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Atricle Dump - Sales Proposals - How to Write Proposals That Sell
Last year a 15 member commission was created by the US Chamber of Commerce to evaluate the effects of litigation & regulation on the US capital market. Tom Donohue, the CEO of the Chamber, is a powerful business lobbyist that has become critical of the implementation of Sarbanes Oxley (SarBox) especially section 404 which covers the assessment of internal controls. The question remains: Is the litigious US business environment driving away foreign investment in US public companies? Has the SarBox section 404 caused these declines and how could it be changed to build confid
5. Business Impact
This is where you justify the acquisition. What impact will your solution have on your prospect's business? How will their operations and financial results change for the better?
6. Decision Criteria
If you don't have a comprehensive list of the criteria that your prospect will use to make their decision, you probably shouldn't be writing a proposal. List all of their decision criteria here.
7. Decision Process, Time Frame, and Budget
The purpose of including this information in the proposal is to make sure you and your prospect share the same expectations.
8. Next Steps
There should be specific next steps (and related time
The best combatant against fears of interviewing properly has one simple answer – educating yourself on the proper techniques to answer any cringing questions that may trip you up during an interview. The other fact your mother was right about? Being yourself! Just how much of yourself should you be? Well, once again, educate yourself on the job at stake. Job interview techniques tend to revolve around two things: You, and the job position you are applying for. Simply put, the definition of “technique” is a method of accomplishing a desired aim.A job interview entails just that – how to ans
Some proposals are written in response to an RFP (Request for Proposal) or RFI (Request for Information). Organizations that go to the trouble of writing RFP's want to receive highly structured proposals, as this makes it easier for them to compare responses from various bidders.
Some proposals are "Boilerplate Bombs". These proposals tend to be long, boring, and tedious to read. Often these proposals are written under the assumption that "bounce factor" (how high objects on a desk bounce when the proposal is dropped on the desk) is what makes a proposal effective.
The proposal category that is the focus of this article is effective sales proposals. These proposals are lean, highly focused, customer-specific documents that are written to sell anyone that reads them. How can a written document accomplish this feat? Through text that invokes emotion and provides compelling reasons that support a buying decision.
Before we go any further, let's review the single most common flaw in proposal generation -- lack of proper opportunity qualification. Companies waste incredible amounts of time and resources preparing proposals for poorly qualified opportunities. These proposals have little chance of producing sales.
When you are armed with the necessary opportunity qualification information and you have made a conscious decision that the opportunity warrants the investment of time and resources required to generate a quality proposal, you are ready to write an effective sales proposal. To aid you in this undertaking, here are brief descriptions of nine suggested proposal sections:
1. Opening
This is usually a single paragraph where you thank the people that provided the opportunity qualification information and set the stage for the proposal. The last sentence of the paragraph should list the primary value the prospect will receive by making the proposed investment.
2. Background
Your prospects know a lot about their own companies. They don't need you to provide them with a chronological history or a bunch of unnecessary facts. The bulk of this section should focus on selected facts concerning the specific business functions or departments that your solution will impact.
3. Current Situation
This is where you really start selling. In this section you lay out the prospect's business problems and the impact of the problems...in painful detail. Your goal should be to invoke your prospect's negative emotions (fear, frustration, pain, etc.).
4. Desired Results
Your goal for this section should be to invoke your prospect's positive emotions (relief, joy, satisfaction, etc.) by helping your prospect visualize the "desired state" for their business.
5. Business Impact
This is where you justify the acquisition. What impact will your solution have on your prospect's business? How will their operations and financial results change for the better?
6. Decision Criteria
If you don't have a comprehensive list of the criteria that your prospect will use to make their decision, you probably shouldn't be writing a proposal. List all of their decision criteria here.
7. Decision Process, Time Frame, and Budget
The purpose of including this information in the proposal is to make sure you and your prospect share the same expectations.
8. Next Steps
There should be specific next steps (and related time
Leads groups can be just as powerful as a Power Team if you are able to work them properly. I try to scout out as many lead groups as I can and before making any commitment, I like to gather the cards of each member and set an introductory appointment. I explore what they do and who their best customer is. I also let them know what I do and what I think is my best customer. The final part of the meeting is spent exploring our current database of clients to see if there is a fit. Unlike a Power Team, the leads generated are simply that, leads. We do not collaborate on the projects. On the other h
The proposal category that is the focus of this article is effective sales proposals. These proposals are lean, highly focused, customer-specific documents that are written to sell anyone that reads them. How can a written document accomplish this feat? Through text that invokes emotion and provides compelling reasons that support a buying decision.
Before we go any further, let's review the single most common flaw in proposal generation -- lack of proper opportunity qualification. Companies waste incredible amounts of time and resources preparing proposals for poorly qualified opportunities. These proposals have little chance of producing sales.
When you are armed with the necessary opportunity qualification information and you have made a conscious decision that the opportunity warrants the investment of time and resources required to generate a quality proposal, you are ready to write an effective sales proposal. To aid you in this undertaking, here are brief descriptions of nine suggested proposal sections:
1. Opening
This is usually a single paragraph where you thank the people that provided the opportunity qualification information and set the stage for the proposal. The last sentence of the paragraph should list the primary value the prospect will receive by making the proposed investment.
2. Background
Your prospects know a lot about their own companies. They don't need you to provide them with a chronological history or a bunch of unnecessary facts. The bulk of this section should focus on selected facts concerning the specific business functions or departments that your solution will impact.
