How to Write a Response to a Private Sector RFP

You’ve decided to respond to a Request for Proposal (RFP) from a private company. You’ve got the RFP paperwork in hand, or maybe you read the requirements on the company’s website. Now you’re wondering how to get started.

Writing a response to a private sector RFP is no different than writing any other proposal, except that you’ve been given a bit of help up front by having your potential client spell out their requirements and invite you to submit a proposal (perhaps with some rules to follow as well).

The most important aspect of proposal writing is to tailor your proposal for the people who will read it. You need to be able to put yourself in their position, understand what is important to them, and convince them that you have the solution to their needs. So study the RFP carefully, and if you need to do further research to understand the organization that put out the RFP, do it before you start writing. You want to create a proposal that will impress those particular readers and help them make a decision in your favor.

Next, consider the organizations that are likely to compete with you. Check out their websites and their promotional literature, so you can make sure to pitch your proposal to sound better than theirs.

Then gather all the data for your proposal. Of course you need to respond to the requirements specified in the RFP, but you also need to represent your organization in the very best light. Assemble a list of the similar projects you’ve worked on and clients you’ve worked for, as well as any awards, special achievements, or testimonials you want to highlight. Get a write-up of the history of your organization, and determine all the contact information and links you want to share with the proposal readers.

Consider all the information you want to include. It’s always best to offer as many hard facts and figures and details as possible. You might need website links, photos, illustrations, or blueprints; descriptions and prices for your products and/or services; and so forth. Creating a proposal will go a lot faster if you have all the information you need at hand when you sit down to write.

Then, when you have a plan and you’ve gathered all the information you want to include, sit down and begin. Start with a cover letter to introduce your proposal and your organization. Then include a title page at the front of your proposal—you might want to add on a table of contents and an executive summary of important points later, but odds are this is all you need for the first proposal section, the introduction.

Now, to write the body of the proposal, you’ll work from front to back in the following general order: description of problems/needs/goals/opportunities, description of your solutions to those problems/needs/goals/opportunities, and then description of why you are the best pick for the job.

So, describing the process in a bit more detail; you would first write a section that specifies all the needs and requirements of the requesting organization. This should be easy, because you have their RFP in hand. If you know of any additional needs or goals they have not specified (such a desire to gain market share or maintain state-of-the-art technology), or if you perceive an opportunity that they haven’t mentioned, you can include those in this beginning section, too.

Next, you’ll describe precisely how you propose to meet the needs and requirements you just described. Be sure to explain all the details, including schedule and costs. This proposal section could have a lot of different topics, depending on the complexity of your proposed project.

Finally, describe the pertinent history of your organization, as well as your expertise. Include everything you need to persuade the proposal reader that you can be trusted to successfully fulfill all the plans you laid out in the previous section.

Make sure to use an RFP Cross Reference and Compliance Matrix to ensure you have not missed any important requirements. Adding these to your response can also help readers locate the important information they requested. A structured and easy to follow proposal is one that stands a much better chance of winning.

After you’ve finished the first draft, get others to review it. Make sure all the wording is grammatically correct, make sure all the links and references are correct and current, and make sure the pages look good.

Then deliver your proposal via email in PDF format or print it and deliver it to your prospective clients. And don’t forget to follow up to make sure they received your proposal, and ask if they have any questions.

You might like to know that you don’t have to start your proposal project by staring at a blank computer screen. You can get a big boost by purchasing a product like Proposal Kit, which comes with hundreds of proposal topic pages, dozens of sample proposals, and tons of instructions and helpful articles. The pages are professionally designed to look great, and include instructions and examples of information to include on those pages. Using Proposal Kit can make responding to an RFP a breeze instead of a chore.

How to Write a Request for Proposal (RFP)

If you’re a Proposal Kit enthusiast, you already know how easy it is to use the product to create all sorts of proposals to respond to RFPs.

But when your organization is offering a grant or looking for contractors to provide services or products, you can also use Proposal Kit to create a Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit proposals from others.

