Written by: Sachin Parmar
A proposal could be the difference between you winning or losing a project. But when your prospective client is potentially receiving multiple proposals pitching for the same work, read this article to find out how to make sure your proposal is always number one on the pile.
Sachin Parmar, Co-founder and Creative Director from evokeu, London’s leading boutique digital marketing and branding agency, delves into the tips and tricks his team use to secure a client during the crucial pitch stage.
A proposal is a formal document that outlines your approach to a project, including your methodology, process and solution. It is often shared with a prospective client when you’re pitching for work and can be one of the main deciding factors between you or another contractor being chosen to take a project forward. It’s therefore vital that you invest time and resources into creating a proposal that is going to impress your client and assure them that you’re the only option to deliver above and beyond their desired results.
There are several techniques that you can use to make your proposal stand out from the crowd. Sachin details the elements that his creative agency, evokeu always adopts.
First impressions count
When at the pitching stage of securing work, your client will likely be speaking to other contractors at the same time to ensure that they’re choosing the best option for their project. Your proposal will be competing with other proposals and consequently needs to be bold and confident in its direction. You may not have had the chance to meet the client face-to-face so your proposal not only needs to explain your approach to the work, but also why you and your team, if you’re part of an agency, are the people for the job. Encapsulate the look and feel of your business by explaining your vision and mission, and include images of your team and work environment. This information will give your prospective client a good idea as to whether you’re a match with their company style and if you’ll slot in smoothly with their ways of working.
Show your creative side
For creatives, whether you’re a graphic designer, copywriter or project manager, a proposal is the perfect opportunity to express your skills. Demonstrate your ability with colour and illustrations – there’s no rule to say that a proposal needs to be just words. You could also incorporate examples of relevant past projects to show that you have experience, as well as talent. Catching your client’s eye with your uniqueness could be all that’s needed to make you the clear choice for their project.
Keep your proposal concise
Contrary to popular belief, a proposal doesn’t need to be pages and pages long. If your prospective client is comparing more than one contractor, they could be sifting through numerous dense documents, which will make it more likely that they’ll skim-read or skip over parts of your proposal. Covering all the information needed in a concise and to-the-point manner will improve your chances of the client absorbing the necessary information to make you the strongest contender. It can also help to structure your proposal using different formats, such as clear and easy-to-identify subtitles, bullet points or tables. A formal structure of paragraphs could be enough to lose the client’s attention and subsequently their interest in hiring you as a contractor.
For many years, evokeu have been working with businesses from various sectors to bring to life their brands with creative and innovative ideas. The team understands the importance of a strong proposal and the power it has in proving to a client that you’re the contractor for the job. If you’re looking for support with web, brand or marketing design and implementation, then look no further than evokeu, who will not only wow you with their proposal but will blow you away with their dedication to your project. Likewise, if you’re a fellow contractor, evokeu are always open to collaboration and welcome the opportunity to work with others in the industry when a project requires more hands on deck.
If you’d like to find out more about Sachin and evokeu, please visit here. You can also follow Sachin on LinkedIn, where he frequently posts business advice and inspiring content.
About the author:
Sachin Parmar is the Co-founder and Creative Director of boutique digital marketing and branding agency, evokeu. With decades of design experience, Sachin has a keen eye for detail and a drive to create consistently superior results. Sachin and his expert team work with big and small brands across many sectors to help clients capture customer attention and create growth. Evokeu also has a vertical brand called Graphic Kitchen, which specialises in the hospitality sector.
