The business proposal is an essential document not only for sales people but also for anyone who wants to submit a serious proposition for internal or external approval.

The process starts with a thorough understanding of the stakeholder’s needs, problems, and priorities. If a request for proposal has been issued, then the document must be read carefully. The key elements in the request for proposal must be addressed and some of the stakeholder’s phrases and terminology should be reflected in your response. This seems elementary, yet many weighty business proposals have been rejected because they did not address the specific requirements in the request for proposal.

The more understanding you have of the stakeholder’s needs, philosophy, and decision-making criteria, the better placed you will be to submit a winning proposal. If possible, meet the client face to face and ask many intelligent questions.

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