The selection process will go much smoother if you provide your potential respondents with a proposed structure and list of information to help them send you detailed, readable proposals.

If you have already responded to an RFP using Proposal Kit, you know the response process: you read the RFP requirements, and then select templates you want to use in your proposal, assemble them together and fill them in.

To create an RFP, simply assemble a list of Proposal Kit topics until you have all the information in the order you would like to receive it from the RFP respondents. One popular technique is to think as the proposal writer and select all of the topics you would include if you were responding to your own RFP. This will help you decide what important topics you want responders to tell you about their products, services and solutions.

Now, due to licensing agreements for the Proposal Kit software you can’t legally send those Proposal Kit templates to others, but you can use the list of template titles and some of the information and suggestions on those template pages to create an outline for your RFP then fill in the topic pages with the information you are requesting as a series of questions.

Consider carefully all the information you need to receive from respondents so that you can efficiently pick a winner. If the project you are undertaking or the grant you are offering is a reasonably simple one, then you might be able to squeeze all the information you need on a page. But if the project you are considering is complex, you can also use the Proposal Kit templates to state the problem you are try to solve, the need you want to fulfill, or the opportunity to take advantage of; as well as the requirements and schedule for the RFP process.

So an RFP might look something like this:

• Introduction page, where you introduce the grant or project and organization soliciting proposals, and provide contact information.
• Problem Statement, Needs Assessment, or Opportunities page, where you describe the issues to be solved or the opportunity available.
• Requirements page, where you list the requirements that must be met by the RFP respondents. These might be product or process specifications, location requirements, budgetary or timing restrictions, experience or certifications required, and so forth.
• Suggested Outline for Proposal page, where you list all the topics you want to see in the proposals, along with a little information about the details each page should contain. (You can use the Outline template for this.) This way you can just send an outline of topics and questions as a bullet list in the Proposal Kit's Outline template instead of including all of the actual Proposal Kit topics you selected in the process above.
• Schedule page, where you list the deadline for submission of proposal along with the method and address for submission, and the date that a winner will be selected along with your methodology for posting results.

The more specific and detailed you can be in your RFP, the more likely you will receive all the information you need to make a good decision. You’ll also spend less time on the phone or in email answering questions from respondents about the information you want, or asking the respondents for more detail about the proposals they submitted.

Just like with a proposal, you should proofread the RFP to be sure it sounds and looks businesslike and represents you in a professional manner. After you have included all the information you need to tell the world what you’re looking for and why, then package up the RFP pages in a PDF and send it out or attach it to a website for download.

You might also use the Proposal Kit's Compliance Matrix to make your own list of items that must be addressed in the RFP responses. As you evaluate each response you can check off and rank all the items as you find them in the responses. Creating a ranking system can also help you objectively evaluate complex RFPs.

It is important to note that every individual and company who is writing their proposal responses has to have their own licensed copy of the Proposal Kit software. This means you can’t send other companies the Proposal Kit templates to fill in and return back to you as their own submitted proposal – unless you are planning on purchasing licenses for everyone who will be using the Proposal Kit software. You can suggest they purchase a copy of Proposal Kit to create their response if they do not already have a proposal writing system in place.

How to Write a Farming / Agricultural Business Proposal

Are you in the business of agriculture, or planning to get into it? If you're running a big, established farm operation, you may be selling crops the traditional way, through brokers and middlemen, and see opportunities to pitch new ideas. Or you may be selling or servicing industrial farming equipment.

If you’re a small farmer or a specialty operation, or if you’re looking to start up such an organization, you’ll be searching for new customers, or funding, or both.

The best way to begin your quest is to learn how to write a business proposal. Writing a proposal doesn’t have to be hard. You know the business. You know what you want to do. The next question is: how well do you know your potential customer or funding organization? You need to keep that person or organization in mind at all times while writing your proposal, because (of course) your objective is to persuade them to do business with you.

