What is a SaaS Sales Proposal Include? -
The most feared SaaS sales proposal.
If you're honest, you probably hate the idea of spending hours writing out the SaaS sales pitch, fiddling with the pricing plan in search of the right words to impress your buyer. There's nothing fun about it. A lot of sales professionals feel exactly like you do, and since so many do not follow through and do not create a compelling proposal, this is an opportunity for you to stand out and win the sale.
An effective SaaS sales prospectus typically arrives following a request from a customer that they're interested in the specific service. Certain companies use simple designs for their proposals and others create extensive documents that break down each detail of the offer. At , we recognize that the law and good practice differs in each situation.
However, you can cut down on the complexity and the guesswork involved in SaaS development of sales proposals by using pricing grids. Pricing grids are an effective sales tool is available to prospective buyers prior to creating the final sales proposal. It allows prospective buyers to select the price they'd like to pay. Once they select the price that fits their needs and requirements, the account manager is informed and is able to put together a proposal that aligns EXACTLY with what the buyer is looking for.
In this post in this post, we'll tell how to follow step-by-step how to compose SaaS sales proposals that consistently will close sales faster. However, before discussing what you should include in your proposal, let's examine some of the preliminary steps that must be taken place.
Then we'll dive into each section of the sales proposal:
- Cover Page
- About Us
- Problem (your potential customer's issue or issues)
- Solution (your solution for your company)
- Case Studies & Testimonials
- Team (key executive and team members)
- Contract (e.g. the terms and agreements, the scope of work, etc.)
Let's get started!
Pre-Proposal Prepared
A great sales proposal shouldn't come as a shock.
This should be the next logical step in your conversations with your prospect. We strongly recommend account executives to make use of pricing grids before sending proposals. Furthermore to that, there are some important questions you'll need to make sure you can answer before writing the proposal:
- What is the reason why someone would want the product you're offering? What is the issue the buyer is looking to address? In order to write an effective sales pitch You must know your prospect's problems and outcomes they're looking for. It will allow you to offer options that are specifically tailored to the specific needs of your customer.
- Are they considering any alternative options? If so, why are they looking at those alternatives knowing what other companies offer and the ways in which your SaaS solution is different can assist you in handling issues before they occur. In addition, since you've taken the time to study the issues your prospects face and concerns, you'll be able to explain how your SaaS solution is better suited to satisfy their requirements beforesending your sales proposal.
- What is your budget? It's nearly impossible to write a proposal without knowing your client's budget. It is best to get this information during the process of qualifying the prospect. If you're not sure of the budget of their company, inquire. Be sure to wait before you write your proposal until you've got an answer. Then, you can also eliminate applicants who aren't a suitable match.
- Who will sign the deal? Who decides the deal When you speak to your potential client, learn who the decision-makers in charge are and then who is the final person to sign the deal. This can help ensure that you're communicating to all parties needed to close the deal.
- What's the procedure for purchasing? Some organizations such as government or educational institutions are required to have formal procurement procedures in order to accommodate their unique environments, while other companies may not have formal procedures in the purchase of new items or services. Understanding your prospect's internal procurement procedure will allow you to determine the best steps to close the deal--for example including all the data you need in your proposal including ROI analyses, project plans, timelines and legal requirements, for example. If your proposal contains everything they require for them to approve then you'll be closer to concluding the transaction.
Writing Your Proposal
After you've completed all of these questions during the preliminary proposal stage, it's now time to begin writing! Here are some tips for you to consider before starting:
- Limit your proposals to just 1-2 pages. An executive or decision-maker is extremely busy and could also have limited attention time. Be brief.
- Make use of a simple words. Cut jargon that isn't understood by the general public. The simple way to write is the most effective in making your sales proposition.
To help you remember Here are eight common sections of a winning SaaS selling proposal:
- Cover Page
- About Us
- Problem (your prospect's problem or challenges)
- Solution (your business's solution)
- Case Studies / Testimonials
- Team (key executives as well as members of your team)
- Contract (e.g. Terms and agreements, scope of work, etc.)
Be aware that this outline doesn't have to be written on a bricks and mortar. Think of it as a general guideline to utilize as a basis and adjust as you see appropriate.
- What's in a Cover Page for a Proposal?
The cover page should include the name of the proposal, the client's name and the date of delivery as well as the name of the person who submitted it (you). It is possible to personalize the cover page by adding the logo of the client as well.
Though this might seem like a no-brainer, the fact is that it's frequently overlooked. The addition of a cover page your sales proposal will give the proposal a polished and professional appearance.
It's all about first impressions!
Key Takeaways:
- Make sure to send your message to the appropriate person.
- Maintain it professional and clean.
- More About Us
The "About Us" section provides a chance to briefly introduce your company and convince the prospect that your SaaS product will deliver the results they're looking for.
Describing your workflow, current client base and past successes can increase your credibility and suggest that you are the kind of company that they can trust.
You can also list out your client's goals in this section by framing them as your goals--which they should be! Examples: "Our goal is to increase productivity at Company XYZ to 50% in twelve months."
Key Takeaways:
- Then, introduce your business be brief, as your client is interested in the ways you can assist them..
- Include facts about your company which boost credibility and create trust.
