If you’re in B2B sales, you already know the pain: proposals eat up hours, they’re a pain to update, and everyone seems to have their own “template” buried somewhere. If your team is tired of cobbling together PDFs and chasing missing info, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through how to use Valuecase to automate proposal generation—what works, what doesn’t, and a few gotchas to watch for.
Why Automate Proposals Anyway?
Before diving into the how-to, let’s be real about the why:
- Manual proposals waste time. Copy-pasting from old docs, fixing formatting, and tracking down the latest slides is no one’s idea of a good use of time.
- Consistency matters. Sales decks and pricing sheets evolve, but old versions linger like ghosts. Automation keeps everyone on the same page (literally).
- Buyers expect polish. A messy proposal signals “we don’t have it together.” Automation lets you deliver clean, accurate documents every time.
But automation isn’t magic. If your process is a mess, tools just make your mess faster. So, sort out your basics first.
Step 1: Make Sure Your Proposal Process Isn’t Broken
Don’t automate chaos. Before you bring in Valuecase or any other tool, answer these:
- Do you have a standard proposal template, or does everyone freestyle?
- Is all the info your reps need (pricing, product details, case studies) up to date and accessible?
- Who needs to approve proposals? Is that process clear?
Pro Tip: If the answer to any of these is “not really,” fix that first. Automation only pays off when your process is solid.
Step 2: Set Up Valuecase for Proposal Templates
Once your basics are sorted, it’s time to set up Valuecase.
What’s Valuecase Good At?
- Dynamic proposal templates: Fill in deal-specific info without starting from scratch.
- Content blocks: Centralize things like case studies, product overviews, or pricing tables.
- Collaboration: Sales, legal, and leadership can review in one place.
- Tracking: See when buyers actually open or interact with your proposal.
What to Ignore
- Don’t overload proposals with every feature Valuecase offers. Focus on what actually speeds things up for your team and prospects.
- Avoid “portal bloat.” If your buyers just want a clear, simple PDF—don’t force them into a click-heavy experience.
How to Set Up a Proposal Template
- Start Simple: Build one core template for your most common deal type. Don’t try to automate every edge case on day one.
- Use Placeholders: Insert dynamic fields for things like company name, pricing, contact info, and solution details.
- Centralize Content: Keep reusable sections (case studies, product details) in their own blocks. Update them once, and they update everywhere.
- Brand Like a Human: Make sure your logo, colors, and style look intentional—but don’t get carried away. Ugly proposals are bad, but over-designed ones can look try-hard.
Pro Tip: Have a teammate who hates typos review your template before rolling it out to the team.
Step 3: Connect Valuecase to Your CRM
Nobody wants to re-type deal info. Good news: Valuecase can integrate with popular CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot.
Why Bother Integrating?
- Reduce errors: No more copy-paste mistakes.
- Speed: Generate proposals in a few clicks from the deal record.
- Data stays in sync: If a deal changes, update the proposal fast.
How to Connect
- Choose your CRM integration. Most teams start with Salesforce or HubSpot.
- Map your fields. Decide what info should flow from the CRM into the proposal. Start with the basics: company name, deal value, contact person.
- Test with a dummy deal. Don’t risk embarrassing mistakes with a real client. Run a few test proposals and check every field.
Heads-Up: Field mapping can get fiddly. If your CRM data is messy (e.g., “Acme Inc.” vs. “ACME Incorporated”), clean it up now or you’ll see weird stuff in your proposals.
Step 4: Train Your Sales Team—But Keep It Simple
No automation tool works if the team avoids it. The goal: proposals should be faster and easier, not “yet another login.”
What Usually Works
- Short, focused training: 30 minutes is plenty. Show how to pull up a template, fill in the blanks, and send.
- Written quickstart guide: One-pager with screenshots is better than a 40-minute video.
- Slack or chat support: Set up a channel for quick questions. You’ll squash confusion before it snowballs.
What to Avoid
- Over-explaining: Most reps just want to know, “How do I make my proposal and send it?”
- Mandating every feature: If reps only use 80% of Valuecase, that’s fine—don’t force them into bells and whistles they don’t need.
Pro Tip: Have a couple of skeptics on your team test it first. If they can use it, anyone can.
Step 5: Go Live—But Don’t Expect Perfection
You’ve set up your templates, connected your CRM, and shown the team. Now, actually use it with real prospects.
Watch For:
- Weird formatting: Sometimes, proposals look fine in the editor but break when exported. Always send a test to yourself first.
- Feedback from buyers: Are clients actually reading the proposals? Are they confused by the format? Valuecase’s tracking can tell you if they’re opening the links or bouncing.
- Team gripes: Listen for real objections, not just change resistance. If reps keep saying “this takes longer” or “my info doesn’t show up,” dig into why.
Iterate Quickly
Don’t wait six months to fix little annoyances. Tweak your template, fix broken fields, and update docs as you go.
Pro Tip: Schedule a review after 2-4 weeks. What’s working? What’s slowing people down? Fix it fast.
What Valuecase Can’t Fix
Let’s be honest: automation is great, but it won’t solve every problem.
- Bad proposals: If your proposal content is boring, confusing, or full of jargon, automation just sends it faster.
- Approval bottlenecks: If you need five signatures before sending, Valuecase won’t magically make that faster.
- CRM chaos: Garbage in, garbage out. If your CRM has bad data, your automated proposals will too.
Bottom line: Tools help, but process and content matter more.
Real-World Tips and Gotchas
- Version control: Set clear rules for who can edit templates. You don’t want rogue reps “improving” the master doc.
- Legal review: If your terms and conditions change, update the template ASAP. Outdated legalese can sink a deal.
- Client experience: Some buyers like interactive proposal pages; others just want a PDF to forward. Offer both options when you can.
- Don’t over-engineer: Start with simple automation—if you’re spending days fiddling with conditional logic for rare deal types, you’re missing the point.
Keep It Simple, Ship Fast, Iterate
Automating proposals with Valuecase can save hours and make your sales team look sharp—but only if you keep things simple. Start with one solid template, get feedback, and tweak as you go. Don’t get distracted by every advanced feature or try to automate edge cases before the basics work. A fast, clear proposal beats a fancy, confusing one every time.
Set it up, test it, and don’t be afraid to change what doesn’t work. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress that saves time and helps you close more deals without the headaches.