Art
Siegel

How To Turn A Winning Sales Proposal Into A Loser

For may types of sales, from a small print job to a multi-million dollar construction project, it is normal to prepare a written proposal before the close. A lot of effort often goes into writing the proposal, tailoring it precisely to the customer's specific needs and budget. But even the best-crafted proposal can fail if it is not delivered properly. Here is How To Turn A Winning Sales Proposal Into A Loser 

In my previous article on sales proposals, I offered you ideas on how to construct a winning proposal, one that hooks the prospect's interest by accurately describing his or her needs, and then describes how your solution perfectly addresses their needs. But you're only half-way there. Now, it's time to deliver that winning proposal.

To tell you how to accomplish that, we'll describe some of the ways that winning proposals are often turned into losers, and what you can do to avoid these losing situations.

Just Mail It To Them

Having asked you for a formal written proposal, some prospects will then ask you to mail it to them so they can "look it over" and make their decision. Or worse, they set up an appointment for you to deliver your proposal in person, and then cancel the appointment on short notice and ask you to just mail it.

So what's wrong with that? If your proposal is so good, why can't it stand on its own merits without your help? Here are a few reasons:

1. Few prospects will bother to read your carefully crafted proposal from cover to cover. If they skip around, or jump directly to the end, they lose the story flow that you have so carefully built.
   
   
2. No matter how carefully your proposal has been written, it can't include everything the prospect needs to hear - the verbal amplifications, the case study stories of how you solved similar problems for other customers - nor can a written document pause for effect or add emphasis in just the right places.
   
   
3. Your written proposal can't read the prospect's body language for you, it can't answer questions, and it can't handle objections. If the prospect is reading it by him or herself and hits a point of confusion or disagreement, who is going to help them get past that point of concern?
   
   
4. You don't know who is looking at your proposal. In addition to your primary contact, is it being read by someone who has a vested interest in finding fault with your solution (they love the present solution and don't want you to make waves)?
   
   
5. If the prospect does read your proposal and likes it, you're not there to seize the moment and ask for the order.

If you can possibly avoid it, never just mail your proposal to the prospect. Offer one or more of these reasons why you must present it in person:

The written proposal tells only part of the story. I need to explain a few points, or they won't make sense.

I need to show you some examples (slides, a video, etc.).

I know you will like what we have to offer, but there are others in your company who will have technical questions that need to be answered before they throw their support behind this decision.

I have prepared 2 alternative approaches, with different specifications and pricing. I'll need to ask you a few questions and then explain the plusses and minuses of each of them.

Skip The Agenda

You've heard it before: Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them. Yet, many salespeople launch into their proposal presentation, omitting the first of these three steps. Here's the problem: chances are very good that since your last meeting with the prospect, something has changed:

• A competitor has raised a new issue, causing the prospect to change his mind about what he wants.
• Some new business pressure has caused the prospect to change his mind.
• Someone in the prospect company has a new requirement.
• Nothing has really changed, but as the decision point draws near, cold feet about making a decision cause the prospect to rethink his position on something.

At the beginning of your proposal presentation, hand out a copy of your agenda for the meeting, or display it on a white board or easel. Talk through what you will cover, and then ask:

Are there any other points you would like to cover today?

Whatever the prospect says, write it down on your agenda and make sure you cover it.

Hand Out Your Proposal At The Beginning

Particularly when presenting your proposal to a committee, a sure way to get into trouble is to hand everyone a copy with the intention of going through it together. When you do this, some things are likely to happen:

• At least one person will immediately search for the pricing, particularly if they think you are too high. Once they find it, count on them to shake their head and point out the huge total to the person sitting next to them. Never mind that they don't yet understand what they get for that price; they already don't like your proposal.
  
  
• Meanwhile, some other small-minded individual will flip through the pages to determine how well you handled their pet feature, whether or not it is really important to the decision maker. Then, out of the blue, they will start asking questions like: "How come on page 32 you talk about left-handed green widget brackets when we have always used right-handed aqua ones?
  
  
• Even if no one flips ahead, an unlikely case, you want everyone's attention focused on you and the compelling story you are telling, not with their noses buried in the book.

Your "winningest" strategy for proposal delivery is to explain thusly:

In a little while I will give each of you a copy of our formal written proposal. But first, what we will do is go through the highlights of our proposal and how it will address your needs.

Then, use slides, overheads, white board or just your own, well-rehearsed story-telling abilities to communicate the essence of your proposal. Once you have secured agreement that you correctly understand the prospect's needs, have a solution that makes sense to them, and have answered all their questions about your proposed solution, you're ready to hand out the written proposal. Since they already know the big stuff, you can then go directly to the pricing, implementation schedule and other finishing details before asking for the order.

Ignore Lesser Players

Whether the key decision maker comes alone or with an entourage, there are almost always other people involved in the decision. Most of them do not have the power to say: "Yes," but many of them may have the power to say: "No." Some of the best no-sayers are attorneys, accountants, engineers, bookkeepers -- anybody in a position to whine about some small flaw in your proposal that will make their life more difficult.

Before presenting your proposal, make sure you know who all of these decision-influencers are and that you have reached out to every one of them to arrest their worst fears.

Introduce Untested Surprises In Your Proposal Presentation

Presentation of your formal proposal should be a confirmation of everything you have previously discussed with the prospect, plus a few minor details. Your goal is to have a proposal presentation so solid that the prospect has no good reason not to accept it today.

If your proposal presentation introduces major new ideas that you have not previously tested on the prospect, the likely result is that you will be at least somewhat off the mark. Then, you are forced to resubmit your proposal at a later date, reflecting your new understanding of what the prospect wants. You've lost momentum, and you've given the competition an opportunity to offer a winning solution first.

Prior to your formal proposal presentation, review any new ideas with the decision-maker and talk through all major ideas you will present to be sure you are on track. Ask questions about any open issues and, if necessary, fax a draft of critical specifications or other details beforehand for confirmation.

Now you know five different ways to scuttle your beautiful proposal. Avoid these mistakes, and all you need to do is deliver your compelling story of why you and your company:

1. Understand this prospect's needs better than anyone else.
2. Have products and services which are a glove-tight fit for those needs.
3. Are going to knock yourselves out to exceed the prospect's expectations in every area, today and for years into the future.

SeaBird Associates Inc
3011 NE 7th Drive
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone: 561-750-9233
E-mail: Art Siegel

About Art Siegel