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Technology


Tuminello The Client Coach
How to build strong business relationships
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July 10, 2002

How to write a winning proposal

By RANDY TUMINELLO
The Client Coach

Remember those cruel days in grammar school standing at the board diagramming sentences and conjugating verbs? (To this day I still cringe at the mention of the word “infinitive.”) At the time, I doubt any of us realized just how important our writing skills would become. For many of you, I’m sure that it’s not at all unusual to have a half dozen proposals stacked on your desks at any given time. Proposal writing is a big deal. With so much at stake, I thought it might be a good idea to review a few fundamentals.

1. Do your homework first. The hardest proposals to write are those where you have to make up stuff because you know very little about the client, the project, or both. Don’t waste your time. Proposals steeped in ignorance have a way of making unforgettable impressions. They stick in the mind of a client like bugs on a windshield! Do the research. Gather the hot buttons. Absorb the issues. The facts will give you more than enough material to write effectively. Don’t write anything based upon assumption. Assumptions kill.


 
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