Create A Killer Sales Proposal For Your Clients
As a digital marketer, I find a lot of my clients wind up asking "What else can you do?"
People typically hire you for something small like doing a weekly blog or managing their social media, and a few weeks in, you've developed a great relationship and they feel like they can trust you. They see that your writing skills are fantastic, and that you seem to know what you're talking about. The inevitable question always comes - I like to respond back with, "Well that depends -- what else do you need?"
Unless it's something I know I can't do -- like writing a report on foreign policy -- I almost always say yes and then invest the time to learn and figure it out. After a long sales career that turned into marketing, I've done a lot of things. But one thing I've found a lot of my clients wanted help with was sales support, which I was happy to do. I have always done well with sales and feel like I can create something that is somewhat persuasive.
So, I thought I'd share some tips of creating a killer sales proposal. This is something that you can add to your arsenal of services that you'll definitely find there's a need for. I've done sales proposals for clients all over the globe and it's something they are willing to pay well for. So many people know their businesses inside and out, but they struggle with putting everything together in a logical way that addresses the key issues.
Here are some tips to help you create a great sales proposal, and the key information that needs to be included.
What's The Main Objective?
You need to be painfully clear on what it is that you want. Don't be vague or expect them to connect the dots. Use very clear language and articulate the objective of your proposal.
How Will You Deliver?
It's critical that you demonstrate how you plan to execute, should they accept your offer. You need to show them that you have the capabilities and resources to deliver on your plan.
How Will Everything Happen?
You always want to provide a time-line or schedule. Lay out how things will start, and all the steps along the way. People need to know how you anticipate things coming together before they can really understand your plans and intentions.
What's In It For Me?
A crucial part of any sales proposal is showing the target what's in it for them. You need to clearly show the benefit they will receive from doing business with you. They couldn't care less about what you want; this needs to be about them. You need to focus on their objectives, and ensure you're demonstrating how doing business with you helps them achieve their own goals.
Answer Questions Before They're Asked
Regardless of what you're suggesting, you're going to be met with objections and doubt. Try to think about the questions and concerns the customer might have, and answer those in your proposal. This will help ease any concerns and demonstrate that this isn't your first rodeo.
Budget and Prices
Make sure to include all the applicable costs associated with doing business together. Many people are hesitant to display their manufacturing costs, for example, but it's a necessary evil if you want anyone to take you seriously. You need to be honest, transparent and upfront with your numbers. If you're not, it will come back to bite you. The truth will always surface so you may as well lead with it.
Do Your Research
If you're going to see a business, make sure you know everything about them. Their history, their business model, their names, etc. Being prepared and showing that you've done your homework goes a long way. If their business is seasonal, or there are cultural differences to consider, you need to know all this before you arrive.
Get It Into The Right Hands
Sometimes, you're not lucky enough to land a meeting and you have to send your sales proposal via email or snail mail. Ensure it's going to the right person. It's got to be personalized, or it will simply get lost in someone's inbox. I always recommend sending it by courier, printed on great paper, along with a product sample. That's only if you have the correct name and address of the decision maker, though.
Keep It Short & Simple
If possible, keep your proposal between 1-2 pages. This is difficult, but important. People are busy and no one has the time or desire to sift through 6 pages of text, charts and pictures. Prioritize the important content and keep it as short as you can. Don't have any fluff that isn't necessary.
Don't Focus On Product Features
When you're discussing what you actually sell, don't focus on the features of your product or service. It's about the benefits. What can people expect to enjoy from using your product? This is a commonly used sales approach, and it's proven to work extremely well. No one cares about features -- they care about the benefits.
Give Them Options
If possible, give your prospect 2 or 3 options that fall within different budgets. You never know what funding they may have available to them, and you're leaving money on the table if you give them one choice to either accept or reject. When provided with a good, better, best structure, most people tend to fall in the middle.
Include Your Contract
While this may seem rather presumptuous, it's an effective tactic to encourage someone to do business with you. You're removing additional steps if they love what you've presented, and demonstrating that you believe they should say yes. You can easily shape your proposal into a contract by adding a spot at the bottom for them to sign, or you can attach a separate page if there are more aspects to address and decide upon.
Make It Pretty
No one gets excited about a boring, ugly sales pitch. Make it aesthetically pleasing with images, fonts and some colour. You don't want it to be forgettable, and eye-catching images will really help it stand out. It mustn't be generic, but fully tailored to the current prospect.
Testimonials
Include product reviews or customer testimonials, whenever possible. These are extremely powerful and demonstrate to your target that you already have customers who are extremely pleased with your product. It's social proof, rather than just you insisting you're great. It helps to humanize your brand.
Format Properly
Consider the reader when preparing the document. Use headings, paragraphs, etc. -- all the things we know that make documents easier to read, and easy to scan. Clearly define each section with an appropriate title, and use bullet points when it makes sense.
So, if you're going to create a pitch for someone else, just ask them the necessary questions to obtain all of the above information, and then you can get started! There are plenty of free templates you can get online to structure it.
