Save time and close more sales with a proven 6-step formula for writing effective proposals
By: Roger C. Parker
Design to Sell Online
Although proposals are an important part of any small businesses marketing success, they are an even more important part of Guerrilla Marketing success.
This is because Guerrilla Marketing, a term popularized by Jay Conrad Levinson in his best-selling book series, is based on efficiency and consistency. Guerrilla Marketers refuse to waste time! Guerrilla Marketing is based on efficiently creating messages that your prospects will find irresistible, and communicating them as clearly and quickly as possible.
Like many others, I used to agonize over proposals, taking far too long to prepare them, and ending up with long, cumbersome documents that failed to get the business.
Yesterday, however, using the system described below, I prepared a successful new client proposal in less than 45 minutes!
What's wrong with proposals?
Frequently-encountered proposal problems
- Excessive length: most proposals are too long and too detailed for today's busy prospects to read.
- Price orientation: there is often too much dependency on price as the principle subject and sales tool.
- Stress on tools, not benefits: too much emphasis on seller's "how" and not enough focus on buyer needs and benefits.
Step 1: Areas of concern
Prove that you were listening when you were talking to your client!
Be selective and specific. Describe the specific problems you encountered--both the ones the prospect brought up, as well as problems you identified.
Avoid generalities like "More business" or "Higher profits." Look behind those phrases, and identify the specific causes for a lack of business, or low profits.
Proposal success is based on focusing on your prospect's goals and problems, rather than your products, services, background, or credentials.
Your goal is to confirm that you understand the main issues your prospect is facing. Briefly describe each area of concern, followed by a few brief sentences describing the extent and consequences of the problem.
Step 2: Objectives
Convert each area of concern into a proposal goal
Describe each goal, or objective, in a short sentenc beginning with the word, "To." Follow the objective with words like reduce, eliminate, increase, improve, maximize, etc.
State the objectives in the exact same order used in the previous Areas of Concern.
Your prospect's problems now become your joint goals. The more the prospect reads, the more interested they are, because the problem is all about them! Your prospect begins to wonder: "Can you actually do this for me?"
Step 3: Recommendations
Describe the steps you will intend to take to achieve the prospect's objectives
The steps that you recommend, of course, will result in achieving the objectives which satisfy the prospect's areas of concern.
Avoid excessive length; keep each recommendation as short and to the point as possible. Include only enough detail to show you know what the problem is and you know how to satisfy it.
Step 4: Benefits
Allow your prospect to visualize how you've helped them
Describe the benefits in the same order that you used for the Use the same numbers for benefits that you used in your Areas of Concern and goals.
Only discuss benefits that address the areas of concern; avoid introducing benefits that don't address these needs.
Part 5: Investment
Don't hide your fees until the end!
Don't act embarrassed about your fees. A simple, straightforward, list of what you will charge for various products and/or services works best.
Present options, if available. End with payment schedules and dates.
Refer prospects to the Addendum for additional information.
Step 6. Implementation
Use a timeline to create immediacy
* In the left-hand column, enter the activities to be completed.
* In the right-hand column, enter the completion dates.
Write as if you knew your proposal had already been accepted. Begin with the date of your first meeting, and summarize what you discussed.
Enter today's date with the action being described as: "Proposal acceptance," or set a deadline for the next week.
Emphasize that any delay accepting the proposal pushes back all future dates!
This creates urgency, as prospects can easily grasp the costs of procrastination.
Addendum
Finally, a chance to talk about yourself!
Prospects will refer to information in the Addendum when, and if, they want more details about your ability to deliver.
By placing this information in the Addendum, you're keeping the body of your proposal shorter, and you're keeping it focused your prospect and their concerns.
You're also saving yourself work, since you can reuse the "boilerplate" contents of your Addendum over and over again.
Covering letter
Keep it short!
1. Thank them for the opportunity.
2. Credit employees who helped develop concerns or provided information.
3. Summarize the objectives, or benefits, of accepting your proposal.
4. Confidently ask for the business, i.e., "I look forward to your review and acceptance of this proposal and to working with you in the coming months."
Delivery
Present your proposal in person or online
Instead, whenever possible, present your proposals in person.
If that's not possible, schedule a meeting, and use a service like wwww.gotomeeting.com and present your proposal as a webinar. Ask that all your prospect's decision-makers and stake-holders be present.
One of the most important aspects of presenting proposals in person, or as Webinars, is that you answer questions, and immediately respond to your prospect's comments, concerns, and objections.
The feedback you receive, and how you respond to it, can mean the difference between winning the sale or losing the sale.
Conclusion
25 years of success
Bill taught me this technique several years ago, and we recently wrote a newsletter about it. For over 25 years in the Seattle area Bill has taught it to individuals and organizations in the Seattle area.
A printer friendly version of this topic is available at www.designtosellonline.com.
Rresources
Where to go for learning more about preparing and delivering successful proposals
The following resources provide additional perspectives on effective proposals and writing them as clearly and simply as possible.
The One-Page Proposal, by Patrick Riley
A fascinating book that complements Bill McKinley' more...0 points
The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition by William Strunk Jr.
This simple guide will show you how to eliminate & more...0 points
On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition
An excellent companion to The Elements of Style, W more...0 points
Order Design to Sell: today
Recommended by Dr. Ralph Wilson, www.wilsonweb.com more...0 points
Design to Sell Blog
Tips for planning, writing, and designing effective small business marketing materials
Graphic design and desktop publishing tips, creativity and productivity tips, recommended design and marketing books, perspectives on current issues.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byUpcoming Events Blog
Information about past, present, and future upcoming teleseminars, webinars, and marketing events.
Weekly interviews with marketing experts like Jay Conrad Levinson, Doug Hall, Harry Beckwith; copywriters like Bob Bly and David Garfinkel; best-selling authors and publishing experts like Brian Jud, Kathi Dunn, and Judith Applebaum; web experts like Tim Kerber, Alex Mandossian, Ryan Lee, Kevin McCarthy, and Rok Hrastnik.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byRoger C. Parker's Published and Profitable blog
Book publishing tips from the 32 million dollar author
Learn how to plan, write, promote a book to market your business with Roger C. Parker, whose 38 books have sold over 1.6 million copies.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byDesign to Sell Podcasts
Podcast small business marketing solutions for entrepreneurs on the move
Roger C. Parker and Tim "Gonzo" Gordon's explorations into small business marketing ideas. Free previews and concise, information-filled 30-minute segments with note-taking sheets.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by
