Win Strategies for Proposals

1
Win Strategies for Proposals

• TCO 341
• Dr. Marjorie T. Davis

2
References

• Barakat, Robert A. 1989. Storyboarding can help
  your proposal. IEEE Trans. Prof. Comm., vol 32 no
  1, 20-25, March.
• Greenly, Robert B. 1985. Technical writing and
  illustrating strategies for winning government
  contracts. IEEE Trans. Prof. Comm., vol 28 no 2,
  7-12, June.
• Markel, Mike. 2004. Technical Communication.
  Bedford-StMartins, 7th edition.
• Starkey, W.S. 2000. The Beginnings of STOP
  Storyboarding and the Modular Proposal. APMP,
  Fall.
• Tracey, J.R. 1992. STOP, GO, and the State of
  the Art in Proposal Writing. IEEE Trans. Prof.
  Comm., vol 33 no 5, Sept.

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Proposals Are Persuasive

• Make a match between the funders goals and your
  services
• Convince readers of your teams best solution to
  problem
• Contain persuasive language

4
Proposals are Informative

• Provide clear, specific plans and specifications
• Show implemen-tation process
• Contain adequate budget information and rationale
• Show awareness of alternatives

5
Proposals Are Predictable

• Follow the RFP exactly
• contents
• headings
• Use consistent terms, labels
• Both tell and show on every main point
• Intentionally redundant (cont.)

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Intentional Redundancy

• Different segments of audience will read
  differently
• Begin every major section with brief summary
• Create specific questions to answer for each
  section

7
Proposals Incorporate Your Win Strategy

• Win Strategy features of your teams plan that
  make it clearly superior to others
• Developed in themes that guide each section
• Consistently reinforced throughout the document
• --Barakat

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How to Develop Your Win Strategy

• 1) Outline completely
• 2) Write themes for each section
• 3) Storyboard each section
• 4) Develop graphics

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Develop Complete Outline

• Categorical outline of RFP requirements
• creates heading, assigns writing task for each
  section or part
• ensures that all requirements are met
• Example Barakat, fig. 3
• Topical outline constructs message and win
  strategy for each section
• contains so what and why us
• --Barakat

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Write Win Strategy Themes for Each Section

• Short, high-impact sentences that convince reader
  of superior solution
• Use questions
• What about it? (So what?)
• Who needs it?
• Is it required by the RFP?
• How?
• Why?

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Write Win Strategy Themes for Each Section (cont.)

• Themes should be
• refutable, strong an argument
• short (25 words or less)
• a line of reasoning
• qualitative
• purposeful
• Themes are the answer to Prove it!
• --See Barakat

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Storyboard Each Section using Themes

• Develop facts to support theme
• Compose main points in complete sentences
• Sketch in graphics, supply persuasive label for
  each

13
Develop Graphics

• Support claims with data and illustrations
• tables
• drawings
• photos
• flow diagrams, schematics, etc.
• In storyboards, develop data needs
• Assign team members specific parts to be developed

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Develop Graphics (cont.)

• Prepare graphics to import, to print
• 300-600 dpi resolution
• check file extensions (.gif or .jpg, for ex.)
• use color, good design to highlight graphics
• integrate graphics into text (text wrap)
• Label, title each graphic
• --Markel

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Final Edits Red Team Reviews

• Substantive peer feedback on final draft
• critical advocacy
• Reviewing content, win strategy, details,
  editing, visual presentation

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Wrapping Up Production Qualities

• Final edits critical
• Packaging makes impression of quality and
  competence
• Binding, visual presentation can support win
  strategy
• Absolutely error-free!