8 steps to turn your sales proposals into signed contracts
The sales proposal is a truly strategic tool in the sales cycle. Its aim is to trigger a purchasing decision or the signing of a contract. If well constructed, the sales proposal becomes a powerful weapon of persuasion, capable of transforming simple interest into a concrete sale. Indeed, 84% say they prefer to buy from a company that can identify their needs (source: Salesforce Research).
Presented as a guide, this article details each of the steps involved in writing a sales proposal, so that you can master it clearly and convincingly.
What is a sales proposal?
General definition of a sales proposal
A sales proposal is a formal document drawn up by a sales representative for a potential customer. It presents the advantages of a product or service in a clear and convincing manner, highlighting its suitability to meet the customer's specific needs.
The sales proposal is frequently used in B2B and has proven to be a highly effective sales tool. A study conducted by the Sales Management Association revealed that companies that consider their proposal efforts to be effective experience new account acquisition and sales growth rates 40% to 50% higher than those that don't. This correlation underscores the importance of a well-structured, relevant sales proposal in closing B2B sales.
💡 Generally speaking, it's not used in B2C. So, a sales proposal must persuade your prospects that your offer best meets their needs, and convince them of your expertise in the field. A good sales proposal is the key to converting your leads into new customers.
The different types of sales proposal
There are several types of sales proposal, depending on the nature of your offer. We can distinguish two types of sales proposal.
Solicited sales proposal
A solicited sales proposal is when potential customers ask for a proposal.
Proposals are said to be formally solicited when the prospect requests the proposal and, in response, the company drafts it based on the prospect's specific needs. For example, public tenders. Here, the customer expresses a need that he or she wishes to satisfy. Interested companies must then submit a structured commercial proposal:
- understanding the need,
- methodology,
- planning,
- rates, etc.
Here, the proposal is not simply an offer: it's a strategic document, formally required, to assess the service provider's ability to respond with relevance, rigor and added value.
Informal proposals, on the other hand, represent situations in which it is not necessary to formulate a commercial proposal for the customer. For example, at a trade show, a prospect expresses interest in a service after a discussion with a sales representative. Without going through an invitation to tender, he or she asks to "receive an idea for a price and service". In this case, the sales proposal is an informal request: it is not governed by any procedure, but it remains decisive in initiating a business relationship.
Unsolicited sales proposals
Also known as an unsolicited or cold proposal, this is an offer sent by a sales representative to a potential customer, partner or investor, but who has not requested a proposal.
This type of proposal needs special attention on the part of the offeror, as used in the wrong context and with the wrong person, it can be perceived as spam.
This is the case of an agent who sends an unsolicited e-mail to the head of a growing company, after studying his sector and identifying opportunities for improvement. In this e-mail, he proposes his services, detailing solutions adapted to the company's specific needs. Here, the proposal is unsolicited, as the e-mail is sent proactively, without any prior request from the recipient. The aim is to arouse interest and initiate a sales conversation.
The distinction between a sales proposal and a quotation
It's not uncommon for people to confuse this term with quotation. So it's important to point out the differences between these two commercial documents.
As we defined earlier, a sales proposal sets out the potential customer's needs, and the services or products that the agent proposes to their advantage, in detail.
A quotation, on the other hand, is a summary of information concerning the services or products the agent wishes to sell to the prospect. It includes :
- quantity,
- unit price
- sometimes the estimated delivery time.
👉 The quotation focuses particularly on price. What's more, the quotation must explicitly state its period of validity, which is not a mandatory criterion for the legal conformity of a commercial proposal.
Essential information prior to drafting a proposal
Drawing up a prospect qualification sheet
Before drafting a sales proposal, it is essential to research the potential customer. You need to find out about the prospect's profile, with the aim of personalizing the sales offer as much as possible and responding appropriately to his or her problems. To this end, this article presents the key elements for drawing up a prospect qualification sheet.
Potential customer profile
It's vital to analyze the status of the person you're talking to. Is the decision-maker a buyer, a manager or the end-user?
Their needs may be explicit or implicit. So it's important to identify what they really want. To do this, it's essential to identify :
- problems,
- his objectives,
- priorities: time savings, performance, image, expected KPIs
- the urgency of their needs.
The agent must approach the prospect with an appreciation of the history of their relationship. In other words, if the agent has already had previous dealings with the potential customer, or if the potential customer consumes the services or products of competitors, there will not be the same expertise to highlight in the sales proposal.
Your company
You need to identify your business sector, as well as the regulatory constraints it faces. To get a complete profile of your potential customer's business, you also need to identify the competitive environment in your sector.
Other factors that come into play when analyzing your prospect's business are :
- company size: VSE, SME, ETI, major account,
- number of decision-makers involved,
- investment capacity.
The prospect qualification sheet
To help you with this laborious task, we've prepared a summary PDF table containing all the key information relating to your potential customer. You can also access the sales proposal document to complete in the rest of this article.
Tools to facilitate lead generation
Lead generation software enables the marketing team, or sales agents directly, to identify leads. It's a process that analyzes the behavior of website visitors and identifies potential customers based on indicators such as number of clicks, length of visit or conversion rate. Here's a comprehensive guide, including a selection of the best tools for saving time and profiling potential customers.
Customer prospecting software is used to automate the tasks involved in identifying and approaching potential customers. This type of software centralizes data linked to the search for new customers, making the process more efficient and relevant. Here's our selection of the best customer prospecting tools:
The 8 steps to writing a propale
Step 1: Cover page
In the first section, you'll briefly introduce your company. You'll include your company's contact details:
- company name,
- company telephone number,
- contact email for the sales representative sending the sales proposal,
- postal address,
- logo
- proposal date.
