Recently, I was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, offering digital sales training at the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, and I covered elements of the “Perfect Proposal.” Audience members were surprised when I shared that what makes the proposal perfect is that it will bring me either a “yes” or “no.” A no can be a gift. It saves you time and energy and removes your proposal from the dreaded “maybe” pile. But of course, we’re all looking for that yes. The two secrets to getting the yes are making the proposal more about your prospect and tailoring your unique insights and value to the client’s goals.
So, let’s break down the perfect proposal. First, this is not about your document template or formatting; it’s about the content and the order in which you present that content. Here are the elements of the perfect proposal in order:
Summarize the goals you heard when you asked your prospect the four most important questions covered in last month’s column. This page is all about them, their vision for the future and where they want to go. After summarizing those, I’ll ask the prospect: “Did I miss anything?” This is where you’re gaining alignment that you are both focusing on the same things. You build trust and rapport by illustrating you heard them and are focused on accomplishing their goals — giving them a chance to speak and share any other goals they have.
Identify how your proposal will address their goals and why you have chosen what you’ve chosen. Don’t dive deep into your solutions but build a bridge between what they want to accomplish and the solution you are presenting. Paint a picture for them, showing them the path to success.
Present your solutions, tying each element to why you and your company have the solution to their goals. Here, you are telling the story of your future successful partnership. Keep reinforcing throughout your presentation how this path is the way for them to achieve the results they seek and illustrate your commitment to driving results.
The more you reinforce the goals, the more trust and rapport you build. Add in relevant statistics and trends when covering specific tactics. If you can build in social proof to this section — testimonial quotes or statements of results that other clients have received when working with you on this tactic, it deepens trust and rapport and will increase your closing ratios.
Priority setting: It’s human nature for people to feel a bit defensive when sold to. After years of getting too many stuck in maybe and not moving forward, I added this section to my proposals. I’ll ask the prospect, “Now that we’ve reviewed the success path to achieve your goals, are there any elements that jump out at you as a priority? Would you like to consider phases here?” By not trying to shove my entire proposal at them and stepping back, I typically see prospects lean in and become less defensive. Even body language will change.
I’m building trust and rapport by introducing the option to discuss not buying the entire proposal, and it also often uncovers any budget concerns I may have not known about.
Ironically, since I introduced this into my process, my closing rates increased because before, inaction was common. Now, I can find a path to a yes faster by giving the clients some control.
Investment & what to expect: Here, you are reinforcing the value vs. the cost, which is an important distinction. The value can be in the audience they will reach, the results it will drive, and the goals they will achieve. It is also about the value of your audience. Finally, let them know what they can expect from you in the future — the next steps, reporting and check-ins on the campaign’s success.
Crafting the perfect proposal can take time and energy. When you perfect this process, you’ll find that your closing ratios will increase, saving you time in the long run.
One last pro-tip: If you can’t present it in person and your client asks for the document, record a video of you presenting/walking through it and send them that. This allows you to walk through the document vs. them reading and interpreting on their own.
Recommended Book of the Month: Each month, I’ll share one of my go-to resources for mastering your craft in sales. This month, I want to share “Selling with a Servant Heart” by Jim Doyle. Jim spent decades training media company sales teams and leaders to reach new heights in their performance. In this book, he shares 10 lessons that ultimately lead to greater joy in sales while increasing income for you and your organization.
Dream Local Digital Founder and Client Success Officer Shannon Kinney brings over 30 years of experience in leadership roles, developing scalable digital marketing strategies and supporting and training media companies with scalable digital revenue growth. She played a vital role in developing internet giants such as Cars.com, CareerBuilder.com, Knight Ridder Digital, LinkedIn, Google, eBay and Microsoft. She worked with media companies worldwide until pivoting to Dream Local Digital. Since Dream Local Digital's creation in 2009, Shannon has served on the Local Media Association board, been awarded the LMA Digital Innovation Award, appeared on hundreds of stages as a keynote speaker, and has helped media companies transform their business model. Shannon can be reached at shannon@dreamlocal.com.
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