Make sure that you can meet the client’s requirements as spelled out in the RFP. For example, if you can’t come in under the budget or meet the client’s timeline, then you shouldn’t submit a proposal. You don’t need to submit a business proposal in response to an RFP. Instead, you can reach out to a business you think could use your services.
Whether prior attempts were made to address the problem. Why did they fail? What criteria the client will use when evaluating a business proposal. Whether the organization has any concerns. The organization’s operating policies. You want to make sure your proposal is consistent with these policies.
You can also look for sample proposals used in your industry. Type “business proposal sample” and then “your industry” into your favorite search engine. There are also business proposal templates online. Using one can make your business proposal look professional. [3] X Research source
your name your company’s name the name of the person you are submitting the proposal to the date you submitted the proposal
For example, you could write, “Mathis Gyms is in need of Accounting and Payroll Services as the business continues to grow and hires more employees. Currently, all accounting is done by management, which must devote increasing amounts of time to accounting. By outsourcing this task, management can focus on other business priorities, such as marketing and entering new markets. ”
If any previous solutions have been attempted and failed. Whether someone asked you to write the business proposal. How you became involved in the project or aware of the problem.
You can draft the business proposal first and then go through to identify any terms that might be unclear to the reader. Also define terms if you are using them in a unique way. For example, the term “fiscal year” can be defined in many ways, depending on the business.
For example, you could write, “This business proposal has four parts. After this introduction, we offer the proposed solution, timetable, and an explanation of benefits in Part II. In Part III, we provide an itemized budget and a set of standard contract terms. Finally, in Part IV, we summarize our experience and confirm that our proposed solution is the correct course of conduct. ”
For example, you could write: “Acme Accounting specializes in Accounting and Payroll Services for growing small and mid-sized businesses. We can provide complete service in the following areas: ledger maintenance, inventory account balancing, year-end tax statements and summaries, and standard pay period check origination. ” It might be better to use bullet points so that this information is easier to read.
Remember to justify your expected benefits with evidence. For example, you could rely on studies that show the benefits of following your proposed solution. If no studies are available, then you could rely on commentary from prominent people in the field. For example, a former client could offer testimony that you saved their business money.
You can lay out certain milestones. For example, if you propose to remodel a store, then you should include the date that you will start and when the store will be ready to reopen. Always explain that your timeline is an estimate and is contingent on other factors. In the construction example, you might be slowed down by having to obtain the necessary permits from the local government or by relying on a subcontractor.
start-up costs or initial set-up labor costs supply costs ongoing monthly charges maintenance costs
How much is paid on signing: “50% payment upon signing. ” Penalties or interests assessed for late payment: “A late fee of $50 will be assessed on any account past due. ” Your cancellation policies: “The contract may be cancelled for any reason with 90 days written notice. There are no pre-payment penalties. ”
You may be limited in what you can share by client confidentiality agreements. Nevertheless, you can talk about prior experience in general terms. For example, you could write, “Successfully provided Accounting and Payroll Services to 20 mid-sized businesses (25-100 employees) for the past five years. ”
If you know who you will hire, then you should include their resumes along with the business proposal.
Summarize the anticipated opposition. Discuss the likelihood of the opposition arising. Raise counterarguments.
Also remember to encourage the client to contact you with questions and to visit your website if they would like to see more information about your business.
Including a list of sources allows the client to easily find what you are referring to and double check that the information is accurate.
Also play close attention to your numbers and make sure they are accurate. You also should review the RFP and any other correspondence. Make sure your business proposal isn’t missing anything requested by the client. Shorten the proposal, if necessary. Ideally, someone should be able to read your business proposal in eight minutes. If it takes longer than that, then try to move as much material into an appendix.
