10 Tips For Creating a Proposal That Gets Accepted CareerMetis.com

10 Tips For Creating a Proposal That Gets Accepted Source â€" Pexels.comProposals are necessary for business for a host of reasons, but the general purpose of a well-written one fits the same central theme: pulling all available information together in a concise and persuasive manner that helps you drive your point home.Proposals are typically confused with a similar document- a business quote- but there are many uses for a ‘proposal’ document in the modern business world. Here we will be focusing on the document needed when you are formally pitching an idea SSWM defines a ‘project proposal’ as “a detailed description of a series of activities aimed at solving a certain problem.’ Which brings us to our first tip:1) Pick a Good Problem That Needs SolvingevalDescribe to management why the problem is important. This problem could be any number of issues that a business faces internally: process improvements, cost reduction, or a new marketing strategy are a few examples. Be sure to describe what the problem is, exactly, what could be the consequence if the problem is not solved, and why the people you’re writing the proposal to should care.Be sure to describe The story you tell is not mechanics of what will be done, necessarily, but managers, stakeholders, and department heads alike will respond positively to what you will show, new ideas brought to the table, new insights presented. This is your chance to grab the decision maker’s interest and describe why the problem is important to the future of the organization.Note: the power of the story might be different in varying programs, so be sure to adapt your approach and tone of voice to fit your audience as you see fit.Go into depth as to why this story is important to the organization as a whole and how it affects the decision maker’s individual department. This is your opportunity to take a deep dive into the universal truths, surprises, or unexpected results surrounding the problem and how you see this being transformed by your proposed soluti ons.3) Describe WhatYou Will Do and How You Will Do ItThese are the most basic questions that every reviewer will ask, so it’s important that you get ahead of these questions when you can. Ask these questions of yourself and answer them in your proposal to satiate this basic curiosity from reviewers/stakeholders. Any time you can see an obvious ‘what’, be sure to answer that with a ‘how’.What: The questions that need to be addressed to reviewersHow: The methodology that will be used to address these questions4) Address Specific Research QuestionsevalWhen drafting a proposal to address internal organizational issues, it is important to use clear problem statements: pose questions that you identified from the above steps, show any initial results that you may have and demonstrate your methodology used to support any assertions from your research.At this point, questions alone aren’t enough information- anyone can pose a question. This is your opportunity to shine through t he proposal by demonstrating how you will address questions and problems associated with the proposal.This is also an opportunity to define near-term problems that you have an idea on how to attack. Take the time to explain these problems and how you plan on addressing them in the short-term.As much of an opportunity as this is to identify short-term issues and solutions, it’s also a chance to identify long-term problems- even if you only have a vague idea on how to solve them. This is an important step, it allows the reviewer to think about the problem critically and then provide guidance on some of these loftier, long term solutions as the situation develops.5) Do The Initial Work Before The ProposalevalLay the groundwork for your hypothesis before you even write the proposal for stakeholders and decision-makers. Doing this is extremely important as initial results demonstrate feasibility. This approach should be illustrative and explanatory to the reviewer in your proposal. Doi ng so provides supporting evidence and allows the reviewer to gain some amount of intuition behind your process and trust in your methodology.Illustrating the approachWhat is your motivation? Broadly describe the problem area and why it’s importantParagraph 2:Narrow it down- what is the specific problem you’re drilling into with this proposal?Paragraph 3:This is the most crucial paragraph- state your elevator pitch here “In this proposal, we/I…”Paragraph 4:At a high level, describe how this is different from past work or elevates previous work.Paragraph 5: Summarize the contributions of past work at a higher level and acknowledge how this contribution can change the organization from a long-term 10,000-foot perspective.eval8) Describe Broader Impact In OrganizationThis is an important criteria that will be utilized in the review of your proposal. It’s especially critical for large or medium sized proposals within an organization. Poor analysis of broader impacts can sink a larger proposal. The smaller the proposal, the more formulaic you can be with broader impact analysis.It’s important to understand what the broader impact of what you’re proposing to stakeholders will have on the entire department (or organization) so that you can speak to the higher level, long-term analysis of any problems that may be associated with your proposal once it’s been reviewed. Utilize any internal resources (including people and their ideas). You don’t have to be alone in this process- it can be an idea or an effort that you have collaboratively proven to work.9) Place Yourself In The Perspective Of The Stakeholder/ReviewerWrite to your audience. This is probably the broadest piece of advice that can be given, but perhaps the most effective. It’s crucial that you always remember who you’re writing to and why. In the case of a proposal, less is more. Take the time to be concise and edit down.Your reviewer shouldn’t have to dig to find the core story, un derstand the context behind the analysis, or any results of ideas that have been tested.Be sure to provide textual signposts to know where your higher level ‘story’ is going and provide context along the way so that they know where they’re at in the story. Clearly define problems, support with universal truths and facts and let the rest lie.Remember: write for the person you’re writing for, not yourself. Proceed to write your proposal with a thorough understanding of what the reader does (or doesn’t) know and provide only the information you’ve identified that they would want.10) Write From The Top DownThe majority of human beings tend to think this way, so it’s best to write for the way that we think! Clearly define your broader ideas, themes, and questions first and then dive into details. The importance lies in providing context and taking the time to clearly define problems with context often separates an approved proposal from a dismissed one.Even when you’re di ving deep into the details, continue writing from the top down to keep your writing clear and concise.Good Proposal Writing Takes Time!Don’t try to rush this process. The organizational structure wasn’t created in a day and changes won’t happen in a single day.Give yourself the time to reflect, write, review, and then refine your proposal before you send it off to stakeholders. Rely on colleagues and peer reviews before you submit a final draft to get a solid critique of the work you’ve put in.Don’t worry about contradictory advice- this is normal. Stick with the foundational aspect of writing for your audience and you should be fine.