Why personalizing the business proposal is crucial

I often receive business proposals as I am sure you do too. The first thing I look at is the way it is written. The actual content of the proposal is less important than how the information is presented. I know for a fact that I am not the only one doing this. The first impression matters as much as it matters in one to one meetings.

The most common mistake most people make is to send the same message to an entire list of potential customers without adding any personal touch. Don`t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with using pre-written scripts or templates. That is perfect if the proposal is done by a professional and it has been proven to work, but every text needs to be modified to suit the needs and wants of your potential client, otherwise it will not catch the eye and it will not be read.

You may think you will not get caught, but minor mistakes like forgetting to change the font of the text you do change or saying things that have nothing to do with what your client wants can show a lack of detail-orientation which is not at all attractive. Moreover, copying someone else`s proposal, which is a very common practice nowadays, is not ethical and it is not good business practice.

Personalization is very important because it shows that you care and that you have done the homework. People want someone who really understands their business and cares about the needs of the client, whoever that is. Sending random, standard and unsolicited business proposals is a sign of desperation and usually a desperate company is not a company you would like to work with.

Personalization is your best friend. It has been proven by numerous tests that including the name of the person you are sending to and even writing a small introduction designed especially for that person you aim will increase your response rate by a ton.

You also want your business proposal to represent you and to say something about the kind of work you do. Think of the business proposal as the beginning of a one to one conversation that will most likely lead to a sale or a long-term partnership. You don`t want to start on the wrong foot do you?

The use of colors is also an effective form of personalizing your proposal. You can match the color of the proposal with that of your company`s logo or use the company`s colors in the proposal so you offer a congruent and trustworthy image of your company. Sometimes the difference between winning and losing a client is in choosing the fine details right.

If you are going to use a business proposal template then make sure it is editable (most good ones are) so you can create unique proposals that highlight the strengths of your company and that will impress every time.

Business Proposal Templates