Proposal Writing Articles

PROPOSAL WRITING: THREE TIPS FOR WINNING MORE BUSINESS

Proposal Writing becomes a little more focused and a lot more productive when you follow the following tips.

1. AVOID "BOILER PLATE POLLUTION."

Too many sales people, marketing people, and proposal writers focus on what their company or their products or their services can do. They don't focus on specifically what they can do for the specific client.

You can spot these instances of misplaced focus quickly and easily.

It's called "Boiler Plate Pollution."

If the words, pictures, illustrations, descriptions, and you use in your proposal repeat the words, pictures, illustrations, descriptions, and grahics you find on your brochures or website, you are guilty of "Boiler Plate Pollution."

Most brochures and websites spell out the features and benefits of your products and services.

Successful Proposal Writing requires you to spell out exactly how those features and benefits solves your client's problems or meets their specific needs.

So the first tip really is:

Read your proposal, then read your brochures and your website. If you sound like you're repeating yourself, you need to edit or rewrite your proposal.

2. BE REAL...BE CLEAR

Being Real means being you.

Many times sales people build a personal relationship with the client, either in person or on the phone.

Being Real (Being You) means you must prove to the client that the person they met in person or on the phone is the same person that shows up in writing. If your clients cannot clearly and correctly connect with the person or company who shows up in the proposal, they won't trust the statements or claims made in the proposal.

You need to be clear in at least four different ways.

1. Your proposal must clearly show that you know, understand, and can address the clients' needs. The solutions you propose should leave no doubt in your clients' minds that you have their best interests in mind. The proposals should clearly show that you understand their situation, their budgets, and their expectations.

And, clearly, you understand the project, their goals, and their timetable for achievement.

2. Your proposal must demonstrate a clear solution to their problems. And, you can explain clearly what the client's world will look like after accepting your proposal. If you cannot clearly paint that picture for them, someone else will.

3. The client needs to become completely clear on why your product or service stands out as the most logical choice.

Your proposal should prove to your clients that they made a great decision by selecting you.

4. The language, words, and tone of your document must be clear.

For example, compare the two following sentences and decide which one would be more appropriate in your proposal.

"The contract stipulates exacting specifications for the installation of eight vertical access devices."

"The contract calls for the installation of eight elevators."

Your company attorneys may understand and want Sentence # 1 but your clients want clear language.

In high school and college, when we wrote our term papers, we filled them with polysyllabic words to impress our teachers.

Today, we used consultant words like "utilize," "paradigm," "reiterate," "conundrum," "initiative," and "transpire."

We also slipped in a few academic words like "methodologies," "cohorts," "iterations," and "monographs."

If you use any of the above highlighted words, you definitely need to get real.

Let me offer a rule for your to follow.

IF YOUR CLIENTS DON'T USE THOSE WORDS, YOU DON'T USE THEM.

3. UNDERSTAND WHAT RFP REALLY MEANS SO THAT YOU DON'T WASTE TIME.

Sometimes, RFP means Request For Proposal Other times, it means three other things.

RFP - REQUEST FOR PRICING

Many sales people confuse Request For Pricing with Request For Proposal.

Request For Pricing simply means the company is comparison-shopping. They might not even be ready, willing, or able to place an order.

Salespeople who mistake this as a proposal writing opportunity often waste time, effort, and information.

Send a price quote, a big response, or, sometimes, do nothing.

Whatever you do, don't spend time creating a proposal when your chances of receiving the order or contract are limited.

RFP - REQUEST FOR POSITIONING

Many times, prospects will ask for a proposal to determine if the company they plan to award the order or contract to is actually giving them the best price or value. They will use your information to justify their decision to go with someone else.

Company Policy or law might require them to collect at least three prices. Your proposal, which they may never truly study, helps them fill a requirement but does little to bring you business.

RFP - REQUIRED FOR PUT OFF

Prospects sometimes use the RFP ploy to limit your access to them.

This can mean many things. It could mean they already plan to use a preferred vendor.

Or, they know little about your company.

Or, they have received bad, although unfounded, reviews of your organization.

But, they need to keep up the appearances of being fair.

Proposal Writing can serve as a powerful sales tool that brings in more clients and more revenue. If, when, and how your write your proposals requires a little thought and a lot of common sense.

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