Writing a successful business proposal is much more than simply editing documents and shipping them off to a prospect. There may be many reasons why your proposal did not make the final cut.
If you are new to proposal writing, try to look at each proposal submission as a learning experience, and be prepared to adjust your strategy and presentation as needed along the way.
After you’ve been informed that you didn’t win the proposal, you should try to tactfully interview the potential client or customer. When possible, speak directly to the person responsible for selecting the winner.
Explain that you want to learn the reason(s) why your proposal was not selected so that you can make improvements in the future. Give careful consideration to what the person has to say and thank them for their advice. Keep in mind, however, that they may not tell you the actual reason behind your loss. Some people may be wary of coming across too critical, and of course there are always times where a friend or family member was selected for the job instead of using a true competitive process.
While you can learn from failure, you should try your best to win with every attempt. Don’t let sloppy mistakes keep your proposal from getting noticed. A failure to land the client or get the grant is often due to the following common reasons:
#1: Writing style: yours was not appealing to the reader.
To avoid a mismatch, do some research to find out about the style of the person and/or organization you are targeting. For example, if you are writing a proposal for a conservative institution where all employees dress in business suits, it would not be a good idea to write your proposal in a folksy, casual style.
#2: Missed the intended target: your proposal was not delivered to the right person.
Take a moment to call the company and find out the correct employee to address your proposal to. Make sure you spell that person’s name correctly and get his or her position correct, too. You might also want to follow-up to ensure they received your proposal.
#3: Bad timing: your proposal was not made at the right time.
In general, it’s not a good idea to send a proposal ‘out of the blue.’ The best proposals, of course, are those that are solicited through RFPs, but if that’s not the case for you, then try to connect your pitch to something concrete like a recent event or news article so it will seem relevant.
#4: Sloppy writing: your spelling or grammar was incorrect.
If your proposal doesn’t look or sound professional, why would the prospect think that your work would be any better? If spelling and grammar are not your strengths, then hire an editor to perfect your proposal language before you send it.
#5: You failed to address the prospect’s fears and objections.
Your prospective customer wants to be confident that you will do what is right for their organization. Prove that you have listened to their issues and have the solution for each of their problems.
#6: Your personal appearance and presentation did not match the prospect’s ‘style’.
Take the time to scope out the company or individual you will pitch to. Does the decision maker wear a suit, or jeans and casual shirt? Show up similarly dressed and that person will automatically feel comfortable with you.
#7: Internal politics at the prospect’s company influenced the decision.
There’s not much you can do about this one, but if you are aware of internal issues before presenting your pitch, try to address them within the proposal.
#8: Hidden agendas at the prospect’s company influenced the decision.
Odds are that you’ll never even find out about this reason.
#9: Your proposal estimate was too low or high.
Many clients simply pick the least costly proposal, especially if there is a low risk of failure. But more experienced ones may actually reject a proposal with an unreasonably low estimate, because they fear that the proposal was made by someone who didn’t truly understand the project or was too inexperienced to estimate accurately. An estimate that is too low may also indicate to an experienced client that low grade materials will be used or quality will be sacrificed.
#10: You were too persistent or not persistent enough with the prospect.
It’s never a good idea to harangue a prospect; you wouldn’t appreciate someone who interrupted you or showed up every day, and neither will your potential client. But it’s also not a good idea to simply ship a proposal and never make contact again. If possible, call or set up a meeting in advance to get as much information as you can, and then, after you’ve delivered the proposal, call to make sure it was received and ask whether the prospect has all the information needed from you to make the decision.
This list is by no means a complete list of every possible reason why you may have failed to win the proposal. There will always be scenarios that you have no control over. You may never learn the reasons why either. Focus your energy on the things that you can control, and use good common sense. Sometimes the key to winning can be as small as a personal touch – in a business environment that is continually becoming automated.
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