in the sample internal proposal contained in chapter 16, what are the authors proposing to do?
Affiliate 13: Concern Proposals
Venecia Williams
- Describe the basic elements of a business organization proposal
- Hash out the chief goals of a business concern proposal
- Identify effective strategies to use in a business organization proposal
Business organization proposals are documents designed to make a persuasive appeal to the audition to attain a defined upshot, often proposing a solution to a trouble. Much like a written report, with several common elements and persuasive oral communication, a business proposal makes the instance for your product or service. In order to be successful in business and industry, you lot should be familiar with the business proposal.
Allow's say you work in a health intendance setting. What types of products or services might be put out to bid? If your organisation is going to expand and needs to construct a new fly, information technology will probably be put out to bid. Everything from office furniture to bedpans could potentially exist put out to bid, specifying a quantity, quality, and time of delivery required. Janitorial services may likewise be bid on each year, as well every bit food services, and even maintenance. Using the ability of bidding to lower contract costs for appurtenances and services is mutual do.
Effective business proposals are built around a corking idea or solution. While you may be able to present your normal production, service, or solution in an interesting manner, y'all want your document and its solution to stand up out confronting the background of competing proposals. What makes your idea different or unique? How tin you better meet the needs of the company than other vendors? What makes you and so special? With the competitive nature of business proposals, your aim is to make your proposal stand out and ultimately win the contract.
Planning a Proposal
To begin planning a proposal, remember the bones definition: a proposal is an offer or bid to practice a certain projection for someone. Proposals may comprise other elements—technical background, recommendations, results of surveys, information about feasibility, and so on. Only the difference with a proposal is that it asks the audience to corroborate, fund, or grant permission to practise the proposed project. If y'all programme to be a consultant or run your own business, written proposals may be i of your nigh important tools for bringing in business. And, if you work for a authorities agency, nonprofit organization, or a large corporation, the proposal can be a valuable tool for initiating projects that do good the organization or you the employee/proposer (and unremarkably both).
A proposal should contain information that would enable the audience of that proposal to decide whether to approve the project, to corroborate or hire you to exercise the piece of work or both. To write a successful proposal, put yourself in the place of your audience and call up nearly what sorts of information that person would need to feel confident having y'all do the project.
It'southward easy to get dislocated nearly proposals. Imagine that you lot accept a terrific idea for installing some new engineering science where you piece of work and you write upward a document explaining how it works and why it's then great, showing the benefits, then stop by urging direction to go for it. Is that a proposal? No, at least not in this context. It's more similar a feasibility report, which studies the merits of a projection and and so recommends for or against it. Now, all it would have to brand this document a proposal would exist to add elements that ask management for approval for you to get ahead with the project. Certainly, some proposals must sell the projects they offer to practise, just in all cases, proposals must sell the author (or the writer's organisation) as the one to do the project.
Persuasion- Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
Proposals are congenital on the three elements of persuasion: ethos, pathos and logos. A proposal's ethos refers to brownie, pathos to passion and enthusiasm, and logos to logic or reason. All three elements are integral parts of your business proposal that require your attention. Who are you and why should they do concern with you? Your credibility may be unknown to the potential customer and it is your job to reference previous clients, demonstrate society fulfillment, and clearly bear witness that your product or service is offered by a apparent system. By association, if your organization is credible the product or service is often thought to be more credible.
In the same way, if you lot are non enthusiastic about the product or service, why should the potential client get excited? How does your solution stand up out in the marketplace? Why should they consider you? Why should they continue reading? Passion and enthusiasm are non only communicated through "!" exclamation points. Your thorough understanding, and your demonstration of that understanding, communicates dedication and interest.
Each assertion requires substantiation, each point clear support. It is not plenty to make baseless claims about your product or service; you have to bear witness why the claims you lot make are true, relevant, and support your central assertion that your product or service is right for this client. Make sure you accept sources to back up your points. Be detailed and specific.
Types of Proposals
Consider the situations in which proposals occur. A company may ship out a public announcement requesting proposals for a specific projection. This public announcement—chosen a request for proposals (RFP)—could be issued through newspapers, trade journals, Chamber of Commerce channels, or private letters. Firms or individuals interested in the project would and so write proposals in which they summarize their qualifications, project schedules and costs, and discuss their approach to the projection. The recipient of all these proposals would then evaluate them, select the best candidate, and then prepare a contract.
