How To Write A Business Proposal With Strength and Confidence

Knowing how to write a business plan will get you on your way.

But knowing how to write a business proposal that is strong, confident and creates a win-win environment will seal the deal.

And that is what a business proposal is all about: win-win. Right up front, before anything else is written, the basis of that relationship must be stated if you are to write a business proposal that wins.

For startups and smaller companies, take a look at some strong business plans, and adapt those to your needs.

And answer the 800 pound gorilla questions:

• What do they get out of it?
• What do you get out of it?

How to write a business proposal.

When we coach business people in how to write a business proposal, we tell them to be as specific as possible. For example:

I understand from Nate Collins, your Western Sales Manager, that your warehouse has difficulty shipping enough squidgets at one time, that they rot in transit. We have the solution to that problem.

or

When the citizens committee mandated retail development in this zone, they didn't anticipate the difficulty you would encounter in locating strong retail candidates. I can provide those retail outlets for you.

or

As one of the best companies for women to work at, you are well aware of the need for child care that your employees can rely upon. I understand your reluctance to have a child care center on site. So I have another solution.

The first sentence or two is the hardest part. From there, go on to describe your product/service. Emphasize your willingness to work with them to come to a mutually beneficial solution. Emphasize, too, how your company, your product, your service is THE right solution.

Include many of the elements of a standard business plan, but keep it focused on a partnership for success. Knowing how to write a business proposal is knowing how to present your company in a strong, cooperative light.

When you think you are done, run your proposal through the 7 step auditing process used by top editors. You will be amazed at the errors you will find.

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