TIME
PERFECTING PITCHES & PROPOSALS
LENGTH
Timing is also crucial in presenting a successful proposal. Generally, respondents suggest that dedicating between 30 minutes and an hour is a good amount of time to present their proposal in a meeting. In comparison, 28% believe that it is still possible to deliver a proposal in half an hour or less.
In a recent study carried out by Tack International, respondents acknowledged that the page length of a proposal could affect their willingness to engage with it. 43% suggested that 4-10 pages was an optimum number of pages, whilst 52% believe that proposals should remain between 1-3 pages.
Businesses rely on their salespeople to deliver a strong, engaging message to prospective clients. The challenge lies in doing so with a limited amount of words or time. Follow our quick hints sheet and discover how to provide effective proposals and pitches in simple terms.
Never assume anything. It’s important to do your research ahead of pitching to or drafting up a proposal for a client and of course to listen to their needs, but don’t assume that you understand their needs and wants until they confirm this to you.
Never list off all the products and services you offer in one pitch or proposal. You should already have an idea of which ones specifically cater to the intended client from prior research. Similarly, make sure the solutions you choose can provide genuine value to that business. In the same vein, don’t ask your client a question that you could have easily answered yourself. Never over-promise on the solutions you offer. Pitches and proposals should always provide the facts about the products and services to avoid disappointing the client by under-delivering on your promises. It goes without saying, that equally you should never give a blind quote. Instead of pulling a figure from your head on the day, take the time to provide the client with an accurate quote.
PROPOSALS Business proposals are generally part of the complex sales process, behaving as a written offer from the salesperson or supplier to the prospective client or buyer. It often provides a plan for solving a problem through the product or service that the salesperson supplies. As with pitches, proposals rely on a strong idea tailored to its audience with evidence to back up the benefits of following through and accepting the offer being proposed. Follow our tips to delivering an impactful message in your next proposal.
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Building credibility through proof is key but you want to do this without bombarding your client with repetitive or overly persistent points. Focus your case studies to just three examples of how you’ve provided a valued solution to other businesses that are relevant to your current client. Clients expect to see your progress with others but honing on just a few of the best cases will ensure that you’re proposal is informative and yet concise. Proposals often make the mistake of concentrating on the benefits and features of products or services, instead they should put the client first and assess how the offer has potential to meet their objectives and resolve a problem for them. After all, prospects are motivated by results so, detailing outcomes over expected deliverables is preferred.
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Naturally, at some point the client will want to see the cost involved with your offer. Businesses need to know that they’re investing in something that will return value, generally they assess this by evaluating the cost of your service against how much they’re likely to save and if ultimately, if this is worth it. Providing not only the important figures but evidencing how this has saved money in your case studies is an encouraging way to show your value in practise. Providing your clients with the details and information on how your service will be executed can make it more attractive. This is about relaying your expertise and building trust, if the client understands the process it will help them to see the bigger picture. You want to express how your service can effectively resolve, enhance and stabilise their business. Finally, it’s just as important to ensure that the format of your proposal also lends itself to being easily consumable. Keep it short, you don’t want the client to miss the important details if they thumb through a lengthy document and make sure it is relevant and concise to the person who will eventually receive it.
PITCHES The key to an effective ‘sales pitch’ is to listen to the needs of your client. Remember, a pitch should be a dialogue and not a monologue. Generally a good pitch involves asking questions, listening and responding with a solution to the client’s problem. In other words, you’re trying to uncover the prospect’s needs so that you can explain how the products or services you’re offering can help them to achieve their goals. Once you can identify their problems, have assessed the opportunities captured in this and understand how your offer can address these, you need to back this up with evidence. You can do this relaying case studies, as you would in a proposal. With plenty of time you should be looking to build a narrative by firstly, explaining your solution, applying your knowledge of their target market and competitors, clarifying how your solution can be implemented and finally, have them commit to a further meeting or discussion. Beyond the basics, you need to ensure that your pitch is varied to match the audience receiving it. Investors, for instance, will be more interested in how your service can produce cost savings and boost profits. Whereas as clients need to know all the benefits to their business. Remember, be confident, encourage a conversation and keep your pitch clear, brief and to the point.
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