What documentation must it include? What is the proper extension? Should I deliver it to you immediately or is it better to wait a reasonable amount of time? These are questions that every entrepreneur asks when developing a commercial proposal. Is there an ideal model? We give some tips on how to write attractive proposal for contextoweb.
Obviously not. For one proposal to succeed, another has to fail. What we do offer you are guidelines that will make yours more attractive and not end up in the bin.
To address this issue we have consulted with experts who have given us a series of very useful tips. Keep reading! Our (Contextoweb) team helps you to guide on how to write an attractive business proposal.
Table of Contents
Formal Matters
All commercial proposals must follow the AIDA technique, which is the paradigm of persuasion in written texts: attention, interest, development and action. That is to say, the first thing is to capture their attention, then to awaken their interest, to enter into the development of the idea or the service and finally to take action, it is the moment of the budget and the execution deadlines. We got many proposal on our website Contextoweb.
In addition to the structure of the document, a number of formal issues need to be taken into account:
Just as there is no ideal proposition, there is also no perfect extension . Each service requires a different development. Find the halfway point. A proposal written in two pages is poor and one that has needed 100, cumbersome, in addition to transmitting the message of justifying an exorbitant price. Ideally, it should occupy 10 or 15 pages in Word or 20-30 Power Point screens, and never exceed 50 pages and 80 screens.
The longer it is, the more advisable it is to make an index with the contents . And if it reaches the maximum dimensions mentioned above, include an executive summary on Contextoweb where the objective of the proposal, the services to be provided, the execution period and the economic amount are stated.
When including technical documentation of the product or material to be used, the CVs of the professionals participating in the project include them in the form of an annex. And do the same with references.
Drafting
Use the rules of clarity in written communication: always positive language, simple constructions (subject + verb + predicate), especially in the main ideas, short paragraphs, sentences of no more than 15 words and simple structure and persuasive words (achievement, profit, benefit .) Also, if you have to use technical language, try to do it in the clearest and most understandable way, and if possible with footnotes explaining the most technical words.
It is important to avoid all those words that have negative connotations , such as error, danger, breakdown, repair . On the other hand, it is advisable to leave the queen’s offer for the last place and play with the argument of scarcity to urge the purchase or hiring.
Presentation
It can be in Word or Power Point, the important thing is that it allows a funnel reading (main title, lead, intermediate titles). If it is long, introduce each part with a short summary. Remember that it must be attractive and structured to allow quick reading. Avoid making it visually heavy. It is best to include graphics that are easy to understand. And it must be very simple because the impression that is reflected in the subconscious of the reader is that an offer with a simple appearance is easy to implement.
It’s also a good idea to follow your internal company procedures: take a look at your style guide and add some corporate touches.
Deadlines And Mode Of Delivery
When should I submit my proposal? Should I do it right away or wait too long? At this point, we should be guided by the sense of urgency which is what tells us that, even if we do not have a deadline, we must go as quickly as possible.
It is true that in the reader’s unconscious there are two extremes: if you take a long time, you can give the impression of being very busy, but also of disinterest, and if you take little time, you offer the image of anxiety or unemployment. In the latter case, experts advise a delay of less than 15 days. Although in order not to be mistaken, the most appropriate thing is to agree with the client a date and meet it.
Try to close the delivery of the proposal , for two reasons: to guarantee a second meeting with the client and to defend it face to face. That does not mean that you advance it by email.
And what happens next? Once you have submitted the proposal, the ball is in the client’s court. You have to give it a reasonable time to weigh it, but you should not neglect yourself. He has to know that you are there, there must be constant monitoring without falling into excess.
If you have not arranged a meeting in person, call them two or three days after sending the offer to make sure they have received it, and try to close a new call. If you don’t succeed, try again a week. Questions such as “are there any doubts? or how can we help? ” They help to resume a stagnant negotiation.
In the event that, finally, for example Contextoweb proposal is not accepted, it is important to ask the client the reasons for the rejection in order to obtain information and be able to improve it. If the explanation is something that is in your power to fix, you can opt for the so-called latch closure: ‘if I guarantee that we can solve this point we would agree on .’ Which in more than one case has been a success.
Background
Any proposal should start with a short introduction that mentions who makes the proposal, what they want and what are the objectives of this writing . It is about the client appreciating that we have understood what he is asking of us: it is the first stage of the paradigm of persuasion that doctors use so much, repeating what the client or the patient, if applicable, is explaining to them, the problem that it must be solved and put in writing. It is about reflecting what the client has told us.
Customize The Benefit :
Never attack with a string of features or technical specifications. It is necessary to make known why the same characteristic and the same advantage does not provide the same benefit to two different clients. An example: From a car with a 300 hp engine (characteristic), we Contextoweb team would say that it has greater acceleration (advantage) which for one client proposal can give the benefit that overtaking will be safer and, for another, that of exclusivity. It is about finding that red button of our client and pressing it.