How do you start off a proposal project? By writing a simple Cover Letter. Just introduce yourself and your proposal, explain what you’d like the recipient to do after reading the proposal, and provide all your contact information. Next, create a Title Page for your proposal. Choose a descriptive title, like “Funding Request to Start a Local Organic Farm,” “Plan to Increase Efficiency in the Smith Farm Operations,” or “Fresh Local Produce Delivery for Your Restaurant Chain.”

The next pages should be a description of what your potential customers or funders need and want. Put yourself in their position, and describe the need, as well as any limitations or deadlines you’re aware of. For example, markets may not be keeping up with the demand for kosher beef in your area; or perhaps there are no Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs in your county, and customers are driving to the next county to buy produce subscriptions.

Pages in this section will have titles like Needs Assessment, Market Demand, Restrictions, Opportunities, Schedule, and so forth.  If you are applying for funding to start or enlarge an operation, you may have received a checklist of items you need to provide, and you can insert that checklist here. Funding topics may include Funding Request, Use of Funds, Repayment Plan, and various financial topics that a lender will want to see.

After you have described the need or opportunity, it’s time to describe the solution by providing all the details about what you propose to do. This section could have any number of pages, based on your plans and ideas. For example, if you want to sell products to restaurants or stores, you’ll want to include pages describing your Products and their Availability, as well as explaining Costs and Distribution or Delivery Details. You might describe different Deals or Options, or tell about your Organic or Environmental practices. If you are starting a farming operation, you might describe your Project Plan and Schedule as well as your existing or needed Real Estate and Equipment. If you propose to provide a service to existing agricultural operations, such as Consulting, Packaging, Transportation, Training, or Services, then you'll want to describe all the tasks you will do.

Proposal Pack Agriculture #1

After you have thoroughly described the need or opportunity and your proposed solution, it’s time to describe why you can be trusted to deliver on your promises. In the final proposal section, you should describe your Company History, your Personnel or Team Members, your Expertise, and your Experience. If you’ve worked on similar Projects, add a page listing them. Include pages about any special Training or Credentials you have, as well as any Referrals or Testimonials that others have given you. If you’ve won Awards or have a list of special Achievements, you’ll want to put those in this final section, too.

Remember that recognition by others is always more credible than bragging about yourself.

That’s it—now you understand that the basic structure of a business proposal is 1) introduce yourself and your plan, 2) explain the needs/opportunities and requirements, then 3) describe the solutions you propose that will meet that need or take advantage of that opportunity, and 4) describe why you can be trusted to carry out your plan.

After you have written the first draft of your proposal, take the time to proofread and polish the wording and the appearance of all the pages. You want your proposal to represent you at your professional business best.

Want more guidance? Making a small investment in a proposal writing product like Proposal Kit could give you a big head start on writing a proposal. Proposal Kit comes with hundreds of professionally designed topic pages, including all those mentioned above, and dozens of sample proposals you can check out for ideas. Two of the sample proposals are agricultural proposals. There are even contracts you can adapt for your own use.  You’ll find that you use Proposal Kit over and over again for all sorts of documents.

How to Write a Legal Services Proposal

Law firms are always looking for new clients. If you’re an attorney practicing family law, you may be able to grow your client list by sending out simple brochures listing your services or by networking at social events.

But if you want to land lucrative contracts with companies—providing corporate counsel, outsourced services, negotiating contracts, and handling employment issues, you’ll need to write a more in-depth proposal explaining what your firm can do.

You are probably accustomed to writing legal briefs or contracts, not business proposals to market your services. But writing a business proposal is not the “hard sell” you are probably imagining. That’s because a good proposal should never be all about you. Instead, it’s about your clients, about what they need and want. So the very first step is to put yourself in the position of the executives at the company you want to work with, and remember these are your proposal readers.

There is a definite order to a good proposal. It starts with an introduction, then moves to a section that describes the client’s needs and requirements, progresses into a description of the services you will provide to meet those needs and requirements, and then finally, explains why you are the most trustworthy organization to provide those services.

