Why clients still insist on proposals (and how to make yours a winner)

Proposals aren’t just admin. They are the way clients cut through complexity, compare value and defend their buying decisions. Here’s why they matter (and how to make them less painful and far more persuasive).

Why do clients insist on a proposal anyway?

Let’s be honest. Proposals are not exactly everyone’s favorite pastime. They steal evenings, hijack weekends and chew through caffeine reserves faster than Eskom through diesel. Yet, every serious client still demands one. Why?

Because today’s products and services are messy, complex beasts. Buyers face a flood of options, each claiming to be ‘the best thing since sliced biltong’. A written proposal is their way of slowing the sales process down, cutting through the noise and actually figuring out what is on the table.

A proposal is more than a price tag

Clients don’t just want numbers. They want reassurance. They want to be convinced. They want to see evidence that you will deliver value, not headaches.

And here’s the kicker: smart buyers don’t base their decisions on price alone. They know change comes with hidden costs and risks. A good proposal gives them the ammo to defend their decision internally and proves you are the least risky, most valuable option.

Committees, committees everywhere

It’s rarely one person signing off anymore. Buying decisions are made by committees, each member peering at your proposal through their own lens.

• The techies want to know if it works.

• The finance team wants to know if it’s worth it.

• Ops people want to know if it’ll cause chaos.

• And leadership wants to know if it’ll make them look good.

Faster decisions, happier sales leaders

For sales leaders, the high-level goals are clear:

• Make sure proposals are sharp, persuasive and increase win rates.

• Cut the admin drag and get proposals out the door faster.

• Arm your team with bid know-how so they can stop reinventing the wheel (and stop pulling all-nighters).

Your proposal has to walk the halls of your client’s organisation on your behalf, speaking clearly to every single one of them. That’s a tall order.