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We talk a lot about proposal techniques and strategies, but today I’m sharing a little behind-the-scenes to show you how some of this can look in practice.
Today we’ll be covering a $400 million proposal that I led and won. This can give you some insight into what to expect as you pursue larger and more competitive RFPs.
Read MoreWhen a customer asks you to send a proposal–whether it’s for an RFP or not–it’s easy to jump ahead to pricing and slap together a basic overview for your proposal.
But taking a moment to pause and think through your strategy can be the difference between winning the contract…or not.
That’s where the Strategy Meeting comes in.
Read MoreA couple years into consulting, I had a client approach me who was concerned about a very aggressive competitor who was pursuing a contract that my client had held for ten years. The contract was a huge part of their business, and the competitor had been doing all of the right things to win over the customer–holding frequent meetings, conducting demos, meeting with all types of stakeholders, etc.
My client knew that if they didn’t create an outstanding proposal, they might lose the contract and have to rework their business.
Read More“How do I show buyers why we’re a better choice than our top competitor?”
When it comes to proposals, this question is asked again and again.
You may have done everything right. Checked off all of the boxes from the RFP. Met with the customer. Created engaging graphics. Developed a sound pricing strategy.
But for some reason, they continue to win while you continue to…not.
In these cases, there is often one main reason why your competitors are winning over you.
Read MoreThe sales process is fraught with challenges.
From securing a meeting with an ideal client to determining the best pricing to creating a winning proposal, there always seems to be just one more step to be completed before contracts are signed.
But when it comes to sales, there is one secret that nearly every successful company uses:
Read MoreExecutive Summaries are one of the most dreaded RFP sections. How do you summarize an entire proposal in just one page? (You don’t.) Will it even be read?
But once you figure out how to write Executive Summaries, they will likely become your favorite section! This part of the proposal is often the most read, and because of that, it requires a little more creativity and focus than other parts of the proposal. To help you on this journey, check out the four key traits of successful Executive Summaries below.
Read MoreThere are few proposal sections more talked about than the Executive Summary.
We get questions every week on this topic:
How do I write an executive summary? When do I include one? Do people even read it?
There are countless articles and videos out there sharing conflicting information about the Executive Summary, but there’s still one misconception that many people hold when they start drafting.
Read MoreOf all the most common proposal sections, the one that I’m asked about again and again is the Executive Summary.
Most Executive Summaries are only 1-2 pages long, yet they seem to strike fear in the heart of any writer, stalling typing and bringing up a new round of writer’s block. The reasons for hesitation vary–some people ask what exactly should be included. Others want to make sure they’re starting the proposal off with the right tone. I’ve heard concerns that this is the only section the client will read, making it even more overwhelming and difficult to craft.
Read MoreEach time a new contract award is announced, you may be wondering, “How did they do that?”
Whether you keep losing to the same competitor, your win rate is lower than you like, or you send out proposals only to never hear back, it’s easy to start thinking that maybe there is some secret key to winning proposals that you’re missing.
Fortunately for you, winning proposals tend to have a few traits in common, no matter the industry or if they’re for RFPs or not.
Keep reading for the four most common traits of successful proposals!
Read MoreOne question that has come up several times in the past few weeks is “How do I write faster?” Especially when dealing with RFP deadlines, everyone wants to know how to make the process easier to hit more deadlines while still creating quality proposals.
I tend to be a quick writer naturally, and over time, I’ve developed a few additional strategies to help me write my first drafts even faster. If you’re watching the clock and wondering how to make your writing easier, try out some of the tactics below!
Read MoreWhether a prospect asked you to send over a proposal or you have a formal RFP on your desk, you’ve likely encountered recommendations to include a cover letter and/or executive summary in your proposal. If you’ve read instructions on how to write either, then you may be left wondering, “What’s the difference?”.
While these two sections have many similarities, there are key differences between cover letters and executive summaries, including when and how you should use them.
Read MoreWhen I drafted my first proposal, I had zero business writing experience. I knew very little about what would actually help sell within the proposal, and my general idea was that business writing had to be dry, technical, and to-the-point.
Like most people, to figure out what I should do, I turned to Google for answers. Our proposal template at the time started with a cover letter, and many cover letter examples (and even proposal examples) had similar opening sentences:
Read MoreIn the world of business proposals, jargon abounds. While it’s important (and often essential) to eliminate jargon from your proposal, sometimes it’s impossible to cut out all of the business lingo. If you’re struggling to reduce your jargon, focus on eliminating these most common overused words and phrases to make your proposals more engaging for readers.
Read MoreThere are many methods to write a proposal. A popular approach is to copy and paste from past proposals to create a new one using your favorite sections. Or you might use an old template that was created years ago with outdated content that you update every time you send it out. Let’s not forget the wait-until-the-last-second-and-frantically-type-everything approach. No matter what group you fall into, rest assured that there is a better way that takes much of the stress out of proposal writing.
Read MoreAs one of the final steps in the sales process, many people want to know how to use the proposal to push a deal across the finish line. While a proposal alone can’t win an opportunity, it can definitely lose one. By using the steps below, however, you will make your proposal significantly stronger and inspire customers to work with you.
Read MoreOne of the most common business writing tips is to make your content brief and clear. This sounds great in theory, but if you’ve ever drafted a document only to find out that it’s way too long, then you might be wondering how to actually put this into practice. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at a few specific tactics you can use to improve the clarity of your proposal writing.
Read MoreOne of the most important purchasing decisions is determining if a company can be trusted to provide what they claim. In proposals, it’s important to make sure that you incorporate elements that add to your trustworthiness. If you’re not sure how to do that, read on for a few of our favorite tactics!
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