A business proposal has solely one purpose of solving: share information. The intimidating part is the data should be such that it will convince someone to choose your business over others. Writing a proposal for your business or the clients, ideally, articulates why the company you are working on is the best choice.
There is a common misconception that business proposals and business plans are the same. However, a business proposal aims to sell more products or services and not the business itself. While strategies will help find funds for the company, the proposal helps connect with new customers.
Usually, business proposals have two variants: unsolicited business proposal and solicited business proposal. With the first type, you approach a business with a proposal to improve their sales. In the second type, the firm requests the professionals to work on their proposals to gain business.
Whether you have to work on a solicited or unsolicited business proposal, the core elements, and the methods to develop it are quite similar. The basic business proposal template includes:
- Information about the company you will work on
- Demonstrated knowledge of the problem the business has
- Pricing and methodology the business follows
Once you are done with the research, it’s time to begin working on the business proposal format. While there is no one-size-fits-all guide to develop a business proposal, some elements and methods, and business proposal outline are non-negotiable. So, let’s take a close look at the six steps of creating a business proposal. Businesses are changing their medium and approaches every day. But they cannot run away from the basics. Look at fundamental steps of how to create a business proposal here:
1. A Title Page Is Compulsory
This is the first element and the first step of creating a convincing business proposal. The proposal’s title page incorporates the fundamental aspects such as the company name, contact information, company logo, client/s name and contact information, date, website, and a title.
The title page should carry the business’s details and the one who is preparing it. Ensure you create a neat, organised, well put together a proposal and impress the client
2. Identify And Customise Your Pitch Based On The Business Strengths And Weaknesses
How to write a business proposal that ensure done deal? A business proposal will become more convincing when you have focused prepared your pitch based on the company’s strengths and weaknesses. Proposals are usually not valued if the focus is only in the strengths. To effectively grab your prospective client’s attention, your proposal needs to be personalised to that client’s particular needs, weaknesses, and a plan that can manage the downfall.
Using professional business proposal software such as Client Point can make it easy to create numerous proposals by offering professional business proposal templates, customization tools, and seamless CRM integration. One can always consider conducting a SWOT analysis to look at things objectively and think factors and issues beyond control to change.
3. Don’t Overlook The Necessity To Be Realistic
A business proposal has to be realistic, with a complete focus on available resources and competition. Industries can change scenarios very fast, and if you fail to prepare a proposal that can meet the changing requirements; the business sees its doom.
Being too much optimistic is the standard error that proposals possess. Being realistic is necessary because it lends credibility to the proposal presentation. Always assume things will take 15 per cent longer than you anticipated. Therefore, 20 weeks will take 23 weeks, and the proposal should have met the gap.
4. Show Reasons For The Proposal Ideas To Work
A business can ask for solicited proposals from multiple professionals and agencies that are already a pro in the industry. Include the element of why your business proposal ideas will work over others works like the business reports to stand out. If you cannot customise the reasons as per the business need, it will be a prototype of others.
Include all the variables that can impact the result or outcome of your idea for the business. Show why some of the variables are not competent to apply in the current business situation, and explain how you intend to overcome them and make better. Document the reasons why you feel the ideas in the proposal will work.
5. Organise The Business Proposal For A Spotless Appearance
There’s a lot to remember when writing a proposal for a business. While we cannot disagree that the core idea of a proposal is to provide the businesses with a strategy to solve problems and engage the clients, but that’s not all.
The ways you have designed your proposal also has a role to play. So, organise a business proposal and make sure it has the following sections:
- Introduction to prospect’s business and specific business challenges
- Agile methodology and team structure
- Technologies to be used
- Solution approach
- Process flow diagrams
- Project plan (Sprint Cycles)
- Environments and code repository (Dev/Staging/Production, GIT, etc.)
- UAT/UAP (User Acceptance Testing / User Acceptance Period)
- Investment and timeline
- Business proposal sample
- Client acceptance page
6. Lastly, Design The Proposal In A Way That Makes Saying ‘No’ Harder
Develop a proposal in a way that seems like saying ‘no’ to it would be losing dollars. While there’s no specific business proposal length, focus on quality over quantity. Keep sentences short and straightforward, and avoid the use of business jargon. Check a few business proposal examples available on the internet. Ensure the readers know what to do next after reading your proposal.
If the reader is ready to take action, your CTA should indicate the next steps in the process. Customers love when they are told what to do next and business proposal examples are a proof to that. CTA solves the purpose here. Before you send the proposal out, conduct quick quality control. Make sure to run through for unnoticed errors.
Quick Tips Before You Hit The ‘Send’ Button:
- Go visual with photos, infographics, block quotes, bulleted lists etc.
- Include quantitative data and figures to catch all the eyes.
- Remember your brand and target customer in mind.
- Embrace the digital age. Send proposals via mail, paste direct links and videos for references, and an edit and sign button electronically.
Wrapping Up:
A business proposal should be about your potential client’s issue and how the business will fix it for the clients. Creating customized business proposals is the key to help enterprises to expect the best outcome in the industry. Hopefully, the ideas shared above will help do well for the businesses. Start following these steps when working on a business proposal and close deals.
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If you need to know how to write a business proposal, congratulations! You just found an amazing resource packed with business proposal examples and free templates to help you get started.
It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed (and a little bit anxious) about writing a winning business proposal. You want to get it in as soon as possible, but you have no idea what to put in there, how long it should be, or even where to start.
However, should the task still seem insurmountable, or if you find yourself strapped for time, remember that there are professional services available that can assist. An option some businesses consider is to pay for research paper expertise, especially when their proposal requires substantial market analysis, competitive research, or financial forecasting. Engaging with professionals who can compile comprehensive, data-backed business proposals can not only elevate the quality of your submission but also significantly reduce the stress associated with such critical tasks.
Writing a business proposal doesn’t need to be daunting. In fact, if you soak up all of the information in this article, you’ll already be one step ahead of the competition. So relax, pour yourself a coffee, and let’s make your next business proposal easier to write.
- Can I deliver what they’re asking for? You need to make sure that you have a clear understanding of the problem / pain points and that you have a custom solution to offer.
- Is this the first attempt to solve this issue? – You don’t want to suggest something that’s already been tried. Looking at prior attempts and why they failed can provide a useful framework that could help you provide a better solution.
- Do I have any questions? – What further information do you need to submit an accurate and successful business proposal?
- Do I need to do some research? – Thorough research makes a great impression. Don’t be afraid to approach your potential clients’ staff, as well as researching your competitors to see if you can offer something that will make your business proposal stand out.
- Who will be reading the proposal? – Is it just one person, or will it be passed through a team? Knowing who you’re talking to will help you tailor your business proposal to your audience and increase your chances.
- Who is the final decision maker? Knowing who makes the final decision (and what boxes they need to check) can give you a great advantage.
- What are the budget and project timeline expectations? – When does the prospective client expect you to start and finish the project? How much are they willing to spend? If you can’t meet the clients budget or deadline then don’t submit a proposal.
