Finding partners in business is necessary, as ideas or projects may arise that will bring many new opportunities. But it often happens that the head of a large enterprise or firm does not have enough time to meet with potential partners, and they ask to send them a commercial proposal (CP).

Why offer services

You should know how to write a commercial proposal correctly, since the success of the transaction may depend on its content. Often you want to include as much information as possible about your company or service in your commercial proposal, but too much text can alienate a potential partner or client. It is necessary to compose the proposal in such a way that the person who reads it becomes interested and wants to continue cooperation.

Knowing how to write a business proposal is important for both business newbies and those with more experience. It doesn’t matter whether you are the owner of a large company or a start-up entrepreneur, everyone needs well-written proposals.

How to learn to write such letters

The main questions that arise when writing a CP relate to where to start writing, what information to include and how to finish. Sample commercial proposals make it possible to eliminate errors.

Basic rules

1. First of all, you need to define the market segment.
2. It is important to specify the CP - to write what type of cooperation will be discussed.
3. You should try to interest the person to whom the proposal is addressed from the first lines.
4. It is necessary to describe the advantages of the company.
5. It is important to present in simple language, without fanaticism, the main ideas of the commercial proposal. It should be borne in mind that the person who will read the text does not have sufficient knowledge about the specifics of the product or service being offered. Information needs to be presented in an accessible manner. It is also not recommended to use promotional phrases, as this approach can be off-putting.
6. You should not indicate possible risks; it is better to ignore them.
7. The text should be written in a business style, but at the same time simple; it is also recommended to exclude strong emotional overtones.
8. No matter how much you would like to include as much information as possible in the text of the letter, you should highlight only the main points and present the remaining data as an announcement.
9. You should consider answers to the client’s possible questions and doubts.

What needs to be done before writing a proposal

First of all, you need to make a list of those to whom these proposals will be sent. If you are confident that some organizations will refuse, then you should not waste time on them. Although, as practice shows, cooperation can be achieved with almost any company.

It is necessary to draw up a list of organizations that need the proposed product or service, and also specify what exactly the company can provide them.

The important point is that it is necessary to make two sentences, separately for the manager and for the specialist. You should think about where to highlight which points, since a manager is a person who makes decisions, and a specialist is a performer who will carry out the task. Therefore, for the latter, it is necessary to highlight those points that will simplify his work in future cooperation (for example, draw up a commercial proposal for the supply of something). And for the manager, development prospects and cost savings will be the most significant.

It is also recommended to practice before writing a commercial proposal by making several sample letters for different companies. In each of them, you should outline the company’s activities and how you can help it. For example, in a commercial proposal from an insurance broker to a large insurer, you can use the following words:

Dear leader!

In the current economic situation, it is necessary to increase sales volumes. Your company is a leader in this service sector. There is always a need to attract new clients. Our brokerage agency is ready to help you. We want to sell your insurance products to our customers. Our agency specialists will provide competent advice in the field of insurance.

We will always answer by phone.

Sincerely, employee's name and position.

How to start writing

It is recommended to start drawing up the right commercial proposal directly from the essence. It is necessary to understand that in addition to this offer, the company to which it is sent receives a lot of similar letters. Therefore, there is no need to delve into the content; it is recommended that from the first sentences you reveal the essence of the commercial proposal and outline its goals. Under no circumstances should you start a letter with hackneyed phrases, be original!

Before writing a proposal, it is worth doing an analysis of the company for which it is being made and identifying the needs. For example, you can call and talk with a company representative, during the conversation remember a few phrases that will be included in the announcement of the commercial proposal. That is, if the head of a company says that he wants to increase office sales, then in the announcement of the commercial proposal it is recommended to write that your activities will increase office sales.

If you are unable to talk to the head of the company, you can go to the official website; as a rule, the main areas of activity and prospects for its development are reflected there.

KP writing style

First of all, you need to draw the client's attention to his problem, and then offer a solution to it. Developing a commercial proposal involves using simple sentences that are easily and quickly understood. If you think that this or that phrase is unnecessary, then it is better to remove it.

It is necessary for the text to be lively, it is recommended to add specifics to it - indicate specific numbers, name existing partners. You can also indicate the subtleties of production or the specifics of the work. Tell us how a process is optimized. There is no need to go deeper and describe the entire production system. It will be enough to highlight a couple of working moments.

