In the world of business, a sales proposal is an important tool that sales professionals often use to get an idea in front of a client for consideration. A sales proposal is a written sales pitch created by the sales professional that outlines the new idea, service or product to educate the client and generate interest. The sales proposal may also be combined with a demonstration of how the product or idea will benefit the client.
While a sales proposal is a carefully managed investment in both time and effort for the sales professional, it is often worth the sacrifice in terms of getting new ideas across to the client. This effort makes the sales process clearer as the client is allowed to see in black and white what is being presented. The sales proposal is often an introduction or the starting point for a new business venture.
A well-written sales proposal combines three critical components. The first component is to educate the potential customer about a new idea, product or service. The second component is to provide a convincing argument for why the customer needs the product or service. The last, and often the most important component of the sales proposal process, is to illustrate a reasonable return on investment for the client – also known as an ROI.
In the proposal process, a sales professional may be required to construct a bid proposal to an organization or company. This process is often called an RFP, or Request for Proposal, as the organization accepts multiple bids from companies or contractors for work or services to be provided. Once the bid acceptance period ends, the award for contract generally goes to the company with the lowest bid or proposal.
When a marketing firm approaches a company with a new idea for an advertising or promotional campaign, the marketing agency will often submit a marketing proposal to the company. The company then considers it for its value to the bottom line and how it will best fit in with current marketing efforts. A marketing proposal can also be submitted along with a sales contract, as a complimentary service.
An effectively crafted sales or marketing proposal may increase the chances of achieving positive results. It is up to the sales team to research and understand well the type of company being approached before the proposal can be written to address the needs of the client. This effort enables the proposal to be more easily understood and recognized as a value to the client.