19 Proven Strategies to Create Sales Proposals That Close Deals

So, you have a qualified lead and you‘re ready to pitch your product or service. But before you can close the deal, you need to submit a winning proposal. No pressure, right?

For many salespeople, the proposal can feel like the most daunting part of the process. It‘s your chance to truly persuade the client and show them why they should work with you. But far too often, proposals are hastily thrown together and fail to hit the mark.

In fact, research from Demand Metric found that while 64% of sales proposals are opened, only 16% result in a closed deal. So what separates the proposals that win business from those that get set aside?

Having written and reviewed hundreds of sales proposals myself, I‘ve distilled the secrets to creating proposals that wow clients and make them eager to sign on the dotted line. Follow these 19 proven strategies and you‘ll be well on your way to sky-high close rates.

Understand Your Client‘s World

The most fundamental key to a great proposal is knowing your audience inside and out. As the saying goes, seek first to understand, then to be understood.

Before you type a single word, do your homework on the company, key stakeholders, and their industry. According to sales expert Marc Wayshak, "the biggest mistake salespeople make is not properly researching prospects before the sales call." The same goes for proposals.

Some key questions to investigate:

• What are the company‘s goals, priorities and challenges?
• How do they make buying decisions? What are their criteria?
• Who are the key decision makers and influencers?
• What is their communication style and preferences?
• How do they define success and measure outcomes?
• What motivates and drives them personally and professionally?

Use a combination of methods to get a robust picture, including:

• Studying their website, marketing collateral, press releases, etc.
• Checking out their social media activity and employee posts
• Reading industry news, analyst reports, competitor intel
• Asking probing questions during sales calls to surface insights
• Talking to mutual connections to get the inside scoop

The better you understand their world, the more effectively you can craft a customer-centric proposal that positions you as the perfect fit.

Establish Your Authority

On the flip side, the client needs to feel confident that you have the expertise and experience to deliver results. A compelling proposal isn‘t just about the solution, but about helping the buyer trust that you‘re the right person to implement it.

One way to boost your authority is by showcasing relevant case studies and client success stories. Customer testimonials are especially powerful, with studies showing they can increase conversions on sales pages by as much as 34%. Pepper in quotes from happy clients touting the stellar work you did for them.

You can also highlight the pedigree of your team, your unique methodology, and any special certifications or awards to establish credibility. Share your thought leadership by referencing articles you‘ve published or speaking engagements.

The key is to demonstrate a track record of success for similar clients and projects. Show that you‘re an expert, not a novice, and have a proven process to achieve results. This allows the buyer to see you as an authority in your space and gives them peace of mind.

Create an Eye-Catching Title

The title is like the headline of your proposal – and headlines are known to be one of the most important elements for grabbing attention and enticing people to read further. The title sets the tone and creates that vital first impression.

Rather than something bland like "Proposal for X Company," use your title to convey value and make them want to open it right away. Some examples:

• "How [Your Company] Will Help [Client] Boost Sales by 25% in 90 Days"
• "Your Roadmap to Becoming the Industry Leader in Customer Service"
• "3 Ways [Client] Can Reduce IT Costs While Improving Security"

Use active language, click-worthy phrasing, and focus on benefits, not just deliverables. The title should make a compelling promise that piques their interest.

Lead With a Powerful Executive Summary

Once you‘ve captured their attention with the title, the executive summary is your chance to really hook them. Think of it as a movie trailer that convinces them the full proposal is worth their time.

The executive summary should provide a concise overview of the client‘s objectives, challenges, your proposed solution, and expected outcomes. Ideally, it‘s only around 4-5 paragraphs or bullet points that the reader can easily skim in 30 seconds.

Highlight your unique value proposition and how you will help them achieve their goals. Use hard-hitting stats where possible to emphasize the return on investment. Most of all, keep it laser-focused on the client‘s needs and the benefits to them.

