Here at The Tender Team we are asked to write a business proposal for businesses and organisations just about every week. These proposals vary from proposals to state governments to build a highway or bridge, to a sole operator looking to establish a new cafe in a strata building.

Business proposals vary depending on the target organisation and your overall objective. Below we outline some of the components to consider when you write a business proposal:

Company Profile:

This needs to be tailored so that it is relevant to the proposal you are writing. If you are going to write a business proposal to a property company, and you are a cleaning company, then you need to talk about how your cleaning company has helped property companies maintain clean sites. There is no point in talking about your domestic cleaning experience. Similarly, if you are drafting a business proposal to a construction company, and you specialise in the supply of safety equipment to the construction and rail sector, your company profile needs to be tailored to show that you are a construction industry specialist.

Your key points of difference:

This can be presented as ’10 points that differentiate our services’ or ‘why you should choose XXXX’. Most organisations are well educated, and generally request business proposals from two or three different suppliers of products or services when they procure.

Therefore, if you have been asked to write a business proposal, it is generally safe to assume that one of your competitors has been asked to write a business proposal also. It’s important to clearly articulate why you are different and how you deliver value. It is not enough to have better pricing (if any) in a business proposal. You need to consider quality, reliability and cultural fit.

When drafting your key points of difference for a business proposal, it is critical to consider your competitive landscape and look from the outside in, not the inside out. For example, if you are a cafe operator and have quality coffee you purchase from a wholesaler, chances are, your competitors have access to the same coffee. That means that there is no real advantage in talking about the quality of your coffee, when it is going to present to competitive advantage to your competitors who are able to provide the same coffee. You may be better off talking about an innovative app you have developed that lets workers in the building order coffee from their offices.

The key point here is to make sure your points of difference actually differentiate, and then sell them accordingly.

What you will deliver:

This needs to be quantified, direct and concise. Be sure to use the active voice, and boldly declare what you will deliver. Whether it is a product, service, or long term relationship, you will need to clearly communicate the outcome that you will provide or the problem you will solve.

It’s also important to put parameters and a timeframe around what you will deliver so that your business proposal is quantified and measurable. In outlining what you will deliver, it is equally important when you write a business proposal, to detail the resources and experience you have in place to ensure you convince the reader that you can actually do what you say. When you are asked to write a business proposal, the client or reader is essentially asking you to convince them that your service is necessary and will be of benefit.

Other important sections to include when you write a business proposal are:

• Cover Page
• Table of Contents
• Executive Summary
• Background and Service
• Market Analysis
• Product / Service development
• Marketing
• Financial information and projections
• Organisation structure and management
• Risk factors and how they are dealt with / overcome.

Would you like more information on how to write a business proposal, or are you looking for an expert proposal, tender and expression of interest consultant?

Call us now on 0410 448 770 or email info@thetenderteam.com.au  We provide a highly responsive, polished and professional service, fixed fees, and are always ready to assist! We service businesses across Australia including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Canberra.