Does the idea of writing a business proposal scare you? Maybe you know how to put together a proposal, but you have no idea where to start, You’ll want to know how to write a winning business proposal.
Creating a business proposal is much easier when starting with a business proposal template, whether you’re creating a web design proposal, a graphic design proposal, a copywriting business proposal, or some other type of proposal. In this tutorial, I explain how to write a winning business proposal.
Discover your Client Needs
The first step in writing a business proposal is to find out what the client needs. To do that, learn about their business. There are ways to research and learn about your Client’s business:
Ask questions. Listen to what they say and pay close attention to how they answer. What they don’t say is often as important as what they say. If the Client is local, consider meeting with them in person.
Look for online data. Find out all you can about your Client. The more you know, the more you can help. Learn about their industry if you’re not already familiar with it. Start with the Client’s website and the search engines.
Get Clear Requirements
Many business proposals fail because the business person doesn’t know what the client wants. Don’t make this common mistake. A prepared question list can ensure that you don’t forget to ask something important.
Create a list of the minimum information you need to do a good job. What you need to know varies depending on your business. It should always include what the customer expects and when they expect to receive it.
Keep track of any problems you’ve got with clients. As each problem occurs, think of a question you could ask to keep that problem from happening again.
Make a list of basic questions. Make sure that your questions include the information from step one and the questions you thought of in step two. Present these questions to each prospective Client before you create a business proposal.
Estimate the Cost of Your Solution
Before creating your business proposal, you need to estimate how much your solution costs. Estimating is a complex topic. I’ll just touch on the basics in this article and refer you to more resources for further study.
One of the reasons you collected detailed requirement information was to help you create an accurate estimate. You may already have a price list if you’re providing a product. Don’t forget to include shipping and handling fees in your estimate. Look at previous projects, Don’t leave tasks out, Look at tasks and Allow for extra time.
Use a Professional Business Proposal Template
Even if your proposal covers the customer’s needs completely, you still might not get the business. A sloppy and unattractive business proposal can be a real turn-off to customers.
Using a graphic design business proposal template means you don’t have to worry about how your proposal is going to look. You already know it’ll look good because a designer created it. A good business proposal template shows the customer that you’re serious about providing a business solution.
Review Your Business Proposal Draft
After you apply the graphic design business proposal template, you may think you’re done. But wait, there are still a few more steps to writing a winning business proposal.
No matter what type of business you’re in, it’s important to review your proposal draft. Not only do typos and mistakes make you look bad, but they can also cost you money. For example, accidentally leaving a 0 off of a $1000.00 price quote may turn it into a $100.00 price quote.
Catching your own typos and errors can be tricky. If you can, have someone else proofread your document.
Send and Follow Up
If you’ve completed all the previous steps, go ahead and send out your document. In most cases, that means sending an email. If your client is local, though, delivering it in person can be a good move.
Once your business proposal is sent, it’s important to follow up. Within a day, contact the customer to make sure they received the proposal. The follow-up step is an important one that many business people overlook.
When you contact the client, offer to answer any questions they have. Questions aren’t bad. In fact, they signal customer interest. They also provide you with a chance to close the deal.
