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Writing Effective Business Proposals Disclaimer

by Patti Kinnison

Patti Kinnison has been in the Internet business for 7 years. She has worked as a Software Test Engineer and most recently doing High-Tech Consulting. She also has experience in small business proposals and helping entrepreneurs "close the deal". She can be reached at patti@2kinnisons.com.

Writing Effective Business Proposals

Want to close more deals in less time? To do this, you need to write a strong and effective business proposal.

Experts preach that time or money should be the priority, so which do you have more of? Invest more time if you don't have the money, or invest more money if you don't have the time. If you are ramping up your new business or just need clarification in the Internet's sea of confusion, using the following proposal advice will provide the right balance and ultimately save you both time and money.

There is an astounding number of information sources on the Internet, enough to make your head spin and leave you with analysis paralysis, not to mention wasted time. As you already know, there is much more to running a successful business than being knowledgeable about your product. You first have to close the deal before you can show your real talent.

Show your prospective client who you are, what needs or problems you can solve, what your skills are, what you propose to do for them, and most importantly, how they can benefit from using your product or service. Answer these six questions in your proposal and you will quickly close the deal.

Who are you?

When your client first reads your proposal, they are probably wondering who you are. Create a high-quality proposal, and your clients will know that you are detail-oriented and organized, and that nothing less than the best is acceptable. Professional-looking documents inspire confidence in your business and the quality of your work. This level of professionalism demonstrates who you are.

What needs or problems of theirs you will solve?

This is the time to demonstrate your keen listening skills by mirroring back to your client their need or problem that you plan to solve. This proves to your client that you fully understand the issues at hand. Demonstrate in your proposal that you heard their concerns by detailing the specifics. Focus on problem areas that they expressed extra concern about.

What are your skills?

One of the best indicators of future performance is past performance. Show your client successful projects that you have completed or are currently working on. Focus on your star performances, include testimonials, and offer to let your current client talk with past or present clients. Sharing a portfolio of your work is very professional, and it allows potential clients to see the good work you've done.

What are you going to do for them?

Once your prospective client is satisfied with your qualifications, they need to know what you are going to do for them and how you are going to accomplish it. Your proposal needs to demonstrate to the client what your specific ideas are for the project, any options they have, and why your ideas, methods, and goals for their project meet their needs better than anyone else's.

What is the schedule?

In your proposal, include detailed information about your scheduling plan. When can you start the project? What are your first, second, and third milestones? What is the projected completion date? By breaking the schedule down into milestones, your client knows what to expect and when to expect it. Smaller schedules are easier to manage and the completion date can be readjusted as needed.

Why they should give you their business?

Once you have answered all the above questions in your proposal, you have proven why they should give you their business. Provide a summary that reaffirms who you are, how you will solve their problem or issue, what your skills are, what you are going to do for them, and the time frame in which you can complete their project.

Creating a high-quality, effective business proposal is essential to clinching and boosting your sales, and saving time and money. Keep your proposals simple. Provide enough information to answer your client's questions, but do not overwhelm them with fluff.

While researching proposal information for my own business, I came across ProposalKit.com. It wasn't until I found this site that my proposal research solidified. I only wish I had found this information sooner... it would have saved me dozens of hours.