If your next Business Proposal is for an important client, and you're working under pressure to get the document submitted on time, it’s easy to get confused and forget something which determines whether you win or lose the bid. One way to avoid this is to use a proposal checklist to identify each … [Read more...]
Does RFP Software (Really) Work?
December 16, 2010 by
Let’s look at the software Proposal Managers use to write, track and monitor their responses to Request For Proposals. The Proposal Manager’s role also includes the development of Proposal software, Microsoft Word templates, checklists, forms and Excel spreadsheets to track all aspects of the bid … [Read more...]
Proposal Manager: Starting a Career in Procurement
December 13, 2010 by
So you’d like to start a career as a Proposal Manager but not sure what’s involved. This role is actively involved across the Proposal development lifecycle. You need good Project Management skills and knowledge of how Request For Proposals are written, evaluated, and awarded. And the pay is very … [Read more...]
6 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Deliverables
October 1, 2010 by
The next part of the Business Proposal to write is the Deliverables section. The Deliverables section should be simple to understand but many Proposal Writers fall over themselves here. Where to start with Deliverables Let’s play good cop, bad cop for a minute. In the Request For Proposal, it … [Read more...]
6 Ways To Write a Better Executive Summary
September 28, 2010 by
This is part 2 in our Proposal Writing Course. Yesterday, we looked at why you need to make the Table of Contents that central hub from which all information flow. Today, we'll go a step further and examine the Executive Summary. Most Proposal Writers are intimidated by the Executive Summary. … [Read more...]
Why The Table of Contents Is The Heart of Your Business Proposal?
September 26, 2010 by
This is Part 1 of a 20 part series on writing Business Proposals. What we’ll look in this course is how to get started, format the proposal, and submit it. Once we’ve done this, we’ll look at how to improve your chances of getting the bid accepted, for example, by giving presentations to the … [Read more...]
How to Analyze the Buyer’s Mindset When Writing Proposals
September 24, 2010 by
One of the most difficult challenges for any Proposal Writer is to figure out what the buyer is really interested in. Is it cost? Is it value-for-money? Is it innovation? Maybe it's a combination of factors. Think of each RFP as a set of requirements that you, the bidder, have to answer for … [Read more...]
The Warren Buffet Guide to Persuasive Business Writing
September 20, 2010 by
“For more than forty years, I’ve studied the documents that public companies file. Too often, I’ve been unable to decipher just what is being said or, worse yet, had to conclude that nothing was being said. If corporate lawyers and their clients follow the advice in this handbook, my life is going … [Read more...]
4 Step Formula for Better Business Proposals
August 30, 2010 by
One of the secrets to writing successful proposals is to write the proposals backwards. Ok, I don’t mean line by line backwards. What I mean is identify the problems first and then write the proposal to address these problems. I've been reading Business Proposals for a client all week (I assess … [Read more...]
Can Tai Chi Make You a Better Proposal Writer?
June 29, 2010 by
I spend 10 hours a day writing proposals, business reports and other documents. One of the hazards of working these long hours is migraine, back pain and (literally) a pain in the neck. You can get away with this in your 20s, but as you get older you need to take greater care of your health. I … [Read more...]