Ah, the new business proposal… the bane of most ad agency principals’ business lives. Don’t you just loathe having to assemble that tedious document for prospects? RFPs are especially onerous, with all of their nit-picking requirements that must be met to the letter, and the soul-draining format that prevents your injecting any degree of agency brand personality into the pitch.

Here at Second Wind, ad agencies often ask us for help in writing new business proposals. Some even request templates* for assembling proposals. While proposals are a fact of business life in our competitive marketplace, we firmly believe that the best proposal is the one you make in person, as you verbally sell your idea to a prospect. How can a written document, assembled just like every other agency’s document, possibly be more persuasive than a real live agency principal, passionately promoting a great idea?

Proposals Lose Time
Ideally, when you have persuaded the prospect that you understand their problem and have a great solution that is affordable, effective and measurable, the only document you put on the table should be a contract, project agreement or letter of intent. Merely reiterating your pitch is a time-waster for all parties. In today’s fast-moving marketing environment, losing several days while you assemble a written proposal and then have it float around in the prospect’s organization for several more days undercuts your ability to do what you’ve proposed, and the prospects’ ability to take advantage of market dynamics.

Emphasize your agency’s ability to “turn on a dime.” Express urgency about responding to a current market situation. Point out news that a competitor is about to launch a new product, or just began a marketing campaign, and the prospect should respond to maintain or shift market advantage. You can break the chains of proposal documents and skip straight to the contract if you learn how to pitch immediacy.

So, Why Do Prospects Ask for Proposals?
There are any number of reasons a client or prospect may want you to “put it in writing.” The most obvious reason is the need for documentation to meet company procedural requirements—in other words, bureaucracy rules. But requesting a written proposal at the point where a commitment is needed is also a possible stalling tactic. Either the person you are pitching to is not authorized to make the decision, or s/he is hedging because you have not been persuasive or convincing enough to win a “yes” with no attendant reservations.

How to Really Get a “Yes”
Try developing the salesman’s mindset: your job is not to make a pitch but win the business. To walk away with project in hand, you must learn how to close the deal. If the prospect won’t commit, you have failed to address some concern or reservation. Ask the prospect why they hesitate; why have they backed away from a “yes”? Probe until you get an answer, then offer the necessary reinforcement to move them from hesitation to conviction.

If there is a question you can’t immediately answer, say you’ll find out and request another meeting. Don’t commit to a written proposal; you want to speak to the prospect directly to offer physical reassurance as well as verbal answers. Eye contact, positive expressions and the right body language can greatly increase a prospect’s confidence in your idea.

Moving Up the Ladder
If the problem is that a higher-up in the C-suite must sign off, offer to make a presentation to that person. Request a face-to-face appointment. If the higher-up won’t immediately agree to see you, send the executive a letter explaining your thinking and requesting a few minutes to detail your proposed solution. Don’t just give him your idea—you want to sit with him so you can answer any questions he may have. Face time always trumps a phone call, email or document.

In other words, never spend time on a written proposal unless it is truly the only way to get in front of a prospect. If you must submit a proposal, ask to present the proposal in person, so you can “attach a face to the name” and try to engage with the company’s management through a personal interaction. This is a relationship business, and relationships begin with the first handshake. Explain that you are not in the business of proposal writing—you are in the business of marketing solutions. Tell the prospect you will submit a proposal only if you can present it in person to the decision makers and get a decision following the presentation.

If the company requires a written proposal without the chance of an in-person presentation, clearly note that all ideas included are copyrighted and cannot be used without first compensating your agency. Follow up on the proposal by letter, email and phone. Push to get a meeting to answer any questions the prospect may have. Persistence is your best offense in the battle to win new business.

*Please note that Second Wind does not offer new business proposal templates, although you’ll find tips for proposal writing. We strongly believe that, if you really need to produce a written proposal, a good proposal software package (there are many on the market) will offer the templates you need as a starting point for building your agency’s customized templates. And they should be customized, with a branded look and “voice” that makes your agency distinctive. Here are some providers of affordable template software:

Klariti
Proposal Kit
ProposalSmartz
Capture Planning
Sant Corporation Proposal Master