When it comes to product sales, an effective sales proposal is essential. A good product sales proposal needs to not only present your product to clients but also demonstrate its value, benefits, and ability to solve client problems.
So how exactly do you create a product sales proposal?
In this article we’ll cover:
- What a product sales proposal is
- Who creates sale proposals
- What you should include in your sales proposal
- How to write a sales proposal
- Our top seven tips for writing your sales proposal
- How Bonsai can help you
- What happens next after your proposal has gone out
- Frequently asked questions
Let’s dive in!
What Is a Product Sales Proposal?
A product sales proposal is a document designed to outline the attributes, benefits, and costs of your particular product. In other words, it’s designed to persuade potential buyers of its value.
Good product sales proposals will help clients understand your product is the ideal solution for their needs.
Product sales proposals can be written from scratch, or created using a sales proposal template, like this one from Bonsai. You can also create a sales proposal template in Word, a sales proposal email template, a sales proposal template PDF, and more.
Who Creates Sales Proposals?
Anyone selling a product or service can create a sales proposal — whether you’re a small business owner or part of the sales department of a larger organization.
The goal is to clearly communicate the value of the product or service to clients so that they will purchase it.
What to Include in the Product Sales Proposal?
Sales proposals vary depending on the product or service you’re selling, but there are a few things every proposal should include.
1. Cover Letter
Start your proposal with:
- A quick summary of your company’s background and what you do
- A brief description of the product you’re selling
- Why you’re pitching it and why they need it.
Personalized touches, such as an original story or anecdote about your business or product, can help potential clients connect with you personally, making them more likely to purchase.
2. Challenges and Goals
Lay out your client’s primary challenges and goals — this shows that you have a clear understanding of their needs and concerns. Clients need to see that you understand their industry and challenges. It will make them more likely to trust in both you and your product.
Remember to personalize! Identical templates sent to multiple clients result in far less engagement.
3. Proposed Solutions
Explain how your product or service will help the client address their key challenges, or achieve their goals. This is the place to explain the key features of your product and what makes it unique.
Give examples of scenarios in which your client could use the product to solve real-world issues. This will enable your clients to picture clearly how your product can help them save time and money.
4. Social Proof
Building trust with your clients is essential, and providing social proof will bolster your credibility.
Ensure you include evidence that your product works for similar clients — reviews, testimonials, or studies are all great ways you can inspire confidence.
5. Pricing
Provide a clear, transparent price list for your products, and make sure any pricing packages are shown in an easy-to-read format, such as a table or graph.
If you have any promotions or flexible payment options available, list them — the client needs to be able to easily see the value of what they’re getting and how much it will cost.
6. Scope of Work
Be sure to clearly define what you’re offering. Be clear about the features of your product, as well as any services or support systems you have in place.
If you’re including future services such as maintenance, training, or installation in the price of your product, outline what the client can expect. This will inspire confidence and help avoid misunderstandings.
7. Timeline: Deliverables and Milestones
Be clear about how and when product delivery will occur. Depending on the product you’re offering, this may include specific dates or clear timeframes. This lets the client understand the process and know what to expect.
Make sure your timeframes are realistic — it can be tempting to overpromise, but this is a surefire way to lose trust.
8. Closing Statement
Reiterate the benefits of your product as well as the value it can bring to the client. Make sure to personalize here, too, so that your client knows you’re thinking about the specifics of their business.
Include a call to action — this could be signing a contract, attending a meeting, or making a purchase.
This is your last chance to make an impression, so you need to make it count!
How to Write a Product Sales Proposal?
1. Write to Convince and Proofread
Your proposal needs to be two things, first and foremost — convincing and professional! To make it convincing, use clear language and focus on the specific benefits of the product that will work for your client.
To ensure it is professional, make sure you proofread your proposal thoroughly. Spelling mistakes and other errors can undermine your credibility and appear unprofessional.
2. Include a Strong USP
A convincing unique selling point (USP) is how you differentiate yourself from the competition. Be clear about what makes your product the ideal solution for your client, and what sets it apart.
This should ideally be tailored to each client, showing them why your product is uniquely suited to solving their problems and helping them achieve their goals.
3. Create an Appealing Design
Visual appeal is important in sales and can make the difference between a professional-looking proposal and an amateur one. Include your company’s branding, colors, and logos to increase brand recognition.
Use images, graphs, bullet points, and tables to break up any walls of text. This helps to make the document more accessible and easy to read.
There are a few different ways to present your proposal template — some prefer one-page Word or PDF documents, others prefer to use a PowerPoint presentation.
There are a number of free sales proposal templates available if you’re looking for some guidance on how to lay out your proposal.
7 Tips for Writing a Sales Proposal
1. Understand Client Needs and Goals
Before you begin, do your research! Make sure you understand your client’s goals, needs, and challenges, so you can tailor your proposal to their unique objectives.
2. Personalize the Proposal for Each Client
A one-size-fits-all approach may save time, but you’ll have far less success. If you customize each proposal to reflect your client’s needs, you’ll inspire confidence and they’ll be able to see that you truly understand their business.
3. Clearly Define the Problem and Solution
A good product solves a problem. Clearly outline the problem the client is facing, then explain how your product is the ideal solution.
4. Highlight Unique Value and Benefits
This isn’t the place to just list the product’s features — you need to highlight the unique value of your product.
As well as explaining how your product solves the client’s problem, make sure you also explain any extra benefits of your product that may not be apparent at first.
5. Provide a Detailed Scope of Work
Your clients want to know what they’ll be getting for their money. Outline the actions you’ll take, what exactly you’ll provide and the processes you’ll take to provide it.
Your client is more likely to purchase your product if they truly understand what they’ll be getting.
6. Include a Clear Pricing Structure
Many clients are wary of hidden costs and unclear pricing structures. Your proposal should include clear, transparent information that explains the full pricing structure so that there are no misunderstandings.
7. Create a Compelling Call to Action
Finish with a call to action encouraging your client to take the next step. This could be arranging a meeting, signing up for your product, or making a purchase. The call to action should reinforce the proposal, and motivate the client to take action.
Creating a Product Sales Proposal Is Simple With Bonsai
Bonsai offers a free sales proposal template that has everything you need to make a professional pitch. Not only is it user-friendly, you can also customize and personalize it to reflect your company’s branding.
The template has clear sections that walk you through the essential parts of drafting a compelling proposal — it’ll save you time, and leave you with a professional, clear document.
When you sign up for Bonsai for free, you’ll be well on your way to creating winning sales proposals!
What Happens After You Send Your Proposal?
Once your proposal is sent, the ball is now in the client’s court. They will read over and review your proposal, during which time you might receive requests for clarification.
Once your client has reviewed the proposal, there are three possible outcomes:
- The client may accept your proposal
- The client may decline your proposal
- The client may request changes to the proposal before accepting.
Ensure your follow-up communication is clear, polite, and professional.
Consider ahead of time how you will respond to any requests for changes to the proposal so that you’re not reacting in the moment.
