What Are the Different Types of Proposals? 6 Tips for Writing Them

It’s important you learn the different types of proposals there are as well as how to effectively write a proposal that gets results. Continue reading this article as we go through the different types of proposals and top tips for writing them.

What Is a Project Proposal?

A project proposal is a document used to tell what is going to happen with a project. That project might be internal or external. Some of the things included in a project proposal might be what date the project is going to start, the goal of the project, project requirements, and how the proposer expects to make these things happen.

Types of Proposals

Before you start writing your proposals, you need to understand the different types of proposals. Knowing what type of proposal you’re writing will help you hone in on what you need to say and convey.

• Formally solicited
• Informally solicited
• Unsolicited
• Continuation
• Supplemental
• Renewal

Don’t let project proposals scare you off. Once you learn how to write them, they aren’t as scary as they sound. Let’s get into the important tips you need to know.

1. Know the Purpose of Your Proposal

Your proposal shouldn’t be telling people about what you do. Proposals are not about providing basic information. Leave that for information packets.

When someone opens up your proposal, they should already know who you are. If they are scratching their head like they do when they see an unfamiliar friend on Facebook—not good.

Your proposal needs to make sense to the person that is reading it. For instance, if your product or service is more expensive than what they are currently using, you need to make a case for why they would make the change to your company.

Keep in mind that you have to convey enough value that people are going to want to go through the trouble of making the change as well. If there isn’t enough of a reason for them to go through the trouble, they will likely stay where they are.

2. Gather Intelligence

If you write your proposal without knowing enough about the potential customer, it is going to show. Researching and gathering information will allow you to speak more directly to the customer.

You don’t want to use the same proposal you use for another client. Even if the other client you pitched was in the same industry, no two clients or two people are the same.

If you can talk to people within the organization that know the problem you can solve, that will be the most helpful to your research because it will be insider information.

3. Build a Strong Foundation

Before your proposal crosses their desk, you need to do some work to build a foundation.

As we talked about in point number one, they need to know who you are. If they don’t—your proposal is dead in the water. Well, it’s probably dead in the wastebasket.

You can build a strong foundation by either creating a personal connection or by getting your company to well-known status.

If you opt to go the personal route, you can go to networking events and create connections until you get to the decision-maker. If you opt to go for generating recognition in the public eye, you can use effective digital marketing practices, billboard advertising, email marketing, and more.

4. Writing the Executive Summary

The executive summary is not a summary of the proposal. It is a summary of the issues you know they’re having, what your plan is to fix it, and what results you guarantee.

You need to get this part right if you want them to move on to the body of the proposal. If your executive summary falls short, they’re never going to make it to the actual proposal.

5. Writing the Proposal’s Body

Now you’re getting into the thick of things. The body of your proposal needs to take your case the rest of the way.

You have to tell how you’re going to do the work you talked about during the executive summary. Here you will provide details like who is going to work on the project, what experience you have in this arena, and you’ll show why you’re the smartest choice for this work.

If the potential client has already provided a template to structure your proposal, make sure you don’t tweak it, or they might throw out your proposal for a lack of ability to follow directions.

6. Make It As Good As Possible

Once you have everything written out and you’ve made your case for why your solution is the best in the business, it’s time to get rough.

Go back through your executive summary and the body of your proposal.

Is there anything that isn’t absolutely necessary in the proposal? Can you save them time by cutting out extra examples that probably won’t make that much of a difference in their decision?

These people are busy, and they appreciate brevity. You aren’t going to get points for making your proposal longer than necessary.

Getting Good at Writing Different Types of Proposals

The more you practice, the better you’ll get at writing different types of proposals. Once you develop this skill, you’ll notice things start to change for the better with your business.

Do you want to learn more about business and other important topics? Keep reading our blog to get the help you need.