Are proposals letting you down?

So many sales proposals are pages of waffle and barely any value

They talk about your business, your products, your features…

...and hardly touch on why the customer should care

To fix that write proposals that feel like they were written by the customer, not at them

Use this simple structure:

> Background
> Need
> Solution
> Why Us
> Price
> Next Steps.

If your proposal doesn’t follow this flow, it’s just a brochure.

🔶 Background – start with their world

Nobody wants to read about your company history in paragraph one

Open about them

“Based on our recent conversations, it’s clear that reducing production downtime and scaling output are key priorities for your team in 2025.”

Show them you’ve been listening. This builds instant credibility

🔶 Need – remind them why this matters

Define the problem clearly. Quantify it if you can

“Unplanned downtime is costing you over £200K per year. That’s the issue we’re solving here.”

Make the pain real. This creates urgency

🔶 Solution – show how you solve it

This is where you position the offer, not by listing features but by connecting those features to outcomes

“Our system cuts downtime by 35% and improves throughput by 20%. That’s based on real-world data from similar clients.”

Benefits, not bells and whistles

🔶 Why Us – stand out or get forgotten

Differentiate. Don’t just say “we’re great” — show how you’re different

- Seamless integration?
- Better support?
- Faster ROI?
- Customisation?

“Unlike standard options, our solution works with your existing systems so no expensive retooling required.”

One solid differentiator is better than 10 vague claims

🔶 Price – show the value, not just the number

Don’t just slap a cost on it. Contextualise it

“Investment: £250K
Annual savings: £500K
Payback period: < 6 months.”

Frame price with ROI, and you’ll get fewer objections

🔶 Next Steps – close with clarity

A great proposal doesn’t say “Let us know.”

It says:
“To move forward, let’s schedule the implementation planning session next week. I’ll send a calendar invite.”

No next step = no momentum. Keep the deal moving.

Proposals shouldn’t sound like they came from marketing

They should sound like they came from someone who actually gets the customer

Keep it sharp
Keep it relevant
Keep it moving

Are you writing for them or you?