Samples

A commercial proposal is an ideal tool for working with old partners; such an offer is also used to find new partners. From our article you will learn in detail about the specifics of commercial proposals: rules for drawing up, mistakes that can be made, you will receive useful information, as well as examples of proposals and templates.

What is a commercial offer?

Often a company thinking about expanding its customer and partner base chooses commercial proposals as its main tool. Conventionally, commercial offers can be divided into 2 types:

• Personalized, sent to a specific addressee and containing a personal message inside. The main advantage of such offers is that the client involuntarily begins to feel involved in your company; he is pleased that he will individually receive an offer with a special discount or bonuses. Of course, he doesn’t need to know that several dozen other people received a similar letter.
• Non-personalized, which is also called cold. It contains impersonal information, is not directed to a single person, but is designed for a large circle of consumers. There are also disadvantages to such an offer: firstly, the lack of personal appeal generalizes the information, reducing the degree of interest of the client. Secondly, the offer can be read by a person who will not make the purchasing decision (secretary, middle manager, relative, etc.).

Any type of commercial proposal will help you achieve the following goals:

• Will attract the attention of a potential client/partner.
• Will arouse interest and desire to purchase the product.
• It will help the buyer decide to make a purchase or order a specific service.

Taking these decisions into account, a commercial proposal is developed, but the principle of its “work” is similar to that of a regular advertising campaign. Naturally, the textual content of a commercial proposal is 50% of success; if you create a personalized proposal, then you need to pay great attention to the paper and even the envelope in which it will be sealed. Usually, in order to attract the client’s attention, the proposal is supplemented with the company logo or an emphasis is placed on corporate colors.

Structure: compose a sentence sequentially

The standard structure of such a proposal consists of 5 main parts. Let's look at them with examples.

Title and subtitle of the CP

• Headline, which uses an enticing phrase and, if possible, a corporate logo.
• Subtitle, which defines the service or product offered.

Which is correct?

Example No. 1

• Title: How to reduce the cost of a click in Yandex Direct while maintaining a CTR of 40-50%?
• Subtitle: The IT company will reduce the cost per click by half in 10 days, increasing CTR by at least 10%.

Example No. 2

• Headline: The Minutka courier service will deliver your order from the cafe so quickly that the dishes will not have time to cool down!
• Subtitle: Services for delivering hot lunches for employees directly to the office.

Example No. 3

• Title: Express Italian courses: we will refund you 100% of your payment if your employees do not speak Italian in 3 months!
• Subtitle: Special service for preparing personnel for the arrival of foreign colleagues, foreign business trips, and maintaining documentation.

Example No. 4

• Title: What to do if the contractor missed the deadline, and there is no time left for interior finishing of the apartment?
• Subtitle: Company "Repair M": we carry out finishing work in a short time and give a 10% discount.

How wrong?

• Headline: LLC "Wall": let's build it as if it were for ourselves.

• Subtitle: The Stena LLC company has been engaged in construction work for more than 10 years.

Information and benefits block

• A block that attracts attention and provides advertising information about a product/service.
• The benefits that a partner or client will receive from cooperation with your company.

Wrong

The courier service “Minutka” has been on the market for these services since 2010. They leave only positive reviews about our work, we have more than 500 clients, but this is not the limit. Our service cooperates with the companies Technotrade LLC, Autoservice 100 and others. We are the best delivery service in our segment:

• Large car park.
• We cooperate with a large number of cafes and restaurants.
• We provide discounts to regular customers.

The cost of our services depends on the number of your employees, the distance of the cafe from your office and other factors. To find out more, contact us by phone or email!

There is no “pepper” in KP, there is no intrigue and that very “candy” that attracts customers. You definitely need to use more numbers, tempting phrases and offers that will make a person read the letter to the end and call you.

Which is correct?

The Minutka courier service offers to organize meals for your company’s employees. Hot lunches in the office mean not only saving material resources, but also increasing the efficiency of your team. Why waste time looking for a cafe, because the Minutka courier service will bring hot dishes from any restaurant or cafe in Nizhny Novgorod within 30 minutes.

