A chore or a looked-forward-to experience? Drudgery or an opportunity to express your creative talents? Agony and anguish or energizing and uplifting?
Few would claim proposal writing as any of the enjoyable latter descriptions. Most of us approach the task with some dread, as we know it is an arduous effort. But we accept the necessity of it—who would try to get a potential client to rescind a request for proposal (RFP) because it's hard work for you?
Proposals are hard work. There is no way around that. Even the PC-based templates, macros, and wizards only help a little. Experience and a systematic approach are the only remedies to easing the effort. And that only helps some of the time, everybody gets writer's block—even Stephen King.
No two experiences are the same, and no two systematic approaches to proposal writing are the same either. One person may start on structure, another on content, and still another on style. All of these elements are equally important, and as long as the final product comes together on time and effectively states your proposition, the order in which you tackle the proposal effort does not matter.
That may sound like heresy to those who believe that any attention paid to format, graphics, and typestyles is fluff.
Content is the most important element—no argument. But you must get the reader's attention first, and sustain it. Creating visual interest in your document does that.
In creating interest, you also may have to break some rules. Some of these are rules you learned in 6th grade, some are brought in by others on the proposal effort. Here are some general guidelines:
Be consistent, but not to the point of repetition.
Be conversational, but not colloquial.
Borrow ideas from other venues (for example, journalism, newsletters).
Your client ultimately determines the latitude you can take with any of this so-called rule breaking. The more you can learn about their style and personality, the more you can tailor the proposal to keep their attention and remain professional.
This issue of Info-line outlines the steps involved in the proposal-writing process, and identifies some common obstacles and techniques for overcoming them, as well as pitfalls to avoid. The issue is written for the training and development consultant who prepares service-related proposals to other companies.
There are six stages to the proposal-writing process. The steps are outlined in the most common chronological order. However, the latter steps can be conquered in the order most productive given your style and strengths.
The first step is to determine how big this proposal is going to be, and what format it will take. That means how many pages and how complex it will be.
This effort will determine how much time and how many people it will take to complete it. This will establish your goal as well as your schedule.
Depending on the structure you've chosen, you have a general sense of how much text content and graphic examples you will have to assemble.
For example, if you have chosen a landscape orientation, bound at the top, and facing pages, you may have as many graphic elements as there are pages of text.
The first step is to create a top-level outline. A generic outline can be found in the sidebar Proposal Components, to the right. Once you have roughed out the outline, further expand each section of the body with bullet points, references, and notes to yourself on the key points you want to make in each section.
Each section should tie back to others. For example, the benefits listed should not be general benefits of working with you, but should include specific and positive business benefits directly related to the Statement of Understanding/Problem. Unless it's your intention, be careful that you don't guarantee specific measures of business improvement. Your role is to help create an environment that is conducive to positive change.
Whether you choose to state exactly how much improvement depends on the following:
Your knowledge of the specific causes of the underperformance and the client's potential to improve these statistics.
Your experience and confidence in achieving these results.
Your level of risk taking, that is your willingness to expose yourself to the client's claim of nonperformance.
The components listed in the sidebar Proposal Components lists the most common elements found in most service-based proposals. In a technical proposal, there also will likely be schemas, schedules, and diagrams, either embedded within the body or included as a separate attachment.
The relative sizes of the sections and their emphasis are as follows:
Cover Letter—one page. The purpose of the cover letter is to introduce the proposal and set a follow-up or decision date.
Executive Summary—three to five pages.
Body—no limit on total pages. Generally, this contains
Statement of Understanding—one to two pages.
Project Scope—contractually binding section, especially if a fixed-price bid.
Method/Approach—the bulk of this section. This is an important place for graphics. This is where you can develop your unique selling point.
Benefits—generally one to two pages. This is what the client can expect from your training and or consulting.
Schedule and Fees—one to two pages.
Action / Follow-up— one page.
Marketing Exhibits—Brochures, inserts, and testimonials.
This stage consists of writing the full narrative for each of the sections you have outlined. The better job you do on outlining, the easier it will be to write the narrative component. You should not be laboring in this stage — if you are, go back and do more outlining.
The section that people most often cut corners in is the Statement of Understanding/Problem. This is the worst area to shortcut. People often believe that the client understands the problem, so what's the point of restating it? Or, you really don't have a strong grasp of the problem and don't want to appear ignorant by making inaccurate or incomplete statements.
Actually, this section is your best, first, and maybe last, opportunity to show your potential client how good a consultant you are. People like to read about themselves. They will look to this section to confirm how well you understand their business and their problem. If you get that wrong, nothing else in your proposal really matters.
If you haven't completed enough fact-finding to write a knockout Statement of Understanding section, tell the client that and get their permission to complete this task. They usually will give it to you, but generally you can only go back to the well once.
A key element is consistency in style. An inconsistent proposal loses credibility with the client. Follow a style guide to keep a stable format. For more information on style guides, see the sidebar Use of Style Guides on the next page.
Another common problem faced during this stage is writer's block. To learn some techniques to mitigate this problem, see the sidebar Overcoming Writer's Block.
