Persuasive Business Proposals

About the Author

Tom Sant is a distinguished expert in sales and proposal writing, renowned for his practical and results-driven approach. With a background that spans over several decades, Sant has consulted for numerous companies, from small businesses to Fortune 500 firms like General Electric, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, and Accenture. He is the creator of the widely used proposal automation systems, ProposalMaster and RFPMaster, which have revolutionized how businesses craft their proposals. Sant's book, Persuasive Business Proposals, is a comprehensive guide that provides valuable insights and techniques for writing proposals that win clients and contracts. His work emphasizes clarity, persuasion, and client focus, offering a blueprint for success in competitive business environments.

Main Idea

Persuasive Business Proposals by Tom Sant outlines a methodical approach to creating compelling business proposals that are designed to win contracts and clients. The central theme of the book is that a proposal is not merely a document but a critical sales tool that should communicate value, address the client's specific needs, and differentiate the proposer from the competition. Sant provides a detailed guide on how to structure proposals, craft persuasive messages, and avoid common pitfalls that can undermine the effectiveness of a proposal. The book is aimed at helping professionals in various industries enhance their proposal writing skills and increase their chances of winning business opportunities.

Table of Contents

1. Seven Deadly Sins of Proposal Writing
2. A Primer on Persuasion
3. Fluff, Guff, Geek, and Weasel: The Art of Saying What You Mean
4. The Art of the Part: Where to Put Your Effort
5. How to Manage the Process Without Losing Your Sanity
6. Special Challenges

Seven Deadly Sins of Proposal Writing

The book begins by identifying and analyzing the "Seven Deadly Sins" of proposal writing. These sins represent common mistakes that significantly reduce a proposal's chances of success. According to Tom Sant, the most critical errors include failing to focus on the client's problems, lacking a persuasive structure, not differentiating the proposal from competitors, lacking a compelling value proposition, burying key points, using technical jargon excessively, and exhibiting a lack of credibility through poor presentation and errors.

"A proposal is not just a price quote; it's a sales document that offers a solution to a business problem." - Tom Sant

Sant emphasizes that a proposal should be more than an informational document; it should be a persuasive tool designed to sell a solution. He argues that many proposals fail because they are either too focused on the proposer’s products and services rather than the client’s needs, or they are poorly structured, making it difficult for the reader to extract the key benefits and value propositions.

these Seven Deadly Sins include:

• Submitting a proposal that reads like an "information dump," with no clear narrative or focus on the client’s needs.
• Failing to highlight what sets the proposer apart from the competition, making it hard for the client to see why they should choose one vendor over another.
• Including technical jargon and complex explanations that can alienate or confuse non-technical decision-makers.

To avoid these pitfalls, Sant advises that proposals should always be tailored to the specific needs and concerns of the client. The narrative should be clear and structured in a way that guides the reader logically through the proposal, with a strong emphasis on the value and benefits the proposed solution offers.