Here‘s a hypothetical example:

Objective: Help National Bank increase loan applications by 20% in Q4
Challenge: Customer confusion around loan options and cumbersome application process leading to abandonments
Solution: Revamp website loan pages and create a streamlined digital application workflow, supported by a targeted campaign to drive traffic
Key Benefits:

• 20% increase in submitted applications and 10% increase in funded loans
• Improved customer experience and NPS scores
• Operational savings of $50K per month via automation
• Boost in website leads by 35%
  Investment: $75,000 one-time project fee + $10,000/month for ongoing optimization and support
  Projected ROI: $250,000 in incremental revenue within first 3 months post-launch

The executive summary should be enticing yet informative enough that the client is left thinking, "This sounds great, tell me more!"

Make It All About Them

Stop talking about yourself so much. I know that sounds counterintuitive for a sales proposal, but modern buyers don‘t want to feel sold to.

According to Salesforce, 79% of business buyers say it‘s absolutely critical or very important that the salesperson they work with is a trusted advisor who adds value to their business. They care more about getting their needs met than about how fantastic you think you are.

Yes, you need to establish your credibility, as noted before. But everything in your proposal should relate back to how it benefits the client and supports their success.

After all, a proposal is really meant to persuade the buyer that you can help them achieve their goals, so it needs to be rooted in their priorities. Start by restating their objectives and current situation to show you understand them.

Then, rather than just listing out your features, services or process, frame everything through the lens of how it will impact the client‘s business.

• Instead of "We offer 24/7 support"

• Try "With our 24/7 support, your team can get help anytime to resolve issues quickly and keep productivity high"

• Instead of "Our software has 150+ integrations"

• Try "Our software integrates seamlessly with the other 150+ tools your team uses every day, so you can streamline your workflow"

Aim for client-focused statements to outnumber company-focused ones by 4:1. Continually reinforce that you‘ve tailored this solution to their unique situation and goals. Show them you‘re in their corner.

Provide Specifics On Deliverables

A vague proposal is not a convincing one. Ambiguity breeds scepticism, as the client wonders how much substance is really behind your claims. They may have been burned before by a provider overpromising and underdelivering.

That‘s why you need to be ultra-specific about the scope of work and what tangible outcomes the client can expect. Break down your process into clear phases and milestones. Drill into the nitty gritty of what you‘ll be providing at each step.

For example, rather than "Keyword research and optimization," you might say:

• Robust keyword research analyzing search volume, competitiveness, and user intent to create list of 100+ target terms
• Optimize existing site content and meta data based on keyword map, aiming for keyword density of 1-2% and using keywords in H1, title tags, etc.
• Create 10 new keyword-rich blog posts per month targeting long-tail phrases

The more precise and granular you are, the more confidence you will instill that you can actually execute the work. If possible, provide a timeline estimating delivery dates and how long each phase will take.

You can use tables, bullet points, or even infographics to cleanly communicate the details of the project plan. The goal is to make the scope digestible at a glance.

Justify Your Pricing

Of course, the client is going to zero in on the price tag. But a number alone, without context, can be a deal breaker if not presented properly.

Never just slip the price in without explanation. You need to clearly articulate the value and ROI of the investment, especially for premium-priced solutions. Help them see it not as a cost, but as an investment that will pay dividends.

Show how your price connects to each component of the solution and the associated benefits. Spell out exactly what they‘re getting for the money, emphasizing the real-world results it will produce.

If you‘re able to estimate monetary gains like increased revenue, cost savings, or productivity gains, even better. You can create a simple ROI calculator to demonstrate how your solution will more than pay for itself.

Also consider breaking up the pricing into stages or smaller monthly amounts, rather than one big lump sum, which can be intimidating. Itemize each line item to create transparency around the cost breakdown.

If any part of your pricing is outside of industry norms or the client‘s expectations, address it head on. Perhaps you might say:

"You may have seen lower prices from other providers, but here‘s why we‘re different: with [key differentiator], you‘ll be able to achieve [benefit] that our competitors can‘t match. Clients tell us the long-term value is well worth the investment."

Ultimately, don‘t be afraid to stand behind your pricing. Confidence is key. Justify it powerfully based on the value you provide and clients will see it as a worthwhile investment.

Design For Impact

I won‘t spend too much time on design as I covered it in depth in my article on creating visually stunning proposals. But the look and feel of your document definitely matters.

Think of your proposal as a marketing piece, not just an informational document. A thoughtful, well-designed proposal will make the client feel valued and shows your professionalism. It also helps them navigate the information more easily.

