You've done a great job in your marketing, had a brilliant face to face presentation and your prospect has requested a written proposal. You are certain that the sale is 'in the bag' only to hear the words; "Sorry but we're going ahead with a competitor…"

Your price was great and you really 'clicked' with the prospect…what happened?

Over the years I have noticed 5 things that are wrong with most business proposals.

1. They Are Written in Legalese: You know the kind of 'Choloroform in Print' stuff that I mean - "We are pleased to submit herewith this quotation in relation to the supply of Blah Blah Blah…" I have seen this mistake in industry after industry and have come to realize this is the norm not the exception.

Can you imagine asking your husband or wife "Please submit herewith a cup of coffee for the supply of the energy therein…?"  You say "but that would be crazy!"

Exactly!

2. They Don't Have  Benefits-Focused Headline: In the case of one of my Shed Building clients, we did some research to discover what his clients were looking for when they bought a new shed. The result was the following headline on all his proposals:

"Here's How You Can Own a Quality [Name of Company] Rural Shed That Will Increase The Value Of Your Property Overnight, Last For Years and Make You Feel Fantastic Every Time You Even Look At It…"

The result was a dramatic increase in sales. If your business proposals are dead, dull and boring, simple changed like these really can help you have more effective business proposals. In my next post, I'll share 3 more reasons why most business proposals lack selling power.

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