The Art of the Proposal
Part 1 : Presentation is Key
Many Web Agencies submit responses to RFPs, proposals and change order request. From what I have seen, the competition really lacks on presentation for the proposal. Using ONLY Microsoft Word is not the answer.
First Impression
Besides the first encounter with a potential client, the proposal is a lasting impression of the quality and professionalism of your agency. Why would you not invest in creating a great proposal that can set you apart from the crowd.
Clients read through so many proposals, you need to stand out visually.
Use the Right Tools
Your tool set for creating great proposals needs to work with your work flow and process. If you have multiple team members working on a proposal make sure you use great tools for collaboration (Google Docs is great).
At Bold Array we use several applications when we are creating/writing proposals (more to come on that in later articles).
Text & Readability
The proposal needs to be easy to read, that meaning easy on the eyes to read. Bullet points are better than paragraphs of text. Good use of typography, such as choice in font and color used for headings helps break up sections or thoughts in the proposal.
Nobody wants to read a proposal that is boring to look at, if its boring to read.
Diagrams
Diagrams help relay information, ideas or concepts. Make sure you use or create clear diagrams that do not look like 1992 clip art. There are several great tools for diagram; OmniGraffle, MS Visio, Adobe Illustrator to name a few. With each program you can easily create a professional looking diagram with little effort, key is plan your diagram and make sure your client will be able to understand what it represents.
Graphics
As always, a picture can say a 1,000 words. This holds true in proposals. Images can really help sell your concepts, ideas or capabilities. Rely ideas with little to no text. Imagery used properly can really make or break your proposal. Over usage of images and the client will toss your proposal to the site, since the proposal will lack substance.
Tip: If the proposal is for a client who uses a lot of strong imagery in their marketing materials, we will attempt to use some of those images throughout the proposal in a tasteful manner, without overdoing it.
Always make sure the images you use in the proposal are print quality. Nothing worse than using an images that is fuzzy when printed, that kills the presentation.
Export & Save
Last but not least, what you send the client will be most important. You can spend hours creating, editing, diagramming and discussion the elements of the proposal, but in the end what you send the client is the money ball.
Are you going to send a Word Document?
You never know what your client has in terms of programs or what device they will read the proposal. Your best bet is to export to PDF since this is a common and widely accepted document type. Plus the Acrobat Reader is free, so asking your client to download and install a free program is always acceptable.
Now this was just a quick overview, a 50,000 foot level view. I will be sure to write more on this subject. So stay posted.
