How to Write a Student Project Proposal

Are you a student who must complete a student project as part of your course work? This generally means envisioning, planning for, and completing a project, writing a scholarly paper to describe the project, and doing a presentation before an audience. The project itself can be almost anything the student has an interest in. For example, high school projects have been completed on food preservation, brain scan technology, and conducting public opinion surveys, just to name a few.

Before you can start your project, you most likely have to write a proposal to describe what you have in mind and get your project approved. Uh-oh, you may be thinking, I’ve never written a proposal in my life; I’m really not a writer. Don’t worry—proposal writing is probably not as difficult as you think. You may have already been given a list of required pages by your teacher or mentor.

But in case you don’t have that list of required pages, let’s work from the first page of a proposal to the last. Keep in mind that you will also use most of these topics in your final paper describing your project, so including them in your proposal moves you one step closer to completion.

First of all, you might need a cover letter, simply stating that you’re presenting this proposal for consideration or approval, and giving your name (and contact information if needed). Then you should probably include a Title Page, naming your proposal, something like “Proposal to Study the Recycling Program in Our City.”

Next, you need a Goals or Objectives page, where you describe what you hope to accomplish with your project. For example, using the recycling project mentioned above, one of your objectives might be to document the flow of recycling in your area from curbside pickup to final destination; another might be comparing the cost of recycling to the cost that would be paid for not recycling.

You probably need a list of Resources, which could be people you will interview or reference materials you will study. An Assumptions page is often included, listing your best guesses about what will and won’t be possible. If your project uses a lot of terminology, you might need a page of Definitions.

You most definitely need a page about the Procedures you plan to use to accomplish your objectives, and you may need a Schedule page, too, to show when your procedure steps will take place. If you need to report in periodically, you might want to include a Reporting page that states at what points and how you will check in with your advisor about how the project is going. And you probably need a presentation page to describe how you will do your presentation and what it will contain.

In your final paper, you’ll use all the pages mentioned above, but you’ll also need to include annotations and a Bibliography showing the reference materials you used. You’ll also need pages with titles like Results and/or Conclusions to show the end result of your project.

Before you turn in your proposal or your final scholarly paper on your project, be sure to spell-check and proofread every page so you sound like a professional writer, and make sure each page looks professional, too.

You may be required to use a specific format for your student project. But if you’re free to decide how to put your pages together, you might want to start off with a product like Proposal Kit, which is designed for writing proposals and studies of all kinds. It contains hundreds of templates for all sorts of topics, and each template has instructions and examples about what might be included on that page—these are not there to tell you precisely what to do, but as reminders of information you might want to use.

Proposal Kit also contains lots of sample proposals for all kinds of businesses, grants, and studies—you can look at these to get great ideas on what to add to your proposal. You can choose various graphic designs, too, to make your paper look great. Other members of your family may be interested in using Proposal Kit, too, to create all sorts of business documents and research papers.

You should now be able to see your way forward to writing your student project proposal. Good luck on getting an excellent grade and lots of applause for your presentation!

Another type of student project proposal is one where the student has been tasked with writing a business proposal for a hypothetical situation.  Proposal Kit is also well suited for creating these types of student project proposals.

You would assemble a proposal framework from the pre-designed proposal templates, and using the instructions and examples as guides, fill them in with your own hypothetical information. Looking at the large collection of included sample proposals will give you a big head start deciding what types of topics to write about, what to say, and what types of numbers to put into your hypothetical costs, budgets, and so on.

One thing to keep in mind is to not directly copy samples for your student projects.  It may be tempting to shortcut the writing process however most teachers and educational institutions are well aware of how easy it is for students to copy material from online sources – and may be using plagiarism detecting software which would easily trace any copies of Proposal Kit samples back to their source.  So use Proposal Kit templates as a framework to create your custom student project proposal – and only use the completed samples and examples as guidelines to help give you ideas on how to write your own unique versions.

How to Write a Short Quote or Bid Proposal

Are you working in a business where you need to constantly dash off a short price quote or bid for each potential customer? This practice is especially prevalent in the building and home maintenance industries, and in some sales fields where bundle deals or discounts are commonly offered to various customers. You could just dash off a few notes and numbers on a piece of paper, but that is not likely to inspire confidence, especially if substantial money is involved in the project.