Just proposals come well-nigh much less formally. Imagine that you are interested in doing a project at piece of work (for example, investigating the merits of bringing in some new engineering science to increase productivity). Imagine that you visited with your supervisor and tried to convince her of this. She might respond by saying, "Write me a proposal and I'll present information technology to upper management." Every bit you tin see from these examples, proposals can exist divided into several categories:
- Solicited or unsolicited. Proposals are solicited or unsolicited. A solicited proposal is 1 in which the recipient has requested the proposal. Typically, a company will ship out requests for proposals (RFPs) through the mail or publish them in some news source. Only proposals can be solicited on a very local level: for example, you could exist explaining to your boss how great information technology would be to install a new engineering science in the part; your boss might become interested and ask you to write up a proposal to practise a formal report of the idea. Unsolicited proposals are those in which the recipient has not requested proposals. With unsolicited proposals, you sometimes must convince the recipient that a problem or need exists earlier you can begin the main part of the proposal.
- Internal or external. Proposals tin can be internal or external. A proposal to someone within your organization (a business, a government agency, etc.) is aninternal proposal. With internal proposals, you may not have to include certain sections (such equally qualifications) or as much information in them. Anexternal proposal is 1 written from one separate, independent organization or individual to some other such entity. The typical case is the independent consultant proposing to exercise a projection for another business firm.
- Breezy or formal. Some other blazon of proposal is breezy or formal. An breezy proposal is a short certificate, just a few pages long, normally in the format of a memo or letter and includes fewer sections than a formal proposal. Breezy proposals generally include 6 sections: introduction, groundwork, programme, staffing, budget and authorization (Guffey et al., 2019). Formal proposals are longer, more than complex documents, and in addition to the six sections from the breezy report, they include many of the other sections found in a typical report: a letter of transmittal, title page, table of contents, listing of figures, executive summary, and boosted data in the appendices. They may also include a re-create of the RFR.
Common Sections in Proposals
You lot can be artistic in many aspects of the concern proposal but follow the traditional categories. Businesses look to meet data in a specific order, much like a résumé or fifty-fifty a letter of the alphabet. Each attribute of your proposal has its place and it is to your advantage to respect that tradition and use the categories effectively to highlight your product or service. Every category is an opportunity to sell and should reinforce your credibility, your passion, and the reason your solution is merely the all-time. Go on in listen that the sections included in your proposal are based on the blazon of proposal and the audience's needs. Figure 13.1 highlights some of the common sections found in a proposal. Effigy 13.1 provides an example of a proposal.
Re-create of RFP
Include a copy of the RFP you are responding to when submitting a proposal. A company undertaking a major project may send out different RFPs for different parts of the projection, so it is all-time to include the RFP to place which issue you lot are planning to address.
Letter of Transmittal
Equally with a formal report, include a letter of the alphabet of transmittal which should briefly place the issue you are aiming to solve and the benefits of your proposed program.
Executive Summary
The executive summary provides a summary of the proposal and highlights the master aspects of the proposal. If some data seems repetitive, remember that concern reports are non ever read in the order written.
Title Page
Write a title that clearly and accurately describes your proposal. Include the name of the organisation the proposal is for, the RPF number and the date. The title page should as well have the proper noun of the author(due south) and the author's organization.
Tabular array of Contents
The table of contents enables the reader to quickly notice the desired sections in your report. Format this page the way you would format the tabular array of contents in a formal report.
Listing of Figures and Tables
Include a list of figures and tables if your report contains numerous illustrations, diagrams and charts.
Introduction
Plan the introduction to your proposal advisedly. Make sure it does the following things (but not necessarily in this order) that use to your particular proposal:
- Betoken that the certificate to follow is a proposal.
- Refer to some previous contact with the recipient of the proposal or to your source of data about the projection.
- Find ane cursory motivating statement that volition encourage the recipient to read on and to consider doing the projection (if it's an unsolicited or competitive proposal) and to give you the contract to do the project.
- Give an overview of the contents of the proposal.
Groundwork on the Problem, Opportunity, or Situation
Frequently occurring just subsequently the introduction, the background section discusses what has brought about the demand for the project—what problem, what opportunity there is for improving things, what the basic situation is. It'south truthful that the audience of the proposal may know the problem very well, in which case this section might not be needed. Writing the groundwork section still might be useful, still, in demonstrating your item view of the problem. And, if the proposal is unsolicited, a background section is nigh a requirement as y'all will need to convince the audience that the trouble or opportunity exists and that it should be addressed.
