A business proposal is meant to persuasively outline your solution to a problem and convince the reader to take action. While building your case is important, you must also directly ask for what you want from the reader. This is done through writing a strong call to action that leaves no doubt about next steps. In this blog post, we will discuss how to write an effective call to action that helps you Create an effective Business Proposal and get the outcome you desire.

Develop a Clear Goal

Before drafting your call to action, take time to define exactly what response or action you want from the reader. Is your goal to secure a meeting, gain approval for funding, or obtain a signed contract? Being specific about the desired next step ensures your call to action is focused and impactful. Vague requests like "please consider our proposal" are less compelling than direct asks like "sign on the dotted line by March 15th". Know exactly what you are asking the reader to do as a direct result of reviewing your proposal.

Use Imperative Verbs

Verbs that are forceful yet respectful will motivate the reader to action. Avoid timid words and phrases, and instead opt for imperative verbs like "approve", "select", "decide", and "invest". Direct and unambiguous verbs leave no doubt the reader is expected to do something. For example, you could write "Please sign the contract by June 1st" rather than the weaker "Please give consideration to our contract terms". Strong verbs capture attention and communicate your proposal warrants a definite response.

Quantify Benefits

Help the reader fully appreciate what they gain by taking the requested action. Quantify in dollar amounts or statistics how your solution will save time, reduce costs, increase productivity and boost profits. Concrete benefits that are measurable will make a more compelling case than generic claims. For example, stating "Our software will cut accounting processing time by 25% and save $15,000 annually in labor costs" is better than saying it increases efficiency. Provide real value estimates to incentivize the desired response.

Address Objections

Anticipate possible objections or concerns that could prevent the reader from acting and directly address them in the call to action. Demonstrate you understand their perspective and take their constraints into consideration. Offer reassurance on issues like risk, investment requirements, or lengthy rollouts. Addressing objections preemptively builds credibility and reassures the reader it is safe and reasonable to accept the terms of the proposal.

Offer Next Steps

Provide next immediate steps the reader should take, along with corresponding deadlines, to hold them accountable. Suggest scheduling a follow up meeting, requesting a budget approval, or signing required documents by a firm date. Offering a clear timeframe and your contact details ensure the reader understands precisely what is needed from them and when. It sets expectations on following through with next steps to take the proposal to the implementation phase.

Reinforce Benefits

In closing the call to action, summarize at a high level the top two benefits the reader gains by acting on the proposal quickly. This serves as a final motivating reminder of what is to be won by accepting the proposal terms without delay. Tie benefits back to how the solution addresses their key objectives and priorities. A short restatement of value reminds the reader of the incentives aligned with authorizing next steps within the suggested timeline.

Example Call to Action

Here is an example call to action that encompasses the best practices discussed above:

"To help your organization reduce IT support costs by 30% and free up two full time support staff, we request you approve pilot implementation of our new ticketing software system. The $30,000 six-month subscription provides 24/7 multi-channel support, automatic ticket routing and custom reporting - quantifiably improving your team's efficiency.

We understand switching platforms requires investment but guarantee a full refund if the pilot fails to achieve 15% first call resolution rates. To transition while 2022 budgets allow, decide to fund the pilot subscription by March 1st. Afterwards, budgets may be constrained.

Please schedule time on our calendars the week of February 14th to sign the pilot agreement and discuss implementation benchmarks. Contact me directly at [phone/email] to confirm a 30-minute session. Act now to begin realizing savings of $150,000 annually starting this summer. Thank you for your consideration - we appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate our software's value."

This call to action clearly defines the desired action (approve pilot subscription), next steps (schedule meeting week of February 14th), deadline (decide by March 1st), contact info, quantifies benefits ($150k annual savings), and addresses objections (budget concerns). It motivates prompt action for maximum value and leaving nothing unclear about reader responsibility.

Conclusion

A compelling call to action is the final and most important part of any business proposal. Done right, it gets proposals approved and implementation started. Taking time to develop a clear goal, use imperative verbs, quantify benefits, address objections, outline next steps and tie it all together with benefit reminders helps you Create an effective Business Proposal that leads to the desired outcomes.