It’s best to meet the potential customer in person and hand them a business card, take down all the information you need—measurements, job requirements, restrictions, equipment needed, products desired, and so forth—and then head back to your office to write up a professional bid package.

It is increasingly common to have to generate detailed and professional looking quotes in the field for immediate delivery.

Customers are increasingly expecting everyone to be able to provide instant documents electronically. You may travel in the field with nothing more than a smart phone or tablet computer. In these cases you can generate detailed Acrobat PDF quotes from your tablet computer using pre-designed quote templates that can be instantly emailed to the client. You can also transmit the financial details of a job and basic requirements back to your office and have your office staff build and deliver a quote on-the-spot.

What should that quote or bid package contain? Start with a brief Cover Letter, reminding the potential customer who you are and summarizing the details of the project you discussed, and provide all your contact information so the customer can easily get hold of you.

Then include a Quote page, an Estimate page, or a Work Order form that indicates the cost for the work and might also include a request for a deposit. If you need an additional Contract form, add that. And if you offer a Guarantee for your work, it’s always nice to wrap up your bid with that page. Make sure all your pages look tidy and professional, and you’re done putting together a package for a short quote or bid.

If you are writing a longer bid with more variables, you might want to include a Statement of Work (a page that describes in detail what you are promising to do and when), and pages with Price Lists and/or Labor Rates so your potential customer understands the choices to be made and the costs involved.

If your job requires a lot of bid writing, your organization definitely falls into the “time-is-money” category, so consider investing in a specialized package like Proposal Kit to get a jump start on the process. Proposal Kit contains all the forms and contracts you’ll need, including all those pages mentioned above, as well as estimating spreadsheets you can use to calculate your quote.

The topic pages in Proposal Kit are professionally designed and laid out for visual appeal and include suggestions and examples to guide you. You can easily add your own company logo to personalize the pages. And the product includes tons of sample proposals, too, to review whenever you need ideas. Proposal Kit is great for every sort of business writing, whether you’re producing short quotes and business letters or complex reports and lengthy proposals.

How to Write a Photography or Media Services Proposal

If you’re in a media service business like photography or creating video production or sound recordings, then you are always looking for new clients. Most contracts in these businesses are of short duration, so you need to line up as many contracts and clients as you can. The best way to do that is to master the art of writing a business proposal.

You probably don’t consider yourself a writer, but creating a proposal is not difficult once you understand the basic structure and ingredients that all winning proposals need. You already know the services and the quality you have to offer, and you probably have a good idea of what most clients want, so you have all the basic information you’ll need. And after you have written one proposal, you’ll find that you can use a lot of the same information in every proposal from now on.

Let’s focus on structure, and you’ll see how easy writing a proposal can be. All service proposals have a standard structure: introduction, client-focused section, services-focused section, and then finally, a section focused on you or your organization.

The introduction part is very simple. The first thing you need in a proposal package is a Cover Letter that explains who you are, why you’re sending this proposal, and what you want the reader to do after considering your proposal. Naturally the Cover Letter should contain all your contact information, too, so the client can easily phone or email you with a response. A Cover Letter isn’t always part of the proposal, but should introduce your proposal when appropriate.

At the top of the proposal itself is a Title Page, which is exactly what it sounds like—just clearly label your proposal. Examples might be “Photography Proposal for Birchfield Wedding” or “Recording Services for QRX Band” or “Proposed Audio Book Recording of The Only Witness.”

Proposal Pack Photography #2

If your proposal is only a few pages long, that’s it for the introduction. If your proposal is complex, you might need a Table of Contents and a Client Summary page next—that’s a short summary of the most important points you want to make in your proposal, and such a page is generally only needed when there are executives who must approve your proposal but may not have time to read the entire package.

It’s important not to start off with a sales pitch that’s all about you. Save that for the last part of the proposal. Successful proposals are customized to the potential client. They are more about satisfying the client than about bragging about the service provider.

So, after the introduction comes the client-centered section. In the client-centered section, you prove that you understand your potential clients and their needs and concerns. Put yourself in your potential clients’ shoes. At a minimum, this section should have a Needs page that spells out what the clients have already asked for or are likely to ask for. For example, a photographer proposing a shoot for a sports magazine might list events that the client wants covered and an approximate number of shots per location or event, or a recording studio might list the number of recordings and the final formats that the client has asked for. In some cases, you might know more about what is needed than a new client, so be as specific as possible. This section might include a Requirements or Specifications page to spell out technical details, and topic pages like Budget or Limitations or Schedule that mention any concerns of the clients or restrictions on the project.

