Proposal vs. Price Sheet/BOM
A proposal is more than a list of parts or Bill of Materials. Whereas a proposal is a well-thought-out, highly customized document, a Bill of Materials (BOM) is simply is a list of the raw materials, sub-assemblies, parts and the quantities of each needed to manufacture the product.
There are many salespeople who treat the proposal as a BOM and believe once it is delivered, the proposal is complete. Ask yourself this, does a list of how many line cards or cables tell you the complete story? Does a list of material items compel you to want to plunk down tens of thousands of dollars on the proposed technology solution? Everyone wants to know what they’re buying, but the BOM list isn’t going to persuade anyone that you have the solution to meet their needs and even foresee their future needs. This list doesn’t tell the story that you understand the customer’s requirements and how you, Mr. Reseller, are the best person for the job.