Benefits and Feasibility of the Proposed Project
Near proposals discuss the advantages or benefits of doing the proposed project. This acts as an argument in favour of approving the project. As well, some proposals hash out the likelihood of the projection'due south success. In the unsolicited proposal, this section is particularly important as you are trying to "sell" the audience on the project.
When writing the plan, you desire to explain how yous'll get about doing the proposed work. This acts every bit an additional persuasive chemical element; it shows the audience yous have a sound, well-thought-out approach to the project. Likewise, information technology serves as the other form of background some proposals need. Remember that the background department (the ane discussed above) focuses on the problem or need that brings about the proposal. However, in this section, you discuss the groundwork relating to the procedures or technology you plan to use in the proposed piece of work. In one case once more, this gives you the proposal author a chance to prove that you know what you are talking near and to build conviction in the audience. Requite enough information in your plan to secure the contract, but don't include all the specifics (Guffey et al., 2019).
Schedule
Near proposals comprise a section that shows not simply the projected completion date but besides primal milestones for the projection. If you are doing a large project spreading over many months, the timeline would too bear witness dates on which you would evangelize progress reports. And if you can't cite specific dates, cite amounts of fourth dimension for each phase of the project.
Qualifications
Almost proposals contain a summary of the proposing individual's or organisation's qualifications to do the proposed work. Information technology's like a mini-resume contained in the proposal. The proposal audience uses information technology to determine whether yous are suited for the projection. Therefore, this section lists work feel, similar projects, references, training, and education that shows familiarity with the project.
Budget and Resource
Most proposals also contain a department detailing the costs of the project, whether internal or external. With external projects, you lot may demand to list your hourly rates, projected hours, costs of equipment and supplies, and so along, and and then summate the total cost of the complete project. Internal projects of course are non free, but yous should withal listing the projection costs: for example, y'all can list hours you will demand to consummate the project, equipment and supplies you'll exist using, and aid from other people in the arrangement.
Conclusions
The final paragraph or department of the proposal should bring readers back to a focus on the positive aspects of the project. In the final department, you can end by urging them to arrive touch to piece of work out the details of the project, to remind them of the benefits of doing the project, and reiterate the reasons your organization is the right choice for the project.
Special projection-specific sections
Remember that the preceding sections are typical or common in written proposals, non absolute requirements. Recollect about the following questions:
- What else might your audience demand to understand the nature and scope of the project?
- What else might your audition need to understand the benefits arising from the project?
- What other information might your readers need to be convinced to allow yous to do the projection?
- What else exercise they need to see in order to approve the project?
Format of Proposals
A professional document is a base requirement. If information technology is less than professional, you can count on its prompt dismissal. In that location should exist no errors in spelling or grammar, and all information should exist curtailed, accurate, and clearly referenced when appropriate. Information that pertains to brownie should be easy to find and clearly relevant, including contact information. If the document exists in a difficult copy form, it should be printed on a letterhead. If the certificate is submitted in an electronic course, information technology should exist in a file format that presents your certificate equally you intended. Word processing files may have their formatting inverse or adjusted based on factors yous cannot control—like screen size—and information tin can shift out of place, making information technology difficult to understand. In this case, a portable document format (PDF)—a format for electronic documents—may be used to preserve content location and avoid any inadvertent format changes when it is displayed.
Effective persuasive proposals are often brief, even express to 1 page. "The 1-folio proposal has been one of the keys to my business success, and it can be invaluable to yous too. Few decision-makers can ever afford to read more than one folio when deciding if they are interested in a deal or non. This is even more than true for people of a unlike civilization or language," said Adnan Khashoggi, a successful multi-billionaire (Riley, 2002). Clear and concise proposals serve the audience well and limit the range of data to forestall confusion.
You have the following options for the format and packaging of your proposal. It does not affair which you use every bit long equally you use the memorandum format for internal proposals and the business-letter of the alphabet format for external proposals.
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- Cover alphabetic character or memo with separate proposal : In this format, you write a cursory "encompass" alphabetic character or memo and attach the proposal proper later it. The cover letter or memo briefly announces that a proposal follows and outlines the contents of information technology. In fact, the contents of the cover alphabetic character or memo are pretty much the same equally the introduction (discussed in the previous section). Notice, however, that the introduction to the proposal proper that follows the comprehend letter or memo repeats much of what preceded. This is because the letter or memo may go discrete from the proposal or the recipient may not even bother to look at the letter or memo and merely swoop right into the proposal itself.