People typically hire you for something small like doing a weekly blog or managing their social media, and a few weeks in, you've developed a great relationship and they feel like they can trust you. They see that your writing skills are fantastic, and that you seem to know what you're talking about. The inevitable question always comes - I like to respond back with, "Well that depends -- what else do you need?"
Unless it's something I know I can't do -- like writing a report on foreign policy -- I almost always say yes and then invest the time to learn and figure it out. After a long sales career that turned into marketing, I've done a lot of things. But one thing I've found a lot of my clients wanted help with was sales support, which I was happy to do. I have always done well with sales and feel like I can create something that is somewhat persuasive.
So, I thought I'd share some tips of creating a killer sales proposal. This is something that you can add to your arsenal of services that you'll definitely find there's a need for. I've done sales proposals for clients all over the globe and it's something they are willing to pay well for. So many people know their businesses inside and out, but they struggle with putting everything together in a logical way that addresses the key issues.
Here are some tips to help you create a great sales proposal, and the key information that needs to be included.
What's The Main Objective?
You need to be painfully clear on what it is that you want. Don't be vague or expect them to connect the dots. Use very clear language and articulate the objective of your proposal.
How Will You Deliver?
It's critical that you demonstrate how you plan to execute, should they accept your offer. You need to show them that you have the capabilities and resources to deliver on your plan.
How Will Everything Happen?
You always want to provide a time-line or schedule. Lay out how things will start, and all the steps along the way. People need to know how you anticipate things coming together before they can really understand your plans and intentions.
What's In It For Me?
A crucial part of any sales proposal is showing the target what's in it for them. You need to clearly show the benefit they will receive from doing business with you. They couldn't care less about what you want; this needs to be about them. You need to focus on their objectives, and ensure you're demonstrating how doing business with you helps them achieve their own goals.
Answer Questions Before They're Asked
Regardless of what you're suggesting, you're going to be met with objections and doubt. Try to think about the questions and concerns the customer might have, and answer those in your proposal. This will help ease any concerns and demonstrate that this isn't your first rodeo.
Budget and Prices
Make sure to include all the applicable costs associated with doing business together. Many people are hesitant to display their manufacturing costs, for example, but it's a necessary evil if you want anyone to take you seriously. You need to be honest, transparent and upfront with your numbers. If you're not, it will come back to bite you. The truth will always surface so you may as well lead with it.
Do Your Research
If you're going to see a business, make sure you know everything about them. Their history, their business model, their names, etc. Being prepared and showing that you've done your homework goes a long way. If their business is seasonal, or there are cultural differences to consider, you need to know all this before you arrive.
Get It Into The Right Hands
Sometimes, you're not lucky enough to land a meeting and you have to send your sales proposal via email or snail mail. Ensure it's going to the right person. It's got to be personalized, or it will simply get lost in someone's inbox. I always recommend sending it by courier, printed on great paper, along with a product sample. That's only if you have the correct name and address of the decision maker, though.
Keep It Short & Simple
If possible, keep your proposal between 1-2 pages. This is difficult, but important. People are busy and no one has the time or desire to sift through 6 pages of text, charts and pictures. Prioritize the important content and keep it as short as you can. Don't have any fluff that isn't necessary.
Don't Focus On Product Features
When you're discussing what you actually sell, don't focus on the features of your product or service. It's about the benefits. What can people expect to enjoy from using your product? This is a commonly used sales approach, and it's proven to work extremely well. No one cares about features -- they care about the benefits.
Give Them Options
If possible, give your prospect 2 or 3 options that fall within different budgets. You never know what funding they may have available to them, and you're leaving money on the table if you give them one choice to either accept or reject. When provided with a good, better, best structure, most people tend to fall in the middle.
Include Your Contract
While this may seem rather presumptuous, it's an effective tactic to encourage someone to do business with you. You're removing additional steps if they love what you've presented, and demonstrating that you believe they should say yes. You can easily shape your proposal into a contract by adding a spot at the bottom for them to sign, or you can attach a separate page if there are more aspects to address and decide upon.
Make It Pretty
No one gets excited about a boring, ugly sales pitch. Make it aesthetically pleasing with images, fonts and some colour. You don't want it to be forgettable, and eye-catching images will really help it stand out. It mustn't be generic, but fully tailored to the current prospect.
Testimonials
Include product reviews or customer testimonials, whenever possible. These are extremely powerful and demonstrate to your target that you already have customers who are extremely pleased with your product. It's social proof, rather than just you insisting you're great. It helps to humanize your brand.
Format Properly
Consider the reader when preparing the document. Use headings, paragraphs, etc. -- all the things we know that make documents easier to read, and easy to scan. Clearly define each section with an appropriate title, and use bullet points when it makes sense.
So, if you're going to create a pitch for someone else, just ask them the necessary questions to obtain all of the above information, and then you can get started! There are plenty of free templates you can get online to structure it.
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