Does the thought of having to write a sales proposal make you feel a touch queasy? I mean, what do you say, and how long should it be? And what should it look like?
Kelley Robertson knows and masterfully shows us how in his excellent article “7 Steps to Create a Powerful Sales Proposal.”
Writing an excellent proposal shouldn’t strike terror into your heart. True, it does take time and effort, but unless you’re writing a response to a monster RFP, you shouldn’t worry that you won’t be able to leave your desk for days.
Herewith my interpretation of Mr. Robertson’s tips. (By the way, I think it would be a pleasure to go on a sales call with him.)
Get straight to the point.
That is, use your first page to help your client understand how you can solve her problem. (She probably wouldn’t be talking to you if she didn’t have a problem.) Summarize her situation, her objectives, and then why meeting them is a good thing.
Break up the content.
The most readable websites cater to today’s typically short attention spans with attention-grabbing headers that make it easy for readers to find specific information. You definitely want to use them on the first page.
Use testimonials.
If someone thinks your product or service is the greatest thing since the flash drive, let your prospect know. Don’t use testimonials on the first page, where they can distract from your “I can solve your problem” message, but put one in each section.
Don’t sidestep risk.
Make sure your reader knows how you will reduce the risk of “moving forward with your solution.” As Mr. Robertson points out, that’s particularly important if they don’t know anything about you. He recommends offering a guarantee, and I think that’s reasonable. (Your job, of course, is to be so good that your customer will never have to take you up on it.)
Be brief.
Don’t include information that’s not germane to your prospect’s situation just so that you look more substantial. No one wants to slog across a morass of irrelevant facts to get to the heart of the matter. If you’re on point, no one will think your proposal is too short.
Use a call to action.
I wonder if inexperienced proposal writers tend to leave them out because they seem too sales-y. But hey, making the sale is your objective, so it’s neither wrong nor sleazy to end your proposal with a pointed statement. Here’s Mr. Robertson’s example: “Mike, as discussed, I will call you next Tuesday morning at 10:15 a.m. to review this proposal and to discuss the next steps.”
End with a P.S.
At first, this seemed a little silly, but people read them. Mr. Robertson recommends using a testimonial “that relates to the prospect’s company, industry, or goals they want to accomplish.”
Interestingly, Mr. Robertson sends a proposal, rather than a brochure or catalog, to a prospect who has just asked for additional information. I wouldn’t have thought of doing that, so I’d be curious to know if you’ve tried it and if it’s worked for you.
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