The Subtle Art of Business Proposals
What doors do you want to open?
Are you searching for new customers? Do you want more business from your existing customers? The key to unlocking the door to new and repeat business is a three step process.
- Explain What They Want
- Tell Them How It's Done
- Make it Easy to Buy
Explain What They Want
The one sure fire way to build trust with your potential customer is to show them you are focused on giving them what they want. Winning proposals start by explaining what your customer already knows, what they want!
Proposals that start off by bragging about accomplishments or forcing your “Bright Idea” down your customer's throat do nothing to win you business. They do nothing to show customers that you understand and care about their point of view.
Start with the customer in mind.
Tell Them How It's Done
Now that you have the customer's attention it's time to let them in on your plan for their success. At this point in the proposal it's time to lay out your strategy to get them from A to B. It explains what needs to be done AND explains the benefits of what each step provides the customer.
Whether it's saving money or increasing sales, each step should be clearly associated with a benefit.
Make it Easy to Buy
When a customer finishes reading your proposal they should be ready to give you the green light. Don't waste this opportunity!
Give customers an easy way to buy from you. Every proposal should potentially be an agreement just waiting on a signature to get business started.
Don't add unnecessary steps to the process. Make sure every proposal you submit spells out a price and contains a signature section to capture their agreement.
Need help with your business proposal?
Whether you just need some coaching to get you started or if you need someone to write your proposal for you I can help. Use the form below to give me some basic information and we can work together to create the perfect proposal for your project.
Let's get started!