- Understanding the Problem of Your Prospect
Alright, this is where we'll get to the meatof the SaaS sales proposal.
The "Problem" section (often called"Need" or "Need" section) is where you address the client's present challenges and needs. What are the issues they're facing that you can help with?
Give a clear list of their every need prioritizing them from essential needs to value-adds. Include everything your prospective client is having trouble in, be it efficiency, profit or scaling. A bulleted list will make it simple for your prospect to understand.
There's no need to dig to the answers right now . This is the chance to demonstrate to your prospect that you've listened and to understand their concerns areas.
Furthermore, it's an opportunity to paint a grim image of their present state of affairs so that later you can surprise them with the improvement that they'll experience if they select the company's SaaS solution.
We've mocked up an example of how this area could look like:
Key Takeaways:
- The needs of the potential client should be listed in order of priority (most crucial to least important).
- Simply Communicate The Solution You Provide
To make it easier We titled this portion of the sales proposition"the "Solution," but "How We Work" as well as "How We Provide" are other commonly used titles for this section.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself in order to assist you with writing in this phase:
- What is my distinct advantage?
- Which features of my SaaS product are most beneficial to my prospect?
- What are my primary deliverables and outcomes?
- What time frame do they anticipate these result?
As an example: "Integrating our software will aid in automatizing your fulfillment processes and decrease your costs by 10% over a 12-month time frame."
That is, you're explaining your plan of action and the results that you deliver. It's been mentioned many times, however this is worth repeating The goal is to draw a picture of the ways in which your SaaS product can help users.
Concentrate on the prospect. The SaaS might have hundreds of functions, but only a handful may help this specific prospective customer. When presenting your idea, concentrate on features that provide most worth. One more time for the people who are behind you:
Remember to focus on the potential.
Also, you should include your plan for the project, its timelines and value-adds as well as an outline of the implementation procedure. This is especially important for bigger enterprise-sized deals as the implementation process can take weeks or months.
Finally, it is possible to provide additional details requested by your prospect within this section or even in an appendix. (Scroll through the pre-proposal process if you need a refresher!)
Key Takeaways:
- Present your SaaS service, along with your goals that you could assist them in achieving. Be specific!
- Include project timelines as well as milestones, deliverables and value-adds and any requested information to speed closing the process.
- Include Great Case Studies & Testimonials
Your proposed solution may be exactly what your prospect is looking for, but they'll need more than your promise that you'll be able to meet their needs.
Use testimonials from customers as well as case studies, and other content which shows you can drive results. This adds a huge amount of credibility to your SaaS product and company.
- Based on a Nielsen research, 66% of consumers trust online customer reviews.
- Testimonials and quotes boost conversions by 34 percent, according to Sumo.
It is no surprise that adding the case studies or testimonials you have included in your pitch can greatly boost your chances of getting the contract signed. Make sure you do notskip this stage.
Social Proof is a psychological phenomena in which individuals conform to the actions of others under the assumption that the behaviors reflect the proper conduct.
Principal Takeaway:
- Case studies and social proof are crucial for convincing your potential customers that you are able to provide.
- Showcase The Team That Will Be Working With The Client
Use this section to identify your organization's most important managers along with employees who would be involved in the account.
Provide a short description of each team member along with a professional photo.
The Key Takeaway
- Give faces to the project with bios and photographs of the company's top executives and team members.
- Attach Your Contract
The contract should be included in your sales offer so that your prospect can immediately sign it. We won't get into details regarding how to create the contract here. (Contact your attorney for advice on this matter.)
The key takeaway is to make the most of the excitement generated by your potential client and make the contract signable as soon as possible!
Principal Takeaway:
- To expedite the close for the fastest closing legal contract in your proposition and have it signed.
Wrapping It Up
Writing sales proposals which consistently close SaaS agreements requires a lot of effort and, yes, effort--but If you follow the rules described above, you'll be well on your way to always closing SaaS deals.
Here's a brief summary of the most important sales proposal guidelines:
- Make sure your proposal is limited to two pages.
- Write the proposal only after you've determined the prospective's budget.
- Direct your proposal to the right person who will make the final decision.
- Limit the details you provide about your company to a minimum--focus on the potential customers.
- Outline your prospect's needs.
- You must be specific in ways you can assist them to meet their objectives and obtain results.
- Include case studies and testimonials to add credibility and social proof.
- Attach a contract to it and create a signable version.
What is the most effective way of approaching these steps?
The most common mistake users make is copying cutting and pasting the list on the back of a notepad, and then adhering to it every time they have to make a proposal...
There's no reason to create additional work for yourself or to waste your time.
Instead, try using a program that can populate SaaS sales pitches. This will save you time that you can spend nurturing relationships with prospects and closing deals.
Although you could try traditional tools like Google Sheets or Excel for this, we suggest using an application specifically designed to work with SaaS.
Utilizing a software that is built to support the intricacies of SaaS proposals is the best method to market SaaS. There is one specific tool that does precisely this.
Interactive Quotes is a custom pricing tool that simplifies the entire SaaS sales proposal process. You no longer have to sit at work focusing focused on a single proposal using Interactive Quotes you can design the proposals, submit them and track their progress from anywhere, anytime. The idea is to take the whole procedure described in this article and makes it available to you at fingertips.
Start by using Interactive Quotes for free.