The Three Key Components of Proposal Writing

Many people struggle with proposal writing. Even those who normally can develop strong narratives have difficulty putting together good proposal content. As proposal professionals, we are constantly helping people write and rewrite (and rewrite and rewrite) their sections. Why is that the case?

For me, it often comes down to a fundamental misunderstanding of what proposal writing is. A good proposal combines three different styles of writing. Often, these styles flow back and forth in the same section, and sometimes even in the same paragraph. In this post, I explore those three types of writing and why we need them to develop a quality proposal.

making a connection: persuasive writing

The first, and to me most important, aspect of proposal writing is persuasive writing. Persuasive writing should influence thought and action. In a proposal, that means selecting your company over all the other bidders (or over inaction).

Every proposal should be, at its heart, about the client and addressing their needs. The proposal needs to make a connection with the evaluator. It needs to demonstrate a clear understanding of the problems the client faces. What keeps the buyers up at night? What will make them successful?

Demonstrating a clear understanding of these needs puts the buyer at ease. It allows you to make a connection with the decision makers you need to influence and win over. However, while I think it is the most important part of the proposal writing process, it is not the only one.

nuts and bolts: technical writing

Proposals must include technical content. Nearly every solicitation asks for, at a minimum, an understanding of the technical requirements and challenges. Therefore, we need to include narrative describing how we will execute the work and successfully meet the requirements. Normally, we rely on technical experts to write these sections.

This approach has many positive benefits. These individuals often are executing on similar projects. Therefore, they are best positioned to provide the step-by-step processes needed to be successful. Technical SMEs maintain their skills and can bring cutting-edge knowledge and approaches to the proposal.

However, there are potential drawbacks to using SMEs to craft proposal narrative. Most technical experts love their work. While that’s often a positive, it can be a problem on a proposal for two main reasons. First, it is often challenging to get these individuals to limit their content to the allocated page count. Experts can usually write volumes. It is incredibly hard and time-consuming to make that knowledge succinct. Secondly, technical experts often include terminology, acronyms, and jargon. The language is second nature for them, but often loses the layman.

Therefore, proposal writing needs to use key aspects of technical writing – how to execute the work – while minimizing the jargon and keeping it short and sweet.

look what we can do: sales writing

For many, the concept of sales brings up memories of the television show Mad Men, or the idea of a used car salesman asking, “what will it take to get you into this beauty today?” In this context, I use sales writing to mean content that focuses on the firm bidding the work.

At some level, proposals are about selling what you and your firm can do. After all, why would you go through the work of a proposal if you did not want to actually win? Therefore, firms need to tout their own abilities and capabilities. The proposal needs to provide proof points, examples of previous work, and explain why you are the right match for this client.

Some salesmanship is appropriate and even necessary. However, there is a fine line between an acceptable amount of salesmanship and going overboard. Too many proposals focus on the offeror at the expense of the client. This writing can present as arrogant and self-centered. Think about it – if you are out on a date, how much do you want to hear the other person talking about himself?

In a proposal, selling yourself needs to be tempered and used only in moderation.

bringing it all together

A good proposal brings together these three styles of writing into a single compelling narrative. Proposal writers, and the proposal management team, need to ensure the document clearly:

• Persuasively demonstrates you know the client’s needs and hot buttons
• Provides a clear technical solution that addresses those needs and hot buttons
• Sells your firm’s experience and capabilities

Balancing these three components can be challenging. It is the main reason why proposal writing is so difficult. Over the coming weeks, we will put out a series of blog posts and a free eBook to help your teams execute these three types of writing. We look forward to helping you improve your team’s writing!