5 Keys to a Sales Proposal that Closes Deals You need to know NOW

Sales Proposal Tip #1: Keep the sales proposal under three pages.

There’s such temptation to put everything you've got — the entire kitchen sink — into your sales proposal. But the problem is that when you're giving a really big, long sales proposal to prospects, you're just giving them homework.
   
Imagine if someone came up to you and gave you a binder full of content, and just said, "Here. Read this. Oh, by the way, we want your money." It just doesn't make sense!
   
Proposals must be short, and if your sales proposal is three pages, chances are it's already too long. Our proposals are always about two pages max.
   
Sales Proposal Tip #2: Begin by restating the prospect's core objectives and challenges.
   
Your sales proposal can't be boilerplate in this regard. It’s tempting to give every prospect essentially the same sales proposal, but this step requires that you put some real thought into the conversations that you’ve already had with the prospect.

If you don't know your prospect's core objectives and challenges as a result of your previous conversations, then you're not ready for the proposal. So this also forces us to be really thorough in the discovery phase of the sale, to really understand what they most care about.

Sales Proposal Tip #3: Create three options for working with you in your sales proposal.

The reality is that you never know exactly what a prospect is going to want. Even someone like me, who does a really thorough, two-hour discovery meeting with my consulting clients, never really knows. Will they be willing to go for the high-end option? Or do they want the bare essentials?

By creating three options for working with you in your sales proposal, you're creating a level of optionality. On the low end, you're going to have the minimum option for working with you. It's going to be pared down. It's going to be basic. It's almost like a first step of sorts. But it's also less expensive.

Sales Proposal Tip #4: Only address the prospect's stated issues in your sales proposal.

Your prospects don’t care about everything that you can do for them. All they care about is that you are going to do what you need to do in order to solve their challenges. So, only put in the proposal the solutions to the stated issues that you have already discussed.

Have you ever been in a sales situation where you were just on the goal line, you were about to close the sale, and then you say, "Oh, by the way, let me show you one last thing that we can be doing."
     
Sales Proposal Tip #5: Make the sales proposal a contract that can be signed.

This is really important. There's a tendency to have to make a second step after the prospect accepts the proposal. So, the prospect says, "Yeah, we'll move forward. We'd like to go with Option Two." And then you say, "OK, great. I'll send over the contract."

That simple step is now creating a barrier to closing the sale. Because life happens. Your prospects are busy.

So, there you have it. Now you know 5 keys to a sales proposal that closes deals. I want to hear from you. Which of these ideas did you find most useful? Be sure to share below in the comments section to get involved in the conversation.

[MOTSAR]

Dude I sell contracts in an over crowded business. I just landed a big account from a random meeting and bro because I have been recently watching your videos thanks a lot mark love you bro

[ashparsa]

Very useful! just about putting a proposal together and got some good takeaways thanks!

[secretsudosalestraining]

These are all great ideas, but I sense that most of us will not be able to use all 5 tips in our proposals. I'll be following the "spirit" of your tips as much as I can.

[arseny]

Really like that point #5 - haven't thought about it and really agree on why would divide the process into accepting the offer and signing the contract? Love it

[klaramika]

1. beware of putting the entire kitchen sink into the sales proposal.. LOL

[mitchsmith]

Love your stuff. Please get a stylist because the Gumby is killing me.

[kimbresArtCabin]

I liked the first four because I'm already doing those, but I loved five because I had not been doing that!

[seanybyne]

Hey great video! I usually present via Google presentation slider. So how do you incorporate the prospect to sign the deal there. Like what do you use to sign them up there and then on the call. Do you use some sort of signature software?

[BYGTraining]

Mark, you are the absolute best brotha!

[adamjordan]

Unfortunately, tip 5 makes tip 1 hard to do due to T's&C's. For tip 3, Do you recommend 3 separate proposals that are all able to be signed?

[yogesh]

Great Mark, i like #2 point. Look forward for more videos on this subject matter.

[desetmedia]

Sales proposals are pure waste of time and unproductive sales approach. If you can't close a deal based on your value selling and Collaborative selling, chances are that your proposal is not going to change anything. Who wants to read 3-5 pages of sales proposal? If your sale value is over $500.000, prospect has shown huge interest and you qualified your prospect on every level, quote followed by the sales agreement should be enough.

[hadephobiac]

I love your content and you're great, but that beard adds at least 30 years on you. I thought you were like 28-30 before I saw that beard.

if looking 50 - 60 is your goal then great job I guess.