Proposals that Work: Secrets to Submitting a Winning Proposal Every Time

Four secrets to submitting winning proposals that you can put to use right away.

Written Jun 19, 2008, read 266 times since then.

Have you ever submitted an online bid for a project and never heard back from the buyer?

Have you received quote requests from your website's contact form and sent the quote, but the requestor didn't reply?

Mostly, this is the nature of the business, right? In my opinion, that is only half-true. I'm going to share four secrets to winning proposals that you can put to use right away.

Secret #1: Get Personal!

I've actually had a client say to me that one of the reasons she picked me was because I addressed her by name. How hard is that? Not hard at all - but it seems not everyone actually does it. If you know the name of the client (or can figure it out - for example, a client with an email address of "Allison.lastname@thiscompany.com" is probably named Allison!) make sure you always, always, always address the client by his or her name.

Start with "Hi [client name]" or simply "[Client name]" followed by a comma in your response.

After all, you were selected by the buyer to submit the proposal. You can return the favor by at least showing that you cared enough to call them by name!

Secret #2: Show that you understand the project needs!

I'm amazed at the responses I get to my job postings sometimes. It is so obvious when a potential provider did not read the message entirely. Take the time to understand what the client is looking for before saying you can do it. For example, if the request clearly asks you to respond with your related experience and you neglect to include it or don't want to, you've missed the boat and probably won't be contacted again.

You will stand out from the crowd when you completely address the client's needs.

Secret #3: Don't rattle on and on!

Be clear but be concise. If you're going to make any assumptions about the client, assume this: he or she does not have all day to read your proposal!

Every sentence in your proposal should be completely relevant and necessary. Do a relevancy check before submitting - review your proposal and take out all of the hype and fluff. Focus on

your related experience,
your solution to their problem, and
how you plan to work with them to address their needs.

Secret #4: Specifically say that you want the project!

Don't forget to say that you're interested in the project. Who's going to win between two otherwise equal providers: the one who says she's interested or the one who doesn't?

The winner always talks about the fact that she's interested in the project at hand. With interest comes perfection. You could do a job you're not interested in well enough but you could do a job you are interested in very well and that's what you want.

Give these secrets a try next time you reply to an online RFP. or bid request. I've been on both ends of the RFP stick, as a corporate employee AND entrepreneur, and I can promise you that using a little energy to perfect your proposal using this key principles will increase the likelihood that you're selected every time!

Learn more about the author, Tia Peterson.

Comment on this article

Posted by Tammy Redmon, Olympia, Washington | Jun 19, 2008

Tia, Your article caught my attention as this has been a topic of several conversations with colleagues. It is definitely an art form to not just writing good responses but ensuring they meet the need of the requester so that, you get a call back. Thank you for the easy (and seemingly overlooked) tips to creating a solid RFP response.

Specifically Tip #4 was most helpful. I have never thought to be specific as to 'wanting' the project. I make sure to express gratitude for the opportunity but not expressing how 'interested' I am in the project. I will add this to my toolkit for future RFP responses.

I also really like tip #3 and would add to ensure that while you are specific, you allow good "white space" on the page. Bullets, short paragraphs and space for the eyes to smoothly read the content is key. You demonstrate this well with your article.

Thanks for sharing your secrets! I will let you know how they work on future RFP responses.

Make it a great day! Tammy Redmon

Deepen Your Learning...Forward Your Action
Posted by Kimberly LeRiche, Cornelius, Oregon | Jun 19, 2008

Great article. I agree with all of your points. I would also add to be sure to proofread, proofread and then proofread again as typos and grammatical errors can be a big put off.

Also, be aware than when responding to an RFP with a price quote be sure to list which currency you are quoting in the event that they are outside of the Us.
Posted by Brandi Pierce, Seattle, Washington | Jun 20, 2008

Hi Tia,

I like how you put this list together and would like to believe that some of these should be common sense. Then again, it amazes me what people don't know -- including myself some days!

I guess it goes back to that old adage of "Live and Learn," right?

Cheers! =)

Brandi

Come realize the power of COLOR.
Posted by Jacob Caldwell, Seattle, Washington | Jun 20, 2008

good stuff Tia! This works well for normal emailing as well.
Posted by Elge Premeau, Portland, Oregon | Jun 20, 2008
Great article Tia. One thing I would add would be to get as specific as possible in your proposal. I typically put 3 - 5 hours into proposals for two reasons:
1. It prevents the dreaded scope creep
2. It shows the recipient that you have paid attention to their needs and have crafted a unique solution.
This doesn’t mean you tell them how to solve the problem. You enumerate what needs to be done to get to their desired result.

(This is also a good way to justify charging more than the competition.)
Posted by Jen Vondenbrink, Foxboro, Massachusetts | Jun 20, 2008

Thanks for the tips. As Brandi said, they should be common sense, but some days we are in such a rush that we overlook the obvious. I also agree with Elge about taking your time to create a thorough proposal. Scope creep can suck up your time, money and energy.

Thanks!
Posted by Sean Love, Dallas, Texas | Jun 20, 2008

I agree... I run from project to project trying to bring in more business and forget sometimes to have somewhat of a relationship with the client ... your number one secret.

Great tips and I will probably land a few more deals by setting up a template and following those guidelines. Well, using the template format but keeping those secrets as top priorities when presenting. :-)

Thnx
Posted by Judy Dunn, Seattle & Renton, Washington | Jun 20, 2008
This is a great topic for an article, Tia, and your tips are helpful.

Having been a grant proposal writer for 15 years (both government and private sector funders) and having sat on review panels, I would also add:
1. Details, details, details- think through your process and be as specific as you can.
2. Format- Use bold headings and Tammy's comment about white space is so important, (be easy in the weary eyes of those readers).
3. Budget- I have seen such general budgets that you have no idea what the money will be spent on. This is one of the most crucial areas and the one that your reader/reviewer will most likely look at first. I have seen readers who pull the budget/dollar quote out first and if it looks good, they will go bak to the narrative.
While online bids may seem different from grant proposals, the same principles really apply.

Thanks for the great advice, Tia.

Seattle Copywriter
Posted by Tia Peterson, Erie, Pennsylvania | Jun 20, 2008

Thanks, Judy! Those are great tips. I agree that the same principles apply.

And thanks, Jacob for your remark about normal, back and forth emailing because it is so true.

Regards,

Tia