Do Not Send Proposals!
That’s right—stop sending proposals.
Salespeople waste enormous amounts of time, money, and energy writing proposals that rarely get read, let alone win business. In fact, living in “proposal mode” is often a red flag: it means there’s no effective sales process or sales & operations planning in place.
Let’s look at how this plays out.
Scenario One: The Weak Sales Process
A salesperson reaches out to a prospect. The moment the prospect pushes back, the salesperson panics and offers to “send a proposal to outline what we can do.”
Translation? They don’t have the skills, confidence, or structure to sell effectively. Instead of following a solid sales process and aligning it with sales & operations planning, they hide behind a document.
It feels like work. The pipeline looks busy. But in reality, it’s wasted energy.
Scenario Two: Chasing Hopeless Deals
Some salespeople are persistent, but persistence without insight is just desperation.
Instead of recognizing when a prospect isn’t truly interested, they keep pushing until the prospect asks for a proposal—simply as a polite way to exit the conversation.
The salesperson then spends hours writing a “brilliant” proposal that never gets read. Once again, the sales pipeline looks full, but it’s really just a pipeline of false hope.
The Real Problem with Proposals
When your pipeline is filled with proposals, what it’s really filled with is wasted effort. Proposals don’t close deals—relationships do.
Most formal proposal processes are box-ticking exercises. The decision is often made in advance, usually in favor of a competitor with stronger relationships and better client journey mapping. You’re stuck competing on paper when the real decision was made in person.
The Correct Scenario: Close, Don’t Propose
If a prospect is genuinely interested, don’t default to a proposal. Instead:
- Invest in the relationship. Speak directly with decision makers.
- Get a clear agreement. Define deliverables, pricing, and terms.
- Replace the proposal with an invoice. If the deal is real, a simple contract or confirmation email is enough.
Yes, there are industries where formal proposals are required—but even then, success depends less on documents and more on strong sales & operations planning and relationship management.
What to Do Instead of Sending Proposals
- Qualify prospects thoroughly—don’t waste time on the uninterested;
- Strengthen your sales process with structured sales & operations planning so every step is intentional;
- Use proposals only as summaries of agreed terms, not as your main selling tool;
- Focus on closing deals and building long-term client relationships, not stuffing the pipeline with paperwork.
The Takeaway
A busy pipeline filled with proposals is an illusion of progress. Stop being in the “proposal business” and start being in the closing business.
Proposals don’t win clients. Sales & operations planning, clear processes, and authentic relationships do.