Jargon in Proposals
Jargon is great–as long as everyone understands the jargon you use. If they don’t, though, they’re missing the point you’re trying to make.
Proposal writing
Improving your proposal win rate requires you write proposals that are persuasive, compelling, and customer-focused.
Proposal Writers Are Salespeople
Too many people in the proposal development world think of themselves as “technical” writers. In fact, proposal writers are salespeople who sell on paper.
Choosing Who Should Write Your Content
Proposal writers write. Everybody else should be supporting the writing effort.
Capitalization…in Moderation!
Some writers feel the need to capitalize words more than is actually necessary. Fortunately, there are capitalization rules to guide us.
It’s OK to Use Contractions in Your Proposals
In the old days, formal business writing precluded the use of contractions. In today’s informal world, contractions are fine.
Use Active Voice to Improve Proposal Clarity and Credibility
Use active voice when writing proposals. Your writing will be clearer, and you won’t sound like you’re trying to hide something.
Making Your Proposals Friendly to Colorblind Readers
If you use color graphs and charts to communicate information in your proposals, then the 8% of men and .5% of women who are colorblind may not understand.
Proposal Readability: Is Your Proposal Easy to Skim?
Most people do not read a proposal cover to cover. If you want to increase its readability, make it easy to skim.
Avoid Using Client Logos in Your Proposals
Including your client’s logo in your proposal can be risky. Resist the temptation.
A Memo to Proposal Reviewers: Be Concise!
When reviewing a proposal, it’s better to remove unnecessary things than it is to add more words. Be concise.
How Many Spaces After a Period
When writing proposals, use a single space after a period.
The Absolute Best, Most Spectacular Proposal Article Ever Written in the History of All Time
A satirical look at the overuse of superlatives in business writing. It really is the best article ever written on the topic.
Proposal Mistake #2–Writing Proposals that are Informative, Not Persuasive
A proposal is a sales document, not an informational document. Include the necessary information, but make it persuasive.
Proposals: Length vs. Excessive Length
When writing proposals, say what needs to be said. No more. You can say more if you want, but it just makes your proposal longer and less likely to be read.
Just One More Comma, Please!
If you add just one more comma at the end of a list, you will make your writing clearer.