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"You and your team provided a truly goal-oriented and focused approach when assisting me in not only defining new opportunities, but enhancing our existing marketing strategies."
John Newcombe
Proprietor
Island Park Esso Service
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Articles
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When it comes to securing a prospective client, putting your best foot forward begins with a winning proposal. By following a tried and proven formula for creating proposals, you can avoid wasting your time discussing topics that are of little use or interest to your potential client. What clients want to see in your proposal is not a picture of you, but a mirror that reflects their own needs, and the realization of their goals. Your winning proposal needs to be that mirror.
To achieve the mirror-like clarity required to edge out your competitors, you must follow a marketing plan that ensures your prospective clients see exactly what they want to see. Proposal writing is not a conjuring trick; there's a simple formula that has proven itself to be highly effective over the years. Taking the time to study these highly effective techniques can result in a new level of success the next time you submit a proposal.
Find Out What The Prospect Wants
All proposals must start with a complete understanding of what your prospect wants. And who knows this better than the prospect? Go to the source and ask a lot of questions. The answers will become the frame for your mirror, letting you know the parameters of the proposal. Find out what the prospect hopes to achieve, when he/she hopes to achieve it, and how the goal of the project fits into the overall scheme of his/her operation. Your investigative interview will allow you to begin catering to your prospect's exact needs, and to turn your proposal into a mirror.
Set Yourself Up To Win
When discussing the proposal with your prospective client, be sure to find out if the proposal is to stand on its own merits, or if you are competing against others. Ask who your competitors will be, so you can stress your advantages over them. Don't forget to ask about the budget for the project. You will ultimately be judged based on the value of the work, so don't propose a full-length mirror when the prospect wants a pocket-sized model. Find out how your proposal will be evaluated and by whom. Will a single person make the final decision, or will it be a committee decision? Knowing your audience will help you to adopt the correct tone, and to include the degree of detail required.
Begin With A Comprehensive Outline
Your outline will sketch the proposal from start to finish. An accurate outline will tell you what kind of research will be needed, and what resources you will have to gather to complete the proposal. An easy way to begin the process is to draw up a table of contents. This will allow you to list all the elements of the proposal on a single page, and to order them so the information flows properly. The table of contents should be included in the finished proposal, possibly with tabs in the document keyed to each separate section.
Write A Compelling Pitch
Writing your pitch letter should be the next step. The pitch letter is a short
executive summary of your proposal, discussing the reasons why your proposal should be chosen. Start by selling your most important benefit. End the pitch letter with a strong summary. The pitch letter should stand on its own, informing the prospect of all the main points included in the proposal in two pages or less.
Gather Your Evidence
Next, compile your appendices, which contain the factual information referenced in the proposal. Figures, charts, graphs, studies or research results can all be useful references. Then gather together any relevant client testimonials to add credibility to your claims. A summary of excerpts from testimonials may suffice, but complete documents can seem more authentic. Being able to support your case with numerous illustrative examples will make your arguments more convincing.
Have A Conversation
The proposal text is a conversation, and the words you write must be up to the task of speaking for you without ever leaving the prospect short of answers. By the time you are ready to compose the text of the proposal, you should be clear about the benefits you are selling to the prospect. You are going to show your prospect exactly how you are going to help him/her, and you are going to prove the benefits of choosing you to provide that help. The flow of the text must anticipate the kinds of questions the prospect will have, and answer them systematically.
Differentiate, Differentiate, Differentiate
Your proposal must identify everything you can do better or faster than your competitors. The prospect needs to know what's in it for him/her. You must come across as the obvious choice to meet and satisfy your prospect's needs.
Be Brief, Be Consistent, Be Perfect
Your proposal should be able to speak to somebody who knows nothing about the topic at hand, yet still give plenty of information to those who know the subject well. Avoid cluttering the text with figures and charts; instead refer readers to well-labeled appendices. Use persistent and consistent language, so a familiar sense of your style becomes apparent. If you are going to use point form lists, use the same indents, numbering system or bullets to identify your points. Perfect grammar and spelling is a must.
Make It Look Good
Without a convincing visual impact, a winning proposal is seriously hampered. The proposal package must be exciting, personal, and show the degree of care and creativity the prospect can expect from your work. Invest in quality report covers and professional graphic design to enhance your message. And don't hide all that work in a plain brown envelope. Your package should arrive with a distinctive appearance. The title of your report creates an important first impression, and should suggest the major benefit being sold in the text of the proposal.
Make It Easy To Say Yes
A winning proposal does the recipient's work for them. It understands their
requirements, meets their needs and their budget, and clearly informs them why you are the obvious choice for the grant.
Of course, you don't want to let the job rest once the proposal is delivered. Diligent follow-up is important to undertake. Show your eagerness for the work, and don't wait for an “internal champion” to push your proposal for you. Try to phrase your inquiries to continue selling your benefits to the client, rather than the benefits to you of being awarded the funds.
A winning proposal is a carefully crafted, benefit performance. The time and
effort you put into polishing your proposal to meet your prospect's needs will pay off with a happy prospect and much needed funding for your organization.
Marketing Breakthroughs Inc., is a breakthrough marketing, branding and advertising company specializing in helping businesses grow and succeed. For more information on writing winning proposals and marketing plans, phone our team at 877-721-3335. |
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