Taking the time to tailor your proposal makes all the
difference in the eyes of a client.
Q: My business is up and running and doing pretty well. A
prospective customer told me I needed to submit a business proposal to them. Is
that the same as a business plan? If not, what's the difference?
A: A business plan isn't the same as a business proposal.
Both are used for sales, but it's important to understand the differences. A
business plan is used to sell your business to investors. It outlines your
business, your management team, your market and how you intend to deliver your
product or service. On the other hand, you use a business proposal to offer
your product or services to a client. Proposals address a specific need of a specific
client. As with a business plan, a good proposal demands careful attention
Before writing a proposal, do your homework. Who are you
writing for? What is the problem your customer is trying to solve? Do they have
any special needs or requirements in the timing or format of your proposal? If
your customer is the government, you will find they have specific formats and
time tables you must follow to be considered as a vendor candidate. Many
companies let you submit a free-form proposal, but if they ask for a certain
format, follow it. For example, a company I do business with had asked five Web
design firms to bid on a project. They asked that the proposal follow a certain
outline with a development and deliverable timeline. Three firms submitted proposals
that didn't follow the outline and didn't even address the timeline
requirement. The company discarded those proposals. They thought that a firm
that couldn't meet the specs for a proposal wasn't likely to produce a final
product that met specifications.
Pay attention to logistics as well. If you're delivering a
product, let the client know how, where and when to expect fulfillment. If
you're delivering a service, address your timetable and the terms of your
service delivery. If your prospect has any special logistics needs, address
those.
A good proposal demonstrates that you understand how your
client thinks: how they think about their problems, special needs they have and
so on. The more your proposal meshes with the way the client thinks about the
problem, the easier it will be for the client to see that your product or
service meets their needs.
Credit to Stever Robbins.
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