Every proposal you send out—via email, CPQ, or even snail mail—should tell the same basic story: why your product is right for your prospect. Just why your product is right depends of course on you and your prospect, but what makes for a good story is remarkably consistent. A good story presents all the necessary information in a quick and compelling way and then gets out—nothing extra. And when you're telling your story, nothing tells it faster and more completely than the right visuals.
Here are three reasons a picture is worth a thousand words—and even more sales.
1. Graphics and images: faster than a speeding bulleted list
Your prospects are busy. They're decidedly not looking to read a book about how great your product is. Instead, they want to know what you offer and why it's right for them. The longer your proposal, the more you're asking of your prospect. Anything you can do to shorten a proposal will give you an edge.
Bulleted lists are a great way to convey information quickly. But it's true what they say about pictures being worth a thousand words. Imagine how long it would take to describe the Grand Canyon—if you could even do it at all—using text. And while your products may not be as difficult to describe as one of the world's natural wonders, the same principle applies: imagery and graphics can tell your story so much faster than words.
2. Putting your proposal in the right light
A good story tells a reader information, of course, but that's not all it does—a good story also sets a tone, and lets you position your proposal and your company in the right light. Setting the right tone as quickly as possible is critical as your proposal is an effort to convince a prospect that you can solve a problem for them—they need to be at ease.
A well-chosen image right at the beginning of your proposal can get your story off on the right foot, putting your reader in the right frame of mind. Further, a good picture can help your prospect visualize what you can do for them, making your proposal that much more persuasive.
3. Presentation matters
Another reason to include pictures in your proposals is that, no matter how solid your content, presentation always matters. Your prospect's first impression of you will begin before they've read a single word of your proposal—that impression will be based on how your proposal looks. So make sure you look your best.
Nice looking pictures make your proposals look, well, nicer. Additionally, you can choose pictures that reflect your business and your values, turning your proposal's aesthetic into an extension of your brand.
So when you're telling your story in your proposals, make sure you make them shorter and more effective with the right pictures.
We hope you enjoyed this post. If you'd like to learn more about this topic or see IQX for yourself with a free demo, contact us.
