How to write a commercial proposal

The sales pitch is no longer a general “About Us” story that you send to everyone who clicks the “Learn More” button, but is now a mini sales funnel in itself. See statistics: 61% B2B buyers want to close purchases without unnecessary intermediaries in the chain, 73% avoid suppliersthat send irrelevant offers, 71% of solutions accounts for the share of companies where 8 millennials are involved in the purchasing process, and 80% serious transactions closed by the one who knows how to make the CP personal. 

To put it simply: imagine that you are not writing a document, but a short pitch deck for people who have 20 tabs open and 5 chats with other contractors. The marketing director opens the mail, there are 10 letters with the subject “Commercial offer”. Nine of them begin with the company’s mission; the tenth immediately deals with a specific solution to the client’s problem and results in numbers. Which one will he definitely finish reading? 

Next, we’ll tell you why a CP is needed in general, what problems it solves, and how to compose it in such a way as to get “Yes!”

What is KP

Officially, a commercial proposal is a document that is passed on to potential customers/partners/investors etc to convince them of the benefits of cooperation with your company. He answers the questions:

1. Who are you?

2. How can you solve a customer's problem? 

3. How much does it cost?

Often the sender of the CP himself reports: “Houston, we have problems!”: for example, if a technical or SEO audit of the site or other checks were carried out. The list of technical errors and usability shortcomings clearly shows the situation now and logically leads to solution methods. 

Unlike a landing page or presentation, a commercial offer is limited in scope and attention span. Everything is important here: the information itself and the font in which it is written, infographics, visual accents on important points. The CP is structured so that the client spends less time reading and can make a decision faster. 

Goals and objectives of commercial proposals

The main goal is clear, to sell a product or service. But before the client says: “Let’s sign the contract,” a number of problems still need to be solved. 

1. Interest. At a minimum, the CP should be opened and read to the end. 

2. Simplify your choice. A good comp helps you quickly compare options (in your favor, of course!). 

3. Remove objections. The CP should answer possible questions from the customer: who else did you work with, what happened there, what guarantees do you have, who is responsible for the result, and so on. 

4. Shorten the transaction cycle. If the commercial proposal is drawn up correctly, the client does not need to further discuss it with the manager; he can make his own decision and agree upon it within the company.

5. Maintain your reputation. Even if the customer is not ready now, a high-quality proposal will make an impression. It will be saved, forwarded to colleagues and returned later if the need arises. 

Types of CP

Based on the level of detail and readiness of the audience, commercial offers are divided into three types: cold, warm and hot. Each of them works at its own stage of the sales funnel.

Cold CP

They are used when you first get in touch with a potential client - for example, when you send out a mailing list or get to know each other after an exhibition. It is important not to scare away with pressure, so such comps are short, without unnecessary detail: offer, benefits, price example, link to portfolio and contact method, can be sent by e-mail or even SMS. The goal is to generate interest and get the first touch.

Sometimes a cold proposal is posted directly on the website to collect applications from those who are just looking, but instead of the “Download proposal” button, the “Leave a request - we will send a calculation and proposal by e-mail” works more effectively. This way you can adapt the document to a specific customer and not lose cold leads.

Warm CP

Here you are no longer strangers, you called or met, maybe had a consultation. The CP acts as a written continuation of the negotiations: it records the agreements, clarifies the cost and terms, and adds arguments in favor of the choice.
This category also includes offers that are sent after free audits (SEO, UX, advertising). The customer sees what is wrong and waits for a solution: how to correct the mistakes, how long the work will take and what result to expect.

Hot KP

It's almost like the Happy Ending of your favorite movie. The client went through all the stages of doubt, maybe even took part in free testing or a pilot project. Now present your evidence to turn "let's think about it" into "let's sign." Here we need specific numbers, the effect of the work and recommendations for the next step. 

KP structure

1. Title/subject. It is designed so that the client opens and reads it. If we are talking about a cold audience, we need specific benefits, numbers. Examples: “Office cleaning, first week free,” “CRM audit with results in 3 days.”

2. Introduction. Tell us right away what problem you are solving and why it is important. Example: “We offer an end-to-end analytics service that will allow you to track advertising, manage your call center and save up to 20% of your budget.”

3. Brief information about the company. Even if you have already communicated with the customer before, the decision is most likely made collectively. Tell us who you are, how you are different, who you have already worked with and what results you have received. 

4. Problem/context. This is just about personalization; now it is not enough to replace the full name in the template. Mention the problems that were discussed at the meeting/in conversation: “At the meeting they talked about optimizing the application form - they brought it into the first sprint.” This way you will show that you are already involved in the project.

5. Solution/offer. Description of the product or service, how exactly the client’s problem is solved. Cost, packages, offer validity period. Important: state the price directly, do not force the client to look into the calculator.

6. Benefits/your USP, handling objections. How are you different from your competitors, what have you actually done, who uses your services, and here are the reviews, and here are the cases, and here we also make custom products, just in case you need it. Here it is good to use infographics, interactive tables with prices/calculations where the client can insert their data, and videos demonstrating the product. 

7. Call to action (CTA). Simplify the task for the customer, make it as clear as possible: “Sign”, “Select a service package”, “Click “Accept”. Use checkbox or digital signature options. 

Of course, the structure adapts to the format. For e-mail distribution, a truncated PDF is sufficient; if you print it, you will not be able to insert interactive elements. We make all the options and give away the source files so you can use them in other projects. 

How to make a commercial offer

Imagine: a client opens a file or follows a link and sees sheets of text, a lot of numbers, charts, graphs, and so on. Most likely, he will close the page at this point. There will be no first date. 

Break content into short, easy-to-read chunks. Use white space like you're being paid to do it, with plenty of air around all key elements. Consider a structure for quick searching; the client does not have to scroll through the entire document to find the price. Any icon, picture or graph must support the information in the text; they are not placed for beauty (even cats!). 

Ideally, the sales representative should grab the attention of the client from the headline and not let go of the client’s attention until the CTA. This is exactly what the Veonix team does - and no, we are not bragging, but proud of the results. 

Examples of CP

1. A comp for e-mail could be, for example, like this: one screen, product advantages, contacts. 
   
   
   

2. Printed CP is a representative format for meetings and presentations. Works when you need to make an impression at a meeting.
   
   
   

3. Electronic format: can be in the form of a presentation or website page. 
   
   
   

Common mistakes when compiling

1. You tell the history of the company from pre-Petrine times. Don't do that. 

2. You send the same document to everyone. There are no universal CPs.

3. Too much text. Clients will not take the exam based on your data. 

4. No specifics. “We increase business efficiency” = to say nothing.

5. Design like a fax machine in the 90s. You risk scaring off even hot clients. 

6. There is no call to action. The client read, closed and forgot. 

We make CPs that turn negotiations into deals. Fill out the brief, we will help you win a tender, attract investors or sign a contract worth millions.