How to create the perfect sales proposal template

Your marketing efforts paid off and a company scheduled a sales meeting. This crucial stage in the buyer’s journey is where you present the best aspects of your brand and why their business should choose your products. Creating a sales proposal template will make this stage easier and help you close more deals.

Use these tips and key items on your next sales proposal presentation to create a winning sales pitch.

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Key takeaways:

• A sales proposal template saves time by giving a framework for future sales pitches.
• Perform market research for every sale proposal to personalize the presentation for your audience.
• Build trust with your audience before introducing your products or services.

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Why you need a sales proposal template

A sales proposal template is the frame for your sales presentation. If you build the frame with strong materials, filling the structure with personalized details for each sales pitch is easier and helps you create the perfect presentation every time.

In addition, a sales proposal template allows anyone in the company to complete the presentation. For example, whether the finance or sales team is building presentations, the results will be similar because someone already took the time to build the structural framework. The presentation just needs information, which anyone can input with minimal effort or time.

Some uses of a sales proposal template include:

• Presenting a sales pitch
• Sharing returns on investment with leads
• Providing product details to interested buyers

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Tips for designing a great sales proposal

A sales proposal presentation provides enough information for the prospect to make a sales decision without overwhelming them with irrelevant details.

For example, a software presentation to a marketing team would focus on the benefits of the software for sales and marketing. Even if the software has capabilities that will help financial teams, those don’t need to be in the presentation if those features aren’t relevant to the audience.

A clear presentation should also be free of errors. Misspellings, wrong information, and contradicting messages will distract from your value and authority.

The most important part of a sales proposal is how personal it is. Before filling out the template, take some time to perform market research to understand the audience, so you can personalize the template for that audience.

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7 Elements of a sales proposal template

Build your perfect sales proposal template using these seven essential elements:

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1. Basic information

Start your sales proposal by providing basic information on the introduction slide. This data includes who the proposal is for, who it’s from, and basic contact information like a phone number and email address. Keep this slide very simple and clutter-free.

A logo or image on this slide can help you brand the presentation and connect it to your company.

2. Executive summary and outline

Before diving into the details of your presentation, take time to share the direction of the presentation through an executive summary. For example, you might have a table of contents that shares the main headings from the presentation. You might also have a page summarizing the proposal with a brief description of your products or services and key benefits.

These introductory slides tell your audience what you hope to accomplish and what the audience can expect.

3. Company background

Trust is the foundation of a successful sales pitch. The next few slides are your chance to show you’re an authority in the field and an expert on your products.

Unfortunately, only 3% of prospects trust sales reps. Consumers and buyers lost trust because sales reps have a reputation for being pushy and prioritizing quotas over the customer’s needs. However, a rep can change this opinion by showing that the representative genuinely has the customer’s best interest at heart.

To build trust with your audience, use statistics, a brief case study, and research to show how businesses benefit from your business’s products. Testimonials are also a powerful tool for building trust.

Here is a guide on case study presentation.

4. Value proposition

A value proposition transitions the sales proposal between building authority and selling products. You should customize this part of the template for every audience.

The value proposition gives the audience a reason to consider your products. It’s a unique statement of value and how the products will benefit the audience. For instance, you might present common challenges the audience faces, then offer your company’s solutions.

When you write a sales proposal, use differentiation factors to emphasize how you’re different from the competition. Are your products higher quality, more affordable, or offer better features? Now is the time to emphasize these differences.

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5. Products and services

After building trust with the audience, you can begin exploring your products and services in greater detail. Outline what your business offers, specific features, and terms and conditions.

Keep the descriptions clear and concise while providing all the necessary information the buyers need to make a purchase decision. A list of features next to a product image can be enough in most cases. Alongside features, you should also take time to explain specific benefits to your audience. Highlighting your benefits is one of the areas where customization will have an impact since they need to relate directly to your audience and their pain points.

6. Pricing breakdown

The pricing information shouldn’t be alongside the products. You first want to convince the audience of the benefits of your product before diving into costs. Otherwise, the price might negatively influence the audience’s opinion of your offerings.

The pricing page will come after you have thoroughly convinced your products are the ultimate solution. Pricing can include a chart that shows the rates and features for each pricing tier.

To further convince your audience, you can also show a price comparison against the competition to show how your products are superior.

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7. Clear call to action

The last piece of your sales proposal is your call to action. This part is the slide that tells your audience the next step.

Outline what will happen next. Will the buyer call you? Then tell them what that first call will look like. Will they purchase your products? Then describe how they can make their first order.

Here is a comprehensive guide on national sales meeting presentation.

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Standardize your sales proposal template

Keep a consistent and clear message by creating a standard sales proposal template for all your pitches. Prezent offers a library of brand-approved templates based off key business storylines used by professionals. Don't start your proposal from scratch! Let Prezent help you save hours when building the presentation proposal for your next sales pitch.

Contact us to try a free demo!