Sometimes, when you’re feeling a bit stuck in your business, it only takes a tiny adjustment to see massive change for the better.
One place where I see consultants feeling stuck most often is the proposal stage.
The client is interested.
They’ve had the discovery meeting.
The client says great, send us the proposal.
And then somewhere, somehow, the deal dies.
Maybe the client ghosts.
Maybe they took it in-house.
Maybe they keep kicking the can.
Maybe their priorities changed.
Maybe your pricing is too high.
The worst part is guessing (and second-guessing yourself) about where you went wrong.
That’s why each week inside The Upside community, our members trade information, tools and success stories to help one another improve on their processes and achieve big breakthroughs (proposals included).
There’s power in transparency. And there’s no community more generous and open with their knowledge than The Upside.
So today, I’m sharing three easy proposal changes that can immediately improve your close rates in the hopes that these bits of knowledge can make an immediate impact on your business. Let’s go!
1. Add a “Good Until” date at the top of your proposals.
The “Good Until” date, typically 1 – 2 weeks from the date you send the proposal, achieves several goals:
1️⃣ It instills a sense of urgency and lights a fire for the client to make it a priority.
2️⃣ It gives you a reason to follow up: “Dave, we’re only three days away from the proposal’s ‘Good Until’ date, at which point I can’t guarantee my availability. Are you ready to move forward?”
3️⃣ It lets the client know that the rates and scope laid out in the proposal are not evergreen and protects you when you decide to raise your rates or change your packages in the future.
4️⃣ It lets the client know that you’re holding space in your calendar for them up until a specific date. After that date, you cannot guarantee your availability.
All of this conveys fair boundaries, professionalism and authority, attractive qualities when clients are deciding whether or not to work with you.
2. Add a section to your proposal called: “What we’ll consider a success.”
This is where you can reiterate the final results they’re looking for, how you plan to work together in partnership to deliver on their needs, and/or how they’ll measure the results of your work together. Describe the transformation they can expect. Be as specific as possible.
By adding this section, you’re building even more trust that you understand what they need beyond the project you were asked to work on.
And, you’re setting the stage for appropriate expectations, which will not only get the client excited and help you close the deal, but also protect you down the road if the client’s expectations get off track.
Remember to weave in one or more of the Four Pillars of ValueTM which encapsulate the only results clients are actually looking for (no matter what they say they need):
1️⃣ Grow revenue
2️⃣ Cut costs
3️⃣ Gain access to something you have that they want (like information, frameworks, relationships or intros)
4️⃣ Solve a headache thats preventing further growth
3. Build a proposal review meeting into your process.
You will see a significant improvement in your close rate if you present your proposals live rather than sending them by email. I’ve seen it thousands of times across all industries, geographies and skills.
Build it into your process from the beginning, and explain your process on every initial discovery call so the live proposal review doesn’t come as a surprise.
“But what if they keep pressuring me to email it to them?”
Great question. Remember, you’re the CEO of your business. You have a proven process that works for you and your clients. You’re the expert. You know best. Consider saying something like:
“I know it may feel quicker and easier to just send it over in an email. And that may be what others do. But, as I explained in our first meeting, reviewing proposals live is part of my process and has been extremely well received by clients who appreciate my attention to detail and ability to ensure we’re 100% on the same page before moving forward.”
This advice barely scratches the surface of the conversations, collaboration and support we curate each week inside The Upside. And it definitely doesn’t encompass all the ways Upside members come together to help one another build lives and businesses that work on their terms.
It all starts with the high-caliber, generous culture of our community. When we dive into a topic inside The Upside, our members know they can…
Show up as their full selves, without walls,
Ask any question, without judgment,
Receive high-caliber advice, from high-caliber people,
And have honest conversations with others who have been in their shoes.
