Looking for a solution to help you write business proposal contracts, RFPs, or grant applications? There are three main types of proposal writing systems available on the market:
- Desktop and template-based software for PC and Mac
- Monthly paid subscription web-based services
- Expensive enterprise-class solutions
The prices of the different products vary; so do its features and how many add-on services you may have to purchase to make use of the system. How do you know which system is right for you? Here are basic descriptions and pros and cons of each system to help you decide.
Template-based products typically contain a variety of Microsoft Word documents that will work across many platforms and word processors, along with instructions, samples, and sometimes additional software to help manage assembling or other document processing into a polished final proposal. To use a template-based proposal writing product, simply download the product to your personal computer and then use the templates with your word processing program to put together a proposal and print it or save it as a PDF for electronic submission by uploading to a website or by email.
Template-based products are generally the easiest solutions to get started with, because most people already know how to use their word processing software. If you work remotely or on the go, you can use a template-based product on any laptop or tablet with a word processor, regardless of whether you have an Internet connection at the time.
The license fee for a template-based product is a one-time license fee, and you can use the product as often and as frequently or intermittently as you like without incurring additional costs. There are no ongoing subscription fees to deal with (which will substantially increase your total costs beyond the costs of template-based products a couple of months from now); You have full control over the product material and manage the content of your proposal (when it comes to trade secrets and sensitive data, you don’t want to give access to all that material to an unknown entity that might not be able to keep your information secure).
The main issue to consider with template-based products is that the different offerings vary widely in quality, so please compare the actual contents of the packages carefully to ensure you are getting the best value and quality product. Look at packages carefully to avoid low-quality imitations, and don’t be afraid to ask questions and check out demos.
Web-based proposal writing systems are exactly what they sound like: you enter your proposal information into a website to create your online proposal, and your potential clients view your web-based proposal online. The advantages of using a web-based system are that it generally has a low initial cost (but those monthly fees add up quickly and quickly exceeds the cost of a PC/Mac template pack) and you don’t have to download and install a program on your personal computer, so it may initially seem cheaper and quicker to use. Also, after you publish your proposal, you may have access to some analytics, such as the ability to track how many people view your proposal. However, it’s usually best to communicate with your prospects with the personal touch of a phone call or email and you’ll collect more or less the same information.
One big disadvantage of using a web-based system is that the proposal software and your business information are stored on the web. A web-based system is potentially more exposed to hackers, as data from thousands of companies presents a high-value target for hackers looking for sensitive business information. Also, a web-based solution may not be available when you need it, such as when you can’t log in when you’re flying or on the road. You should also consider whether or not you can easily extract your proposal data from a web-based system for use elsewhere. Most of the web-based solutions are new business ventures with no proven track record, and if you read some of their support blogs, you’ll find out which ones have frequent website outages.
Web-based programs generally offer users less guidance and options for formatting and styling than template-based packages. Web programs tend to favor more of a “blank slate” approach and are often much more limited in the amount of actual proposal writing content (templates, samples, etc.) than a template-based package. Today’s web-based solutions don’t offer many basic features or the design, layout, and graphics capabilities of word processing systems available on PCs, Macs, and tablets. You may be severely restricted in how you can create, format, and style your proposal, so you may not end up with the most polished looking proposal when using a web-based system (or even a web-based word processor).
Web-based systems aren’t very well designed to respond to RFPs or grant applications. Most of the time, you must follow strict guidelines on how proposals should be written, formatted, and submitted that cannot be done with web-based subscription services. While they may appear to offer something “new” in a web-based interface, they are typically 10 years or more behind in creating polished professional proposal writing content and proposals compared to other solutions.
While a web-based solution may initially seem like the lowest cost product, keep in mind that a web-based business model relies on extracting monthly fees from customers using a subscription payment plan. Over the course of just two to three months, a web-based solution will typically cost more than a downloaded product, and costs will continue to rise.
Now for the third category: enterprise-class proposal solutions. These products are intended for use by large companies. Often, you can’t find a price or order online to download a business product; you usually need to schedule a conversation with a salesperson to get started. Plan to spend thousands of dollars or even tens of thousands of dollars on an enterprise solution, plan for significant setup time, and plan to bring in consultants to set up and teach your employees how to use the system.
Enterprise proposal systems may be the best solution for large corporations that need extensive collaboration for their proposal projects and large sales teams, but enterprise systems are not designed (or priced) for individuals or small businesses. Even within large corporations, an enterprise proposal system is sometimes not the most efficient option for a quick custom proposal or small team project. Low-cost, template-based solutions are often used by individuals or small teams within a large organization for unique project proposals or to prototype a very complex proposal.
The three types of proposal software systems are not necessarily mutually exclusive; they can also work well together. You may want to choose several solutions to cover a wide range of situations and needs. A template-based downloaded package is considered by many users to be a low-risk investment and a great addition to their basic business tools.
Most large corporations use template-based solutions along with other systems for unique and rapid prototyping and proposals. A template-based system allows users to work anywhere, view more samples and get more writing help, and use formatting tools to create a polished proposal that can be delivered in print or PDF.
Template-based proposal kit systems are generally more efficient for smaller projects. And the information from these proposal kit template-based systems can often be uploaded into an enterprise system or web-based system when you want to use the additional analytics and other tools they offer.