Winning all the proposals that you send is not possible, but on the contrary, we want to win them all, as it is also important to grow our business. We do require to win a certain number of business proposals that we send to.
Are you not able to win all the business proposals that you send?
OR
Are you not able to win the bare minimum ratio of the proposals that you send?
Here are 8 crucial tips to win every business proposal you ever send:
1. Find out what the client really wants:
Before preparing the business proposal, either the client will reach you or you will reach the client. The interaction can be over the call using some communication tools or in a meeting.
This is the most case-sensitive part of the business proposal and this is the step where most of the businesses lose. When you first approach the client or they approach you, the first thing that you should do is to find what the client wants.
How is a person supposed to offer something if they do not know what the client exactly wants?
You can contact the client afterward to ask what they want or to ask other questions, but wouldn’t it be better if you ask all the necessary things when you first meet. This will save yours as well as the client’s time. Have you ever heard of the first impression?
If you ask all the right questions in the first interaction and if you are able to dig deep to the end where you know exactly what the client wants, you will gain the trust of the client then and there only.
If the client wants to hire your company to develop an app. Gain the deep knowledge of why they want the app, what they want to solve with it, what is their future goal, why aren’t they developing the app in-house, etc. You have to find their true intention and after that, you can easily solve their problem or provide the perfect product.
It is just like providing the medicine, the doctor has to know all the symptoms, and why they have occurred. Once the doctor knows the exact disease, they can treat the patient easily and effectively. The first step of project execution is always to understand it deeply.
2. The Introduction part:
Have you ever heard a speech? The business proposal is like a speech only. If the starting of the business proposal is interesting, the rest will also look interesting and vice-versa. Therefore, your goal is to prepare the best starting for your business proposal.
If the first part of the proposal is interesting and perfect, you can win all the proposals. The best way to start the business proposal is to write the problem/issue of the client. Humans are centered on themselves, and for every person, their problem is the biggest one. If you start by writing the problem that they have stated, they will definitely like the proposal.
As you have stated the problem/issue, now solve the same. They have come to you to get a solution and therefore that is what you should provide them. Just remember that you should not talk about yourself, but about the client and their problem/issue.
3. Be clear about what you are providing:
Only clear proposals are accepted and the proposals that are not clear are of no use to all the clients. If your business is not clear even in the proposal stage, you will not be deeded as useful either.
All the three P’s of the business proposal (problem statement, proposed solution, and pricing) should be clear and concise. Will you accept something that is unclear?
If the project is a large-scale project, these sections are presented in different documents known as statements of work. The best practice is to be as detailed as possible.
This will avoid scope creep and there will be no misunderstanding between you and the client. This is best to maintain a healthy relationship. And detailed proposals are clear too.
4. Include social proof:
You will hesitate to buy from a new place and you will buy it without thinking in a known place. The same scene applies to your situation. If the client knows you, they will easily trust you and they will work with you, but, if the client doesn’t know you, they will hesitate to accept your business proposal.
In the case of new clients, this gives the rise to show the clients with social proof. This means you have to state all the work that you have done. You have to showcase your work to show the client that you have what it takes to do their work.
The best way to do so is through story-telling. Tell them your best projects, the project roadmap, and the result that you produced.
5. Tell them what to do next:
To get the desired results, you have to take everything in your hands. This includes explaining to the client what will happen next and what should the client do next. Tell them what they are supposed to do step by step. Mess up this stage, and be ready to say goodbye to all the efforts that you have put in this business proposal.
If the client is interested, they will ask the next step to you, but if you do not rush this step, they will get time to think and they can come up with some other option. Remember that when you present your option to them, your option is the best solution at that moment and the right time to move forward with this solution is now.
6. Make it easy to sign and pay:
If the sign-in and paying policy is easy, the client can move forward at that moment only, but if you are asking for all the money at that moment only or any other thing that is not easy, the client will not move forward at that moment. This is a nightmare and you have to avoid this anyhow.
You can also use digital signatures to reduce the delay that is caused by sending the files from one point to another. The technology is making things easy and the smart move is to use them in your favor. Start by asking for an advance and provide multiple options to the client for the fulfillment of the payment.
Tip: Prospero has the ability to share your proposals to clients through a publishable link. When the client clicks the link, he’ll see the actual proposal and sign it from there.
7. Include terms and conditions:
You should consider the terms and conditions of the business proposal as a part of the same and therefore you should present it with the project proposal and you should get it signed with the business proposal too.
This binds them and as they know all the terms and conditions from starting, there will be no issues afterward.
8. Send the business proposal quickly:
Your quickness and effectiveness are what defines if you will win the proposal or not.
When everything is fresh in the minds of the client, is the perfect time to send the proposal. This is the time when they are most serious about the same. A small delay can surface other issues for the client and then the chances of winning will fall at a rapid speed.
Your speed and aptness can create a huge difference for your business proposal to be accepted.
Conclusion:
Proposal writing is a very important skill. Master the skill and you will get all the proposals in your pocket that you lay eyes on. Just follow all the steps mentioned above and you will pocket all the proposals that you send. Remember, always be honest and follow the advice of under-promise and over-deliver.
