How to write a sales proposal: 7 mistakes to avoid

The sales proposal, when used effectively, is one of the greatest tools your sales team has. Of course, that then begs the question: how do you make sure you’re using sales proposals the right way?

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These seven tips for how to write a sales proposal will help you and your sales reps avoid some of the common pitfalls that can cost you sales. They’ll also help you write better copy, improve your pipeline, and simplify the art of closing the deal.

1. Give your templates a facelift: Your proposal has old branding

Templates are fantastic … until they’re not. One of the biggest issues sales teams run into are various versions of the template floating around. More often than not, these include old, outdated templates that will miss the mark with today’s prospects. They have the wrong logo or the wrong slogan, and they often include outdated information like old pricing.

A template library can help you combat the use of outdated templates. With a centralized library in proposal software, your reps can choose from only the most up-to-date templates.

Don’t forget about customization, though. There’s almost nothing worse than a template that doesn’t let you include your company logo.

Look for sales proposal software that integrates with other programs you’re using. Not only will you get consistent data but you’ll have consistent branding, too. A consistent look builds confidence in your prospects.

2. How to write a sales proposal: Don’t forget to include up-to-date information

Much like your branding can be out of date, so too can your content. Are your reps using the latest version of the copy about a product? If they’re not, the prospect could be getting outdated information about what you offer. That’s especially true if a product or service has been upgraded or repackaged.

What about new products or services? Your reps might be including old information from earlier stages of development. The end result is the same: the prospect doesn’t get accurate information. They might even feel confused by the proposal.

Make sure your reps are using the approved version of content and copy by creating a content library. A proposal builder that draws from your CRM can help your reps include the right content every time.

3. Poor internal review processes hurt your chance of winning over prospects

Bad grammar and typos happen, but you can avoid most of them.

How?

A simple internal review process is the answer. Having someone else look over your proposal before it goes out can also help you avoid template issues. Other team members may be able to flag old branding or outdated content. They can also help proofread your work to keep bad grammar and typos from finding their way to the client’s inbox.

How much does grammar matter? A lot, actually. A recent analysis has shown that websites with poor grammar and spelling lose double the number of prospects (Business NH Magazine). If your proposal is riddled with errors, the prospect is likely to lose faith. They may not believe you can deliver everything you’re promising.

Use automated tracking to ensure an internal review is happening before proposals go out. Make every sales proposal a collaborative effort between reps and other team members. With the right sales proposal software, an automated workflow can manage the process.

4. What’s your name again? Customization is key

Another common mistake is forgetting to update the prospect’s information. This often happens when sales reps draw on templates.

The prospect may end up with a half-filled template in their inbox. It might include filler information, such as “Dear [Name of Client].” Someone might even send a proposal that includes a different prospect’s details! There’s almost nothing that will cause a deal to go dark faster. After all, the client sees a company that can’t even be bothered to get their name right.

One way to cut down on these kinds of errors is to make sure your sales proposal software links to your CRM. The proposal builder can then draw in prospect details automatically.

Of course, the proposal’s data is only as good as the CRM data. Make sure your CRM is up to date and includes accurate information for each client and prospect.

A good internal review process is also key here. Even if your team isn’t manually inputting all the details, having someone check that the proposal and the CRM have accurate information is key.

5. How to write a sales proposal that’s not “pushy”

Now we get to the nitty-gritty of how to write a sales proposal. Many excellent reps make this blunder when they’re writing copy. They forget to make the proposal about the client.

Writing copy that turns off the client can show up in a few different ways:

• Copy that focuses on features
• Copy that focuses on your company
• Pricing details included too soon
• Copy that feels “pushy”

Today’s buyers are more independent and informed than ever (Gartner). They do not want you to pitch to them. A better approach is to focus on the prospect and their needs. What are their pain points? What problem does your product help them solve?

This is a simple shift from what your product does to what your product can do for them. It's often the difference between a successful sales proposal and one that flops.

6. Don’t make it difficult for prospects to close

You wrote a great proposal. Then you sent it off, and nothing happened.

What gives? Even the best proposal might be a wasted effort if it's too difficult to follow up.

A proposal that includes automated ordering is much easier for the client to close. When they get that proposal in their inbox, all they need to do is hit a button. If your proposal doesn’t have this feature, then you're asking the client to do some heavy lifting.

Picking up the phone or emailing you back might not seem like a big ask, but it’s a lot more than clicking a button. The prospect might decide that they can leave it for later and then never reply to you.

What about your own reps? If your team members are calling the second after they hit “send” on a proposal, it can be a turn-off. The prospect likely needs time to read through the proposal, crunch numbers, and talk to other team members.

At the same time, you don’t want to give the client too much time. That can cause a deal to disappear, because the client feels you’re not attentive enough. If you’re not following up in a reasonable time, then they might think you’re too busy to deliver great customer service.

Features that make following up simple

Knowing when to follow up is easier if you have automated tracking enabled. This feature lets your team know when anything happens: whether the prospect has opened the proposal, clicked a link, and so on.

Hitting the “sweet spot” for following up is then easier. With the right integrations and platform, you can even automate some of those follow-up tasks.

Finally, make sure you have in-app communication enabled. This makes it easier for your clients to reply to you. If you ask them to use a mix of messaging apps, phone calls, video chats, and email, they’re likely to lose the thread. As a result, you might lose the deal.

In-app communication features keep the conversation close at hand, so it's easier to follow up and close the deal.

7. Put your proposal to the test: Proving effectiveness

The final common error is forgetting to prove your proposal template works. That’s where split testing, or A/B testing, comes into play.

You might think you have the best proposal, but can you prove it? When you run a split test, you get the data to back your claim. A/B tests can show you which proposals are working and which ones aren’t doing quite as well (Forbes). That could give you clues about how to write a sales proposal that actually sells.

In the absence of data, it’s easy to chalk up underperforming proposals to clients. Maybe that client wasn’t that interested. Another one was probably a poor prospect anyway.

When your proposal is striking out more often than it’s hitting a home run, though, it’s time to dig deeper. A/B testing shows how minor tweaks make a difference to your ability to close deals.

Continuing to improve your proposals will lead to more closed deals.

Better proposals are in reach

Learning how to write a sales proposal that’s more effective is key for any agency. A proposal that’s error free, up to date, and makes it easy to interact with will go a lot further.

Avoiding mistakes is only one part of the process, though. Remembering to split test to show what’s working and what’s not will help your team improve. Finally, remember that the key to a great proposal is great copy, and great copy always puts the client first.

With these tips in hand, you’ll be on your way to better proposals in no time.