The document provides guidance on writing powerful proposals, including tips, examples, and explanations of the typical parts of a proposal. It discusses previewing the proposal, focusing on the needs of the audience rather than the presenter, selling benefits over features, being specific and brief, and ending with a call to action. The document then outlines the common sections of a proposal, including problem/situation, solution, methods, cost, qualifications, and benefits. It provides examples and advice for writing each section effectively.

1. Powerful Proposals
Day One

2. What We’ll Learn:
• Proposal Basics
• Tips for writing PowerfulProposals
•Handout:
• RFP: Attention Citizens!
Next Time:
• Parts of a Powerful Proposal
• Writing Workshop:Audience Analysis and
Problem/Situation
Day One

3. Purpose of proposals
To persuade the reader to accept your proposed solution
to solve a problem or fulfill a need
These can include (but aren’t limited to) things like:
• Problems on campus (cafeteria food, class crowding, etc.)
• Sales of products or services
• Grants for nonprofit agencies
• Grants for research and development

4. Types of Proposals
• Solicited
• Usually in response to a Request for Proposal
• Often part of a larger sales process which includes presentations,
negotiations, etc.
• Unsolicited
• Grant proposals
• Sales proposals
• Requests for changes
• Solutions to problems

5. Tips for Writing powerful proposals
•Preview what you will tell them.
•Tell them
•Review what you told them
•Find a theme and repeat it
• Ex. Mayhem needs a hero. That hero is Wonder Woman

6. Tips for Writing powerful proposals
•Make it about THEM, not YOU
•It isn’t about what Superman can do. It’s about
what Superman can do for YOU!
•If you want Mayhem to pick your superhero,
tell them why he or she is the best one to meet
THEIR needs!

7. Tips for Writing powerful proposals
Example:
The Mole Man continues to strike Mayhem’s local banks,
burrowing up from the sewers without ever setting off any
alarms and before anyone realizes the vault’s been compromised.
Mayhem needs a hero who can ferret out Mole Man’s
underground hideout with his X-Ray vision and bring him to
swift justice at last!

8. Tips for Writing powerful proposals
• Sell the benefits, not the features
• Features=What
• Benefits=So what?
No: Superman is invincible.
Yes: Because Superman is invincible, he can throw himself on a bomb to
protect YOU, the Honorable Mayor, and YOUR family from harm in a
crisis.

9. Tips for Writing powerful proposals
• Be specific
Vague: Superman has a lot of awesome powers that will
keep Mayhem Safe!
Specific: Superman has super speed, which allows him to
respond to YOUR distress call right away. Because he can
fly, he can rescue YOUR citizens no matter where trouble
strikes.

10. Tips for Writing powerful proposals
• Keep it brief
• The fewer words the better. Keep it short and sweet. Need I say more?
• Eliminate unnecessary words
• Resist fluff
• Resist drivel
• Instead of Batman’s tragic history, try this:
When he lost his parents to violent crime, Batman decided to keep Gotham safe.

11. Tips for Writing powerful proposals
• Chunk related information in a way readers can
understand
• Use:
• Descriptive headings
• Bulleted lists
• Graphs and charts
• Pictures or graphics

12. Tips for Writing powerful proposals
• Spoon feed the reader
• Be direct
• State the point and the conclusion you want the reader to reach
No: The Joker’s no good. Someone should probably take him down.
Yes: Stopping that Villainous Joker:
The Joker is a dangerous, murderous lunatic who has blown up the
City Hall for the third time this week, and you need to hire Batman
to catch him and lock him up in Arkham Asylum where he belongs.

13. Tips for Writing powerful proposals
• Focus on the action
• Strong words for strong heroes! Use action words, not wimpy
words!
• Fought, protected, committed, saved, battled, resisted, rescued,
escaped, schemed, destroyed, triumphed
No: The children of Mayhem were saved by Spiderman’s heroic act.
Yes: Spiderman saved the children from the evil Doc Oc!

14. Date: 10/1/2015
To: Citizens of Mayhem, Texas
From: Adam West, Mayor of Mayhem
Re: Request for Proposal: Defending Mayhem
Attention Citizens!
Crime in Mayhem, Texas is at an all-time high. Villains run rampant through the
streets day and night, and our already taxed police force are unable to keep up
with their dastardly deeds. The city is in dire trouble, and we need a hero!
Mayhem is requesting proposals for a superhero to defend our city from these
nefarious criminals and make our city a safe place to live once more.
Applicants will be judged on:
• Abilities, strengths, and superpowers
• Reputation and image
• Experience
• Cost to Mayhem including:
o Compensation
o Relocation costs
o Collateral damage
• Success Rate
Please submit your proposals in letter form to:
The Honorable Adam West
Mayor of Mayhem
1 City Hall St.
Mayhem, TX 77777
We will accept proposals in the following format:
• 12pt serif body type
• 18pt sans serif heading type
• Single spaced
• Default margins
Do not include a cover letter. Proposals that fail to comply with formatting
requirements will not be considered. You may include any appropriate
attachments. Proposals received after January 1st, 2016 will not be considered.
We look forward to selecting a hero to defend our city!

