When writing a proposal, one of the most common mistakes is focusing too much on your company. In your sales letter, you can highlight your advantages and benefits, but if you focus too much on the company and less on your client, you may be wasting space.
Failing To Research
One of the most common mistakes made in the writing process of your sales proposal is failing to research your customer’s needs. Without knowing exactly what their problem is, it’s hard to personalise your proposal, so you should spend some time researching your prospects. This could be done by reading the request for proposal (RFP) or searching the Internet, or even asking your customers. When you are researching a prospect’s needs, you’ll come across their pain points and wants, which will help you tailor your offer. You will need to focus on the solutions you offer to the buyers’ problems. This way, your prospective clients will feel a connection to you and your solution.
Poor Grammar
How can your potential client believe that you are capable of getting the job done if you have presented to them a disorganised sales proposal? Grammar mistakes, especially when there’s quite a lot, can turn a potential client off. Don’t forget to spell check and proofread your document; it may be a quite tedious task, but it does create a very strong impression on the clients. Believe it or not, a spelling mistake is the number one turnoff for clients, and it can be difficult to fix.
Proofread your document several times before submitting it to a client. If possible, have someone else proofread it for you. An outside set of eyes will add an extra layer of insight. Use grammar and spelling checking programs or apps to improve readability and make sure that your proposal is grammatically correct.
If you want, you can use proofreading software to check for errors before you send your proposal to your potential client. Using Grammarly is a great way to find mistakes in spelling and grammar. It will also catch common mistakes such as misplaced words and grammatical mistakes. A poorly formatted proposal is also the most common mistake that leads to lost deals. So, be aware of the following common mistakes and use Grammarly to improve your sales pitch.
Using Too Much Jargon
Beware of jargon as well as long sentences in your sales proposal. It makes you sound like a complete fool, and your prospects will feel confused if they don’t understand what you’re talking about. While it is a good idea to highlight the benefits of your product as well as your expertise on the matter, and it can be tempting to use jargons, it is crucial not to use too many of them. Adding too much jargon in your business proposal will make your prospective client feel dumb, and that’s not a good way to start doing business with them. Keep your proposal short and to the point. Your busy client would greatly appreciate it.
Convincing The Wrong Customer
Another common mistake is focusing on the wrong customer. If you’re trying to close a deal with a new company, identifying the customers that are most similar to your ideal customer profile is the best way to ensure that your proposal is as effective as possible. Having a sales enablement program will help you target leads that are similar to your ideal customer. By targeting similar customers, you’ll be able to increase your chances of closing a deal.
Using Too Little Evidence & Too Much Info
If you want to sell your products and services, you should provide the proof of the benefits people can get from them. A persuasive proposal should include concrete evidence in clear and simple language to convince the reader. Also, being able to inform your potential client on the prices of your products or services is a big plus. There’s an online quote software that would be able to make this task a lot easier for you.
While lack of information can make it hard for your potential client to understand your proposal, too much information can also hurt your sales proposal. As stated above, a sales proposal should be specific to the needs of the buyer, should be short and straight to the point. Don’t use general language in a sales letter. A generic proposal will be difficult to read and confusing for your recipient.
Always bear in mind that a good sales letter should be tailored to the potential client’s needs. If you’re able to do that and are able to follow the tips stated above, you would be able to increase your chances of being able to make a sale.
About The Author
Dan Taylor
Dan is responsible for content marketing and branding at GuestPostBlogging. He writes about topics related to startup naming, branding and entrepreneurship.