Next, briefly announce your proposal. Recall the request for proposal in the case of a solicited proposal, or the potential customer's problem in the case of an unsolicited proposal. Then, in a clear and structured way, highlight your company's expertise and values, to demonstrate your ability to respond optimally to the needs expressed by the prospect.
Note: this part is one of the contact's first impressions of the company. It's therefore essential to be distinctive, while at the same time graphically aligning with the brand's identity and values. In addition, it's important to keep the structure as concise as possible.
Be careful not to overload the cover page! To achieve this, it's best to avoid dwelling excessively on your company's presentation, or resorting to an overloaded layout. The aim is not to distract the prospect's attention from the main offer.
Step 2: Summary
This step is optional, but highly recommended. Inserting a summary helps structure your proposal while highlighting the different points covered. This step encourages a gradual approach to the prospect, without overwhelming him with information from the very first pages.
Step 3: Executive summary of the sales proposal
The executive summary summarizes the sales agent's proposed action plan. Placed at the beginning of your sales proposal, it gives potential customers an overview of the overall content.
In this part, you need to establish a bond of trust with the prospect. You'll summarize your company's history, highlighting the projects and professional experiences you've carried out in which the problem is similar to that of the prospect. Describe the company's core values and mission, and explain how they align with the target's requirements and professional values. Write this step by adapting it specifically to the prospect's profile and needs, to demonstrate a fine-tuned understanding of their issues.
💡 On this page you can add visual elements that will confirm your motivations and justify your expertise in the field.
Step 4: Your analysis of the prospect's issues
In the first paragraph, using the information obtained during the lead profiling and identification process, write in detail your analysis. Give the profile you've drawn up for him/her and the environment in which you situate him/her. Indicate :
- objectives,
- the company's strengths and weaknesses,
- competitive environment, etc.
Present the results of your research to show that you have a thorough understanding of your client's situation. This shows that you have taken into account the company's entire ecosystem when drawing up your recommendations.
Next, recall the prospect's problem. Be sure to formulate it from their point of view. Emphasize your understanding by explaining the sources of the problem and its repercussions on various factors. You'll then provide, if existing, other challenges or threats that could also affect the prospect's needs.
✅ Show your commitment while remaining true to your customer's point of view. As a result, the prospect will be more likely to accept the proposal. Indeed, if you understand their problem and recognize their objectives, the solution you offer is most likely relevant.
Step 5: Your answers to the prospect's problems
This is the heart of your proposal. If you've succeeded in convincing your potential customer so far, this is the part that will determine whether your solution is what he needs. This step will take the information briefly set out in the operational summary step and expand on it. You'll indicate the resources needed to carry out the plan, the duration of the project, the methodology, the implementation, and so on.
The formalism of this part is quite free. You can associate a specific solution with each problem, or go straight to the heart of the problem and list possible solutions. Specify the sacrifices required (financial costs, considerable time, etc.) to implement each solution. And, of course, list the benefits. You may wish to include forecast data to reinforce the credibility and rationality of your project.
Step 6: Pricing
The price must be justified and reveal the true value of your offer, while being in line with the potential customer's budget. You can illustrate your prices more nicely by using a table detailing the prices of each proposed service.
Pricing and negotiation margins are entirely up to you. However, keep in mind that offering pricing options maximizes your chances of closing the deal.
In any case, the sales proposal is not a quotation, and is therefore not focused on price, but on the advantages of contracting with you and not another agent.
Step 7: Summary of your skills
In this part, you summarize all the reasons why you are a unique sales agent, reiterate why you have committed to this project with this prospect, and reiterate the advantages and key factors of success of your plan. Convince the prospect one last time of the benefits he'll have with you that he won't have with competitors.
Step 8: Terms and conditions
Finally, state the terms and conditions of the contract so that the prospect can take action as quickly as possible.
Sales proposal template
To help you create a sales proposal, we've put together a Word example for you to download, in which you only need to fill in the missing fields.
How can I be sure to close with my sales proposal?
The sales proposal should never be seen as a mere formality, but as a strategic lever for conversion. To maximize your chances of closing, every element of the proposal needs to be thought through with rigor, precision and coherence. It's not just a question of responding to a request, but :
- Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the prospect,
- anticipate their expectations,
- propose a clear, advantageous and credible solution.
By methodically following the steps in this guide, you can structure your sales pitch persuasively. Personalized content, benefit-based argumentation and transparent information are all factors that have a positive influence on the decision to buy.
Finally, an effective sales proposal is one that builds trust. It reassures, promotes your expertise and makes clear the added value of your offer.
FAQs on sales proposals
What format should I use for my sales proposal?
The format of a sales proposal plays an essential role in its readability, credibility and impact on the prospect. The most common format is PDF. So, before submitting your offer, it's a good idea to convert it to PDF.
What strategy should I adopt to follow up on a prospect's unanswered proposal?
To follow up an unanswered sales proposal, wait 3 to 5 working days, then send a short, personalized and courteous message. Remind them of the date you sent the proposal, offer to help, and make yourself available for discussion. If necessary, vary the channels (email, telephone, LinkedIn) and limit yourself to 2 or 3 reminders spaced out. Keep your tone professional, not insistent.
How do I respond to an objection to a sales proposal?
First, rephrase the objection to show that you understand. Next, validate the prospect's concern, provide a personalized response highlighting the value of your offer, and possibly propose a compromise. Finally, encourage the prospect to ask further questions and conclude positively by reaffirming your availability.
Article translated from French