Propose to Close

Looking back over the past two or three years' activities, I realize I am closing around 90% of my consulting proposals. So perhaps I know something useful about writing these documents. Here in brief is what I have learned. All of these points could be summarized under the same familiar marketing axiom: "It's Not About You." When the client reads your proposal, they should be reading all about themselves, not about you.

Here are a few principles that seem to work for me:

1. Clients are more interested in their business than your business.
2. Clients are more impressed by what they have to say than what you have to say.
3. Regarding your strengths, if you can't demonstrate them, don't talk about them.
4. Regarding your strengths, if you can demonstrate them, you don't need to talk about them.

Perhaps it's because I'm British, but I have a real problem saying "Here are six reasons why I'm the best." I know that preening one's feathers is a normal part of the American business dance, but the mental response -- conscious or subconscious -- is bound to be: "Well you would say that, wouldn't you.?"

Here's a different approach. Take a moment to check your assets. Outstanding customer service? Commitment to excellence? Exceptional knowledge of your field? Prompt and courteous communications? A ready understanding of the client's business? Whatever they are, you have opportunities to demonstrate these at every step of the sales process by how you actually function. The client will get the point, and you can take your strengths as read.

So what should the proposal focus on? Two things: What the client's needs are and how you are going to meet them. Simple but very powerful! A large part of any proposal I write comes under a heading: "What we have learned so far." In this I not only set the stage for selling my solution, I also demonstrate that I am a very, very good listener. Clients love this. When it comes to the how I provide a standard map of my consulting process, embedded throughout with direct references to the client's business. This process map demonstrates that I have unusual expertise and a uniquely effective system. So I don't need to say so.

My proposals are consulting documents with a price attached. They begin the job before the client has said yes. In other words, the way to propose is an assumptive close.