An All-Telling Guide to Writing a Persuasive Business Proposal

You’ve done the hard work to get the prospective client to notice your company. The deal’s almost in the bag, all you need is a well-written proposal that wins you the client. Is that something you can hand over to an intern? Absolutely not! There is a lot riding on this one document. It won’t be dramatic to say that a strong proposal is a key element for winning over clients.

Writing business proposals requires the best of communication and presentation skills. Are you struggling to put your pitch on paper? In this post, we’re summarising our top tips for putting together a compelling proposal. Let’s get started.

Research Your Client

To write a proposal that hits the nail on the head, it’s imperative to start by knowing your client. You cannot personalise your proposal without researching your client. Your proposal should express that you have the resources and skills to solve the client’s problems effectively.

Other than prospects, it’s also a good idea to look into your competitors. This prep work is also helpful for pricing your services.

Avoid Recycling Old Proposals

Just because a proposal has worked in the past does not mean that it will deliver the same results again. Every client is different with unique requirements. You’ll likely miss the mark if you copy and paste most of your previous proposals. Take this as an opportunity to package your company’s capabilities in a way that appeals to the prospect.

Keep it Concise

You may be tempted to include every detail possible in your proposal in the hope of being thorough. But that’s not helpful. You’ll end up submitting a lengthy document that becomes time-consuming to evaluate. Stick to only including relevant information in your proposal.

Don’t Overlook Design

The visual presentation of your proposal is just as impactful as its contents. An illegible font, poor formatting and ill-thought-out colour scheme are just a few errors that can make your document difficult to read.

Make sure you are paying attention to the design of your proposal. From formatting to typography, everything should harmonise.

Make it Scannable

Even if you are trying to make the proposal succinct, a detailed corporate proposal can run into hundreds of pages. The reality is that the prospect will probably not read each and every word you’ve written. That’s why you need to create a scannable proposal. You can do that by using bullet points and other formatting tools to break up the text.

Don’t Go Overboard with Jargon

No one has the time to constantly refer a dictionary when they are trying to go through a business proposal. Limit technical jargon and complicated terminology in your business proposal. Use simple yet engaging words.

Proofread (More Than Once)

Grammatical errors or spelling mistakes will make you look careless. Rather than jeopardising the credibility of your proposal, take extra precautions by proofreading your proposals multiple times before submitting them.

Remember CTA

After telling the prospect about your capabilities and how your company is the right fit for the contract, you also have to guide them towards the next step. Do you want them to pick up the phone and schedule an in-person meeting? Do you want them to sign the contract? Always include a clear and actionable call-to-action in your business proposal.

Final Words

A business proposal can make or break your chances of securing a contract. Then why take risks with mediocre proposals? If you’re unable to dedicate time and resources to improve your writing skills, it would be best to involve a professional writer.