Let’s work through those sections in order. Start with a Cover Letter explaining who you are and why you’re sending this proposal right now, and providing all your contact information. A Cover Letter should also include a “call to action,” which is a statement of what you would like the proposal reader to do next—come in for a meeting, sign a contract, go to your website, and so forth.

Proposal Pack Justice #1

Then, you need a Title Page for your proposal, something like “Legal Services Proposed by JPK Law Firm for XRQ Corporation.” Next, if you end up with a very long or complex proposal, you may want to come back and insert an Executive Summary (a page with the most important points you want to make) and a Table of Contents here after you’re done writing the first draft. Otherwise, that concludes the introduction section.

The next section is the one that is most obviously all about the potential client. Here, you’ll describe the client’s needs and desires and discuss any requirements or limitations that you are aware of. If the client company has experienced legal problems in the past, describe those in this section. Pages in this section will have titles like Needs Assessment, Background, History, Known Issues, Company History, Requirements, Problems, and so forth. Your aim in this section is to show that you understand the needs and goals of your potential client.

The legal industry generates enormous amounts of paperwork (both paper and digital) which in many cases has laws and regulations that need to be addressed. A legal services proposal may also need to outline Records Management issues and services.

After you’ve described the problem (the need for legal services, or perhaps the need to change legal service providers), you will describe your solution to that problem in the next section. Here you will provide details about the Services Offered by your firm, perhaps details about your Personnel who will provide those services, and a Cost Summary about how much those services will cost. Be sure to include all the topic pages you need to thoroughly explain what you propose to do for your client.

Then, in the final section, it’s time to talk about why you are the best legal firm to provide the services you have described. Here you should include pages that describe your Company History or Personnel, your Training or Credentials, other Clients Served, any Awards or Achievements you have earned, and any Testimonials that you have collected from satisfied clients. Your goal in this section is to convince the reader that you can be trusted to fulfill all the promises you made in the previous section.

That’s the basics of writing a proposal for legal services. Of course, you still need to proofread the proposal to make sure the wording is perfect, and make sure it looks nice, too—potential clients may judge the quality of your future work based on the quality of your proposal.

Most attorneys are accustomed to using a variety of specialized products to do research and billing. You might like to know there’s a specialized product for writing business proposals, too: it’s called Proposal Kit. It comes with hundreds of professionally formatted topic pages and includes sample proposals, too. The topic pages are templates with instructions and examples of the type of information that would typically go on that page, so you don’t have to sit staring at a blank computer screen and wondering what should come next. All of the pages mentioned above are included in Proposal Kit, as well as hundreds of topics that could be used in any sort of proposal, study, or report. If you want to get a jump start on proposal writing, start with Proposal Kit.

How to Write a Safety Proposal

No matter what sort of business you are involved in, you’ll probably need to consider safety issues at some time or other. You might need to assemble a safety report for your management, discussing issues within your company.

If you’re in a heavily regulated industry such as construction, manufacturing, or transportation, you may be required to produce a safety plan before you can begin a new project.

Or perhaps you’re in the business of promoting safety or selling safety equipment to others, in which case you need to pitch your goods or services to potential customers. In all these cases, you need to know how to write a basic safety proposal.

You are most likely a manager or a salesperson, not a writer. But don’t worry. It’s not as hard to write a proposal as you might think. Every business proposal has a basic structure: introduction, a section that discusses needs, followed by a section that describes the proposed solution (usually goods and/or services) to those needs, and finally, a section that describes the supplier of those goods or services. In the case of an in-house proposal, the final section might also describe the background of the proposal writer.

Notice that the section about you comes last. That’s because a good proposal should be focused on what the client needs or what the situation calls for. After you prove you understand those needs and have proposed solutions to meet those needs, then it’s time to tell the reader why you are worth listening to.

