Writing Your Proposal
A proposal is a path to growing and solidifying a business relationship. Writing a good proposal takes time, patience, and above all, thought. But before we begin, there are a few basic stylistic points to keep in mind:
i) It’s Not About You
Even though a proposal entails talking about your company and how you can help the client, the emphasis should ALWAYS be on them. What are their needs, their goals, and how can you help the client achieve them?
ii) Keep it Short
Time is precious. Don’t waste yours or the client’s by spewing boilerplate language about your process or your company’s history, etc. If they want to know, they’ll ask. Make sure every sentence is working hard. Make your points and stop there.
iii) Be Honest
Don’t promise the moon until it’s yours to promise. Business relationships are built on trust. Earn your client’s trust by being open, honest and clear about what you can do for them. Then live up to your words.
iv) Check, check and check again
Typos are embarrassing. Wrong dates, numbers, or names can be a disaster, so take the time to proofread your work. If you can, get someone else to read through your proposal for you to confirm it makes sense and to check for any errors.