3. Current Situation
This is where you really start selling. In this section you lay out the prospect's business problems and the impact of the problems...in painful detail. Your goal should be to invoke your prospect's negative emotions (fear, frustration, pain, etc.).
4. Desired Results
Your goal for this section should be to invoke your prospect's positive emotions (relief, joy, satisfaction, etc.) by helping your prospect visualize the "desired state" for their business.
5. Business Impact
This is where you justify the acquisition. What impact will your solution have on your prospect's business? How will their operations and financial results change for the better?
6. Decision Criteria
If you don't have a comprehensive list of the criteria that your prospect will use to make their decision, you probably shouldn't be writing a proposal. List all of their decision criteria here.
7. Decision Process, Time Frame, and Budget
The purpose of including this information in the proposal is to make sure you and your prospect share the same expectations.
8. Next Steps
There should be specific next steps (and related time
People react very differently to the waves of change that suddenly flood the work and marketplace. Some, who feel confused or unsettled struggle to keep their heads above water gasping for air. By contrast, others, who may not even like or agree with the changes, nevertheless accept them, get on with their lives and swim forcefully to their new destination. The following three tactics will help you mobilize your resources to take charge of their careers.Fuel the Fire In Your Heart. Live your life and career with intention. The key to sustained peak performance is discovering
When you are armed with the necessary opportunity qualification information and you have made a conscious decision that the opportunity warrants the investment of time and resources required to generate a quality proposal, you are ready to write an effective sales proposal. To aid you in this undertaking, here are brief descriptions of nine suggested proposal sections:
1. Opening
This is usually a single paragraph where you thank the people that provided the opportunity qualification information and set the stage for the proposal. The last sentence of the paragraph should list the primary value the prospect will receive by making the proposed investment.
2. Background
Your prospects know a lot about their own companies. They don't need you to provide them with a chronological history or a bunch of unnecessary facts. The bulk of this section should focus on selected facts concerning the specific business functions or departments that your solution will impact.
3. Current Situation
This is where you really start selling. In this section you lay out the prospect's business problems and the impact of the problems...in painful detail. Your goal should be to invoke your prospect's negative emotions (fear, frustration, pain, etc.).
4. Desired Results
Your goal for this section should be to invoke your prospect's positive emotions (relief, joy, satisfaction, etc.) by helping your prospect visualize the "desired state" for their business.
5. Business Impact
This is where you justify the acquisition. What impact will your solution have on your prospect's business? How will their operations and financial results change for the better?
6. Decision Criteria
If you don't have a comprehensive list of the criteria that your prospect will use to make their decision, you probably shouldn't be writing a proposal. List all of their decision criteria here.
7. Decision Process, Time Frame, and Budget
The purpose of including this information in the proposal is to make sure you and your prospect share the same expectations.
8. Next Steps
There should be specific next steps (and related time
Is your company on the right track? Are they, are you focused on the important things that will drive success in the future? Will the product you sell, the customer you serve remain the same five to ten years from now? How about your job, will the skills you have today serve you in tomorrow's job market? Not likely!Most of us know that there is something wrong with the way they work today. Yet we keep doing the same things naively expecting different results. Getting out of this rut and moving forward requires a new focus and new ideas. In the face of these ever-changing realities the only
3. Current Situation
This is where you really start selling. In this section you lay out the prospect's business problems and the impact of the problems...in painful detail. Your goal should be to invoke your prospect's negative emotions (fear, frustration, pain, etc.).
4. Desired Results
Your goal for this section should be to invoke your prospect's positive emotions (relief, joy, satisfaction, etc.) by helping your prospect visualize the "desired state" for their business.
5. Business Impact
This is where you justify the acquisition. What impact will your solution have on your prospect's business? How will their operations and financial results change for the better?
6. Decision Criteria
If you don't have a comprehensive list of the criteria that your prospect will use to make their decision, you probably shouldn't be writing a proposal. List all of their decision criteria here.
7. Decision Process, Time Frame, and Budget
The purpose of including this information in the proposal is to make sure you and your prospect share the same expectations.
8. Next Steps
There should be specific next steps (and related time
The corporate world is speeding to greater heights and has little time to think and evaluate the efficiency of job seekers. People have also realized the importance of presenting their skills and abilities in an impressive way. A candidate may meet all expectations of the prospective employer, but might fall short in presenting his or her credentials. Hence the need arises for resume services.Over the years, professional resume services have evolved into an industry. It is recognized globally as one of a premier personalized service. Most of the services have Internet sites and a correspond
5. Business Impact
This is where you justify the acquisition. What impact will your solution have on your prospect's business? How will their operations and financial results change for the better?
6. Decision Criteria
If you don't have a comprehensive list of the criteria that your prospect will use to make their decision, you probably shouldn't be writing a proposal. List all of their decision criteria here.
7. Decision Process, Time Frame, and Budget
The purpose of including this information in the proposal is to make sure you and your prospect share the same expectations.
8. Next Steps
There should be specific next steps (and related time frames) that are expected to take place after you submit your proposal. List them here to make sure you and your prospect are "on the same page".
9. Closing
Close with a final paragraph that summarizes why your product or service is the best solution for your prospect, plus a positive statement of expectation.
Do you see the power of this type of proposal? Do you see the benefit of eliminating volumes of boilerplate that do not address your prospect's specific and immediate needs and concerns? Do you see how an effective sales proposal can influence the thinking of decision makers and influencers, even if you have had limited (or no) personal contact with them?
If you construct your proposals in this manner, you will maximize your return on proposal writing time and resource investments.
Copyright 2004, 2005 -- Alan Rigg
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