Very recently, I was discussing one of my favorite topics with a friend and business colleague: Proposals. I had offered to review two of his web design firm's best proposals and offer a few ideas for improvement. He and I talked about a number of elements of a good proposal, including visual design, structure, length, etc. We also wrestled with the content itself. For example, how much detail to include around your “process”?

The two mid-5-figure proposals were similar and came up short in one area in particular. Neither proposal was results-oriented. The context for his recommendations and approach was not much more than the project the client had described. It did not present a cogent response to the company’s business goals, marketing strategy, competitive situation, etc.

My friend agreed, so we wrestled with how to make his proposal results-focused. This was not easy at the start, but we began to make real progress when we talked about who would read the proposal, and influence the decision.

I have heard, and I agree, that in down economies, all buying decisions move up. Even in average and better-than-average business climates, so-called empowered decision-makers will often choose to socialize proposals and the decision with peers and superiors before arriving at their decision. This is understandable because it provides validation of their thinking and it reduces their own risk. Very often, depending on the size of the company, that may include the CEO, CIO and/or CFO.

My friend’s client contacts are Marketing Directors. But, simply put, if these proposals were to land in front of a CXO without any web marketing or website development direct knowledge, his or her eyes would glaze over at page one. And, therefore, the opportunity to connect with and persuade a key influencer – the purpose of the proposals — would be missed.

I believe that your B2B proposals must address key concerns of those in the C-Suite. Always. Tie the business case and approach in your proposal to what the company’s executives are talking about. This is true even when your primary contact is a departmental or functional head such as a director of HR or Marketing, and your solution is specific to those domains.

Sometimes your client can articulate these for you, and sometimes they cannot, depending on the organization. This is the reason that a strong dialogue prior to the proposal is so critical. You can also find out what these issues might be simply by doing on-line research on the individual executives, the company and the industry. This can be the fun part, and it is not usually very difficult to get at them. Even when they are not obvious, you can usually get an executive’s attention when you discuss how your proposed solution aligns with or contributes to goals such as:

i. Growing their market share
ii. Lowering the cost of sales
iii. Boosting employee satisfaction

Industries usually have more specific burning issues that their executives wrestle with every day. For example, I recently saw a large management training contract awarded by a mining company when the vendor brilliantly framed the whole initiative around improving mine safety. At hospitals, the topics include patient safety, and retaining good nurses. At cable TV companies, satisfying and retaining their existing customers is the name of the game. And for many it is costly regulatory compliance.

Starting with C-suite concerns helps you focus your proposal on business outcomes, rather than your own process, features, and reputation. I have also experienced that this strategy keeps my own proposals shorter and more concise.

This should be your lead message and the basis for the Executive Summary if you use one. Executives will often skim your proposals, and skip the details, so make it easy to find.

I would love to hear your feedback, questions and stories from the trenches. Better yet, have a template you are proud of, please share with me in confidence and perhaps we can discuss it some day.