Writing Business Bids and Proposals For Dummies (ePub)

Acquire the necessary skills to win business through proposals, bids, tenders, and presentations--this hands-on guide is your partner for success

You have in your hands the collected knowledge and skills of the professional proposal writer. Proposal writing is a profession -- a growing and increasingly important one and an essential part of a broader group of business development professionals who plan and execute strategies for businesses who want to obtain new customers. Proposal writers have a professional organization -- the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) -- and their best practices are the foundation for this book.

Proposal writing is a skill you can learn, practice, and master; you can even go through a professional certification process to prove your mastery. Writing Business Bids & Proposals For Dummies is your no-nonsense guide to finding out what professional proposal writers know and for applying it to your own business.

If you're a small- to medium-size business owner, a first-time proposal writer in a medium-size company, or a sales representative, you know that a written proposal (printed or electronic) is still a common, personal, and effective way to win business. Written in plain English, Writing Business Bids & Proposals For Dummies will help you to:

* Know the difference between reactive proposals (the RFP or request for proposal) and proactive proposals

* Focus on the customer by going beyond their requirements to address their true needs

* Know your competition through research and analysis

* Write persuasively to develop a winning business proposal

* Plan and use a repeatable proposal process

* Incorporate a lessons learned aspect to your proposal process

* Use tools and templates to accelerate your proposals

* Motivate and lead your proposal team to ensure they're on the same page

* Use graphics to enhance your proposals

* Learn ways to automate your proposal development process

* And a whole lot more

Additionally, you'll gain access to ten templates for building a proposal, find out ten common misconceptions about bids and proposals, and add a compiled list of online resources to your toolset. Grab a copy of Writing Business Bids & Proposals For Dummies to start sharpening your proposal writing skillset.