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The Anatomy of the Perfect Sales Proposal

Ah, the sales proposal. After all of the relationship building and learning your clients’ pain points, you finally have just a few pages to demonstrate your value and ultimately close the sale.

Using Sales Engagement Platform to Create Perfect Sales Proposal

There’s no doubt the sales proposal has increased in importance in recent years. With the average deal requiring 5-6 decision makers, the proposal is in many cases the only thing some of them will see. As such, the pursuit of a perfect sales proposal is something of a golden goose.

While most companies realize this and invest in carefully crafted and actionable proposal templates, they aren’t doing enough to actually customize these templates to each client and deal.

It might take more time and work to personalize a proposal, but not doing so will hinder you in the long run. Investment in a client’s proposal shows dedication and effort where it matters.

Using a Sales Engagement Platform to Create the Perfect Sales Proposal

Here are some steps for using a sales engagement platform and CPQ software to create the perfect sales proposal:

1.  Insight

The first thing a customer wants to see in a proposal is the insight and research you’ve discovered about their business and needs. Do this as concisely and intelligently as you can to avoid any unnecessary language or information. Demonstrate that you know what the client’s needs are and that you understand the necessities of the company and the industry fully.

Whatever you do, do not use a company boilerplate text with the client’s details copied and pasted on top. This shows laziness and could set you up for mistakes.

2.  Value

This is the piece of the proposal in which you’ll put the convincing factors for your offering. Make sure to outline the value you can bring to the client in terms of outcomes. The results are what your client cares about and is looking for. If you can give them strong reasons to believe in your deliverables, you’ll be able to move ahead with the sale.

Value of outcomes and solid solutions will reduce sticker shock in a client’s eyes. They will begin to envision a future using your product or service. The best way to do this is with specific examples, testimonials, and a tailored proposal.

3.  Road Map

Road Map to the Perfect Sales Proposal

Once you’ve introduced your value proposition to a client, they’ll want to see options for, and a long-term map of, what comes next. Including choices in your proposal keeps your product top-of-mind longer because you’ve given them a multiple-choice question rather than a yes or no. Give customer options, from the most basic to the most premium, to showcase the range of what you offer.

With each option, cite the next steps of action for each plan. Who will be involved next? What will the implementation process be like? When will things fall into place?

This is where a sales engagement platform with a CPQ solution will prove especially helpful to your success. The guided and collaborative nature will continue to foster the relationship you’ve just created with a client through your custom, and hopefully perfect, sales proposal.

4.  Sealing the Deal

Before signing the papers, the deal will need to include specific information about the ROI of your solutions, your fees, an itemization of expenses and can even include the contract right in the proposal. This will streamline the understanding of your pitch and expedite the process of making a sale. If a client is ready to commit, you wouldn’t want to lose the opportunity to make it official.

Spelling everything out now will avoid disagreements and possibly a lost sale later. These final steps are as important to the proposal as the pitch itself.

If you’re nodding along through this blog and thinking, “That’s all well and good, but my reps don’t have time to customize proposals this thoroughly.” Again, that’s where a CPQ solution comes in. With dynamically generated proposals based on configured solutions, you can automatically ensure your proposals are customized to your client’s specific needs and concerns.

Making a perfect sales proposal is the most compelling sales driver, creating significant client bonds and helping your business succeed overall. Use all the tools available, including the insights available from a sales engagement platform, to reach goals and exceed expectations.


Is your sales team achieving the level of success that you know they are capable of? It may be time to take a look at your sales process.

FREE Download: 8 Steps to Accelerate Your Sales Process >>

8 Steps to Accelerate Your Sales Process

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