Communications proposals are an integral part of the PR and marketing repertoire, especially for agencies. Often submitted in response to a Request for Proposal (RFP), proposals are where you flesh out your agency’s services and provide details on the communication strategies, tactics and experience your agency brings to the potential client’s account.
Ask any PR and marketing professional and they will tell you how important a good proposal is to successfully land new clients and projects. A strong proposal is well-written, detailed and adept at communicating what your agency’s expertise is and what you can do for the client if they decide to proceed with your services.
As a PR and marketing agency, we have a lot of experience in drafting strong and successful proposals (and our fair share of unsuccessful proposals) for different business prospects. We have come up with some tips to help you create a proposal that stands out.
Research the Client.
Like in most aspects of communication, research is the key to drafting a proposal that is unique and well-suited to the client. Finding out as much as you can about the client gives you the opportunity to customize your proposal to best suit their communication needs.
Set up discovery meetings to familiarize yourself with the client so you can get a sense of who they are and what they are looking for in terms of a PR and marketing campaign. Some important aspects to consider researching include the client’s previous PR efforts (if any), the products or services they offer, their target market and the communication goals they hope to achieve within their budget.
Customize the Campaign.
A proposal should not be a one-size-fits-all document. Writing a successful proposal that understands the client’s needs, interests and environment can be the beginning of a new business relationship. Tailoring your proposal to suit your client’s needs and styles not only provides them targeted strategies but also exemplifies the attentive and customized nature of your work.
Understand the Market.
It is important to understand and study the client’s industry as it can determine the tone of your proposal. Analyzing the target market as well as the competition’s advertising and marketing strategies can help you understand where the client’s campaigns are within the industry.
While writing the proposal, make sure that you are including the desired outcomes of your market research. It is essential to demonstrate your understanding of the client’s unique position within the market as well as your knowledge of industry trends.
Design the Document.
Proposals can be long and wordy documents often making them hard to read. The last thing you want for your well-written and strong proposal is for it to fall flat as it does not display sections distinctively and fails at highlighting the focal points of your campaign. A visually unattractive proposal, no matter how strong in terms of content, can get lost in the noise and fail to accomplish what it set out to.
You want to lay out and design the proposal document in a visually appealing way so it retains the client’s attention throughout and gives a glimpse of your communication expertise. When it comes to design elements the proposal should reflect your company’s branding in terms of logo, fonts and colours.
A proposal, when done right, is a great way to share with your potential clients your vision for their brand and your potential relationship with them. Creating a proposal that stands out and speaks to clients can earn you new accounts and opportunities.
Are you interested in hiring a communications agency? Give us a shout and our team of experts will create a proposal just for you!
