Sure, you might be responding to all relevant requests for proposals (RFPs) well before their deadlines. You might even have the best close rates in your industry. But are you truly making the biggest impact with your team’s limited resources? It’s no secret that RFPs are getting more complex, and response and sales teams are under constant pressure to increase efficiency and produce more proactive sales proposals with the same resources. 

Often, this means that organizations focus on reactive responses to RFPs while overlooking proactive (unsolicited) sales proposals. When considering a proactive approach to proposals, it’s essential to consider how to best invest your valuable time and resources. After all, who wants to chase opportunities that might not even exist? That’s why careful planning is crucial to launching a successful and lucrative proactive proposal strategy. By taking the guesswork out of the equation, a proactive sales proposals strategy can be your secret weapon to increase wins. Let’s get started by taking a look at four tips to keep in mind as you begin to develop your approach to proactive proposals. 

Tip #1: Listen for relevant sales triggers 

There are a handful of sales triggers to watch out for that could be a sign that it’s time to target a new prospect organization. Keep an eye out for these triggers, as they frequently indicate a pivot in company direction, an increase in budget, or an immediate need for change or expansion. A few examples of sales triggers that can help you identify organizations that need your products and services include: 

• Funding announcements – If a prospect recently secured new funding, they’re likely looking to drive a change in processes, products, or services. 

• Leadership changes – When management changes, organizations often evaluate new approaches and products. Any leadership change can signal a major shift, so don’t just focus on the highest-tenured roles like CEOs or executives. 

• Increased brand presence – If you start seeing your prospect’s name more in the news, interviews, blogs, or social media, this could mean they’re growing and open to new offerings. 

• New product launches – New products are another sign of growth that could come with the chance to shake up old processes and open the door to buying a new solution. 

Press releases, blog entries, and word of mouth are great ways to hear about these triggers. If you don’t see a sales trigger, it doesn’t necessarily mean the organization isn’t ready to purchase something new, but it’s best to dedicate your time to the most promising opportunities instead of chasing after long shots. 

Tip #2: Qualify all proposal opportunities 

Sales and proposal teams never have enough time. Still, teams spend thousands of hours each year writing proactive sales proposals for opportunities they are destined not to win. With a proactive proposal strategy, response deadlines aren’t looming, so your team can invest the time upfront to research prospective organizations and qualify every deal. To qualify deals: 

• Compare prospective companies to your best customers 

• Decide if your capabilities match the prospect’s needs 

• Uncover pain points that your products address 

• Determine if the prospect is motivated to act 

Keep both short-term and long-term success in mind. Engaging with a customer that doesn’t quite fit with the services you provide may actually cost your company— constantly engaging support adds up, and your reputation could suffer if they opt to leave negative reviews about your organization. The last thing you want is a frustrated customer driving away better-fitting customers and prospects. 

Tip #3: Cultivate prospect relationships 

Top sales teams identify critical influencers and decision-makers at prospective accounts long before sending proactive proposals—sometimes even years before. Remember, with proactive proposals, you aren’t facing prospect-imposed deadlines. This means you have more time to research your prospect’s situation, get up to date on recent company news, and understand the fit between their needs and your capabilities. 

Resist rushing to hard-sell a prospect by aggressively steering them toward purchasing a product or service. No matter how perfectly you think your solution fits the company’s needs, it takes time to learn the prospect’s pain points, understand their concerns, schedule meetings with decision-makers, and ultimately gain the prospect’s confidence. 

By developing a solid relationship first, when you’re ready to issue your sales proposal, you’ll have the insight you need to focus on the prospect’s needs and expectations rather than relying on a generic (and forgettable) sales pitch. Crafting customer-focused proactive proposals will dramatically boost your chances of winning new business. 

Tip #4: Avoid reinventing the wheel with your proactive sales proposals 

Creating a truly persuasive sales proposal means tailoring every section to your prospects’ needs. Old proposal writing processes make this nearly impossible. After all, your sales team is full of expert sellers, not necessarily expert writers. Even if you know tailoring proposals is the way to go, how can you find the resources to make it a reality? Proposal management software tackles that challenge, so you won’t have to start every proposal from scratch. With the right proposal management software, you can: 

• Personalize, localize, and customize content at scale 

• Centralize your library of accurate, up-to-date content 

• Secure your environment 

• Uphold compliance and build audit trails 

• Integrate with critical systems (like your Salesforce CRM)

With proposal management software, you can pull together first drafts of your proactive sales proposals in minutes. From that base of approved, accurate content, you can then refine and customize the proposal to match your prospect. That’s a whole lot easier than staring at a blank page. When the proposal is ready, final formatting is as easy as clicking a button to apply your company’s pre-approved branding.  

It doesn’t take a superhuman to create proactive sales proposals 

You don’t need to wear a cape  to generate out-of-this-world, proactive sales proposals. You’ve got this – with Qvidian as your trusty sidekick. With forward-thinking strategic processes, a flexible mindset, and best-of-breed proposal management software, you can leave the competition in the dust. By following these tips, your team can create a solid foundation for a proactive approach to proposals. If you’re hungry for more tips, take a minute to check out our complete eBook.