SOP: Proposal Creation & Approval (Sales Collateral)

1. Purpose

The purpose of this SOP is to ensure that all sales proposals are created using standardized templates, reviewed for brand and commercial compliance, and approved through a structured workflow before being shared with prospects. This safeguards consistency, quality, and compliance across all proposals.

2. Scope

This SOP applies to:

  • All proposals created for opportunities in CRM.
  • Sales Representatives, Sales Managers, Pre-Sales, Delivery, Marketing, and Finance teams.
  • IT Services & SaaS proposals across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise clients.

3. Definitions

  • Proposal Collateral: Standardized documents (cover letters, decks, templates) maintained in the Sales Repository.
  • Proposal Tracker: Central system (CRM or shared sheet) that logs proposal status (see Commercial Proposal Tracker Template).
  • Approval Matrix: Defined authority thresholds for proposal sign-off (see EPIC 5 SOP).

4. Step-by-Step Process

A. Proposal Initiation

  1. Sales Rep identifies proposal need after Discovery/Demo stage.
  2. Retrieve latest Proposal Template from Repository (see Repository Maintenance SOP).
  3. Complete draft with client details, opportunity context, and commercials.

B. Proposal Drafting & Compliance

  1. Ensure mandatory sections included:
    • Executive Summary
    • Problem Statement & Solution Overview
    • Scope of Work (SOW)
    • Pricing & Commercials
    • Timeline
    • Case Studies (if relevant)
    • Terms & Conditions (standard clauses)
  2. Check formatting against brand guidelines (logo, fonts, disclaimers).
  3. Add proposal ID (linked to CRM opportunity).

C. Internal Review & Approval

  1. Sales Manager → Validates completeness, sales narrative, and accuracy.
  2. Pre-Sales Consultant → Validates technical/functional scope.
  3. Delivery Manager → Validates feasibility and resource impact.
  4. Finance (if needed) → Approves pricing/margins if discount applied.
  5. Head of Sales → Signs off per Proposal Approval Matrix.

D. Versioning & Storage

  • Save proposals as PDF + editable format.
  • Use naming convention: ClientName – Proposal – vX – MonthYear.
  • Store in Sales Repository under Proposal folder, tagged with opportunity ID.
  • Update Proposal Tracker with status (Draft, Approved, Submitted).

E. Client Submission

  • Only approved proposals may be shared externally.
  • Send via secure method (see How-To: Sharing Proposals Securely).
  • Record submission date and next step in CRM.

5. Roles & Responsibilities

  • Sales Rep: Draft proposal, ensure accuracy of client context.
  • Sales Manager: First-line reviewer and approver.
  • Pre-Sales Consultant: Validate solution scope.
  • Delivery Manager: Validate delivery feasibility.
  • Finance: Approve pricing and discount policy.
  • Head of Sales: Final authority for high-value/strategic deals.
  • Marketing: Ensure brand alignment and formatting.

6. Governance, Violations & Consequences

  • Proposals bypassing approval → automatically invalid.
  • Non-standard templates/logos → rejected by Marketing.
  • Discounts without Finance approval → deal rollback.
  • Sharing draft versions with clients → formal escalation.

7. Review & Ownership

  • Document Owner: Head of Sales (with Marketing & Pre-Sales input).
  • Review Cycle: Quarterly or after significant pricing/branding updates.
  • Version Control: Repository maintained by Sales Ops.