During the first draft, you can include your graphic examples, as they will look in the final version or a description of the exhibit.
At this point, circulate your first draft among trusted colleagues for review
Graphics are a powerful way to convey ideas and focus the reader's attention. You should give as much thought to selecting the graphics as you would to selecting your words. Readers may skip words, but they will not skip images.
When using stock clipart and photos, consider whether there are copyright or usage restrictions.
There are two primary forms of graphics that are appropriate in a professional service proposal.
Concept Pictures/Graphics, including clipart, photos, symbology and logos (including watermarks). These are most effective when they show some creative association with the associated text, but not so creative that the reader cannot make the connection. For example, using a telescope or a dartboard bull's-eye in the Executive Summary is easily recognized as a metaphor for focus. Using a seashell is confusing.
Care has to be exercised when using your client's logo. In many cases, particularly for large companies, there are strict rules governing the pairing of the logo with specific typefaces and sizes. A little diligence in eyeing all of the examples of the use of their logo will tell you if this is a factor or not.
Charts, including graphs, tables, and data-based representations are the other forms of graphic treatment that are appropriate for a proposal.
This stage covers final editing, cross-referencing, and ordering pages. It is very important to have several people proofread the document. We have all seen an otherwise flawless presentation marred by a small, innocent mistake. What does this say to your potential client about your attention to detail?
Assuming you are required to provide a bound, hard-copy proposal (as opposed to an electronic, or “soft” copy), you will have to address the issue of construction. This covers the decisions of paper weights, paper trimming, and binding. (For more information on soft-copy proposals, see the sidebar, Soft Copy on the next page.)
Anything you do beyond the standard 8.5 by 11 inches is a judgment based on your client's nature—conservative or progressive—and of course, their requirements if specified.
Here are some creative ideas to consider:
Trim the upper left corner and ring-bind the proposal along this trim line.
If using facing pages, half-size sheets (8.5 by 5.5 inches) bound at the top work well.
Bind your proposal in a “stand-up” presentation folder.
None of these techniques requires any special equipment other than a paper cutter. The key point is to establish some unique and memorable elements to your proposal.
Some other decisions for you to consider are:
Choose a high quality paper. You did not go through all this work to print your proposal on plain 20 lb. bond. At the very least, use a 24 lb. weight, and make sure it has a brightness index of 90. Most common printer and copier paper has a brightness index of 84. You will notice the difference.
Be generous in your use of tabs. Even some sections with one page (for example, “Fees”) deserve a tab.
Color-coordinate where possible. If your business card is on gray stock, use a light gray paper for cover or divider pages. Your printer or office supply store carries many stock colors.
Aside from stapling, almost any form of binding is acceptable (comb, ring, book). If using a threering binder, use one that most closely matches the number of pages in your proposal (this is the opposite of the rule when binding a workbook, which must be larger to accommodate handouts and notepapers). All that you can do to give the appearance that every component was especially selected for this proposal will improve its image.
If using a slip sleeve cover three-ring binder, make sure that your cover paper insert closely matches the dimensions of the sleeve. It is worth a few extra dollars to enlarge and trim the cover insert from 8.5 by 11 inches to 9 by 12 inches if that is your requirement. The copier at your local print shop should be able to handle this.
Just as in writing a newsletter article, a proposal or report must have some elements of visual interest to hold the reader's attention. Relevant graphics and facing pages can accomplish some of this.
Other elements you should consider adding to your document include:
related concept pictures or clipart
excerpted passages
quotes (from famous sources or within text).
Many of the visual interest techniques can be borrowed from newsletters, pamphlets, manuals, and the like, but some generally don't work well with proposals. These include:
sidebars
frequent change of fonts and text treatments.
The key here is to always maintain the visual appearance of a professional proposal “from 20,000 feet.” Overuse of above techniques invariably makes the document look like a newsletter, which you want to avoid. Here are some other things you should avoid:
quotes from the infamous
clipart or photos of all one style throughout — after the first few, your proposal becomes predictable and boring; mix them up a little
following the identical text/graphic format on every page; vary pictures with excerpts or quotes.
The main objective is to strike a balance between consistency and redundancy.
Much has been written about using simple words and eliminating the so-called fog in business writing. As a rule, you should strive to achieve no higher than a 9th-grade reading level in your proposal. The Executive Summary should be even lower. This is not to “dumb down” your proposal—it is to make it readable at a pace that will keep your reader's interest.
Most word processors will calculate the reading grade index for you, and the grammar checking utility will suggest changes to simplify your text. Select the strictest grammar checking—you'll be surprised at the number of suggestions.
One thing most grammar checkers do not catch is the most common fault we all make—using our favorite words repeatedly. Get to know your program's thesaurus well, and vary your word choice.
Particularly avoid the word proposal. The more you use this word, the more the reader is reminded that you are asking them to take a leap of faith in you and in your fit with their business. Proposal to Enhance the Business Benefit could be simply reworded to Enhancing the Business Benefit.
