| 5 Ways To Write Better Proposals |
1. Omit needless words.
This can't be stressed enough. Excess words drag your proposals down.
Don't try to use multisylabic monsters to impress people - it doesn't work.
Needless words may be the biggest threat to quality writing. Omit them.
2. Have a strong agreement.
Proposals shouldn't be exploratory. Come to an agreement with your client,
then summarize it with a proposal.
Poor planning sinks proposals. Plan for snags. Anticipate objections. More
than anything else, ensure you and the client agree on what needs to be done
- and then the proposal becomes a formality.
3. Focus on results, not methodology.
Methodology is unimportant. Your client does not care how you achieve
results; only that you achieve them. The center of your proposal should be
how you are going to benefit the client. That's why he will buy, so that's what
you sell to him.
4. Shorter is better.
Clients do not accept proposals because they enjoy reading gigantic
tomes. The shorter and more concise your proposal is - while still
summarizing your agreement and covering the necesary details - the better.
5. Numbers last.
Don't tell your client a price, then explain why it's reasonable. Do the
opposite. Make them drool, then make them gasp. Your client should be
commited to buying when he reads the price.
About the author:
David Berube is a technology consultant. He uses technology
to solve business problems.
Have a problem you want solved?
http://www.berubeconsulting.com/
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