Do you have to write a business proposal or proposal of any kind? Are you unsure of the proposal format and how it is written to draw the reader’s attention/ interest?
A well-written proposal does half of the work of getting it approved. Learn more about sample business proposals and how to write one.
What Is A Proposal And Its Uses?
A proposal is a written document that presents a specific plan of action or series of activities to be carried out once a higher-up approval is received.
Some projects and research require one to get their project or research idea approved before working upon it. The art of presenting such a detailed description is termed a proposal.
There are various circumstances in which a business proposal has to be used before getting your idea into action. Some of its uses include:
- It is used when a person wants to research a particular niche
- It is also used to sort out a business problem of cost reduction, process improvement or to come up with a new market strategy
- It can also be used to get a residential landscaping job
- It could be used by a supplier to get a potential client
- Used to persuade sponsors to invest in real estate or any type of project
- A company asking for a grant from a client
What Are The Main Types of Proposals?
There are mainly three types of proposals:
Solicited proposals
There are two types of solicited proposals named formally and informally. A formally solicited proposal is of four types: Request for proposal (RFP), request for quotation (RFQ), an invitation for bid (IFB), or request for information (RFI).
An RPF is a proposal made by customers to vendors or businesses that describes in detail the products and services they want to buy from them.
A request for quotation is a type of formal proposal also provided by the customer to a business agency or entities to request a bulk amount of community. Such proposals can be lengthy but shorter than the RPFs. The main concern of placing a proposal is not the cost of the community but its availability, delivery process, and quality.
Customers also issue iFBs to contractors such as construction companies where the price is the main consideration.
Requests for information are often put before the above type of proposals. A customer can choose to first issue a request for information to gain deeper insight into the product or service.
Unsolicited proposals
Unsolicited proposals are just prospects that specify no direct connection with customer's needs and requirements. These are often used as residual at the end of giveaways, meetings, or shows.
What Should a Proposal Include?
A business proposal or a project proposal should essentially include the following:
Title page
A title page is important to specify the nature of the project in a few words.
Abstract
An abstract should be followed next that entails the summary of the proposal to get the reader ready for the contents in the proposal.
Table of contents
If the proposal is too lengthy, it is good to add a table of contents with page numbers to make it easy for the reader to jump from one part to another.
Budget
A business or research proposal should also include the cost involved if the proposal would be approved. An estimate of the budget should be the main highlight.
Purpose of proposal
It should also specify the purpose clearly, significance, and list of references.
How To Write A Proposal?
Keep the following things in mind to write a proposal in a specified format:
Identify the reader
Before beginning writing the proposal, it is essential to know that you keep the reader in mind. Would your proposal interest your reader? How can you persuade your reader to approve your proposal?
Define the problem
Secondly, the proposal should first define the problem your proposal would be finding a solution for. Explain what the problem is and why.
Define the solution
Thereafter, provide a viable solution to the problems mentioned above. The solution should be explained in detail and how it will be achieved.
Cost
Lastly, mention the benefits of the proposal to support its approval and persuade the approver.
It should also provide a detailed breakdown of the estimated costs involved in completing the different elements of the project.
Words of thanks
You can also conclude the proposal by thanking the reader for the time. Leave your contact information as well to enable the reader to contact you if the proposal interests them.
As you can see, writing a proposal is important. If you want to give your best shot, check out our exclusive collection of proposal templates now.