Wednesday, May 18, 2016

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.

An executive summary should intentionally capture your strongest points for the bid. This should be done in a way that captures the imagination of the panel. Make it convincing and arouse curiosity to read through the other pages. A panelist should be forced to read through it twice before bypassing it. A lot of attention is not paid to finer details during the initial stages. The summary should make it quick and easy for the panelist to understand your concept.

The selection panel is interested in particular information. From the information dispatched, judge what the sponsor could be looking for. Irrelevant information, buzzwords and meaningless shop talk must be eliminated. No panelist wants to endure hours of irrelevant talk. If something can be said in a single paragraph, there is no point of saying it in five paragraphs. The idea that less is more applies in this situation.

Panelists are looking for answers to particular questions. They need to visualize the success of a project through the eyes of a bidder. The instructions provided give a hint of the answers they seek. A good pitch must demonstrate knowledge of instructions issued which signals attention to details and good listening skills. The right answer will also show that you can diligently search for a solution.

The past has been used on numerous occasions to judge future potential. A client or sponsor will be more convinced of your potential if you show data and details of past projects that you have successfully completed. These projects show your ability to manage resources and deliver the expected returns. They act as referees when writing a resume. Detail the similarities to the project you wish to be funded. You will be miles ahead of individuals detailing their untested technical ability.

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.




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