Have you proposed yet?
May
Tips on creating Social Media Marketing Proposals
Recently I morphed into a proposal-making machine. I look kinda funny, but it brings home the bacon. Ok seriously, I’ve been asked to submit proposals left, right and centre on how companies can leverage social media. And I thought I should share some tips. Please ignore if they are apparent but to those starting on this journey, I hope they help:
1. Keep it crisp
Much as I’d like to wax eloquent about all that can be done and how deeply I understand the prospect’s business and requirement, proposals should be short, simple and to the point. If you can present your thoughts on a one-pager, you are golden.
2. Present the big picture
Provide an eagle’s eye view of the business’ current position and what it needs in terms of social media marketing. This helps the prospect know that you understand their short and long term vision and have created a proposal strategically that ties in with that. This point presumes that you have spent time with the prospect and studied the business offering in detail.
3. What will YOU do?
This is the key section of your proposal. Give it considerable time and thought. Avoid the cookie-cutter method and present only those services that this specific business will benefit from. Take them through the services and provide specific deliverables within each. Add links to samples of other companies that have done it successfully to help them understand
4. In plain English, please
Remember that a) you might need to explain concepts that aren’t mainstream (yet). b) The prospect might not be convinced completely of the use of social media marketing. So keep your language simple, educational and informative. Substantiate with data, facts and figures wherever applicable. Avoid using industry-specific terms and especially go easy on the jargon. *shudders at the thought
5. Don’t sound desperate
Over-promising and under-delivering will trash your reputation like nothing else will. So don’t sound anxious to please and propose things you don’t have a handle on. Sure the space is changing by the nanosecond, so you will learn as you go along, but if you have no idea about specific tools and media, then don’t pretend you do.
So there you go – in about one page 
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