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Approaching a business

  • 30-12-2009 11:25AM
    #1
    irish_whiskey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37 ✭


    Hi there

    I am in the process of approaching a business with a service i can offer them. The service i can offer them will create 40 jobs locally and reduce their costs significantly.

    I am just wondering, does anyone have any hints or tips on how to write a proposal letter to a business? I know that if I can even get to show them my presentation I can sell them my idea but I suppose the main hurdle I need to get over is getting my proposal letter across.

    Any hints and tips would be welcomed.


Comments

  • #2
    Cianos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,850 ✭✭✭Cianos


    I'm sure others will give you better advice, but my first thoughts would be to keep your first contact very short and to the point. I would try and arrange a face to face meeting to briefly introduce the idea, with the aim of organising a subsequent meeting of a longer duration to go over the details.

    So, maybe a phone call first to find out who you should be talking to. Then phone or write to that person and ask them for 10 minutes of their time at their convenience giving a suitable summary of what you are proposing. Then have your pitch prepared with all the main points presented nicely and the ability to answer any questions. If he or she likes what they hear, arrange another meeting to go over the details properly.


  • #3
    kenbrady
    Closed Accounts Posts: 404 ✭✭kenbrady


    irish_whiskey wrote: »
    Hi there

    I am in the process of approaching a business with a service i can offer them. The service i can offer them will create 40 jobs locally and reduce their costs significantly.

    I am just wondering, does anyone have any hints or tips on how to write a proposal letter to a business? I know that if I can even get to show them my presentation I can sell them my idea but I suppose the main hurdle I need to get over is getting my proposal letter across.

    Any hints and tips would be welcomed.
    You have to focus solely on the business and what is in it for them.
    A one page executive summary/cover letter is what gets them interested.
    Don't tell them what you will do, ask them questions so they discover their own need.

    Showing them a presentation and knowing they will buy it. Does not work. There is much more work involved.

    1. Find the people you need to talk too. There could be lots of them within the company.
    2. Contact them with the cover letter.
    3. Contact them by phone and send in a more detailed proposal.
    4. Face to face meeting, don't pitch at them, ask questions, they should be talking for 70% of the meeting.
    5. More detailed proposal based on the information you discovered in the meeting.
    6....

    Post up some details about your proposal and I'll give you some ideas.


  • #4
    irish_whiskey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 37 ✭irish_whiskey


    Well you have given me ideas on what way to approach this as this is my first venture. Company im hoping to approach will be difficult enough to approach as they have over 30 million customers world wide.

    When you say write to them when I find out who it is, should I make it short and sweet or a detailed description?


  • #5
    kenbrady
    Closed Accounts Posts: 404 ✭✭kenbrady


    irish_whiskey wrote: »
    When you say write to them when I find out who it is, should I make it short and sweet or a detailed description?
    Short and sweet, they don't know you, why would they want to read a long letter from you, sell the idea not the product.

    http://www.leap.ie/downloads/showcase-08/elevatorpitch.pdf


  • #6
    Sonnenblumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,834 ✭✭✭Sonnenblumen


    Yeah agree, keep it short, ie 'sell the sizzle' and at your meeting you can focus on 'selling the sausage.'

    Give some thought to protecting your idea, last thing you want, is be left out in the cold by the customer!

    Good luck


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  • #7
    nasceiri
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16 ✭nasceiri


    Best of luck with it, as said "short & sweet"
    Don't forget you USP (unique selling point)


  • #8
    jetsonx
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,327 ✭✭✭jetsonx


    kenbrady wrote: »
    don't pitch at them, ask questions, they should be talking for 70% of the meeting.

    When you do get a face-to-face meeting with, this is a very important point. Do not pitch. Do not pitch. You will have more people to interview. In fact, don't even see this as a sales call, see it a semi-formal interview about this trend in the industry who wish to exploit.

    When you have the idea more targeted and refined, then start planning a "pitch and close" but not now.


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