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Proposals Are Persuasive Plans

You cannot write a successful proposal until you

1. Fully understand your audience’s needs/ problems and why solving them is important

2. Formulate a careful, detailed plan of action

3. Prove beyond doubt that you have the logic, time, equipment, and personnel to solve the problem

4. Can match your timetable and budget with your reader’s

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Proposals

Plan your proposals and consider your goals carefully

Proposals carry the obligation and force of a legal document

When incorporated within a proposal that your reader accepts, your goals become

part of a legally binding agreement

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Writing a Successful Proposal

Guidelines

1. Approach it as a problem-solving activity

2. Regard your audience as skeptical readers

3. Research your proposal thoroughly

4. Scout out what your competitors are doing

5. Prove that your proposal is workable

6. Be sure your proposal is financially realistic

7. Package your proposal attractively

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Document Design and Your Proposal

Overall design and layout play a major role in the acceptance by an audience

Double-check to make sure it looks professional Organize your proposal into sections Use headings Insert extra space between sections Use a professional-looking and easy-to-read font and type

size Include easy-to-follow lists Clearly label visuals and insert where most appropriate

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Internal Proposals

Typical topics include Purchasing new or more advanced equipment Obtaining document security software and training on

how to use it Recruiting new employees or retraining current ones

to learn a new technique or process Eliminating a dangerous condition or reducing an

environmental risk Improving communication within or between

departments Revising a policy to improve customer service

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Internal Proposals

Anticipate and resolve reader problems1. Realize that your reader may feel threatened by your plan2. Take into account that your reader may have predetermined

ways of doing things3. Keep in mind that your boss may have to take your proposal

further up the organizational ladder for commentary and, eventually, approval

4. Consider the implications of your plan for other offices or sections in your company

5. Accept that although you draft the proposal, it may not bear your name

6. Never submit an internal proposal that offers an idea you think will work but relies on someone else to supply the specific details on how it will work

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Organization of an Internal Proposal

The Purpose of the Proposal– State briefly why you think specific change is necessary now, define

problem succinctly and emphasize your plan to solve that problem

The Problem– Provide proof that a problem exists

The Solution or Plan– Describe the change you propose and want approved– Tie solution to the problem you have just documented

The Conclusion– Concisely remind readers that

Problem is ongoing and serious The reason for change is justified Action needs to be taken

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Documenting a Problem in a Proposal

Guidelines Avoid vague and unsupported generalizations Provide quantifiable details Indicate how many employees (or work-hours) are

involved or how many customers are inconvenienced by a procedure or condition

Verify how widespread a problem is or how frequently it occurs; cite specific occasions

Relate the problem to an organization’s image, reputation, or influence

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Proposing the Solution or Plan

Tie your solution directly to the problem Supply details to show

– The plan is workable, and it is cost effective

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Typical Questions Readers Will Ask

How does this proposal meet our company’s special requirements?

Does the writer understand our problem? Can the writer deliver the services it promises? Can the job be completed on time? Is the budget reasonable and realistic? What assurance does the writer offer that the job

will be done exactly as proposed? How has the writer demonstrated his/her

worthiness?

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Writing Winning Proposals

Keep in mind that a proposal presents a plan to a decision maker for his or her approval

To win approval, your proposal must be1. Realistic

2. Carefully researched

3. Highly persuasive

4. Visual appealing and easy to follow

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√ Revision Checklist

Identified a realistic problem, one that is restricted and relevant to my topic and my audience’s needs

Tried effectively to convince audience that the problem exists and needs to be solved

Used headings, white space, lists, and professional-looking font to make proposal visual attractive and reader friendly

Incorporated quantifiable details demonstrating the scope and importance of the problem

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√ Revision Checklist

Persuasively emphasized benefits of solving the problem according to the proposal; incorporated “you attitude” throughout

Offered a solution that can be realistically implemented—that is, it is both appropriate and feasible for audience

Wrote clearly so audience can understand how and why my proposal would work

Researched background of problem Double-checked proposals to catch errors, omissions, and

inconsistencies