Every manager knows that working out a sales proposal is not a simple task, nor is it accomplished overnight. Given the competitiveness of the market and this country’s current economic situation, putting together a sales proposal that is simple and error-free can be crucial.
Does your business have high-quality products, affordable prices, a well-designed marketing strategy, and yet sales are low?
One of the most frustrating things for any company is spending time on a sales proposal, yet the customer rejects it. When this happens, you’re forced to pinpoint and analyze your mistake.
To avoid this situation, let’s examine the 6 most common errors that lead to rejected sales proposals and prevent you from closing deals!
1. Failure to meet customer needs
No matter how detailed your business proposal is, if it doesn’t meet the customer’s needs, it will be declined. Every customer is looking for a solution that meets all their requirements. If you fail to communicate how you can solve their problems or adapt to their needs, the customer will find another company that understands their needs better.
To avoid rejected proposals, you must study your customer and understand their needs. Don’t quickly slap together a sales proposal in the mistaken belief that speed trumps quality. Instead, proceed carefully and deliver everything that was requested.
If your proposal meets the customer’s needs, it will be well-received and help you close the deal, regardless of the number of other proposals the customer receives.
2. Grammatical errors
Unfortunately, due to new technology such as texting, writing skills are declining. This decline is having a noticeable effect on the business world.
If your sales proposal has grammatical or spelling errors, it will create a bad impression. Not only will customers struggle to read it, they will assume your company is careless and doesn’t pay attention to details. Think about it: how can a future customer trust a company to solve their problems if the company doesn’t know how to write a sales proposal correctly?
Before submitting your proposal to a prospective customer, be sure to review it and verify every detail. One way to avoid mistakes is to first create the proposal, then revise it on another day. Taking a step back can help you find, and correct, overlooked mistakes.
3. Lack of creativity
Many companies end up making the mistake of focusing the sales proposal on the technical parts and company data. This can be a fatal mistake and lead to a failed proposal. It is critical that the customer is presented with innovative ideas. You must distinguish your proposal from the competitions’ proposals and establish yourself as an expert by presenting ideas on how the customer can distinguish themselves in their market.
Try to present several solutions. Don’t focus solely on one detail; show alternatives and innovative ideas. However, be careful not to deviate too far from what the customer requested, as this can hurt your company and allow a competitor to win the deal.
Be creative yet remain focused on the customer’s requirements, so you can meet their needs in a distinctive manner.
4. No testimonials from other customers
Before closing a deal with a company, every prospective customer wants to know what other people have to say about the company’s services and if they have satisfied customers. A lack of references in your sales proposal may give the false impression that your product is subpar.
This can greatly harm your chances of closing deals. Make sure to include information about what other customers think about your company and how your company solved their problems.
A good testimonial from a reputable company may help your business remain competitive, and attract and close new customers.
5. Failure to sell benefits and results
Every business needs a profit to stay active in the market, right? By the same token, no customer will spend money on a solution that doesn’t provide a financial benefit. Every customer expects a sales proposal to provide solutions and increase profits or reduce expenses.
This is probably one of the most crucial mistakes any business proposal can make. It is imperative that your company present its customers with benefits and results. Remember that a customer isn’t just buying a product or a service; they’re buying the benefits.
Therefore, the use of graphics and data may help your business close the deal. Show the Return on Investment (ROI) that can be achieved in the short and long-term.
This information is the most important detail sought by any customer, so focus heavily on selling the results that your sales proposal can provide.
6. No contact information
This may seem obvious, but the number of people who end up forgetting to put their contact information on business proposals is surprising. Even if the customer likes the proposal, it’s impossible to close a deal without an email or phone number.
Never forget to put all the contact information for your company in your proposal. List your business’s name, address, telephone number, and email address. This will ensure customers have several options to contact you and that you’re accessible.
Now that you know the biggest mistakes that cause customers to reject sales proposals, learn the 5 secrets to dealing with sales objections!