Some key tips:

• Reflect your visual branding in colors, fonts, logo, etc. for consistency and polish
• Include captivating images like team photos, product shots, charts, and mockups
• Leverage whitespace and sections to avoid overwhelming walls of text
• Use clear headlines and call-out boxes to emphasize key points
• Keep fonts clean and readable – nothing smaller than 11pt!
• Incorporate your prospect‘s branding as well to create a connection

You don‘t need to be a graphic designer to create something functional and attractive. Start with a professional proposal template and customize it to your needs and branding.

Anticipate Objections

Part of your job is to proactively address any hesitations or doubts the client may have. The last thing you want is for them to be reading your proposal and thinking "But what about…?" or "I don‘t know…"

Try to anticipate potential objections before they even come up. What might make the client nervous to move forward? Price? Timing? Lack of understanding? Changing a process or strategy they‘re used to?

You can subtly work in language to handle those objections throughout the proposal. Or consider having a short FAQ section that lists out common questions and your responses.

Here‘s an example:

• "How do I know this will work?"
  We‘ve successfully implemented this solution for X, Y, Z companies and seen an average 50% increase in leads within 6 months. Our proven methodology and 10 years of experience allow us to achieve consistent results.

• "It seems expensive"
  When you factor in the potential revenue gains, this project will achieve payback within 3 months and generate a 250% ROI in the first year alone. Plus, our fees include all software and set-up, so there are no surprise costs down the line.

If you‘ve done your research on the client and the competitive landscape, you‘ll have a good sense of what their chief concerns will be. Get in front of them in your proposal and you‘ll have a much better shot at buy-in.

Master the Close

Congrats, they‘ve read your proposal! Now what?

Well, first make it stupid simple for them to say yes. Every proposal should have a clear call-to-action (CTA) that guides them to the next step. Perhaps that‘s scheduling a call to review the proposal together, arranging an in-person meeting to answer questions, or sending over the contract to sign.

The CTA should be highly visible and easy to complete in one click. It could be a big button, a calendar link, an email address – anything that lowers the barrier to moving forward.

Second, be prepared to follow up proactively. Very few clients will immediately reply with a resounding "Yes, let‘s go!" (wouldn‘t that be nice?). 80% of sales require an average of 5 follow-up calls after the initial meeting. So you need to stay on their radar without being pushy.

Send a short email to confirm they received it and ask if they have any questions. Offer to walk through the proposal page-by-page to ensure it meets their needs.

If you don‘t hear back, follow up again after 2-3 business days. Persistence pays off. In the digital age where inboxes are overflowing, it can take multiple attempts to get a response.

Here‘s a sample follow up:

Hi [Name],

I wanted to make sure you received the proposal I sent over on [day] to [achieve X goal]. I think it provides a strong action plan to [get X results], but I‘m happy discuss any aspect of it in more depth.

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback. If I don‘t hear back from you, I‘ll follow up again in a few days. I‘m excited about the potential of working together and delivering [awesome outcome] for [company name].

Thanks,
[Your name]

Finally, be ready to revise. You may need to make tweaks to the scope, pricing or other details based on the client‘s input. That‘s okay! It shows they‘re interested and engaged.

Incorporate their feedback graciously and turn around a new version quickly. This allows you to collaborate towards a mutual fit.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, a proposal is a sales tool, and it should be crafted with the same care and customer-centric approach as any other part of the sales process.

By deeply understanding your client, highlighting value, specifying scope, and justifying price, you‘ll be well positioned to create proposals that "wow" and win the business. Design and structure your document strategically, proactively overcome objections, and include a strong CTA.

With persuasive, professional, and tailored proposals, you‘ll be able to boost your close rates, build your reputation, and grow your company. Follow these 19 tips and you‘ll be on your way to proposal mastery.

Now I‘d love to hear from you. Have you leveraged any of these strategies in your proposals? What‘s working well and what other techniques would you add? Drop a comment below and let‘s keep the conversation going.

[Author Bio]
Sarah Walters is a freelance B2B sales consultant and strategist specializing in IT and professional services. She draws on over 15 years of experience crafting winning proposals and building client relationships for companies like Accenture, IBM, and Deloitte. Sarah is also a frequent contributor to top sales publications including Sales Hacker and Selling Power Magazine.