Writing Proposals

Learn how to write effective proposals by analyzing problems, outlining project plans, budgets, and benefits, while studying client requirements and presenting sealed bids.

Manage change with proposals as a tool to uncover opportunities and address problems. View change as a friend and expand your business with optimism.

Explore the proposal genre’s core elements—current situation, project plan, qualifications, and cost-benefit analysis—and how to address readers’ questions to persuade with a credible plan.

Learn to follow a repeatable five-stage proposal process, from planning and research to revising and editing, using organizing, drafting, improving style, and designing with persuasive strategies and clear visuals.

Analyze problems and opportunities to determine why proposals are written, then define the status of the opportunity using the 5W and how questions before drafting an RFP response.

Explore types of proposals, including internal, solicited, unsolicited, sole-source contracts, and research, planning, implementation, and estimate proposals, with examples of RFPs, RFQs, and RFIs.

Describe the current situation by mapping the problem’s causes and effects, using logical mapping and a problem cause map, and triangulate sources to inform the opening, body, and closing.

Develop a thorough project plan by mapping major and minor steps, answering why questions, and outlining deliverables to solve problems or seize opportunities.

Describe qualification to build trust and prove your team can implement the plan. Highlight unique strengths through personnel descriptions, management bios, facilities, and past project experience.

Define the proposal's subject and purpose, state the main point and its importance, and provide background while forecasting the document's organization. Outline the costs and benefits to inform reader decisions.

Develop and compare itemized budgets with non itemized budgets, apply flexible and fixed budgets, and classify costs into fixed, variable, and semi variable categories with examples.

Learn to write proposals with plain and persuasive styles, applying plain style to current situation, project plan, and qualifications sections, and persuasive style to introduction and cost and benefits.

Apply four design principles—balance, alignment, grouping, and consistency—to design proposals with accessible entry points, clear structure, and readable white space.

Explore how graphics in proposals use charts, tables, and pictures to reinforce the written text, tell a simple story, be ethical, and be labeled to engage readers.

Explore how to craft compelling proposals by building effective front matter—cover page, executive summary, and table of contents—and back matter with appendices, plus practical planning and case study exercises.