After you have described what the client wants or needs as well as any restrictions, it’s time to explain how you propose to fulfill those needs. Describe your services in detail. The pages in this section will vary according to your particular business and the project. Be as specific as possible about what you will do, when, and how much it will cost. You’ll probably want a Services page and a Cost Summary page, and maybe Options or Packages, Venue, Schedule, and Equipment or other topics that explain everything you have to offer. If you offer a Guarantee of satisfaction or a Warranty on a product you deliver, include that in this services-focused section, too.

In the final proposal section, it’s your turn to brag about yourself. Explain why you are the best choice for the project. You might include pages like About Us, Clients Served, Projects, Awards, Certifications, Testimonials—in short, anything that shows that you are an expert in your field and can be trusted to deliver on your promises.

That’s it—you’re done creating a draft of your proposal. Now, be sure to proofread every page to make sure there are no grammatical or spelling mistakes, and make sure every page looks good, too. If possible, enlist a person who is not familiar with your proposal to do the final check; it’s too easy to overlook mistakes and omissions in your own work. You want the proposal to represent you at your professional best. After every page is perfect, print it and mail or hand-deliver it, or package it in a PDF to attach to email, whichever method is most likely to impress your potential client.

Want to get a jump start and speed up the proposal writing process? Consider using a product like Proposal Kit, which is designed for writing all sorts of business documents and has professional layouts to make your proposal look great. The product comes with hundreds of templates to cover any topic you might want to include. Each template contains instructions and examples to guide you, so you’ll never feel clueless about what to put on a page.

Proposal Kit includes basic contracts that you can adapt for your own use, too. And as a bonus, there are also dozens of sample proposals that you can look through to get ideas of what others have done. You’ll find you use Proposal Kit over and over again to create winning proposals for your clients.

How to Write a Telecommunications Business Proposal

The telecommunications industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world today. The field includes a wide variety of organizations that do everything from telecom infrastructure, designing and manufacturing tablet computers to selling service plans to cell phone users.

Whether you specialize in building and maintaining wireless networks, satellite communications, or in creating the latest Wi-Fi reading application, you always want to grow your market share or get your new projects approved or funded.

These days, when competition is fast and global, it’s vital to constantly increase your client list or customer base, secure new projects, and form new partnerships.

After you identify a potential new project or beneficial relationship, how do you go about convincing the other party? The telecommunications business is complex: a brochure, phone call, or handshake is not likely to seal a new deal. You almost always need to spell out a lot of details, which means you need to write a business proposal.

If you’ve never written anything other than memos or in-house reports, the prospect of writing a proposal may sound like a monumental task. But it doesn’t have to be. All business proposals have the same goal—persuading the reader to agree to your ideas—and the best proposals share a common structure, too.

The first thing you should know is that a good proposal should always be customized for your potential customer or partner. Of course you’ll talk about your products and your organization, but you should describe them in terms of how they will meet the needs of the other party. To start, gather all the information you can find about the people who will be reading your proposal. What, precisely, is their business? What is their organization’s history? What do they care about? What do they already know about you, your project, or your products? What questions will they have? As you may have guessed, the biggest question most organizations have is “What’s in it for us?” So keep the benefits to your potential customer or partner first and foremost in your mind as you create your proposal.

A proposal has four basic parts: introduction, description of needs and requirements, description of project or goods or services offered, and description of your organization’s expertise.

When your reader opens your proposal packet, the first thing he or she should see is a Cover Letter introducing your proposal. Keep this short—just introduce yourself, explain why you are sending your proposal at this time, state what you would like the reader to do after considering the proposal (call you, sign the enclosed contract, set up a meeting, etc.), and provide all your contact information.

The next page should be a Title Page for your proposal. Simply give it a descriptive name. Some examples might be “Proposed Expansion of Transmission Network to Expand Wireless Coverage Area” or “Proposal by Smith Company to Provide Cell Phone and Internet Services to Jones Corporation.” If your proposal is long or complex, next you’ll want to include a Table of Contents and an Executive Summary—a list of the most important points. But you will need to create them after you’re done with the body of the proposal.

