Win your next business proposal

If you’ve had trouble in the past with success from your business proposals to potential clients, look no further. In this article, we’re going to discuss the tools and tricks to write, deliver and win your next business proposal.

Plan and research

The first step to your ultimate proposal is planning and researching in order to understand your client. Within the planning section, look at speaking to the prospect you are pitching towards to find out what their needs are. Also research their business and industry. Make sure you also have a clear understanding of what the prospect’s specific requirements. To help with the planning, look at any proposal templates tailored to the theme of your proposal.

Pricing

Once you have conducted your research, create a document on estimated costs for the project which can be added into the proposal. To help you create estimated pricing, look back over any projects you have previously done to compare and the costs of the tasks that will need to be completed within the project. Consider additional time that may be added on in case there are any obstacles that arise.

Writing the proposal

Now comes the writing of the proposal. Make the introduction stand out – this is key in getting your prospect’s full attention from the start. Start the proposal with highlighting the prospect’s pain points, following into your solution. Having a clear business proposal is very important. ‘Prospero’ explains that there are three P’s within a proposal:?“Problem Statement, Proposed Solution and Pricing”.?They also explain that these three P’s?“should be clear and concise”.?This allows the prospect to have a full understanding of your proposal and how it’s going to help resolve their issues. Have a collection of your most successful projects on hand to showcase. Recognise where the potential risks could be within the project and how you intend to address those risks.

The proposal should be visually interesting and catch the client’s eye as well as being able to navigate through each part easily. Put the important phrases in bold and also keep to bullet points as much as possible, unless you have content that needs explaining in more detail.

Once you have your proposal as a document in full, it’s vital to proof-read it several times to prevent any mistakes.

Presenting the proposal?

If you’re pitching the proposal as a presentation, incorporate effective and open body language and keep the main focus on the proposal. MBO Partners recommends:?“Follow a strong start with a strong finish. You may be given a full hour to present, but ending early is sure to win the room”.?Plan your time management for the presentation. Allow time for questions or further discussion. Once your presentation or proposal is complete, it’s worth following up with the prospect to see if they have any further questions.

Remember, the main point of focus for your proposal is always the prospect. It’s how you’re going to resolve their issue with a tailored solution and create an overall working relationship moving forward.