Writing a professional proposal doesn’t have to be difficult if you keep a few key points in mind. To begin, resist the urge to impress others using fancy language or technical jargon in your writing. Instead, use simple language that explains exactly what your readers want to know about your proposal. Second, remember to double-check the details, such as making sure your proposal is free of any typos or errors. Third, remember that the goal of writing a professional proposal is to persuade your readers to hire you, so make sure you follow the instructions in their Request for Proposal (RFP) and persuade them that you and your company can provide exactly what they require.
Begin writing your proposal making a list of what your readers expect you to cover in the proposal. Since you’re trying to persuade them to buy your ideas, try to see the proposal from their point of view. What will you do to meet their requirements? What advantages will they gain working for your company instead of another? What previous work have you done that qualifies you and your ideas as a perfect match for this bid proposal?
Make more notes after you’ve answered these questions so you have a rough but clear picture of what you’ll be including in the RFP or other type of proposal you initiated. After that, organize and expand on the data you’ll include in your professional proposal. Decide how to best organize your content into the structure of a proposal template if you’re using one. Otherwise, you might want to look at sample proposals from business books or online searches to get an idea of how to present your proposal information persuasively.
Your professional proposal’s design and layout should be appropriate for your industry and company. Your name and contact information should be on the cover page, as well as an eye-catching graphic that will pique your readers’ interest in your concept. The cover page is usually followed a one-page executive summary that outlines the project’s goals and outcomes. Many professional proposal writers advise writing the executive summary last so that you can succinctly and accurately summarize your proposal.
In today’s business world, visual accompaniments to written proposals are required. Keep them relevant to your professional proposal, though, and ensure that they enhance rather than detract from it. Supporting graphics can help your text be more persuasive while also keeping it interesting. Consider including relevant statistical data in the form of useful graphs and charts. Your proposal should include your company’s name, logo, tagline, and contact information in a professional manner.
Professional writers know how to write in such a way that they anticipate their readers’ questions. Read through the first draft of your proposal to ensure you’ve addressed all of the questions you expect your audience to have. Rethink your price offer and make it more competitive, but don’t go too low to win the job; this will work against you. A professional proposal should be no more than ten pages long, though some proposals can be as long as fifteen pages. Proposals should be detailed and thorough, but they can also keep the reader engaged if they are concise.