On to the next section: the description of needs and requirements. Put yourself in your potential client’s or partner’s position. What do they want or need? If you are responding to an RFP, that will be spelled out in detail in the RFP and you can simply repeat that information here. In other cases, you have to describe it for the reader. For example, one company’s traveling sales reps might need reliable, long lasting cell phones that can easily share information with company computers; another company might require cutting edge security software to encrypt their sensitive global transmissions. As well as describing the needs in this section, describe any requirements or limitations you know about. These might be costs, deadlines, or specific details such as devices, operating platforms, download speed, ability to interface with multiple networks in multiple countries, etc. In this section, you’ll have pages with titles like Problem Statement, Needs Assessment, or Goals and Objectives, as well as Requirements, Specifications, Performance Requirements, Interface Requirements, Limitations, Deadlines, Schedule, Market Demand and any other topic pages you need to describe the current situation.

Proposal Pack Telecom #1

Next up is the section where you describe exactly what you have in mind, taking care to explain how your project, products, or services will meet the needs and requirements of your potential client or partner. Include as many topics as necessary to fully describe your proposal—you want to show that you have a well thought out, detailed plan for success. The pages in this section can include a wide variety of topics, depending on your business and the project you have in mind. Most proposals will use general pages with titles like Intent, Project Plan, Products or Services Offered, Options, Cost Summary, Schedule, Benefits, and so forth. If you’re proposing to upgrade telecommunications equipment or software, you might want pages like Legacy Systems, Hardware, Software, Integration Plan, Training, and so forth. If you’re proposing a joint venture to develop a new device, you might want pages like Design, Prototyping, Collaboration, Investment, Responsibilities, Timeline, etc. In this section, try to anticipate questions the proposal reader might have, and provide answers in advance to show your ability to plan for all eventualities.

In the final section of your proposal, it’s time to explain why the proposal reader should pick you as a partner or supplier. Here, you’ll provide information about your Company History and Clients Served, similar Projects you’ve worked on, your Expertise, any special Certifications or Training you have, and perhaps information about your Team Members or company Personnel who will work on the project. If you have Awards, Achievements, Referrals, or Testimonials, include them in this section.

Now you have a first draft of your proposal. Take the time to proofread it carefully and make every page look and sound as professional as possible. Consider using special fonts or splashes of color to make it look attractive. Visual appeal is especially important in competitive situations where you need your proposal to stand out.

The more proposals you write, the easier the process will become, because you’ll reuse information and some topic pages will be the same in every proposal. However, always remember that customization is the best key to success—be sure to tailor each proposal to the specific organization and readers you are targeting, and explain how your ideas will benefit them and meet their needs.

You might also like to know that you can get a jump start on any proposal writing project with a product called Proposal Kit. It comes with dozens of sample proposals you can look at to get ideas, and over a thousand professionally designed topic templates, including all those listed above. Each template has instructions and suggestions to prompt you for information on that topic, so you’ll never sit and stare at a blank screen. Using Proposal Kit can help you efficiently create great-looking business proposals. It even includes a variety of contracts you can adapt for your particular purpose. You’ll use Proposal Kit over and over again for reports, studies, and other business documents, too.

How to Write a Vending Business Proposal

Are you trying to launch a new vending business, expand an existing one, or perhaps even sell your current vending operation to a new owner? The vending business usually involves multiple partners, because many different entities might own the vending machines, the buildings in which they are placed, the business of servicing and restocking the machines, and the products that go into the machines. So to close any vending deal, you will need to discuss how all parties will benefit. The odds are that your potential partner is going to ask you for a written proposal before he or she will be willing to join you or invest in your project.

If you’re a business owner used to sealing a verbal deal with a handshake, being asked to produce a written business proposal can be a little intimidating. Where do you start? Relax. The odds are that you already have most, if not all, of the information you need. You just need to organize it into the proper form for a business proposal.

Business proposals may be long and complex or short and simple, but all proposals should have four major sections: 1) Introduction, 2) client/customer-focused section, 3) product/service description and 4) a section about you or your organization. In the next paragraphs, we’ll look at these sections in more depth.

