American Express

The proposal therefore should be a stand-alone document that, when picked up and read, follows the classic sales presentation format and also the mnemonic AIDA. So right at the beginning there should be a section putting your neck on the line by stating and declaring the result of your product or service if the prospect should proceed and you should win the business. Thecustomer is buying the result.

The ‘how to’ will be explained in the proposal, in other words what you will be doing or supplying that will enable your company to give the customer the result that the customer is seeking. Let me again remind you, you are the solution specialist, and in this instance you do not start with the problem but give the solution first and then present the problem and the detail.

It is of course quite right and proper to supply and to present your suitability and your credibility. This can be at the end of the proposal. The majority of the proposal should be very logical. The logic must be convincing and justify the buyer’s decision to proceed, even though that decision may have subconsciously been emotional.Whenever you have had an estimate or quotation, what have you looked for first? No doubt you are exactly the same as me and have looked at the price. Some people try to hide the price (no doubt because they are embarrassed). Some people attempt to make it complicated. Therefore, make it easy for customers. If they are going to look for the price first without reading the document, I suggest that you put the price in at the beginning as well as at the end. If you follow what I am saying, you should put the price immediately after the section where you have put your neck on the line and stated the result of what your product or service will deliver to the customer.