You could start off with any blank word processing file and create your proposal from scratch. But if you want to make your life easier, and especially if you have a need to write multiple proposals or reports, it might be wise to invest in a product like Proposal Kit. Like the name implies, Proposal Kit is designed for writing proposals (as well as other business documents). The product includes templates, instructions, samples, and simple assembly software that will make the process of writing proposals and reports quick and painless.

Proposal Pack Security #3

Let’s work through a basic safety proposal from start to finish. First, the introduction section: simply write a brief cover letter explaining who you are, why you’re writing, and what you’d like the reader to do after considering your proposal (this last bit is commonly known as a “call to action”). Be sure to provide contact information so the reader can easily find you to get additional details. After the cover letter, you’ll want a title page, which is exactly what it sounds like: just a name for your proposal, like “Safety Plan for QRS Company” or “Safety Supply Services Proposed for FGH Company.” If your proposal is reasonably simple, that’s all you need in the way of an introduction section. If your proposal is long or complex, you might want to include a Table of Contents followed by an Executive Summary (a list of the major points you make in the proposal).

Next comes the needs section. Here you should prove that you understand your potential client and/or the situation in question. Simply put yourself in the shoes of the proposal readers. What questions will they have? They want to understand your reasoning, so research the company or situation and describe any pertinent history or background. Have there been accidents in the past that must be prevented in the future? Is your company retrofitting your corporate campus to prevent potential earthquake or hurricane damage? Does a client need new safety equipment or workplace safety training? Are new regulations in place that must be followed? What limitations might the decision makers have (like budget or time)? Describe all these needs and requirements.

Following the needs section is the solution section. Explain how you plan to meet the needs you just described. The pages in this solution section may vary greatly, depending on what you are proposing. For example, you might be asking management to institute an in-house training program for the company’s truck drivers. Or you might be selling safety equipment such as hard hats, hazardous materials suits, and fall restraint systems to mining companies or construction supervisors. You could be explaining the changes your manufacturing company must make to meet new government regulations. You may be proposing a new, safer system for packaging and transporting chemicals across the country. In any case, describe exactly what it is that you are offering or proposing to do. You also need to explain the costs, as well as any options and scheduling issues associated with your proposal.

Finally, it’s time to explain why you are writing this proposal. Describe your experience, your training, any awards you’ve won or certifications you have, and list past clients, referrals, or testimonials—in short, tell the reader why you are the best person to do the job or make these recommendations. Finally, repeat your “call to action,” asking readers to take the next step—call you to set up a meeting, sign the contract, fund the program, whatever you want them to do next.

Proofread your proposal, making sure spelling and grammar are correct, and check each page to make sure it looks appealing. Remember that your proposal represents you; you want it to look and sound professional. Then print your proposal or package it as a PDF file, and deliver it to your readers.

That’s it! Not so intimidating, is it? You know your business, you know the ideas you need to pitch to your readers, and now you know how to structure a proposal. Time is money, and you want to present the best proposal you can, so consider giving yourself a big head start with a professional product like Proposal Kit. It includes templates for almost every topic you can imagine, and each template page has instructions and examples to remind you of the information that belongs on that page. Proposal Kit has a variety of graphic designs, so you can be sure your proposal will look as professional as it sounds. There are all kinds of sample proposals and reports, too, for a wide variety of businesses and projects. You might purchase the package to write your first safety proposal, but you’ll find that you use Proposal Kit over and over again.

How to Write an Invention or Patent Proposal

Have you or your work team invented a new technology that should be patented by your company? Or do you already have a patent that you want to license to another company?

It’s vital to document all the aspects for a patent and follow through on all the legal steps to register and license patented technologies. Whether you want to convince your management to apply for a patent or want to persuade a potential client of the benefits of licensing your patent, you will need to write a proposal.

You are most likely a designer or an engineer, not a writer, so writing a proposal might sound a bit intimidating. You’ll soon see that doesn’t need to be, though, because all proposals should follow a certain four-part structure: 1) introduction, 2) reader-focused section, 3) a section describing your ideas and plans, and 4) the all-about-you section.

