Tips For Winning Proposal Writing

By Kathleen Watson


Proposals should be viewed as an attempt to convince a skeptic, busy and thrifty reader to buy your idea. It is therefore similar to persuasive essays. The nature of competition witnessed requires your proposal writing skills to be top notch. Only the winning bid will get funding. If you are to spend time writing, you must endeavor to produce the best pitch.

Though the old saying not to judge a book by its cover discourages people from making conclusions, you can be sure that initial vetting takes that direction. The panel does not have all the time to peruse through all the pages of hundreds of proposals. They rely on the executive summary. Make it brilliantly amazing.

The executive summary captures your strongest points or arguments supporting your bid. It points at what to expect from the rest of the pages. Make it as convincing as possible to capture the imagination of any selection panel. The panel should think twice before passing over your pitch. A winning pitch enables you to go past the initial competitive stages. Your ideas should be easy and quick to understand.

Readers are bored and bogged down by details and information that is not relevant. To win among numerous proposals, provide the reader with what he or she wants. Avoid buzzwords, information and shop talk that is meaningless. Such a bid is punishing to read and will easily lead to disqualification. Do not say in five paragraphs what can be said in one. The principle of less is more works perfectly.

Panelists have questions about the project and how to actualize it. They are looking for a person who can provide most convincing answer. Such questions can be found in the instructions issued. Answering these questions correctly shows that you are good at listening. It also shows your diligence in search of answers. Provide factual answers in a way that is simple to understand.

Past performance is an indicator of potential. Sponsors are impressed by evidence of successfully implemented projects. Showcase your ability to adhere to project design and deliver expected results. This will act as your referee without having to be wordy about your capability. Such evidence will beat pages upon pages of narratives about potential. Draw similarity between past projects and the one you are currently bidding.

The lowest proposals do not necessarily get funding. You face the challenge of having a lower bid or being considered too lowly priced to deliver. The focus should however be on your technical ability and uniqueness. Give the panel a reason to choose you over every other person. Such a reason should go beyond money or pricing. What edge do you think will cause the panel to say, This is the kind of person or project we are looking for!

The inclusion of facts instead of opinions will make your attempt successful. Paint a realistic picture of the outcome of your endeavor. The bid should be meticulously written with proper editing and design. An attractive and engaging presentation will win the confidence of any sponsor.




About the Author:



Aucun commentaire:

Enregistrer un commentaire