Business Development Proposal and Sales Meeting Pro-Forma

Method of assessment

There is one learning outcome for this assignment, which will be assessed through two specific tasks; a sales meeting followed by submission of a business proposal

Credentials presentation with audio (5 mins.) and a completed sales meeting pro-forma (approx. 2 sides of A4, no word limit) (50%)

Task two

Business Proposal (50%) 2,000 words

To pass this module, you must achieve a final overall mark of at least 40%. 

1.2. Deadlines & submission

• Credential presentation with audio recording
• A completed sales meeting pro-forms template (approx.. x2 A4 sheets)
• A completed sales proposal of 2,000 words

By 4^th September 2021, 11.59pm

Assignments should be submitted online via the Kaplan LMS.  Please follow the University policy regarding online submission and submitting assignments on time (see Page 2).

1.3. Word count 2,000 for the proposal.  Credentials presentation will be 5 minutes long and with audio recording.  Pro-format will be a maximum of two sides of A4 (no word count)

1.4. Assignment format

A credentials presentation with audio and sales meeting pro-forma (50%) and a 2,000-word proposal (50%)

1.5. Tutor support

Support is available at any time throughout this module; simply contact your tutor if you need help. To make the most of these sessions, it is expected that you will have already begun work on your assessment and have a list of questions for your tutor prepared in advance.

1. Introduction

You are to produce an assessment based upon a live client and an identified prospect.  This will consist of two tasks with some preparatory work undertaken beforehand, for which you will receive formative feedback.

2. Learning Outcome

Utilise and apply professional and academic skills to effectively create and justify a compelling and comprehensive business development proposal and pitch for a product, service or project proposition.

3. Pre-assessment preparation

You will be assuming a role as a sales person for a live client for your assessment and, in preparation, you will undertake some background research in order to identify potential prospects for your company to target for business. You will qualify these prospects and select one for targeting, representing the ‘prospect/qualification’ and ‘pre-approach’ stages of the Selling Process (marks will be provided for evidence of preparation in your sales meeting and in your proposal).  

As part of the sales meeting, you will also be delivering a brief (around 5 minutes) credentials presentation (though pre-recorded audio PPT) to introduce yourself and your company.  

4. Assessment Tasks

Assessment task one (50%)

As a result of your good preparation you have managed to secure an initial meeting with your prospect.  For the first part of this assessment you will prepare for this first meeting with the objective of gaining agreement to submit a proposal for selling your products/services to the company.  

Format:

• A 5 minute credentials presentation (using the audio recording facility on PPT)  in order to introduce yourself, your company and its products/services.
• Completion of a sales meeting pro forma to show how you will address the following:
  • Identification of what you will wear and, based upon your research, you will build rapport with the prospect
  • Identification of key open questions you will ask in order to establish the situation (S) of the client
  • Based upon your research how you would anticipate the prospect to respond
  • Identification of key open questions that would help you to ascertain the problem they may wish to have solved
  • Based upon your research identify what these problems might be
  • Considering what objections the client may raise and how you will deal with these
  • Closing the meeting, gaining agreement of the next steps, which will be the production of a business proposal for the client to purchase one of your company’s products or services based upon the needs you have identified from your initial meeting.  Consider the various methods of closing and which one you would choose (justify your choices)

As a result of your meeting and an assessment of the client needs prepare a basic proposal to your target company detailing why they should do business with you and presenting a product or service that would be suitable for then, based upon their identified needs.  The proposal should follow the format below.  

1. Background

On the client organisation and on your organisation.

2. Identified Needs

Summary of the problem you wish to solve.

3. Solution

A summary of your solution to the problem, introducing the product of service your wish to sell and its features and benefits

4. Costs and timings

Summary of timeline and costs involved.

5. Account Management

How the account will be managed, if you are successful.

Bear in mind the following when preparing your proposal:

• What is my customer’s problem?
• How can I offer a solution remembering to fully justify your choice by linking this to the identified needs of the client?
• How do I appeal to the interest of decision-makers (remember the DMU)?
• What differentiates my offer from my competitors? You need to demonstrate a knowledge of competitors here.
• Have I asked the customer to take a clear action on the proposal?

Preparation

You should provide evidence of preparation by having undertaken background research on the client.

In addition, you should show clear preparation for the sales meeting including personal presentation and knowledge of the client’s business.

Task One

You will then deliver a credentials presentation tailored to what is known about the client you are targeting with your product/service, recording it as an audio PPT for submission

Consider your questioning skills including knowledge and application of the SPIN model and addressing objections to reach agreement, recording your response on the sales pro forma template for submission

Task Two

For this second element, you will need to develop an outline proposal to address the identified needs of the client, ascertained from the one to one meeting.  The proposal should offer a solution to the identified problem.  The document should also include details of how the account will be managed.