Learn how to write a business proposal that stands out, impresses buyers & seals more deals. Learn how to prepare and what to include in your proposal.
Amotz Harari, Head of MarketingShort answer
Read on to get practical details for each slide ⤵
A business proposal is a presentation or PDF that details a product, service, or project to a prospective client. It is used near the end of the sales process and covers the prospect’s needs and objectives, and the provider’s solution, pricing, and expected outcomes.
A successful business proposal ends with the prospective client accepting and signing the document.
PDF is traditionally the go-to format for business proposals.
But in recent years, and increasingly with the rise of AI, leading sales teams and professionals are transitioning from static PDFs to interactive proposals that give prospects more freedom for customization, and increase the likelihood they’ll accept and sign the document.
Business proposals broadly fall under 3 types:
Service proposals cover services given over time such as cleaning, security, gardening, IT, staffing, and management.
Service proposals normally include start and termination dates for the service, rather than timelines and milestones, and focus on deliverables rather than KPIs.
Product business proposals cover a product or solution. It’s commonly used by B2B SaaS companies in high-tech or manufacturers that supply parts or raw materials to other companies.
This type of business proposal can focus on KPIs and ROI in the case of SaaS, or on delivered quantities and qualities in the case of manufacturers.
This is not to be confused with a product proposal given to stakeholders and decision-makers before product development or a product launch.
A business proposal for a project covers a service, a deliverable provided once, and limited in time. This type of proposal is used by providers such as consulting agencies, construction companies, engineering firms, legal firms, and website development companies.
Project business proposals focus on timetables, milestones, and the project’s impact as measured in KPIs and ROI.
These are not to be confused with project proposals made outside the sales context. Such project proposals are used internally (or externally as part of a broader service) to get the buy-in and backing of stakeholders and decision-makers.
This type of project proposal is closer to a project plan than a business proposal.
These business proposals are used as part of early prospecting to generate leads and MQLs. These are essentially the same as sales prospecting decks.
These proposals, sometimes called sales proposals, are used after one or more sales meetings have occurred and only after the prospect has shown interest in buying. This is what most people refer to when saying “business proposal”.
An RFP response is sent only when an RFP is issued for a service or solution you provide. Often the RFP will have particular requirements and a specific structure and format for application.
The standard format for a business proposal is PDF. Proposals are often designed to be asthetically pleasing and more inviting than a text-only document.
But in recent years leading sales teams are moving away from PDFs to interactive digital proposals. These new digital formats help them differentiate from the competition, and provide valuable engagement analytics, support engagement, and increase close rates.
Here’s an interactive proposal example by Storydoc:
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To compose a highly effective business proposal you’ll need to differentiate your value proposition, address key selling points, manage expectations, and involve all critical stakeholders.
By the end of this guide, you’ll know how to make world-leading business proposals, surpass your competitors in every way, and get more deals over the finish line.
This guide is a broad guide. However, different industries require different proposals with different focuses and different slides. And so, below you’ll find links to our specialized proposal writing guides for whichever your niche or use case may be.
Proposal writing guides for specific use cases:
TIP: Write your proposal quickly. Writing effective business proposals quickly is essential for closing deals. Proposals don’t have to be perfect, but they need to be timely to keep the prospect engaged and avoid ghosting.
The title slide is like a shop window. It’s your prospect’s expectations for what’s inside. It should be visually appealing, but that’s not enough.
To get a headstart over your competitors with your proposal title slide it needs to capture the essence of your value proposition, establish relevancy, and create intrigue.
Easier said than done. But definitely doable.
How to make a business proposal title slide that sets you apart?
To nail your cover slide, and stand out from other proposals competing for their business do the following:
A personal note or cover letter is an introduction that eases the reader into the proposal. It establishes the basic context needed to start reading.
Your cover letter should be kept conversational and short. Don’t make it too cold and formal, and don’t make it a form of an executive summary, just make the connection to past meetings, voiced expectations, and people involved.
TIP: It’s good practice to put a face to the note, to make it warmer and personal (like in the example below).
Your browser does not support the video tag.It’s important to add a table of contents to your proposal for 3 reasons:
TIP: Adding jump-links will provide you with click data on which slides prospects found most important. With this info, you could follow up with them knowing exactly what issues to address.
Your browser does not support the video tag.An executive summary in a business proposal should be kept very short and easy to scan using bullet points, ordered lists, short texts, and preferably a video (if you’re using interactive proposal formats).
It is NOT a long and text-heavy intro like you find in reports or research papers.
What to include in a business proposal executive summary?
TIP: Using a slide template like in the example below you could embed a video about your business, product, service, and expertise, and reduce the text needed to deliver your message.
Your browser does not support the video tag.The challenges slide, sometimes called the problem slide, is a short yet ultra-specific description of the problem or challenges that plague your prospect and that your solution aims to solve.
Since your prospect knows their own pains, there is no need to explain them in length. Simply describe their pain points in titles using their own words from past meetings and correspondence.
In the example below we used a simple “card” format to list the main challenge.
Your browser does not support the video tag.The objectives slide lists the desired outcomes gained from procuring your service or product. This is essentially the mirror image of the client’s challenges.
Use the prospect’s own words to articulate their objectives, same as I advised for describing their challenges. This would make them more relatable and compelling.
Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag.Your service or product overview slide should explain what your solution does, a bit about how it does it, and what makes it uniquely valuable.
Make an effort to focus your overview on how your solution addresses the client’s main problem, important features or deliverables, and especially the impact it brings.
This slide is best done with a mix of video and text, where the video gives a broad overview and the text is tailored to the specific prospect and their concerns.
How to create an effective business proposal solution slide?
Ensure your value proposition clearly solves the client's business challenge.
The deliverables slide includes services beyond and around the main solution, like onboarding, training, integration, design, customer support, dashboards, documentation, audits, hardware supplied, etc.
How to make and present a business proposal solution slide?
When creating this slide:
This will remove uncertainty and unwanted surprises. It will give the client the confidence to move forward and help you justify pricing.
When presenting this slide:
This will help to align the client’s expectations for response times and meeting schedules with what you are willing to do.
Importantly, be cautious about offering too much access using direct messaging to avoid constant interruptions.
Your browser does not support the video tag.This slide includes the outcomes the client is expected to get by procuring your product or service. The most compelling outcomes are measurable impacts on the client’s KPIs or support them directly.
Measurable outcomes demonstrate your accountability, which builds the client’s trust in your ability to deliver.
How to make a business proposal outcomes slide?
The team slide puts faces to the service you provide. This slide introduces the specific team within the company that will take care of the client and work with them closely to achieve their objectives.
People trust and appreciate the individuals they collaborate with more than a faceless organization. This gives the prospect a sense of connection which could reduce their focus on price.
How to create a business proposal team slide?
Social proof is a standard for almost any type of persuasive document. A social proof slide can include video testimonials, client review quotes, client logos, trust badges, and awards.
Limit yourself to the minimum needed to show trustworthiness, authority, and capability.
Make sure your social proof closely resembles your prospect’s challenges, niche, and circumstances. The more your prospects recognize themselves in your quotes and testimonials the more persuasive it will be.
Your browser does not support the video tag.Case studies, sometimes called customer success stories, serve as proof of your competence and capability to deliver on what you promise.
Most prospects will want to want to see proof of past success with a client like them, with the same needs and challenges.
The example slide template below has a snapshot of the case study in text and a testimonial video (placeholder). You can cater to prospects who prefer to read as well as those who prefer to listen.
How to make a case study slide?
The pricing slide can either show your pricing plan options, in case of a SaaS product business proposal or show the breakdown of the services and deliverables provided, in case of a service proposal.
Both options allow the client visibility into the investments and their corresponding impact. But it also gives them control over the deal at a more granular level.
This minimizes frustration over unexpected costs or missing deliverables they expected to get which were not included in the deal.
How to build an effective business proposal pricing slide?
This section is a binding legal document that lists the terms of the agreement and the compensation each side should receive.
This is for your legal team to determine.
Things to ensure in your terms and conditions:
This is the part all your efforts have been leading up to. All you need is the beautiful signature in the box that seals the deal.
Don’t use a static PDF as your business proposal format if you can avoid it, since it makes this part more difficult and may trip you at the finish line.
Use modern digital proposal software that allows you to embed an e-signature box right in your proposal. And better yet, software that syncs with your CRM and automatically updates the lead status.
Your browser does not support the video tag.The next steps slide is where you tell your client what will be the next immediate mutual action items after accepting the deal.
The plan for moving forward should be clear, concrete, and involve specific people.
How to create an effective next steps slide?
Provide your contact information so your contact or any decision maker within the client’s organization can communicate with you to ask questions, get more information, or update you on progress.
Your browser does not support the video tag.To help you speed up your proposal writing I brought you some of our best business proposal templates.
These interactive templates are easily customizable and completely reusable.
They were built and optimized based on what we’ve constantly seen work best for Storydoc clients.
Stroydoc can be integrated with your CRM so these templates can be automatically personalized and sent to the prospect from your sales platform with a click.
Grab one!
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No templates found1) Collect the critical information to customize your proposal to the client’s specific needs and circumstances. But don’t stop there - seek their feedback to refine the proposal (don’t assume you got it right in the first draft).
2) Make sure you understand the prospect’s decision-making process and criteria. Ask the prospect and try to identify all key stakeholders, decision-makers, and other obstacles involved in the process.
3) Get the client's expectations for the next steps and timelines. Discuss expected timelines with prospects and clarify the steps that will occur after accepting the proposal.
4) Get verbal agreement from the prospect before writing your proposal.
This bit is critical! Only write your proposal after discussing the main points of a possible deal with the prospect and getting their agreement. This will avoid nasty surprises and misunderstandings.
Writing your business proposal is the hard part. But you have to present it effectively to finish the job.
DO NOT SEND YOUR PROPOSAL BY MAIL.
When you send your proposal over email you lose control over the conversation. So always schedule a call to walk the client through the proposal instead of emailing it.
Doing a live walkthrough with the client lets you handle objections, clarify details, and address concerns in real-time.
This is critical for avoiding confusion, doubts, or clients focusing solely on the price.
After presenting your proposal you can send it by email for further review by other decision makers.
NOTE: Do your best to prevent your prospects from printing out your proposal. A 2020 study found that once someone prints your proposal, your chances of landing the deal shrink by 84%!
Another benefit of using digital proposals is that you get engagement analytics that gives you visibility into who inside the client’s organization read the proposal, how long, which slides they focused on, and who they shared it with.