The first part of an introduction should be a cover letter, which is not actually part of the proposal but instead introduces the proposal. A cover letter should be brief: simply explain who you are and why you are sending this proposal, include a statement of what you’d like the reader to do after reading the proposal, and provide all the necessary contact information so the recipient can easily find you to ask questions or accept your offer. If your offer is valid only for a limited time, be sure to state that in your letter.

Now, at the front of the proposal itself, you need a Title Page, which is exactly what it sounds like. There’s no need to get fancy here. Simply choose a descriptive title, like “Proposal to Place Snack Vending Machines in Whatcom Community College Buildings” or “Proposed Supply Services for QRZ Vending Company.” If your proposal is short, that’s all you need in the way of introduction. If your proposal is lengthy or complex, you may also need an Executive Summary or Client Summary page, which is a list of the most important points you want the reader to understand, and a Table of Contents.

Next is the client/customer-focused section. This is where you prove that you have considered your potential partner’s needs and concerns. In other words, why are you pitching your ideas to this particular person or organization? Put yourself in their shoes. Why should they be interested in what you have to offer? You’ll need pages like Needs Assessment, Requirements, Deadlines, Limitations, and so forth to explain that you understand their position. The general idea is to demonstrate that your potential clients or partners have a need for your products or services and will benefit from the relationship you are proposing.

After you’ve explained that there is a need or desire that you can fulfill, it’s time to describe in detail exactly what you propose to do, how your ideas will benefit the other party, and what the costs will be. This is the section where you detail exactly what you are proposing, so the topics in this section will vary depending on your business idea. If you’re selling vending machines, you’ll describe the specifications of those machines as well as their cost. If you’re offering to stock machines with your products, you might include a list of products and a service schedule. If you’re asking to place machines in venues owned by other parties, you’ll explain the space and electrical requirements and describe how and when the building owners will benefit. If you’re selling your vending business, you’ll include documents like profit and loss statements for previous years, and earnings projections for the future. Be as specific as possible so that there will be no misunderstandings.

In the final section, you need to explain why the potential partner or client can rely on you to fulfill the promises you’ve made. Be sure to include topics that discuss your Experience and/or Training, including any relevant Certifications you might have. If you’ve worked on similar projects, or have a long list of satisfied clients, include those. It’s always best to let others praise you, so if you can include Testimonials or Recommendations, or describe Awards you’ve won, be sure to put them in this section.

That’s it—you’ve written a business proposal! Now, take the time to perfect it before you deliver it. Make sure it’s free of grammar and spelling errors, and make sure all the pages look good, too. Remember that the more competitive your business is, the more your proposal needs to stand out from the competition. You want it to represent you at your professional best.

You might like to know that there’s no need to start your proposal writing project by staring at blank pages. Proposal Kit is a product designed specifically to create professional-looking and sounding proposals and reports. It contains hundreds of templates you can put together in endless combinations.

Each template includes suggestions and examples of content to add to that page, so you’ll never feel stuck. If you need more inspiration, you can check out the dozens of sample proposals in Proposal Kit, too, and get ideas about other types of proposals. Proposal Kit has professionally designed pages that will help keep your reader’s interest and increase your success rate, and that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

How to Write a Franchise Business Proposal

There are many types of business franchises available for sale today: health foods, fitness clubs, pet stores, automotive parts or services, cleaning companies, fast-food, you name it.

At any time, there are franchisors—the overall owners who set up the branding and rules for a franchise business—wanting to sell individual franchises and expand their network.

On the other side of the equation, there are local entrepreneurs who want to become franchisees by purchasing a business from the original franchise company or from an existing franchisee/owner.

Whether you are the franchisor, an existing franchisee wanting to sell your franchise business, or a new potential franchisee wanting to buy a franchise, you need to find the best way to describe what you have to offer and what you propose to do. That means that you need to write a business proposal to buy or sell a franchise.

Writing a business proposal for a franchise should not be a daunting prospect. No matter which side of the franchise equation you are on, you must show that you understand what is expected from both parties, explain your plan and all its associated details, and persuade the other party that you can be trusted to carry out your part of the bargain. This is true in any business deal; some transactions are simply more complex than others.

All business proposals have a basic structure: introduction, then a needs/requirements section, followed by a description of what you are offering, and then a section at the end to persuade the reader that you can fulfill your promises.

