Proposal Writing: The Art of Friendly and Winning Persuasion Book

1	Marketing and Proposal Strategy	1
	Building Personal Relationships	2
	The Sales Proposal Process: 12 Steps to Success	2
Stage #1	Breaking In	3
Stage #2	Getting Known	5
Stage #3	Clinching the Job	8
Stage #4	Following Through	9
	The In-House Proposal Process: Five Steps to Success	10
	The Bid/No Bid Process: An Informed Decision	12
	The Strategy Process: Seven Steps for a Winning Plan	14
	Summary	22
	Exercises	23
2	Proposal Management	25
	Proposal Functions	26
	Proposal Organizations	28
	Control of Proposal Development Costs	28
	Organization and Staffing Approaches	30
	Process Definition, Training, and Scheduling	32
	The Documented Process	32
	Training	33
	Scheduling	34
	The Proposal Management Process	36
	Effective Meetings	44
	Summary	47
	Exercises	48
3	Preparing to Write	51
	The Summary Outline and Requirements Matrix	52
	The Amplified Outline	56
	Storyboards	57
	The Benefits of Storyboards	63
	The Challenges of Storyboards	64
	Mock-Ups	64
	Summary	66
	Exercises	66
4	Writing	69
	Understanding Your Reader	69
	Obstacles Readers Face	70
	Preproposal Communication with the Customer	71
	Analyzing Reader Needs	72
	The Principles of Organization	74
	Basic Writing Rules	80
	Proposal Writing Rules	82
	Overcoming Writer's Block	90
	Summary	91
	Exercises	93
5	Graphics	95
	Factors That Influence the Use of Graphics	96
	General Rule for Graphics	100
	Specific Rules for Nine Common Graphics	108
	Rules for Pie Charts	108
	Rules for Bar Graphs	111
	Rules for Line Graphs	115
	Rules for Schedules	118
	Rules for Flow Diagrams	120
	Rules for Organization Charts	121
	Rules for Formal Tables	125
	Rules for Drawings	128
	Rules for Photos	132
	Summary	135
	Exercises	136
6	Sales Letters and the Executive Summary	141
	Why and When to Write Sales Letters	141
	Rules for Writing Sales Letters	143
	Tips for Writing Transmittal Letters	148
	Examples of Effective Sales Letters	149
Example #1	Letter of First Contact (Cold Call Letter)	149
Example #2	Letter After a Phone Call	151
Example #3	Letter After a Meeting	153
Example #4	Letter of Reacquaintance (Refresher Letter)	155
Example #5	Transmittal Letter (Cover Letter)	157
	Rules for Developing Executive Summaries	159
	Summary	162
	Exercises	163
7	Formal Proposals	165
	Formal Proposal Features	166
	Solicitation Instructions	167
	U.S. Government Customers	167
	Grant Providers	172
	Other Customers	176
	Rules for RFP Support and Use	179
	Formal Proposal Rules	186
	An Example and a Critique of a Formal Proposal	196
	Summary	213
	Exercises	214
8	Informal Proposals	217
	Letter Proposals	217
	Rules for Developing Letter Proposals	218
	An Example and a Critique of a Letter Proposal	221
	Memo Proposals	226
	Rules for Writing Memo Proposals	227
	An Example and a Critique of a Memo Proposal	230
	Summary	235
	Exercises	236
9	Reviews	239
	Rules for Holding a Formal Review	241
	Summary	248
	Exercises	248
10	Editing	251
	The Editing Process	251
	Levels of Edit	253
	Scheduling Edits	253
	Assigning an Editor	254
	Editing Tools and Policy	255
	Rules for Improving Style	258
	Rules for Correcting Grammar	265
	Rules for Proofreading	277
	Summary	280
	Exercises	281
11	After Proposal Submittal	285
	Rules for Responding to Customer Questions	286
	Oral Presentations	288
	Preparation and Delivery Rules	291
	Rules for Making and Using Oral Presentation Graphics	296
	Tips for Overcoming Nervousness	299
	Negotiating	302
	Rules for Negotiating	303
	Strategies for a Best and Final Offer	305
	Post-award Rules	307
	Summary	312
	Exercises	313
Enclosure (1)	Bibliography	317
Enclosure (2)	Exercise Solicitation and Evaluation Criteria	319
	Index	329