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Saturday, 21 May 2016

Quick And Easy Proposal Writing Tips

By Kathleen Watson


Vetting panels for proposals are composed of thrifty, skeptic and busy individuals. Their decisions are therefore skewed in favor of engaging proposals that capture their attention. Proposal writing should therefore take the route of persuasion. It is only by employing these tactics that your bid will qualify for funding. You must endeavor to make the writing process worthwhile.

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.

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 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.

Sponsors rely on past performances to make a decision on the future of a project, plan or implementer. There is a lot of weight placed on evidence of projects successfully completed in the past. Such evidence confirms that you can follow instructions and deliver according to set expectations. This evidence is your referee that you can deliver. The best projects to highlight are those that bear similarity to the one you are biding for. Such evidence beats a litany of narrated yet untested technical ability.

The lowest bidder is not always preferred. There are doubts about his capability to deliver quality and still, other people might present a lower bid. The search is for a person who is most convincing. At the beginning of your proposal, the sponsor should confirm that you are person he has been looking for all through. Standout and be memorable because of what you offer.

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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