Writing Business Bids and Proposals for Dummies

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.