First, you need to introduce yourself and your proposal. To do that, you’ll write a Cover Letter that briefly explains who you are, states your goal, and provides all your contact information. Then, you’ll create a Title Page to name your proposal something descriptive, like “Proposal to Sell the QRS Automotive Franchise at 100 Main Street” or “Health Club Franchise Opportunity in Maple Falls” or “Proposed Purchase of Hi-5 Hamburgers Franchise in Cedro Valley.”

Next is the section where you spell out the needs and requirements of the deal. If you are selling a franchise, you’ll need to specify the Requirements for purchase, which will contain descriptions such as a minimum cash investment, and perhaps a minimum net worth. You’ll also want to specify a Fee Schedule or Cost Summary specifying the ongoing fees that the franchisee will need to pay to the franchisor—these might include fees for advertising or marketing, percentages of royalties, and so forth. You’ll also need some topics that spell out what the franchisee is required to do. These might include pages like Expectations, Maintenance, Purchasing, Regulations, and Reporting. You might need Facilities, Design, Layout, or Uniforms that describe what the franchise and its products and employees must look like at all times. Topics will vary somewhat in this section, depending on the nature of the franchise. For a fast-food franchise, you might need a Menu page to spell out all items that must be offered; for a cleaning franchise, you might need a Services Offered page to describe the services that must be offered. Include all the topics you need to describe what is required of an owner of the franchise.

In the following section, you need to describe precisely what you are offering the other party. If you are the franchisor or a current franchisee, you will most likely include pages like Return on Investment or Projected Income to show what a new franchisee can expect to earn. Training and Advertising are usually big components offered by a franchise, as well as having an established Market Share and Customers and recognizable Branding. Usually there is an established line of Products and a standard Process for running the business, steps for every Procedure, and so forth—be sure to include everything the franchise offers to help the new owner be a success. If you’re selling an existing franchise, you might want to list your Staff or Team Members to let the prospective owner that these employees are available to stay with the business.

If you are seeking to purchase a franchise, you need to demonstrate that you can meet all the requirements for owning the franchise. You are offering your expertise, management skills, and funding to purchase and maintain the franchise. So in this section, you need to show that you have the necessary monies by including pages like Funding, Budget, and Investment. You also need to prove you have the necessary skills to make the business a success, so you may need pages like Education, Certifications, Experience, Management, Skills, or even a Resume. If you are bringing a management team to the franchise, you might need a Personnel page to show off the talents of your team.

In the final section, it’s time to persuade the proposal reader that you are trustworthy and can carry out the promises you have made. So if you have Testimonials, Awards, Referrals, or a list of Supporters, put them in this section. If you are selling the franchise and offer a Guarantee or Warranty of any kind, add that, too.

That’s it for writing the proposal. But spend a little time proofreading it and making it look good, too. You want your proposal to appear as professional as possible. If your proposal contains a lot of sloppy mistakes, the other party may assume you are just as careless in your business practices. It might be beneficial to hire a professional editor or proofreader to make a final pass.

There also may be additional legal requirements that must be adhered to when buying or selling a franchise. Legal issues are beyond the scope of this article. Make sure to consult your own attorney to ensure you are in compliance with all applicable laws.

Package up your proposal and send it via email as a PDF, or print it and deliver it in person or via a mail or delivery service. And be sure to follow up within a few days just to make sure it arrived and check to see if the recipient has questions.

You might like to know that you don’t have to start with a blank word processing screen. A package like Proposal Kit, which contains hundreds of topic templates and dozens of sample proposals, can make writing, formatting, and assembling business proposals much easier. Each template in Proposal Kit includes instructions and suggestions for what to include on that page, so starting with those can make your writing more efficient and thorough. The pages are professionally formatted, too, and you can even choose specific graphic designs or use your own logo to add visual interest to your proposal.

And don’t be fooled by the product name: Proposal Kit has everything you need to create dynamite proposals, but it’s also a great tool for creating all sorts of business documents. You’ll even find basic contracts you can alter for your purposes. And the library of sample business proposals is invaluable: there’s a sample for nearly every business type, including two sample proposals that deal with franchises. These samples will inspire ideas for what to include your own proposal. Overall, Proposal Kit is an inexpensive investment that can bring you great returns.

How to Write an Engineering Project Proposal

The term “engineering” can encompass so many different types of businesses these days, but there’s one thing they all have in common. Whether your company is automating a factory, fabricating parts for marine engines, or improving the efficiency of wind generators, you constantly need to line up new partners, secure new contracts, get projects approved, and find new customers. 