5 reasons why you should contact a courier service in a minute:

• Our services are used by more than 15 organizations in Nizhny Novgorod.
• We work 744 hours a month, accepting orders day and night.
• We cooperate with more than 25 food outlets of different price categories.
• The service has its own fleet of vehicles and the latest equipment, allowing it to accept and deliver orders within 30 minutes - 1 hour.
• If you find food delivery cheaper, we will give you a personal 20% discount.

Feedback: Our company does not have its own canteen, so we have been cooperating with the Minutka courier service for more than 3 years, we are satisfied with the quality of their work and the speed of delivery. We are often given discounts and sent an extended list of cafes and restaurants with which the courier service cooperates. Our employees are satisfied, we express our deep gratitude to the Minutka service for delicious lunches and prompt delivery!

Sincerely, Recruitment Director of the New Technologies company Anna Kovalenko!

Shall we cooperate?

Here are your available contacts, address and phone number, you can add a service logo.

What is the purpose of the proposal?

All advertising tools have one goal - to sell, to sell profitably. And it doesn’t matter what tools you use, because a cheap calendar or an expensive proposal on laminated paper should attract the client and arouse his interest. Therefore, all the efforts of the person making the commercial proposal should be concentrated on competently presenting the benefits of the purchase, which even the client who is “not in the know” will see.

If your potential client reads the commercial proposal to the end, then this is a success for the company, which can bring profit and new clients.

Tips to help you write a business proposal

To create a “selling” commercial offer, you need to take into account several tips that make the offer more interesting for a potential buyer:

• More specificity and clarity. Avoid vague phrases and vague sentences; you need to place on 1 sheet specific information about the product or service that will clearly reveal its advantages.
• When drafting, do not make logical, semantic or technical errors that will immediately scare off clients.
• Provide only truthful information. If the client does not receive the promised bonus or product, then he will have a worse impression of the company.
• Be sure to indicate special offers that you can guarantee to the client.
• Stick to structure and fill your business proposal with confident phrases. Your confidence will be transferred to the client, encouraging him to place an order.

Rules for drawing up a commercial proposal: determine the goal, audience and other parameters

Before drawing up a commercial proposal, it is necessary to analyze the target audience for which the document is intended. You must realistically assess the desires and capabilities of your potential audience in order to create a good proposal.

Check after compilation

After drawing up a commercial proposal, it is worth conducting a short test by quickly skimming the finished letter. Does it solve the client's problem? Is there any pattern in it? Is everything listed? You can carry out several such checks; believe me, all the “verbal” chaff will be eliminated, and only useful and effective information will remain on paper.

There are several tools you can use to check your offer:

• Ask your coworker or friend to read the proposal. Let your friend evaluate the commercial proposal and say whether he would make a call to your company or not. What is important here is perception, understanding of the topic (even if the person is completely unfamiliar with your product), and the desire to call.
• Read the text, discarding all epithets. For example, the phrase “our best hairdryer in the whole world” sounds simpler and easier without superlatives, no longer looking like a schoolchild’s essay.

This is how you simply proofread a commercial proposal, ridding it of worn-out cliches and truly ridiculous phrases. Then give it to the printing house or designer, and you will receive the CP ready for sending. But what to do next with ready-made proposals? Let's find out together!

Examples of ready-made commercial proposals: photos

If you don't have someone on staff with experience sending out such proposals, you'll probably have to hire one. Fan mailing by email or delivery by courier is a subtle science that requires certain skills. But the situation will be facilitated by using your own or purchased client base with potential buyers.

Prestigious companies have been building their client base for years, so there should be no problems, but a young, developing business does not yet have a large number of clients. What to do? You can buy, but they may sell you a dummy with “dead souls” (non-existent email addresses, for example) or sell a database with a non-target audience. For example, a car dealership will give its base to a cosmetics store, what's the point?

Let's sum it up

Writing and sending commercial proposals is difficult, really difficult, if you want to get real results. For such an “action” to bring benefits, be sure to contact professionals or friends who have been involved in drawing up commercial proposals at least once in their lives.

Have you sent a proposal for cooperation to a client? Congratulations: you've just increased your chance of closing a deal by 50%. Have you forgotten anything? According to statistics, 60% of managers do not include a call to action in their CP. And this is a fatality. We turned to copywriting experts and learned how to create a commercial proposal to be sure to interest the client.

