Making it big in the competitive business environment of today is not easy, unless you are bold and assertive. The same goes for a business proposal. You must make it stand out in the crowd if you wish to win the bid or get your business idea funded. Read on to find out the top ten tips for creating successful business proposals that can help you write power packed winners every time!
1. Be clear about your objective of writing the proposal and only then will it reflect on the end product. Summarize the concept in two sentences and then start elaborating.
2. Even if your business idea is great, communicate it clearly for the recipients of your proposal. Don t leave any room for self explanatory portions.
3. Make sure that your proposal is absolutely error free. Grammatical, spelling and typing errors can ruin all your hard work and so, be careful to eliminate or revise any errors that are there in your proposal.
4. Print your proposal on good quality bond paper in order to make it look professional. You can even get it bound and backed for less than $10.
5. Your proposal document should have white space on the left side. This allows the readers to make notes if they wish to do so.
6. Spruce up your document with graphics, images, charts and tables wherever applicable. Not only can these additions break the monotony of continuous blocks of text, but also they are a great way to represent numerical data in an interesting format.
7. Be sure to add a title page to the document as this makes a professional impression. Include details of your company as well as the title or identification number of the tender.
8. You should only use language that is neutral and not provocative in any manner. Be politically correct and never assume that the recipients of your proposal share your thoughts and ideals. Instead of inadvertently ticking them off, stick to the safe middle path!
9. Your language should also not include any locally used phrases, which people may find hard to understand. Maintain a general tone, keeping in mind global audiences.
10. Try to keep jargon away from your proposal and if you use any, also take care to explain them with footnotes.
Bonus Tip
Your own professional resume also helps create the first impression when packaged with your proposal. Before the interviewers or other people who are hiring even see you or continue with discussion, they may like to take a close look at the resume that you could easily prepare, to find out whether you are a suitable candidate for the job or other work opportunity they are offering.
Make sure to list basic objectives as related to your proposal, your experience and skills, references and other pertinent information. And create an eye pleasing format and style with bullet or numbered points, sub headings and legible font.
In short, brush up your resume and package it along with your proposal. Hire help if needed, so it’s in tip top shape.
Now it s up to you. Put your best foot forward, letting your proposal make your mark.