Continued from page 1
And, that's why many experts suggest that proposals address at least three specific areas:
problem,
solution, and
process (by which
solution takes care of
problem).
It's important to note, too, that proposals for differentiated products or services should not focus on you or your organization. Leave
kudos about yourself until you've covered
problem, solution, and process. And, make
part about you shorter than
first part of
proposal.
Sophisticated proposal writers also know they can increase their chances of winning by carefully studying
buyer's problem. By showing
buyer they understand
problem better than competitors, they give themselves an advantage.
There's another important distinction between proposals for commodities and differentiated products. In
case of commodity purchases,
buyer may not be
user of
product or service, likely reinforcing
objectivity effect. On
other hand, buyers who purchase differentiated or value-added products may be
users as well.
In summary, be strategic when you write a proposal, thinking through what type of proposal you're creating, and by addressing issues in
prospect's mind.

Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Learn how you can use communication to help achieve your goals, by reading articles or subscribing to this ad-supported newsletter. An excellent resource for leaders and managers, at: http://www.communication-newsletter.com