3 secret ingredients of a good business proposal

Business proposals are a fabulous foot in the door when it comes to winning new business. When you’ve been invited to send a proposal, it means the prospective client already sees you as a contender.

Having read my fair share of proposals, in dozens of different sectors, I can honestly tell you that a badly written proposal is a bit like a long guitar solo. Riveting for the person producing it, but utterly dull to 99% of readers.

What do I mean? Company information that’s a direct copy-paste from your website. Pages and pages of your bespoke methodology (even for services not relevant to the prospect). A lack of any content that might help your reader think differently about their problem. Dense corporate jargon.

Well then, what are the ingredients of a successful proposal?

A compelling piece that addresses the client’s issue directly. Sections that educate and inform, not just sell. Examples or case studies customised to their industry or sector. Writing that’s so concise you’ll leave them wanting more. And all pricing shown in an itemised table, helping distinguish between the essential services and the nice-to-haves.

With that said, here are three ways to increase your proposal’s chance of success:

1.      Hold the details

You might have a massive team and intricate formulas to guide the way you solve problems similar to your prospect’s. But you’ll only overwhelm if you introduce all the technical details here. Show a scaffold for your plan, but save the details for the follow-up call where you can explain verbally why they’re important. 

2.     Teach them something

You don’t want to give away proprietary knowledge. However, you can help your reader feel they’ve learned something valuable – and learned more about you in the process. For example, consider adding a page on insider facts or common misunderstandings around their problem, and hint at why your approach is different. Get your reader excited to work with the team that might view their problem in a new light.

3.     Use good design

Design shouldn’t be an afterthought – it’s central to helping your reader navigate your proposal. Bold numbering, graphic headers, boxed-out facts, on-brand icons and minimal charts all help. Hint: If you can’t design, hire someone who can. Canva or PowerPoint can only do so much.

These points aside, you’ll also want to have some good proposal-writing systems in place. These include always taking the time to research the client’s problems before writing your response. You’ll need a project lead to write the proposal, supported by colleagues who can share the workload of data-crunching with writing. And as mentioned, you’ll also want a design whiz who can make it all look fantastic.

With all that said, you’ll probably agree that business development doesn’t always go to plan. Will your proposal be read impartially – or is the audience’s decision already partly made? Will an innocent mistake cost you the whole job? Could a last-minute addition be the secret sauce that wins you the business? You won’t know until it’s all done and dusted.

Share your thoughts in the chat below!