Small Touch, Massive Difference: The Shortcut to Proposal Writing Perfection

You're on your third proposal of the day, and it feels like the tabs are multiplying uncontrollably. It's as if the critical details you need are purposely hiding somewhere in the chaos.

You click through to get to the CRM and double-check the client's name. Last quarter's pricing document is in there, but it seems outdated - you vaguely remember there was mention of a discount in one of the email threads.

Determined to track it down, you scroll through what seems an endless string of emails, only to find the project timeline someone casually dropped in an off-topic reply. Your brain is drowning in the details as you're copying and pasting line by line, tweaking the wording, and hoping you don't miss anything.

Then, halfway through, you spot it - you accidentally put in the wrong client name from the last proposal you were working on. That sinking feeling of knowing it could have happened anywhere else in the proposal kicks in. Better double-check everything again.

As you're going over the same thing for what feels like the hundredth time, your eyes start glossing over the words. The more you hear the clock tick, the more it feels like it's mocking you. At this point, you can't help but think, "There has to be an easier way to do this".

Enter stage left: merge tags

Think of merge tags as the magic eraser to this short horror story you've just read. They're automatic input fields that pull in client-specific details into your proposals with no manual effort. No more copying, pasting, switching tools, and double-checking every line for accuracy.

With merge tags, you add information placeholders into your proposal template once and you're good to go. Every time you create a new proposal, it's instantly filled with the correct information. They're a proposal writing shortcut that saves time, improves accuracy, and makes every proposal feel custom-made.

1. More efficiency in less time

Merge tags are a great way to shave time off your proposal writing process. They make sure you never have to manually type in another client name, address, tax ID - or your own company details for that matter.

This is especially useful in places like your terms and conditions where you'd have to type in the client-specific data every time. With merge tags, this data gets populated automatically, saving you time and the stress of potentially missing a spot.

With custom merge tags in Better Proposals, the time-saving possibilities are endless. Say you're a digital marketing agency offering a range of services. Depending on the project, you'll need to change up the testimonials to match each client's needs.

Without merge tags, you'd have to look for the right testimonial, then paste it into your proposal. Instead of doing that, you can simply create a custom merge tag to pull in the correct testimonial.

Since merge tags work everywhere in your proposals, you can apply the same principle to all other spots you have variation in. Think project milestones, industry-specific next steps, or market-based payment terms.

By setting up custom merge tags, you're working smarter and letting the software fill in the data for you so you don't have to touch it. This saves you from hours of repetitive work, making your proposal writing process more efficient and more accurate.

2. No more embarrassing mistakes

Speaking of more accurate, nothing looks worse than sending out a proposal with the wrong client name or outdated project details. When you're manually updating everything, making a mistake is almost too easy.

Maybe you're copying and pasting sections from a different proposal and forget to update a name. Perhaps you're juggling multiple proposals at the same time so you accidentally type in the wrong address. Or, you've found yourself in a battle against time trying to get a last-minute proposal out, only to overlook one spot mentioning a company name.

Now, halfway through the proposal, your potential client sees someone else’s name. It’s a small mistake, but it’s a glaring one. Instantly, your credibility is called into question.

What does this say about your attention to detail? Can they trust you with their project if you can't even get their name right? When you're competing for a client's business, even a small mistake like this can ruin the project before it's even started.

Merge tags make sure you don't find yourself in this situation to begin with. When you add a merge tag, the data in your proposal is automatically updated all at once. You no longer have to go back and forth between documents and double-check every line.

Whether it's the client's name, email address, the date you created the proposal on, or anything else, merge tags pull in the right details every time. Now, you can focus on creating a compelling proposal knowing that the personalized details are always spot-on.

3. Personalization at scale

While personalization is one of the key ingredients in winning clients, it can be hard to keep each proposal feeling unique, especially as you scale up. As the volume of proposals you send grows, you're faced with the challenge of finding a way to keep the content personalized without spending hours editing.

If you're customizing each proposal manually, it's easy to get caught up in a routine where the personalization stops being personal. You find yourself using the same phrases, repeating details, and not editing the testimonials and case studies just to save time. Eventually, the proposals you send lose the personal touch that used to make them stand out.

This is where merge tags make a huge difference. They automate the insertion of common details and let you focus on making the proposal feel custom.

With the time you've saved by letting merge tags do the heavy lifting, you can now add client-specific pain points into your introduction. While you're at it, maybe you want to tweak the tone of your proposal to match the client's style.

With the help of merge tags, you can. It won't take you longer than sending a one-size-fits-all proposal, but it will give you better results.

4. Future-proofed proposal process

Business requirements and company policies change over time. To stay compliant, you need to update your proposals to reflect those changes. If you're doing this manually, you're putting yourself at risk of forgetting to update one of the templates you use. As a result, you could end up sending out outdated or non-compliant proposals which can lead to lost opportunities or long-term issues.

For example, let's say your company's refund policy has changed. If you forget to update it in a popular template and it's used to create a proposal for a client, the consequences can range from embarrassing to expensive.

Imagine sending out a proposal that still includes the outdated refund policy, only for the client to later refer to it when they want to cancel or request a refund. You now have two options: admit your mistake or take the hit and honor the old policy.

If you own up to the mistake, you're risking damaging your credibility and losing your client's trust. You now have to explain that the terms they're expecting no longer apply - not a good look.

If you go the other route and honor the old policy, in addition to taking a financial hit, you could also be setting a precedent that's hard to get out of. Should the word get out that you've honored the old policy for this one client, other clients might expect the same treatment. Before you know it, your business gets stuck in a loop of constantly trying to manage expectations and enforce updated policies.

This is a situation you don't have to find yourself in when you use merge tags. Simply create a custom merge tag in Better Proposals and add it to your template. When the policy changes, you simply update the merge tag contents in one central place and all proposals sent from then on are automatically updated.

5. Better client experiences

Inside Better Proposals, your merge tags can help you with more than the proposal itself. You can use them on proposal covers, inside client emails, on payment and "thank you" pages, and in your onboarding flows.

For example, you can pull in the client's name into the send email, making the experience personalized right off the bat. As they open your proposal, the first thing they see is a personalized cover, leading into a tailored proposal.

When they're ready to accept and pay the deposit, expecting a generic payment gateway page, you wow them with another custom point of contact. When you add it all up, you've created a great, personalized experience that makes you stand out from start to finish.

The best part? Merge tags make it efficient, reliable, and repeatable.

Final thoughts

At first, merge tags may seem like just a minor time-saving addition to your proposal process but, in reality, their potential is endless. When used right, they eliminate expensive mistakes, let you scale without sacrificing quality, and smooth out your workflow. Most importantly, they help you deliver top-notch client experiences every single time.