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Business Proposals

A business proposal is a marketing document generated by a service provider. It is targeted at a potential customer or investor. The goal of a business proposal is to generate interest from potential clients.

A business proposal can either be solicited or self-generated in anticipation of a positive response from the targeted client. The market is congested with more service providers or suppliers chasing a few buyers. Instead, suppliers or service providers generate interest by distributing business proposals.

A business proposal must be summarised to make it compatible with the intended audience. The format of presentation enables them to scan the content and decide if is sensible to commit to the contract. Customers do not have the patience to read multiple pages which  can be time-consuming. Instead, they would focus on the summary aspect of the proposal and decide if the opportunity is worth pursuing.

Promise to Deliver

A professionally articulated business proposal is a series of promises to deliver the service to potential clients. The proposal will be substantiated by facts, data, statistics and information to validate the contract.

‘Honour your promises:…..Reminder: A promise is a credit.’

The promise will be backed by assurances to demonstrate that one can dislodge competitors as a business. The most essential ingredient of each business proposal is the pricing and timeline. Customers are prepared to pay more for a service executed within the scheduled time frame.

Importance of a Business Proposal

Business proposals are more influential than sales representatives in the modern business arena. A business proposal can be distributed online while sales representatives are limited by geographical factors. Their operations will be restricted to places where they are able to can present in person.

A business proposal is an explicit offer with a promise to fulfil stipulated products and services. It guarantees that parties agree on what benefits both sides of the agreement.

Marketing Opportunity 

A business proposal is designed to lure prospective clients. It is another form of advanced marketing. Customers may never be informed about your product line unless they are declared.

The document will be more advanced than an advertisement flyer because of the facts, data and promises. It is more detailed; customers will have received sufficient information to decide.

Solution Base

A business proposal is not only about marketing. It is a bundle of promises to reassure customers what the business can offer as a solution to existing challenges.

Every market is congested with problems; a business proposal must relieve existing problems. Customers prefer a business that solves problems instead of creating them.

Competitive Advantage

‘…. eyes on the target, that’s a competitive advantage’

A business proposal is a tool for competing with other companies. Some businesses engage door-to-door sales representatives, which demands a budget for wages, salaries, and allowances.

Instead, a business proposal is a cost-cutting strategy to survive the competition among suppliers of the same product or service. How the proposal is packaged determines the response from prospective clients.

Product/Service Outline

The advantage of a business proposal is that it is specific, like a product or service. Customers do not have to ask questions; the document will present all the answers/solutions.

Business proposals are authored by professional writers with the requisite skills. That makes the document polished in capturing relevant details about the product or service. Most of the questions listed under the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) will be addressed in the proposal.

Fundamentals of a Business Proposal

  • The proposal must be backed by research. It must address the needs of your market; without analysis, the documents may not address the target market’s expectations.
  • The proposal must be relevant if responding to a tender, request for proposal and quote. It must address the specifics outlined in the proposal. That will be convenient in terms of managing a request from a customer.
  • A business proposal must address the elements of pricing and viability. It must address the deliverables and milestones based on the customer’s perspective. Clients rely on budgets. Addressing areas affecting their finances will be influential in the decision-making matrix.

    ‘Every project has a ‘financial element’. Learn to embrace the monetary value.’
  • A business proposal must be edited to eliminate errors. A business proposal with mistakes can reflect limitations on the part of the service provider. The language must be articulate to match the demands of the industry.
  • A proposal must be objective. It must demonstrate your goals in the business. Most importantly, the document must clarify how your business is better than your competitors.