One exception to the word repetition warning is using your potential client's company name. Mention it often. Don't forget the old adage that “the sweetest word to anyone is his or her own name.” Apply this to the company name as well.
For more information, see the sidebar Careful Word Choice to the right.
Color adds a great deal to a proposal. However, this is an area where generally “less is more.” At the very least, the cover should contain some color. Beyond that, it is up to your discretion. If you are having a printer make your copies, it will be expensive to have color throughout your proposal. And if you are printing the proposal on an inkjet printer, it will take quite a long time.
In order of efficiency (effectiveness vs. cost), the best use of color is as follows:
Cover.
Preprinted running logo/icon/border.
Exhibits at back of proposal.
Embedded graphics.
Soft-copy proposals are not affected by cost, of course, and the use of color in these can be unrestricted.
A caution: You should test clarity of color graphics printed in black and white. It may be better to convert them to grayscale before printing.
When selling training and development you sometimes have to be the most creative.
If you have lots of specific, relevant experience, your need for creative editing is minimal. Simply including work citations and references in your proposal usually suffices. You should, though, invest a little effort to explicitly point out the relevance of each citation to your client's situation, and not make them figure it out.
If in fact you have experience in a relevant area, but are hesitant to cite it for any number of reasons, you usually can find a positive way to get your experience into the proposal.
For example, say you were selected to lead a new business initiative with a former employer, but that initiative never succeeded or got off the ground. You could still say that you “were selected to lead the initiative to….”
You probably will be asked about your experience during the interview, but you already got your strong point across—someone recognized your potential from among many others. You can use the interview to explain the mitigating factors of that assignment, and why it did not achieve completion or fulfillment of the business goals.
But what about the situation where your work experience is largely unrelated, at least directly, to the nature of the work that you're proposing? And what if you're relatively unknown to the client— that is, you don't have a mutual reference?
In these cases, it is vitally important to identify a unique selling point (USP) of doing business with you.
One way to create a USP is to “brand” your method, in essence transforming it into a methodology. Take your project plan or approach, and give it a name. For example, you could call it LAMBDA, which is a Greek alphabetic symbol used in statistics to designate change. Or you can choose a word like ANLAGE, which is of German derivation and is related to “establishing a foundation.”
A few keys to branding are:
Choose a word that is uncommon but can be said and spelled easily.
Choose a word that has a meaning relevant to your approach or USP.
Develop some marketing collateral that references this word.
Shun the trite acronym derived from the first letters of a series of words.
One final, important tip: Develop a graphic that is easy to remember and incorporates your methodology.
A key example of this is in the case of The Octagon.
A consulting firm once used an octagon to depict the eight operational and strategic areas of a retail business. It could be argued that were really six, seven, nine, or any number of areas, but eight was chosen. No clients ever argued the point.
For many years, the Octagon became instantly recognized as retail gospel and associated with the consulting firm. It was easy to remember. Further, it became a convenient tool for the firm to segment and target business opportunities within its customers.
Always assume that your proposal is being compared with others. Even if no others were requested at this time, your proposal will be casually judged against all that have been submitted in the past. You may find that your single-source opportunity has now been changed to a competitive bid. To avert this, ask your customer:
Whom they have worked with before?
What they liked and disliked about these other people and firms?
What they like most about you?
In short, no question is beyond asking (except for fees paid). If your client doesn't want to answer, they won't.
Here's one tip that will, above any other, impress your client:
Read a few issues of your potential client's leading trade journals. You can find back issues in most larger library branches or on the Internet.
Here are some examples of the power of this suggestion:
Your client is a candy manufacturer or distributor. In reading one of their industry's trade journals, you learn that the current campaign in their industry is “25 BY '05,” which is to succeed in getting U.S. consumers to increase their annual per-capita consumption of chocolate from 17 lbs. to 25 lbs. by the year 2005. Can this be tied into a course on creative thinking?
Your client is a large U.S. retailer of packaged gifts of meats and cheeses. You read that Japan has a growing appetite for beef but has to pay high prices because fresh beef is imported on refrigerated ships. Start a conversation about the potential expansion of the chain to Japan?
Your client is a printing company. You read that large timber-growing states are experiencing the fastest urban expansion in the country. What does this mean to loss of forests and their future prices?
If you cannot make a plausible connection between an industry-related issue and the service you are providing, you should leave it out of the proposal but bring it up in conversation. At the very least, it will demonstrate your industriousness.
Sales professionals say that you should try to win work without encouraging competition. For many, this has been an argument against writing proposals unless first requested by the customer.
In contrast, offering a proposal shows your professionalism and commitment, and more often than not, helps to win the work.
A few final suggestions on becoming an expert proposal writer:
Lend yourself out to business acquaintances to assist them in their proposal writing efforts.
Don't hide your work-in-process. Show a few colleagues your proposal drafts or outlines and ask for their critique.
Selectively break some of the rules you were taught in high school or college.
Get out of your training and development venue. Collect proposals from industrial firms, product sales, public relations firms, and so forth. Visit your local printers for ideas and samples. You'll find useful ideas in many places.