As an Entrepreneur, winning as many proposals as you can is vital to the growth of your business. But to be sincere, you cannot win them all. But there are simple things you can do to increase your chances of getting positive responses and winning proposals.
One thing you must understand is that you have control over whether you seal the deal or not. You can determine the outcome. With the right research and approach, you are more likely to get more clients. The truth is that someone has to win the deal and it can be you.
Let’s look at some things you can do to stack the odds well in your favor.
Find out the true meaning of what they’re after
Before you start writing a proposal, it would be ideal to meet with your client over the phone or physically. This is crucial as it helps you find out the true reason why the client wants to buy. When you have understood the reason, it’s much easier for other things to align together.
Find out if your client wants more business leads and why. Always find out their true intention or reason during the meeting.
The Proposal is Won and lost in the introduction
You have one opportunity to make a first impression and the introduction in your proposal is your chance to do justice to that. The introduction is read with utmost care and sets the tone for the rest of the proposal.
To write an effective introduction in your proposal, use your client’s words back to them and simply describe the problem they are facing. After you must have found out what it is they need, dig up those words and repeat them back to your clients.
Be clear about what you’re providing
It is important that you explain how you want to solve the client’s issue. Include details of what you are going to provide. This would prevent client disagreements and keep the relationship solid.
You should also explain technical terms in your proposal and break down phrases so that the client can understand. After the mention of the technical term, you can say “which means that” then you explain further.
Include Social Proof
This is especially important when dealing with a new client who doesn’t know you yet. You need to show the client you can do what you say you will.
The more a client knows you and what you have done, the person is more more likely to buy. Social proof can include testimonials, reviews, before and after photos. You can also tell stories and show results.
Tell your clients what to do next
It is of great importance to tell your clients what would happen next and how they should proceed. In simple terms, tell them what to do next. If you do not let them know, they may be confused and wondering what the next steps are.
Make it easy and break it down into steps. For example:
- Step 1: Sign the proposal by typing your name.
- Step 2: Pay a deposit.
- Step 3: We would schedule a consultation.
Always keep it simple and easy to understand.
Make it easy to sign and pay
Learn to use digital signatures as it speeds the sales cycle dramatically. Many proposal software has this as a built-in feature and all the client needs to do is type their name and press a button.
The benefit of a digital signature rather than just using a contract is that the entire proposal can become part of the contract, this covers you and your client from miscommunication.
Include your terms and conditions
Always keep your contract and your terms and conditions part of the proposal and ensure you get them signed together. This is binding. Putting them can cause confusion.
When the content of the proposal is used as the basis of the agreement by both parties, it is clear for everyone that is involved, especially the client. Then the contract is used as the proposal.
Send it quickly
According to Better Proposals 2017 Proposal Report, you’re 25% more likely to win the deal if you send the proposal within 24 hours after you have spoken with the client. Getting the proposal in front of your clients when everything is fresh in their minds is vital and makes a big difference to conversations.
One way is to consider the time immediately after the meeting to get the proposal written (at least the introduction). You can quickly do this after you meet with the client. Doing it immediately is much easier as you may get distracted later.
When you get your proposal writing right and it’s almost a license to print money but when you get it wrong you’ll forever be scratching your way to safety. Freelancers and Business owners on Bixex have found some of these tips helpful. Join Bixex now to get more gigs and network with business owners all around the world.
Read Also: How To Recover From A Job Rejection.