- Consolidated business-letter or memo proposal: In this format, you consolidate the entire proposal with a standard business letter or memo. Yous include headings and other special formatting elements every bit if it were a report. This consolidated memo format is illustrated in the left portion of Figure 13.2.
Revision Checklist for Proposals
As you lot reread and revise your proposal, watch out for problems such as the following:
- Make certain you use the right format. Remember, the memo format is for internal proposals; the business organisation-letter of the alphabet format is for proposals written from 1 external organization to another.
- Write a good introduction.
- Make certain to identify exactly what yous are proposing to exercise.
- Brand sure that a report—a written document—is somehow involved in the projection you are proposing to do.
- Make sure the sections are in a logical, natural club. For example, don't present the audience with schedules and costs before you've gotten them interested in the project.
- Break out the costs section into specifics; include hourly rates and other such details. Don't only include the final cost.
- For internal projects, don't omit the section on costs and qualifications: in that location will be costs, only non direct ones. For example, how much time will you need, volition there be printing, binding costs? Include your qualifications if you call back your proposal will go to somebody in the organization who doesn't know you.
- Watch out for generating technobabble. Yeah, some of your proposal readers may know the technical side of your projection—but others may not. Claiming yourself to bring difficult technical concepts downwards to a level that non-specialists can sympathize.
- Proofread and revise for grammer, mechanics and style.
Summary
An effective business proposal informs and persuades efficiently. Information technology features many of the common elements of a report, but its accent on persuasion guides the overall presentation. Writing constructive business proposals is a skill every business organization author needs. Plan your proposal well and only include the sections necessary to both inform and persuade your audience. Remember that though you lot are offering a solution to a problem, your main intention is to sell your service.
Cease of Chapter Activities
13a. Thinking About the Content
What are your key takeaways from this chapter? What is something you have learned or something y'all would like to add from your feel?
13b. Discussion Questions
- Have y'all always written a proposal? If yep, what were the sections you included?
- Search for an RFP (asking for proposal) or like call to bid, and mail service it to your class. Compare the results with your classmates, focusing on what is required to apply or bid.
- Identify a production or service you would like to produce or offer. Listing 3 companies that you would like to sell your production or service to and acquire more virtually them. Mail service your findings, making the link between your product or service and company needs. You may find the Web site on creating a business program (https://www.scu.edu/mobi/business-courses/starting-a-business/session-2-the-business-plan/#three) useful when completing this exercise.
13c. Applying chapter concepts to a situation
Nate was recently hired at the Green Grocers Supermarket as a role-time cashier. He only does the evening shifts every bit he has classes in the day time and wants to avoid having any conflicts in his schedule. A part of his daily duties includes balancing the cash register drawer at the end of his shift. When his colleagues do the evening shift, they accept to complete this task as well.
The possessor of the supermarket is concerned equally she notices that the cashiers are struggling to balance the drawer some evenings. She tries to resolve this event as inaccurate information is affecting the reliability of the record-keeping process.
Nate is aware of a costless software that the cashiers can utilize to complete their cash register balancing chore. This software tin save fourth dimension, eliminate human fault and store worksheets digitally instead of having the squad file hard copies each day. He shares this idea with his boss who tells him to submit it as a written proposal instead.
Write an executive summary outlining what Nate's proposal to his boss will include.
13d. Writing Activeness
Scout this video from TED.com on Trip the light fantastic vs. PowerPoint, a pocket-size proposal. Summarize the video. What do you lot think of this idea of using dance instead of a "boring" PowerPoint? Would it work in a business setting, why or why not?
Attribution
This affiliate contains data from Business Communication for Success which is adapted from a piece of work produced and distributed nether a Artistic Eatables license (CC BY-NC-SA) in 2010 by a publisher who has requested that they and the original author non receive attribution. This adapted edition is produced by the University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing through the eLearning Support Initiative,Business Communication For Everyone(c) 2019 by Arley Cruthers and is licensed nether a Creative Commons-Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license, and Online Technical Writing by David McMurrey and is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
Guffey, M. East., Loewy, D., & Almonte, R. (2019). Essentials of Concern Communication, Eighth Edition. Toronto, ON: Nelson Instruction /Cengage Learning.
Riley, P. G. (2002).The one-page proposal: How to become your business pitch onto one persuasive page (p. 2). New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Source: https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/businesswritingessentials/chapter/chapter-13-business-proposals/
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