Proposals to sell goods or services to other businesses are the lifeblood of nearly all companies. The challenge is that your business proposals compete with business proposals from your competitors for limited resources. Given this reality, what can you do to make sure that your pitch stands out from the rest? Keep reading to learn how.
1. Do Your Homework
Crafting a proposal that captures your audience's attention and interest begins long before you even write the first word for your pitch. You need to understand as much as you can about your target audience -- what they want, what they fear, how they do things, what's important to them, etc. Put yourself in your targets' shoes and understand the concerns that motivate them.
2. Highlight the Benefits
What really matters to prospective clients who are considering your business proposal is what's in it for them. Make sure the benefits of purchasing your products or services and doing business with your company are clearly spelled out, and that these benefits align with the concerns of your prospective client.
3. Use Plain, Straightforward Language
Clarity is the Holy Grail when pitching a proposal. Business executives value their time and will appreciate it if you did the same. By using language and words that are straightforward and stripped of all unnecessary elements, you are sending a subtle message that you understand this fact as well. Your readers will subconsciously appreciate this, and earn your proposal valuable attention and recall points.
4. Be Generous with White Space
We humans are wired so that we stop and shift our attention to anything that is framed; our focus is automatically drawn to the image or object in the middle of the frame. If the text of your proposal is crammed within the page, there is a greater tendency for the reader to merely skim through the text. However, if the text of your proposal is framed within an ample amount of white space, there is a greater chance that the reader will pause, focus on the text, and actually read it. Format your proposal so that there is an ample amount of white space, especially in the pages with important items.
5. Be Different
Employing subtle differences to your proposal may set it apart from competing proposals. For example, many businesses use a small 10 to 12 pt font for their body text. Font's this size are small can be difficult to read. To make your proposal stand out, try using a larger size font that is easier to read, such as 14 pt Cambria. Another great way to make your proposal really stand out is to create it with ClientPoint so your proposal is more personal, interactive, and includes a video introduction. By making your proposal far more interesting and attractive than those of your competitors, you will show that your company is more innovative and tech savvy.
For information on how to create and manage amazing proposals using our cloud-based proposal management software, please call us at 888-972-7375.
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