Think about the last proposal you sent. Do you know who read it, who it was forwarded to, and what questions it couldn't answer?
Often, we never find out.
Watch the video
Jo sells forklift trucks. In this video we follow her proposal after she presses send: from Dan, who asked for it, to Priya in operations and Mark in finance, who weren't in the room. Then we run the story again, with one difference.
Watch on YouTube · 10 minutes · Watch the full series
The short version. Once you press send, your proposal has a second job. It has to explain itself to people you've never met, and win support from people with different priorities. A proposal sent without that collaboration can leave much of this work to your contact. A first draft developed together brings that work into the open, where you can help with it.
Why it matters for your results. Doing this work early can mean:
fewer opportunities lost to "no decision"
decisions you can learn from, whichever way they go
customers who get what they need, and come back for more
ONE THING TO TRY THIS WEEK
Take a recent proposal and read it as someone who wasn't in the room. Write down the two most important questions it leaves unanswered, and who could help answer them. That's ready-made preparation for your next conversation with that customer.
Email me at [email protected] and tell me what you found. I read every reply.
Peter
Want to go further?
Read on for five questions to ask about any proposal before it leaves your hands. The newsletter above is complete; this part is optional.
Before you press send
Five questions to ask about any proposal before it leaves your hands:
Who is this likely to be forwarded to?
What will each of them need to know that my contact already knows?
Which of their questions can't it answer yet?
Who in my own organisation needs to be involved before anything is promised?
Have I said what would make holding off the sensible choice?
If you can't answer the first two, that's your next conversation with your contact.
