business proposals kick-ass guide: how to write, present and manage winners

Businss Proposals Kick-Ass Guide

How to Write, Present & Manage Winners

1. Follow a Bidding Policy

1. Can We Deliver? Have we completed a similar project before? Do we have the time or desire?

2. Can We Win?Know your competition and your client’s motivation to change.

3. Can We Make a Profit?Making money vs. building portfolio.

2. Create a Clear Value Proposition

“If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.”

Jack Welch

• Who is your target audience?

• What problem/need do they have?

• How does your offering solve it in a unique way?

3. A/B Test Your Proposal

“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect.”

Vince Lombardi

In an A/B test, you compare two different versions of an element for a particular duration and measure a metric to define a winner.

1. State your goal. (Usually close more deals.)

2. Analyze potential obstacles.

3. Change only 1 element at a time.

4. Measure & compare results.

4. Nobody Cares About

“Writing is thinking. To write well is to think clearly. That’s why it’s so hard.”

David McCullough

• Your vision, mantra, gods

• How important you are

• How much you understand their needs (show it, don’t say it!)

• What you can commit to until you deliver it

• All that extra crap not geared towards your client.

Nor over-promise. Someone will slip eventually in one of the emails forwarded to a wrong address or during a

phone call. Once caught, you’ll never be trusted again. If you feel unsure about the truth, it’s best to leave it out or

say you’ll get back to them when you know.

Never, ever lie.

5. KISSkeep it simple, stupid

Think outside of the box

A win-win situation

Giving 110 percent

At the end of the day…

Best Practices

Paradigm shift

Synergy

Low-hanging fruit

Going Forward

Push the envelope

Web 2.0

Value-added proposition

Take it to the next level

Paradigm

The 80% to 20%

Maximize customer satisfaction

Core competency

Drop the ball

Let’s take this off-line

A leading provider of…

Scalable

Seamless integration

Data-Driven

Creative destruction

Perfect storm

6. Present Your Business Proposal Don’t just send an email and wait!

• Customer comes first

• Research

• Tell a story

• Make them feel like VIPs

• Visualize your presentation ahead

• Commit to success

• Know your proposal

• Address Objections

7. Define clear next steps Fewer choices, stronger calls to action

• Write direct subject lines

• Ask direct questions

• Give a specific final call to action

2% of sales are made in the first contact.

3% of sales are made in the second contact.

5% of sales are made in the third contact.

10% of sales are made on the fourth contact.

80% of sales are made on the fifth to twelfth contact.

8. Time Your Follow-up Don’t just send an email and wait!

Rule #1: Follow-up immediately.

Rule #2: If in doubt about whether to follow-up or not, always follow-up.

• Use a proposal software like Quote Roller and know the moment they open your proposal

• Use Quote Roller and know what your client is looking at for how long

The urge to buy can be changed within seconds, and you might

lose a potential deal.

Always Ask Yourself:

BEFORE BIDDING:Can we deliver?Can we win?Can we profit?

BEFORE SENDING:Is your Value Proposition clear?Have you cut out all the crap? Is your language accurate and clear? Have you defined the clear next steps? Is it easy to contact, accept and sign your business proposal?

AFTER SENDING:Are you ready to present your business proposal? Have you followed up with your client?

9. Make it easy to say YES!

• Electronic signature enables them to sign from anywhere

• Any barriers to signing—like printing, scanning, uploading, downloading—gives them time to change their mind.

Sign up for a free trial at http://www.quoteroller.com

Want to dive further into the Kick-Ass Business Proposal World?Go to http://blog.quoteroller.com for your next sales tips!

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