Writing Business Bids and Proposals For Dummies

Acquire the necessary skills to win business through proposals, bids, tenders, and presentationsthis hands-on guide is your partner for success

You have in your hands the collected knowledge and skills of the professional proposal writer. Proposal writing is a profession a growing and increasingly important one and an essential part of a broader group of business development professionals who plan and execute strategies for businesses who want to obtain new customers. Proposal writers have a professional organization the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) and their best practices are the foundation for this book.

Proposal writing is a skill you can learn, practice, and master; you can even go through a professional certification process to prove your mastery.Writing Business Bids& Proposals For Dummies is your no-nonsense guide to finding out what professional proposal writers know and for applying it to your own business.

If you're a small- to medium-size business owner, a first-time proposal writer in a medium-size company, or a sales representative, you know that a written proposal (printed or electronic) is still a common, personal, and effective way to win business. Written in plain English, Writing Business Bids& Proposals For Dummies will help you to:

• Know the difference between reactive proposals (the RFP or request for proposal) and proactive proposals
• Focus on the customer by going beyond their requirements to address their true needs
• Know your competition through research and analysis
• Write persuasively to develop a winning business proposal
• Plan and use a repeatable proposal process
• Incorporate a lessons learned aspect to your proposal process
• Use tools and templates to accelerate your proposals
• Motivate and lead your proposal team to ensure they're on the same page
• Use graphics to enhance your proposals
• Learn ways to automate your proposal development process
• And a whole lot more

Additionally, you'll gain access to ten templates for building a proposal, find out ten common misconceptions about bids and proposals, and add a compiled list of online resources to your toolset. Grab a copy ofWriting Business Bids& Proposals For Dummies to start sharpening your proposal writing skillset.

Association of Proposal Management Professionalspromotes the professional growth of its members by advancing the arts, sciences, and technologies of winning business. APMP is the worldwide authority for professionals dedicated to the process of winning business through proposals, bids, tenders, and presentations.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Understanding Proposal Development 7

CHAPTER 1: Introducing Bids and Proposals 9

CHAPTER 2: Understanding Different Types of Proposals 25

Part 2: Focusing on Your Customer 53

CHAPTER 3: Building Customer Relationships 55

CHAPTER 4: Giving Your Customers What They Ask For (And More) 77

CHAPTER 5: Sizing Up Your Competition 103

Part 3: Planning Your Approach 123

CHAPTER 6: Developing Your Proposal Process 125

CHAPTER 7: Setting Yourself Apart From Your Competitors 155

CHAPTER 8: Keeping Your Proposal on Track 169

Part 4: Creating Your Proposal 193

CHAPTER 9: Developing Your Proposal 195

CHAPTER 10: Applying the Principles of Good Writing: Structuring Your Argument 221

CHAPTER 11: Making Your Proposals Look Good 251

CHAPTER 12: Getting Your Proposal Out the Door 275

Part 5: Taking Your Proposal to the Next Level 297

CHAPTER 13: Using Tools and Templates to Accelerate Your Proposals 299

CHAPTER 14: Leading Proposal Teams Effectively 323

CHAPTER 15: Making Each Proposal Better than the Last 345

Part 6: The Part of Tens 363

CHAPTER 16: Ten Templates for Building Your Proposal 365

CHAPTER 17: Ten Common Misconceptions about Bids and Proposals 371

Appendix: Online Resources 379

Index 383