5 Tips for Writing Great Proposals
Oct 20th, 2008 by admin
There are few documents in the entrepreneur’s arsenal as important as the business proposal. When an opportunity presents itself, a well written proposal can place you miles ahead of the competition, successfully sell your ideas and really get the job done – help you win new business! But unfortunately this is an area where many entrepreneurs cut corners and rush through the process. Why entrepreneur, why? If a proposal has the potential of landing you a sizable contract, why take the easy way out? The answer is…you don’t.
So how do you write a stellar proposal? Here are seven tips to get you started:
Forget Boilerplate Language and Template-Based Samples
As entrepreneurs, we do a lot of multi-tasking and are always on the lookout for ways to save time. Time out when it comes to proposal writing. Don’t make the grave mistake of simply cutting and pasting together a proposal from sample documents you find online or have stashed away in your Archived Files folder. You might as well stamp a big red “L” on the envelope, because you are going to look like one when your proposal reads like 20 others sitting in the rejected pile.
Leave the ME at the Door
Focus on what’s in it for them… The benefits, the end result, the savings. Forget ME when writing a proposal. Although you want your company to shine, do so in a way that still makes what’s in it for them stand out. Personalize proposals as much as possible. Really talk about what you can do for the other company. Address the specific problem the client needs addressed.
Include the Necessities
Every proposal should contain: 1) a brief introduction and summary information about your company and/or services, 2) summary of the problem or work requirement, 3) a detailed description of the work to be performed, 4) a work plan including schedules, goals, milestones and/or budget and costs and 5) summary of similar projects completed. You might also be required to include additional supporting documentation and schedules, which varies by solicitations and RFPs.
Don’t Make Promises You Can’t Keep
Basically, don’t oversell yourself and your business. Provide realistic schedules and cost estimates.
Review, Edit, Spell Check… Review, Edit, Spell Check
Nothing could be worse than a proposal peppered with grammar errors, misspelled words and general typos. How can you be taken seriously? Take the necessary time to review, edit and spell check. Then do it again. You might also consider having a second set of eyes look it over.
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