Types of commercial offers: which one to choose?

You are about to write a commercial proposal. First, answer yourself two questions: who is it addressed to and for what purpose. Its content depends on this. Author of the book “An effective commercial proposal. Comprehensive guide" Denis Kaplunov divides CP into hot and cold, and also identifies 7 types of letters depending on the task being solved. Let's look at this classification in more detail.

1. Determine the target audience

Based on their readiness to make a purchase, the audience is divided into “cold” and “hot”, which is why commercial letters are usually divided into these two types. Additionally, Denis Kaplunov highlights combined CP.

1. Hot KP sent after a telephone conversation or meeting. You already know the client’s needs, so include the information he requested in the text: the price for a specific brand, and not for a full catalog, information on a special offer, and not a full price list, etc. Start the text like this: “Continuing our conversation, I am sending an estimate...”, “Following the negotiations, at your request, I am sending options for solving the identified problem.”
2. Cold KP create a mass mailing to those customers with whom you have not yet contacted and who do not know about your company and product. In this case, for each product (or group of products) you only need to create one sample commercial proposal.
3. More common combined gearboxes. You define your target audience, find out their needs by conducting marketing research or a survey, and mass send out an offer tailored to them. That is, it is a cold letter written for a specific audience and responding to their unique pain points.

2. Seven reasons to send a commercial proposal

How to correctly write a commercial proposal based on a goal that is relevant to the company? Denis Kaplunov identified seven types of CP that solve different company problems. We have collected them in a convenient table and indicated important nuances.

Checklist for an ideal commercial proposal: 8 mandatory points

Regardless of the type and type, any commercial offer is built according to the same rules. Together with Evgeniy Malyshenko - copywriter and author of a blog about commercial proposals- we have compiled an algorithm that will help you understand how to competently draw up a commercial proposal:

1. The company name, logo, contacts are in the CP header. If the market is very official, then you need to indicate the details of the legal entity.
2. Destination. The name of the company or employee to whom you are sending the letter.
3. Title. DO NOT write “Commercial offer” in the title. Choose something catchy that will make the recipient put things aside and read the text. Google “The 100 Greatest Headlines in Copywriting History” and something interesting is bound to pop into your head.
4. Lead. A few introductory phrases that logically follow from the title and prepare the ground for the sentence itself. Here you can identify the client’s problem that your product will solve or, as it were, predict his needs.
5. Offer. What you offer the client. The offer must be specific. Compare: “We invite you to consider the possibility of mutually beneficial cooperation” and “We offer you to use the new service and save up to 40% on delivering goods to your customers.” A logical continuation of the offer is a description of the benefits of your offer: provide facts, specific figures, examples.
6. Reasoning or selling price: convince the client that your offer is worth the specified money. Too expensive? Focus on quality and status. Cheap? Describe how you managed to optimize the price.
7. Call to action. Push the client to call, follow a link, etc. Be specific (no “If you are interested in our offer...”) and use the formula “action + stimulant.” For example: “Click the link now and get 30% off your first order.”
8. Signature. The name and position of the person responsible for the proposal.

How to write a business proposal letter correctly

A well-drafted proposal for cooperation is half the success. But all efforts will be in vain if the letter is lost in the client’s mail. To avoid disaster,

a) be sure to indicate the subject of the letter (again, NOT “Commercial offer”, but something that encourages reading);

b) write a succinct and informative cover letter.

It is optimal to compose a letter of no more than six sentences answering the question of how and why the client needs to familiarize himself with the commercial offer right now.

• say hello;
• introduce yourself;
• mention the background of the communication (if any) and talk about the proposal;
• briefly disclose the details of the CP;
• indicate a couple of benefits from the offer;
• call to action.

Evgeniy Malyshenko, copywriter, expert in creating commercial proposals:
– You can place a commercial offer directly in the body of the letter, or you can just write an introduction here and attach the commercial proposal as a separate file. Exactly how to proceed depends on the situation. For example, if you are addressing a specific person, describe the proposal in a business letter. It is more logical to attach a universal commercial proposal, a presentation of a service or a company, to a cover letter. The target action of such a letter is to download the file. Regarding the headlines and subject lines of the letter: in b2b markets there is something that always works - this is the client’s benefit: indicate it.