Proposals That Persuade: Writing a Winning Business Proposal

Proposals That Persuade Writing a Winning Business Proposal

Who is Soma D. Jurgensen?

• Owner, SDJ Marketing Solutions

• More than 10 years of experience in marketing/management for local-international businesses

• State Program Coordinator, Business: MN/ND

• More than eight years in business education

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• Explain characteristics of persuasive proposals

• Organize parts of a proposal

• Choose content to persuade

• Revise for power

• Balance costs and benefits

• Articulate “the ask”

Learn How To:

• Persuasive document

• Detailed plan of action

• Writer submits for action

Purpose of Proposals:

Realistic

Carefully researched

S.M.A.R.T.

Visually appealing

Written from reader’s perspective

Winning Proposals:

To Write a Winning Proposal, Ask Yourself:

• What makes your reader successful?

• How is your proposal supporting that success?

Take the following steps:

– Think like the reader

– Organize

– Preview

– Reveal

– Solve

– Ask

To Write a Winning Proposal:

• Purpose: Why are you writing?

• Problem: What is the missed opportunity?

• Solution: How do you fill the gap?

• Cost/Benefit: Is it worth it?

• Conclusion: What, exactly, do you want?

Proposal Organization






Purpose Statement

• Like a movie trailer or pitch

• One paragraph introduction

• Identify a problem

• Preview a solution

• Illustrate a “better future”

Example: XYZ company is growing so quickly the current staff is not able to meet on-boarding needs. As an HR consultant, I’m able to provide consistent orientation to all new hires and ensure that your company’s culture is preserved.

• Does a problem exist? • How is it a missed opportunity? • Define it:

– How long? – Why? – For whom?

• Support symptoms with relevant statistics

A Problem is an Opportunity

• Lead through discovery

• Let the reader “see” what you see

• Summarize the symptoms, then diagnose and prescribe

What if Your Audience is not Receptive?

• Reduce resistance

• Build your credibility

• Establish your case

Service Example

1. XYZ has grown from 50 to 500 employees in three years. 2. The HR department of 5 is still responsible for on-boarding. 3. New employee satisfaction has declined by 45% from three years ago. 4. Customer satisfaction complaints increased 20% in three years.

1. Cell phone sales is reaching saturation in the U.S.

2. Typical Americans carry three or more devices at a time.

3. 33% of Americans consider access to their devices at all times a main concern.

4. There are few high-end accessories on the market that meet the need to carry three or more devices with ease.

5. Sales potential of just 1% of this market is $23,000 in revenue.

Product Example

• Reduce resistance

• Build your credibility

• Establish your case

• Provide quantifiable/observable details

• Document the scope of the problem

• Relate the problem to the reader’s priorities

– Company reputation, sales …

Problem Definition

• State your solution

• How are YOU qualified?

• Relate it directly to the problem

• Show the plan is workable

• Make it S.M.A.R.T.

S.M.A.R.T. Solutions

• (S) Use specific, concrete language

• (M) How will you measure success?

• (A) Aligned with corporate goals?

• (R) Is it challenging but realistic?

• (T) What’s the time table?






• What resources will your solution need?

– Time

– Money

– People

Weigh Costs and Benefits

• How will the benefits outweigh the costs?

– From your reader’s perspective

– Relate to “mission” and core values

• Money

• Time

• People

• Materials

• Lost income

• Lost reputation

• Lack of safety

• Unrealized opportunity

Benefits Must Outweigh Costs

• Convenience

• Success

• Leadership

• Reputation

• Engagement

• Inspiration

• Confidence

Costs Benefits (Values)

Benefits Must Outweigh Costs

• Save money

• Save time

• Productivity

• Efficiency

• Safety

• Make more money

Persuasive Solutions — Review

• Explicitly state the solution

• Emphasize relatedness to problem

• Categorize and itemize costs

• Reinforce benefits

• Transition to conclusion

Conclude with Power

• The conclusion is the time to ask for what you want!

– Remind reader that change is necessary

– Emphasize the benefits of making a decision

– Paint a picture of success

– Ask for the “sale”

• Characteristics of persuasive proposals

• How to organize parts of a proposal

• Choosing content that persuades

• Revising for power

• How to balance costs and benefits

• Articulating “the ask”

What We Learned




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