10 things not to do when you write a business proposal

10 things not to do when you write a business proposal

OK…11 things not to do when you write a business proposal - remember to also check out the top 10 proposal tips from Learn to Write Proposals .

1. Don’t talk about yourself too much. When you write a business proposal it is about solving problems for the client – don’t just go on about your achievements, show how they relate to the client.
   
2. Don’t answer the wrong questions. What questions do the client really want your business proposal to be about? You need to know what pushed the clients buttons. If you aren’t sure ask for a meeting
   
3. Don’t miss questions out. It may be a hard question to answer, but is you want to know how to write a business proposal then start by answering all the requirements.
   
4. Don’t make it difficult to read. Your proposal should be a structured story and well presented. If it’s difficult to read, it’s difficult to evaluate. Always proofread and edit.
   
5. Don’t hand it in late. Just don’t do it – four weeks work on bid can go in the bin without being read.
   
6. Don’t make assumptions. You may be the biggest supplier of widgets in the world – you still need to provide your details and your history. It’s the proposal being evaluated, not the buyer’s general knowledge.
   
7. Don’t make it boring. Avoid pages and pages of text. Use whitespace, graphics and boxes to present your ideas visually. It will get noticed more and be better remembered.
   
8. Don’t forget to give them a reason. Remember to persuade your clients – so do this by giving them a reason. You can start by asking yourself ‘so what?’ about each statement you make. If there’s not a clear answer then it’s time for ‘because…’ to be included.
   
9. Don’t get the client’s name wrong.  Yes, it sounds silly. But does the client have lot’s of divisions with different ways to spell their name? Spell it correctly (like they spell it) and do a search in your document if you’ve copied boilerplate from an earlier client proposal. Nothing will lose you work quicker than sending a client a proposal that looks as if it’s for someone else.
   
10. Don’t make promises that you can’t keep. The client may ask for 10 rocket ships in 2 months, but keep your business proposal realistic. If you need to contact the client and ask for clarification on why they have that specific requirement. Getting to the bottom of the need may uncover something that will give you an edge.
    
11. Don’t send it without getting the financials checked. Get sign-off on the numbers. If you don’t know why, don’t write proposals for a living!
    

Killer Executive Summaries

Getting the structure of an Executive Summary right is vital. Just like the structure of your proposal, it needs to make sense. It also needs to demonstrate your understanding of the client’s needs, a viable solution and your ability to deliver it with value. It needs to be digestible enough for someone to understand it in only a couple of pages or so. So keep it short and to the point.

Here is our Executive Summary structure:

1. The client's name. Make the opening words of your Executive Summary your client’s name. Like the entire proposal the Executive Summary should be about the client, not about you so don’t go on right at the beginning about your suitability for the job. Make sure their name appears more often than yours throughout - some guidelines make a recommendation of a 3:1 ratio.
    
2.  Summary of the customer’s goal and business need. Don’t just re-hash the information from the RFP. Use the knowledge that you have garnered from the Account Managers relationship with the client and other information from your existing sales process. Demonstrate your understanding of their business drivers for the procurement and the implications to the client if they do nothing. 

1. The ideal situation. What would be the client's ideal situation if they solved their problem? What benefits do they expect? Don't waste too much space on this - but demonstrate your knowledge of their desired outcomes and goals, focusing on the top three things that are their priorities and drivers. 

1. How your solution solves their problem. What will you deliver to alleviate their business problem and help them achieve their goals? Make sure you use this section to present win themes - elements that make the client think you are uniquely capable of delivering this contract – that directly correlate to the client’s top priorities and drivers. You need to include all the key parts of your proposed solution here. 

1. Why you? Provide information on your organisational strengths, your unique offering and how these benefit the client. Use just one example if possible (there can be more in the actual proposal) and remember to make a statement, emphasise the benefit to the client and then back it up with evidence. 

1. Summary of timescales, costs and return on investment. This is where you can emphasise the value of your solution. Don't just list numbers - give top level numbers and show that you can offer exceptional value in a realistic timeframe. 

1. Call to action. If your proposal is the last stage in the sales process, ask for the business. If it's not, then state your desire to move forward to the next stage (e.g. proof of concept or fact finding consultancy) 

Want to create Killer Executive Summaries? Then get the Learn to Write Proposals Killer Executive Summaries Toolkit at http://www.learntowriteproposals.com.