Ask any corporate shark out there and he or she will confirm to you that the first impression is significant in any business deal. When writing a business proposal, it is important that you create the best first impression to encourage the person making the purchasing decision to hire your business for whatever project you are bidding for. This can only be done by incorporating a rich cover letter to not only catch the reader's attention, but to win their trust as well. It is for this reason that you need to know how to write a clean and proficient business proposal cover letter.
What to do:
1. Write the header
Include your name and contact information in the header. The contact information here should have your telephone/mobile number, email address, physical address as well as employer – if there’s one.
2. Address to the actual person
It is critical that you express your professionalism by addressing the business proposal cover letter to the actual person who will be reading it instead of writing the usual – To Whom It May Concern. Do your research so you know the name of the person who is supposed to read the contents of the proposal. Most contacts can be accessed on the company's website, or you can simply make a call and ask the organization for the person's name.
3. Grab the reader’s attention
The first paragraph should start by grabbing the reader’s attention to make him/her want to know more about the content in the letter. Once you give them a reason to read more, then you increase your chances of winning their trust. You can start with a quote, question or statistic depending on the subject matter. Remember to also include how you came into contact with the organization plus some precise details about yourself in the same paragraph.
4. Give your background and credentials
Your background and credentials should be listed in the second paragraph. Give the reader a reason why you are the best person for the deal by relating your expertise and skills with how much you are going to contribute to the company.
5. Show your interest
Indicating your interest is critical. Put this on the third paragraph and explain clearly to the reader that you are planning to track the proposal later by calling, or it would be more polite to ask him or her to schedule an interview for any additional information the company may need.
6. End the letter
End the cover letter with the last paragraph indicating that your proposal is enclosed with the letter. Make sure you express gratitude to the particular organization for finding the time to go through your proposal and also for considering you for the deal.
Your signature should follow at the bottom of the business proposal cover letter.
A business proposal cover letter is simply a sales letter and the purpose here is to sell your product/service. Grab the readers’ attention, get them interested, make them desire your product/service and last but not least – have them take action! Take your time and design the ideal cover letter to increase your chances of securing the deal.
Click here to read a case study of how ClientPoint Business Proposal Software helped a business double its sales.
If you want to learn how to write a business proposal to win more new clients, here is a very detailed article we have written on how to write a proposal.
Win more clients by creating impressive digital business proposals, price quotes, and contracts using ClientPoint Software
If you want your business proposals, price quotes, and contracts to stand out and give you the best chance at winning new clients, use ClientPoint Business Proposal Software. It makes creating and formatting professional business proposals, quotes, and contracts fast and easy.
