Published on Jan 22, 2025
Proposal writing skills are crucial to business success. They are a means for businesses to communicate ideas or solutions, secure funding and build partnerships. They are an important part of project management and all commercial management professionals should fully understand their role and develop the skills to write powerful proposals to help achieve business goals.
Proposals should contain comprehensive information about a project that an organisation is considering implementing. It should outline the challenge it’s tackling and the solution proposed and, of course, the benefits to be gained.
The author should include everything stakeholders need to know to fully understand the resources needed, the costs involved to complete the project successfully, and the objectives and goals to be achieved. And don’t forget to include timescales. It’s important to clearly define the schedule and how the deadlines will be met.
By focussing on the processes and resources needed to complete the project successfully and including the objectives and goals of the project, your proposal should clearly lay out all the details needed to evaluate the project under review.
During the writing process you should consider your audience and what they are trying to achieve so you can tailor your proposal in what you include, or omit, to appeal to them. Make sure you present facts and figures to support your proposal, and anticipate questions and potential objections as well.
Adding in variety in the form of visual content amongst the text will make your document more engaging will help readers understand complex concepts, data and statistics more easily.
The process of creating a cost-benefit analysis is a useful tool in the project decision-making process. It provides a quantitative view so you can make decisions based on evidence, rather than opinion. By including a CBA you’ll demonstrate a full understanding of the cost-benefit ratio and full economic benefit of your proposal.
An executive summary is a great tool for grabbing your audience’s attention and summarising the key points and conclusions in an easily digestible format. A well-written executive summary will compel the reader to read the full document and therefore engage with the proposal.
Don’t forget to proofread and edit! A badly proofed document loses credibility and can make your proposal look unprofessional.
A well-written proposal can be very powerful. It will demonstrate your understanding of the stakeholders needs, showcase your expertise, and can convince decision-makers that you/your business are the best choice for the project. It is your opportunity to make a strong professional impression and differentiate yourself from the competition.
To learn more about writing proposals join our expert trainer, Manoj Nair, on our new Proposal Writing and Costs Benefit Analysis Workshop. Scheduled on various dates throughout the year, this workshop-style programme uses case studies, practical writing sessions and exercises to hone proposal drafting skills and enhance knowledge of cost benefit analyses.
Published on Jan 22, 2025 by Angela Spall