Because engineering is all about details, you can’t simply dash off a list of the products or services you offer and hope to finalize a deal that way. Instead, you will need to write a business proposal.

If you’ve just been assigned the task of writing a proposal for the very first time, you may be feeling a surge of anxiety. You know your business and you can explain your plans, but maybe you’re not a writer. Don’t fret—writing a proposal is not nearly as difficult as it may first seem. That’s because all good business proposals follow a basic principle and share a common structure.

The basic principle is: customize each proposal for the reader. This means always keeping the reader—your potential customer or partner—in mind when you present your information. The first question in most people’s minds is “What’s in this for me?” So focus on explaining the benefits of your proposal to the reader. Also, keep in mind the reader’s knowledge level—what do they already understand about your organization or your project? What questions and concerns will they have?

The common proposal structure has four parts: 1) an introduction section, 2) a customer/partner-centered section, 3) a detailed project description section, and finally, 4) a section describing your organization and experience.

Let’s look at the sections in more detail. The introduction section is short. You’ll simply write a Cover Letter that explains who you are, why you’re submitting this proposal now, provides all your contact information, and asks the reader to take the next step (call for a meeting, approve the project, etc.) after reading your proposal. Then, create a Title Page, which simply names your proposal. Examples might be “Proposed Retooling of Cutting Machines to Improve Efficiency” or “Smith Engineering’s Proposed Design for New Solar Panels.” Next, if your proposal is long, you may want to include a Table of Contents and an Executive Summary (a list of your most important points), but you can come back later and insert those.

The following section should be all about your potential customer or partner. Describe their needs and requirements. If you are responding to a formal Request for Proposal, then restate the requirements specified in the RFP document, as well as adding any others that you may be aware of, such as a general need for efficiency, cost savings, or matching the capabilities of competitors. Pages in this section will have names like Background, Problem Statement, Needs Assessment, Requirements, Limitations, Budget, Deadlines, Responsibilities, and so forth. Your goal is to describe in detail what your potential customer or partner wants and expects.

After you’ve described the situation from your reader’s point of view, it’s time to explain how you propose to meet all those needs and requirements. In this project description section, you will include all the details of your proposal, including what it will cost. Obviously, the topic pages in this section will vary widely from one organization to the next and from one project to the next.

Proposal Pack Concepts #1

At the very least, you’ll want pages like Project Plan, Schedule, Cost Summary, and Benefits. If you’re describing a complex project, you might want to include Specifications, Blueprints, Process Summary, Milestones, Subcontracts, or Oversight, just to name a few—the list of possible topics is long. Be sure to include all the pages you need to describe precisely what you have in mind. Including details shows you are an expert who knows what it takes to carry out a big project.

Finally, in the last section, it’s your chance to brag about yourself. Include all the information you have that will persuade the proposal reader that you have the expertise to deliver on your promises. You’ll want a Company History or About Us page, perhaps a list of Personnel or Team Members who will work on the project, a list of Clients Served or similar Projects you’ve worked on, and descriptions of any special Training or Certifications that you have that make you especially qualified to take on the project. Referrals, Testimonials, Awards and Achievements go a long way in convincing readers that you can be trusted, because it’s always more credible when outside parties recommend you than when you brag about yourself.

Before you send the proposal out the door, make sure the pages are free of grammatical errors, and be sure they look neat and attractive, too; you want each proposal to represent you at your professional best. You might want to use your organization’s logo, incorporate special bullet points or fonts, or add a colored border around the pages—graphic touches like this can help your proposal stand out when the competition’s tough, or when you simply want to “wow” your readers.

Now you know the basic principle and the common structure for a good proposal. You don’t have to start with a blank word processing screen, either. A dedicated product like Proposal Kit can speed up the writing project with hundreds of professionally designed template pages, and dozens of sample proposals. Each template includes instructions and examples of information to include on that page, so you won’t waste time wondering what to write. The samples show you how a variety of proposals and reports might look and what they could contain.

Naturally, Proposal Kit includes instructions and “best practice” articles about how to write winning proposals. There are even some boilerplate contracts you can adapt for your own purposes. Proposal Kit is a great productivity tool for any business that needs to write proposals, and it works for reports and studies and all kinds of general business documents, too.