being offered by the proposal. At the end of the day, CODB is not a major roadblock if there’s enough value being offered in the proposal.

One thing I’ve found useful has been to create a guiding statement- how can you summarise the job you need to do from the brief you’ve been given in a simple strategic statement that sets your intent for how you will approach the brief. This could set your Executive Summary apart by showing your full understanding of what the client is asking as well as setting expectations of what’s to come in a concise, punchy way. This could make or break whether they read on so it’s worth putting the effort into getting this right and worth running by the client in your pre-submission Q&A calls.

Algo muy importante es que este resumen sea lo más corto y claro posible. No debería tener más allá de 2 hojas de contenido entre gráficas, tablas y párrafos.

Customise the proposal according to customer needs in order to delight them by creating long term value propositions. And intelligent use of storytelling techniques along with powerful illustrations and visuals have been instrumental and much impactful in winning proposals.

Engage the client with a narrative that illustrates the problem and your solution vividly. Incorporating visuals can increase the retention of information by 65%. This approach not only captures attention but also makes your proposal more memorable.

In crafting effective project proposals, it's crucial to cater to the cognitive preferences of your target audience. Research in multimodal communication, particularly with Large Multimodal Models (LMMs), underscores the importance of varied storytelling methods. For instance, a CFO might resonate more with numerical storytelling, necessitating the use of detailed financial projections and data-driven insights. Others may prefer rich narratives or visual elements like charts and infographics. The key is to identify and adapt to the specific communication style that best engages your audience, whether it's through text, numbers, or visuals, thereby enhancing the proposal's impact and persuasiveness.

Kenne den Kunden und seine Painpoints. Nach meiner Erfahrung helfen authentische Beispiele bei denen die Kunden erkennen, dass das Problem korrekt erfasst wurde und eine passende L?sung angeboten werden kann. Storytelling ja, wenn diese authentisch sind und nicht gespielt wirken

A proposal should get to the point quickly, so design and format it efficiently. I always like to include timelines, bullet points and tables to structure the information and different packages/scenarios and outcomes. But just being pragmatic is not enough. After all, human beings will evaluate it and take the decision based on that and previous interactions with the company or the team. So it always helps to add images or nice design elements and moods to get the client to really really want to work with you. But there are nuances to this. It also all depends on what you are selling and to whom you are selling. Sometimes a more pragamatic basic format suggests more efficiency and a designed one more branding/design skills.

This one's my favourite. Always be aware of the questions that might arise and address them outright. I believe in full disclosure to the client. When selling a product or an item, sellers focus so much on what's best about it. I like to know what the downside looks like and I always let my clients know this one straight up. It shows honesty and avoids any mis-selling. Let the client know all they need to know so that they make an informed decision whether to proceed or not.

Proactively addressing potential concerns shows thoroughness and instills confidence. For instance, 70% of successful proposals include sections that preemptively tackle common objections, showcasing preparedness and problem-solving skills.

Based on my experience, it's imperative to know your audience before presenting a proposal. It might involve understanding previous knowledge of their business, pain points, the benefits they seek, market needs, and how to manage their common objections. The proposal should include a call to action to support your presentation, and it's essential to understand your target audience, which will need to include decision-makers and stakeholders. Providing clear examples of how you have helped other clients in a similar process can help you set a benchmark against your competitors.

Something I learned at a previous position is to write my own set of PR FAQ's before speaking or presenting a subject. This way I have anticipated some of the questions or objections and will have a frame of reference to address them.

Always remember that at the end of the day, people buy from people, and trust is the key factor. Questions like, can you deliver, will you be there if there is an issue, will you be there in five years, can you support the internal reporting requirements beyond what is asked for on the RFP, etc. The subjective answer to these questions tends to be more important than price or product performance.

Conclude with a straightforward and compelling call to action. This clarity increases the likelihood of a response, as a well-defined CTA can boost proposal conversion rates by up to 80%.

A simple call to action to a deadline is important. Find out what their budget and timeline expectations are in advance so you can personalise this. Any incentives you can add for a quick decision, such as discounts, and any assistance you can provide in getting a decision, such as offering to meet any more senior decision makers, will help your case.

La atención sin acción es poesía. Se debe generar una acción determinada para mejorar la conversión. Cosas como precios especiales por tiempo limitado, número limitado de ofertas agresivas suelen motivar, el sentido de urgencia y la escasez dentro del storytelling son importantes herramientas para generar reacción. También no olvidar la ventaja del prototipado y el a/b testing. No existe una sola fórmula mágica; se debe probar, evaluar e ir corrigiendo las propuestas comerciales hasta lograr una historia y un llamado a la acción que funciona.

In the final section of your proposal, create a seamless pathway for your client to commit to the project. Clearly articulate the next steps in a step-by-step format, ensuring transparency and eliminating any potential barriers. Integrate interactive elements, such as clickable buttons or a user-friendly digital signature option, to facilitate immediate action. This not only streamlines the decision-making process but also reinforces a sense of urgency and momentum. By simplifying the path to collaboration and incorporating user-friendly features, you make it convenient for your client to take that crucial step forward.

In the conclusion of your presentation, incorporate a strong call to action to leave a lasting impression. This could be a clear directive on what you want your audience to do next. For example, if your presentation is about a new product, your CTA might be: "Ready to experience innovation? Visit our website to explore the product features or contact our team for a personalized demonstration. Thank you for your time!" This provides a specific action for your audience to take after absorbing your presentation.

DO NOT waste the first X minutes of your pitch talking about yourself! (No one really cares until you have won their attention…) Keep it simple and streamline your story to answer: What? So what? Why is it different? How does it work? What others say about it? Now what?

Keep the proposal as simple as possible in order to understood properly by the audience or client. In my experience we tend to put so many things in order to show our expertise and skill that it becomes difficult for client to extract the right message out of the proposal. History has proven again and again that best of the idea’s were the simplest ones.

Keep up with digital trends and incorporate them into your proposal. For example, mentioning how your strategy aligns with the latest in AI or data analytics can position you as a forward-thinking partner, essential in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Always ask: who you’re competing against and probe why others are in the mix. Who is involved in making the decision; ask who influences vs the final decision maker. Almost certainly a committee. And lastly, what criteria they’re using to make the decision. Is there a score sheet? Ask for a copy.

Die L?sung muss auf den Kunden adaptiert werden k?nnen. Gerade bei Dienstleistungen sollte man sich vorab Gedanken machen, wie diese für den Kunden personalisiert werden kann.