Let’s work through those sections from the beginning down. The very first item in a proposal package should be a Cover Letter or, in the case of an internal company document, perhaps a Memo page. This page should be concise: simply state who you are and why you are submitting this proposal, state the action you’d like the reader to take after considering the proposal information, and provide all the contact information the reader needs to easily find you.

Next, the topmost page of the proposal should be a Title Page, which is exactly what it sounds like. Just name your proposal in a descriptive fashion, like “Proposal to Patent the QRX Screening Technology” or “Offer of Patent License to Davidson Manufacturing.” If your proposal is reasonably simple, that’s all you need in the way of an Introduction section. If your proposal is more complex, you may need to include a Table of Contents and an Executive Summary, which is simply a list of the most important points you want every reader to understand.

Proposal Pack Science #2

Now for the reader-focused section. Put yourself in your readers’ shoes. What will they want to know? What are their requirements or concerns? How will your proposal benefit them? This section should include pages describing Needs or Requirements and Benefits, at the very least. This is where you describe why your management or your potential client should consider your proposal, how it will fulfill their needs and help them reach their goals, and how your plan will benefit them. This section is all about the reader.

In the next section, the description of ideas and plans, you include as many topics as necessary to describe your proposal. If you are proposing to patent an invention, you probably need to describe the aspects of the technology that should be patented, as well as the steps in the process and who should be responsible for following through.

If you are proposing to license your existing patent, then you should explain any details the readers need to know about the patented technology, as well as the licensing terms you are offering and what it will cost. Here you might need pages like Nondisclosure, Restrictions, Procedures, Costs, Limitations, Competition, Innovativeness, and so forth.

In the final all-about-you section, your goal is to convince the proposal reader that you are a trustworthy expert. Include all the information about your Education, Experience, Expertise, and Certifications. You might want to include a Resume or Biography, a list of Patents that you hold, a Company History or About Us page, any Testimonials you have about the patented technology, and so forth. Again, put yourself in your readers’ position. Supply the information needed to persuade them that you are professional and dependable.

After you have inserted all the information you need in your proposal, take a little time to proofread and format it—you want your proposal to represent you at your professional best.

The first proposal you write may take you some time. But you will find that each subsequent one is easier to write, because although you need to customize each proposal to the specific readers, all your proposals will contain a lot of the same information.

You don’t have to start your proposal writing project with a blank word processing screen, unless you prefer that challenge. Using a dedicated product like Proposal Kit will save you a lot of time and confusion. Proposal Kit includes all the topic templates you’ll need, including all those mentioned above. Each template has suggestions and examples of information to put on that page, so you’ll never feel lost.

There are well over a hundred sample proposals for you to check out, too, including a couple of samples focused on patents and licensing. Need nondisclosure forms or other basic contracts? They’re in Proposal Kit, too; you can simply modify them to suit your own needs. Proposal Kit was designed for writing business proposals, but you can use it for reports, studies, and information packets, too. It’s a great product for general business use.

How to Write an Energy / Resources Business Proposal

These days the topic of energy is always in the news. As emerging economies expand and new technologies develop, everyone’s looking for more fuel to power devices and motors, whether that fuel comes in the form of electricity, petroleum products, or another type. There’s a lot of buzz about government energy policies, energy efficiency, alternative energy products, and wise use of natural resources to create energy for the future. It’s an exciting time to be in the energy business.

But there’s also a lot of competition. If you’re heading a startup company, marketing a new product, or seeking a grant to do energy research, it can be hard to get noticed among the crowd. Sooner or later, you will need to write a proposal to pitch your ideas and products to the right audience.

If you are an entrepreneur or a technical expert, the thought of writing a proposal might make you anxious. The odds are that you feel more comfortable with equations or equipment than with words. You could always hire a professional writer to create a business proposal for you, but you will still have to supply the information, so consider creating at least the rough draft on your own. It’s not as difficult as it might seem. All good business proposals follow a basic structure, and you don’t have to start off with a blank page, either. Focused products like Proposal Kit can give you a great head start with templates, sample proposals, and professional graphic designs.

