One of the biggest challenges you’ll face at any point in your business – but especially when you’re first starting out – is acquiring new clients. Convincing people to part with their money is a tough gig, so it’s important to have a winning business proposal that sets you up for success. Today, we’ll be looking at ways to achieve this, so let’s jump in.
Seven tips to write a winning business proposal:
1. Ensure you’ve got a strong brand identity
Before you even think about pitching, the first thing you need to do is ensure you’ve got a strong brand identity. After all, people aren’t going to do business with you if they don’t know who you are.
If you’re unsure how to go about defining your identity, reach out to a local branding agency for assistance. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction and can even craft your identity for you if you’d rather a full service option.
2. Personalise the pitch
No one wants to hear a generic mission statement and be offered a broad menu of products or services that don’t fit their needs. Instead, ensure every pitch you deliver reflects the fact that you’ve done your research on their business and highlights how you can fix the specific problems that they’re facing. Bonus points here if you find out their pain points first and tailor your pitch accordingly.
3. Highlight how you can add value
Once you’ve addressed your potential client’s immediate needs, it’s time to showcase what other value you can provide. Remember to stay specific to their operations here, and don’t throw in too many offers at once.
4. Offer multiple pricing options
If you’ve only got one offer at a single price point, there’s no room for negotiation or adapting to the client’s budget. This hurts your chances of closing the deal and leaves a lot of money on the table.
Instead, offer three different price points, and lead with the middle one. If the client says their budget is too tight you’ll then have wiggle room to adjust down while still getting their business. Meanwhile, your top tier offer gives you the ability to upsell if they’re all in.
5. Present in a positive environment
If you’re pitching in person, the place where you meet potential clients is going to have a significant impact on whether you win their business. Presenting a professional image and making a good first impression is key. So if you don’t already have a killer office suite, look into premium office spaces available for hire, and select one that aligns well with where you want your business to be.
6. Finish with a strong CTA
A winning business proposal is nothing without a strong closing statement and call to action. Don’t be afraid to be salesy here. You’ve already demonstrated what you can do for the client, so it’s okay to push a little harder in order to close.
7. Don’t forget to follow up
Finally, regardless of whether you secure the client’s business on the spot or not, it’s vital to follow up. In cases where you’ve onboarded them, following up shows that you care and keeps the client in the loop about next steps and timeframes.
On the other hand, if you didn’t win their business, following up keeps the door open and affords you a second chance to adapt and meet their needs.
Pitching is tough, and it’ll remain so for the entire time you’re in business. Having said that, it doesn’t have to be anxiety inducing, and there are winning business proposal strategies – like the ones outlined in this article – that can make it easier. So, give them a go and see how much more smoothly your next pitch flows.
