Writing a successful business proposal requires the combination of many skills. Read on for a guide on how to write a successful and irresistible business proposal.

Running a business successfully needs planning till the last detail. A business proposal is very important, if you are about to initiate a new venture or even wish to enlarge the current business. Business proposals are very essential when it comes to giving a presentation or conveying a basic point of what the company is all about. For this, one has to follow certain business etiquette to make a deep and lasting impression in the corporate business world, especially in terms of drawing the attention of investors. A business proposal should have a definite goal. The objective of the business proposal should also be defined before writing. An effective business proposal can give the reader an idea about the aim of the company and place a company on the right track.

■Types of Business Proposal

A business proposal is an unsolicited or solicited bid for business. There are two types of business proposal that can help you gain more business to prosper your company.

Solicited Business Proposal: A corporation or government body is seeking a business to complete a task or fulfill a project and thereby, allows companies to bid for the project. An open bid is provided on the market with other companies competing for an interview spot. The winning candidate is offered the project.

Unsolicited Business Proposal: At some point, your small business may want to develop business with a larger company or forge a joint venture. A well-written business proposal can win the hearts and minds of your target business partner.

■Guidelines for Writing Business Proposals

If you need to write a successful business proposal to win a bid, you will need to know the key winning elements of a proposal. Make sure your proposal sticks out in the stack of competitor proposals by including the following five elements:

◇Solutions: After you have written a lead paragraph on the company’s needs and problems, follow up with a solid presentation of how your business can provide solutions. The key point here is to promise solutions you can deliver.

◇Benefits: All winning business proposals clearly outline for the company the benefits to be gained from doing business with you. If your small business can offer complete confidentiality and meet tight deadlines, state it in your benefits section.

◇Credibility: This is often the overlooked portion of a business proposal but all winning proposals permeate with credibility. If you have worked with clients in the same field or have an award-winning business, then third-party endorsements will add your credibility.

◇Samples: A business proposal with samples and evidence of your ability to deliver is crucial to gaining the winning bid. A small sample of your work can reveal your ability to do the job.

◇Targeted: A winning business proposal is all about communication. Communicate in a language spoken by your intended audience. If the proposal evaluators are from a inancial department or engineering background use the appropriate jargon.

■Major Parts of Business Proposal

The good or standard business proposal includes following parts:

◇Title Page: Most organizations specify the information to include in the title page. Some even providing special farms that summarize basic administration and fiscal data. The title page at least should include the title, the name of company or person to whom the proposal is submitted, the person submitting the proposal and the date.

◇Executive Summery: Brief proposal should have an executive summary. Because you will be competing with other counterparts for the same opportunity, some evaluator will initially read only the executive summary seeking to obtain a quick overview. So you should give it great attention and time and effort. Budget figures are usually omitted because proposal abstract may receive wide distribution.

◇Draft Contract: A draft contact allows the receiver to offer a counter offer.

◇Table of contents: Brief proposal usually do not require a table of content. Long proposal do require one as well as a list of table, illustration and figure.

◇Introduction: The proposal introduction section comprises the main purpose of the proposal, the problem what you understand and the solution for that problem and the scope should be accurate specially when dealing with a foreign country or company.

◇Background: In brief proposal, it is not necessary to have background, while long proposal should include previous work completed on identical or related project, literature reviews on the subject—particularly your evaluation of them, and the statements showing how your proposal will build on the already completed research and projects.

◇Procedures: In procedure, you give brief state without exaggeration, how you will meet the requirement of your reader. A good way to review your proposal they will be different in each situation.

◇Equipment and Facilities: It shows that you have thought deeply and carefully to realize what facilities will be needed. If your proposal is for your company’s bid on an enormous construction job, probably several departments will work together with you in presenting needed facts and figures.

◇Personnel: If you did not mention brief information of individuals participated in the project in the introduction, then give full information about the proposal and also the percentage of time that personal will devote to the project.

◇Budget: Organization requesting proposal frequently specify how the budget should be presented. Read such specifications cautiously. Not all groups allow the same costs.

◇Appendixes: The last section includes; visuals such as maps or groups and some other related letter of support and endorsement added.

Finally, there is no perfect business proposal. When your company is well-positioned and unique in the marketplace, then it is only you who can meet the needs of the company requesting the bids.