Chapter 2: Which proposal software tool is right for you?

We know that great proposals help seal deals, particularly when you’re competing for your buyer’s attention. In fact, companies that use sales enablement tools like proposal software experience a 13.7% annual increase in deal size.

By choosing the right proposal software, you too could reap results like these. With a powerful tool in play, you can significantly improve your prospects of success with each and every proposal you send. Question is, which one’s right for you?

The good news is that there are a number of great proposal tools out there.

Each has its benefits—it’s a matter of looking through the features to work out which one will get the job done for you.

Let’s take a look at the top 3 contenders and the key features and benefits of each platform.

Qwilr

Qwilr is a visually beautiful sales proposal solution that thinks sales documents need are stuck in the past. Transforming sales documents into interactive, easily customizable sales materials that looks and functions like a mini personalised website for every buyer. Automate proposals from a CRM, add in interactive pricing, and get quotes, and agreements signed.

Key features:

• Proposals as web pages: Qwilr completely transforms sales proposals, turning them into dynamic and interactive web pages.
• Tracking & analytics: Users can track who engaged with their content and which sections were viewed​​.
• Notifications: Get notified when a buyer views a proposal, signs, if they've stalled while signing, or a new stakeholder views your proposal.
• Esign & agreements: Get important sales documents, quotes and more signed on the go.
• Collect payments: Reduce the number of steps it takes to get a deal signed by adding in a simple workflow to sign and collect payment.
• Varied use cases: Qwilr can be used by sales, marketing, sales operations, customer success, and recruitment teams.
• 100+ Templates: Qwilr provides over 100 professional proposal templates, including those for SaaS and marketing proposals.
• Integrations: Qwilr integrates seamlessly with various CRM software, including HubSpot and Salesforce, and other sales tools.
• Automated content creation: Helping sales teams produce materials on the go. Qwilr offers a powerful content library for reusability.

PandaDoc

If you're after a traditional document-led approach to your sales proposals, then PandaDoc might be for you. They mirror the look of documents, but enable this through an online platform that can also be e-signed.

Key features of Pandadoc:

• Document Creation and Templates: Pre-built templates for various document types (proposals, contracts, quotes, etc.).
• E-Signatures: Legally binding electronic signatures, multiple signer support, signature tracking and audit trails.
• Collaboration Tools: Real-time collaboration with team members and clients. Commenting and feedback features within documents. Document versioning and history tracking.
• Integrations: Integration with popular CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, etc.). Compatibility with cloud storage services (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.).
• Automation and Workflows: Automated document workflows for approvals and signatures. Conditional logic to tailor documents based on responses. Automated reminders and notifications for document status updates.
• Content Library: Central repository for storing reusable content blocks, images, and product details. Easy insertion of frequently used content into new documents.
• Payment Processing: Integration with payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal) for in-document payments. Payment tracking and automated receipt generation.
• Analytics and Reporting: Detailed analytics on document views, time spent on each section, and interactions. Reporting features to track document performance and workflow efficiency.
• Security and Compliance: Secure document storage with encryption. Compliance with e-signature laws and regulations (e.g., ESIGN, UETA, GDPR). Role-based access control to manage document permissions.

Proposify

Proposify is very similar to PandaDoc but not as robust. They also mirror the document-led approach of PandaDoc by making it easier to design and automate documents online. You can create send, track, and e-sign proposals, contracts, and agreements.

Key features of Proposify:

• Proposal Creation and Templates: A range of pre-built templates for different industries and use cases.
• Content Library: Central repository for storing reusable content, such as text blocks, images, pricing tables, and other assets.
• E-Signatures: Legally binding electronic signatures. Multiple signer support with customizable signing order. Signature tracking and audit trails.
• Collaboration Tools: Real-time collaboration for team members and clients. Commenting and feedback features within proposals. Document versioning and history tracking.
• Integrations: Integration with popular CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, etc.). Compatibility with accounting and payment software (QuickBooks, Stripe, etc.).
• Automation and Workflows: Automated proposal workflows for approvals and signatures. Conditional logic to tailor proposals based on client responses. Automated reminders and notifications for proposal status updates.
• Analytics and Reporting: Detailed analytics on proposal views, time spent on each section, and interactions. Reporting features to track proposal performance, win rates, and workflow efficiency.
• Customization and Branding: Customizable design elements to match company branding. Ability to include videos, images, and interactive content in proposals. Custom domain and white-labeling options for a professional look.
• Payment Processing: Integration with payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal) for in-proposal payments. Payment tracking and automated receipt generation.

Key features at-a-glance

Let’s compare some of the most popular proposal tools side-by-side so you can see exactly what you get with each one.

Questions to ask proposal software vendors

• How long will it take to get up and running?
• What can I track and how will it help me sell better?
• How can I shorten the sales cycle with your tool?
• Can you show me the interactive elements I can add to proposals?
• What can I do to drive better engagement with my proposals?
• How will you help me roll this out to my sellers?
• Who’s responsible for training the sellers who will actually use this?

Take Qwilr for a test drive

Qwilr has proposal software solutions for everyone from sales leaders to marketing and HR professionals. The best way to find out if it’s right for you? Try it out.

Try for free