Before you start any proposal, you need to gather information about three topics:

• Your audience—your potential client, customer, or supporter. In other words, who will read your proposal? What do you know about your readers, and what do they know about you? It’s never a good idea to send the same proposal out to multiple parties in the hopes that it will appeal to someone. You need to customize each proposal and target it to the specific readers who will receive it. Researching your potential clients and readers can take time and effort, but that effort makes your proposal much more likely to succeed. And winning the contract or the funding is your goal, isn’t it?
• Your proposed goods, services, or project. What are you pitching? Are you selling solar panels, offering to retrofit a building for energy efficiency, or seeking funding for a new gas well or coal mine? What benefits will your proposal bring to the reader? What will it cost?
• Your credibility. What makes you better than your competitors? Why should the readers believe that you can fulfill all your promises?

After you’ve gathered your thoughts and data about the above, it’s time to sit down and write. A Cover Letter should come first, of course. Keep it simple. Include only a statement of who you are and what you want the reader to do, and be sure to provide all your contact information so they can easily locate you to get details or to accept your proposal. If there are time constraints or deadlines, be sure to mention those, too. And it’s always a good idea to include a “call to action” statement, urging the readers to take the next step—call you for a meeting, sign the contract, vote for your proposal—whatever you want them to do after reading your proposal.

Proposal Pack Energy #1

Next, create a Title Page for your proposal. Simply name it clearly: some examples might be “Proposal to Reduce Electricity Consumption through Retrofitting the XGR Campus” or “Proposed Wind Turbine Farm in Rust County.”

If your proposal is long or complex, the next pages should be a Table of Contents and an Executive Summary, which is basically a list of the most important points you want to make. You’ll need to produce a Table of Contents after you’re done writing your proposal, but this is where it should go.

Now for the body of your proposal. In the first section, you should demonstrate what you know about your reader—your potential client, customer, or supporter. Show that you understand their goals and that their organization or constituency has a need for your proposed goods or services. In other words, why are you sending this proposal to them? If you’re aware of their constraints and requirements, be sure to include those, too. Don’t brag about yourself or your ideas yet—this section should be all about your readers.

After you’ve proven that you understand the current situation and the need that you propose to fill, it’s time to move on to the next section. Here, you will explain exactly what you are proposing, how it will benefit the proposal reader, and what it will cost. The topics that make up this section will vary greatly, according to your business and your offerings. For example, a company selling on-demand water heaters might include a comparison of traditional tanks and on-demand systems to show energy savings per year, while a company proposing to drill for natural gas might include descriptions of the technologies they will use and the environmental protections they will put into effect. A proposal to research the capture of methanol in dairy farms would need to explain how the research would be conducted. This section would also typically include pages like Costs and Benefits and Schedule.

The final section of the proposal should be all about you. Explain why you can be trusted to deliver on your promises. You’ll need pages like Company History, Clients, Testimonials, Projects, Certifications, Awards, Expertise, Training, etc.—in short, anything that shows you know what you’re doing or are the best in your field.

The last page of your proposal should be a Call to Action, where you simply ask your reader to take the next step. In other words, now that they’ve read your proposal, what do you want them to do next? Be specific, and provide any details they might need, such as contact information or important dates that must be considered. This might repeat information in your cover letter, but that’s a good thing; you’re reminding them what you want them to do.

That’s it for the basic draft of your proposal. Now, make sure to get someone with a good editorial eye to analyze and proofread each page, because if there are a lot of mistakes in your proposal, the reader may conclude that you are sloppy in your business practices. Spend some time making sure that your proposal looks professional, too. A product like Proposal Kit can help with this step by offering a variety of professionally designed graphic themes to choose from.

That’s it! Now deliver your proposal by the method that makes the most sense and is most likely to impress your readers. If you don’t hear from them within a few days, follow up with a friendly phone call to make sure they received it and know you’re available to answer questions. Good luck!