15. Powerful Proposals
Day Two

16. What We’ll Learn:
• Parts of a Proposal
• Problem/Solution
What We’ll Do:
• Writing Workshop:Audience
Analysis and Problem/Solution
Next Time:
• Parts of a Powerful Proposal:
Solution/Methods
• Writing Workshop:Solution/Methods
Day Two

17. Parts of a Proposal
•Executive Summary
•Introduction
•Problem/Situation
•Solution
• Methods
• Cost
• Qualifications
• Benefits

18. Parts of a Proposal
•Use headings
•Examples
• Super Summary
• Mayhem in Mayhem
• Superman to the Rescue

19. Problem/situation
•Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the
client, their needs, their problem and how your
features will solve their problem and benefit
THEM.
•This section will help you tailor your
solution/methods to the client

20. Problem/situation
• How, you ask?
• Audience analysis
• Answer these questions:
• Who is the audience?
• What is their problem?
• What is the PAIN?
• What do they need?
• Why do they need it?
• How are they feeling about the situation?

21. Problem/situation
• Example
• Mayhem, Texas has a problem. Crime is at an all time high. Villains
run amok in the streets. The city is shelling out millions of dollars to
pursue these villains and repair the damages they’ve caused, but law
enforcement can barely keep up. The citizens live in fear every day,
and many of them have abandoned Mayhem for the safety of cities
like Haven and Serenity. Without a hero to defend the city, the villains
will overrun Mayhem, and you, they mayor, will be out of a job.

22. Writing Workshop: Audience Analysis
• Answer these questions:
• Who is the audience based on the RFP you received?
• Is there a secondary audience who might read your proposal?
• Does the secondary audience have the same needs/pain/fear as the primary audience?
• What is the problem?
• What is the PAIN?
• What are they afraid of?
• What do they need?
• Why do they need it?
• What are their criteria to select/reject you?
• What is your relationship with the audience?
• What else do you need to know about the audience?

23. Writing Workshop: Problem/Solution
Based on your answers to the Audience Analysis,
write your Problem/Situation section

24. Powerful Proposals
Day THRee

25. What We’ll Learn:
• Parts of a Proposal: Solution
• Parts of a Proposal: Methods
What We’ll Do:
• Writing Workshop:Solution/Methods
Next Time:
• Parts of a Powerful Proposal:
Cost/Qualifications
• Writing Workshop:Cost/Qualifications
Day Three

26. Parts of a Proposal:Solution
• Determine if your solution meets the needs of your client
• Answer these questions:
• What are the features of your solution?
• What are the benefits of the features?
• How do the features and benefits of the solution ease the PAIN?
• Remember:
• Need>pain>feature>benefit

27. Parts of a Proposal:Solution
Example:
We propose that you hire Batman to defend Mayhem. Batman will crack
down on crime in Mayhem and thwart those nefarious villains in no time!
One of the most intelligent of all the heroes, he can help you and local law
enforcement form a strategy to combat crime. Fearless and bold, he will use
his arsenal of marvelous toys to always come out on top. Best of all, his
alter ego is super rich, and he can pay for all the damages he causes during
his nighttime thwartings and rooftopbattles!

28. Parts of a Proposal:Methods
• Example
Batman will use move into Mayhem’s largest, gloomiest mansion and be ready to
defend your city within the month (allow time for Batcave construction!). He will ferret
out the worst, most destructive (and most expensive!) villains first. Joker, Penguin, Mr.
Freeze—they don’t stand a chance when the Dark Knight is on the prowl. Once he’s
delivered the worst of your villains to Arkham Asylum, he will spend his nights
patrolling the rooftops and back alleys. Batman’s methods include: flying from building
to building using his marvelous toys, using Batarangs to tie up villains and deliver
them to local law enforcement, outsmarting the wiliest of wisecrackers, and solving
complicated riddles with his superior intelligence.

29. Parts of a Proposal:Solution/Methods
• Remember:
• Make it about THEM, not you!
• Be specific!
• Spoon feed the readers!
• Be brief!
• Tell them.
• Tell them again.
• Review what you told them.

30. Writing Workshop: Solution/Methods
• Write your solutions and methods sections
• Align your solution and methods with the needs/pain/fear
• Will the solution solve the problem, an does the method eliminate the
fear?
• Answer these questions:
• What solution do you propose to solve Mayhem’s problem?
• How will you do it?
• What are your hero’s methods?
Bonus Example:
Since Batman never uses guns, you don’t
have to worry that innocent citizens will be
in danger from friendly fire!

31. Powerful Proposals
Day Four

32. What We’ll Learn:
• Parts of a Proposal: Solution
• Parts of a Proposal: Methods
What We’ll Do:
• Writing Workshop:Solution/Methods
Next Time:
• Parts of a Powerful Proposal:
Cost/Qualifications
• Writing Workshop:Cost/Qualifications
Day Four

33. Parts of a Proposal:Cost
• Keep it brief, informative and specific
• Use bulleted lists
• Use a table
• Use whatever you need to tell them exactly how much it will
cost
• Don’t sugar coat it
• Justify the cost through the value you offer

34. Parts of a Proposal:Cost
Example
Superman’s Salary: $0 (Superman was put on this planet to
defend it. He requires no compensation. He would, however, like
to be directed to the nearest daily newspaper.)
Superman’s Fortress of Solitude: $6M (includes tangential costs
such as transporting space rocks from Krypton and burrowing
deep underground)
Phone booth on every corner: $500 per phone booth (no phones
required because everyone has a cell phone these days.)

35. Parts of a Proposal:Qualifications
• Focus on the qualifications that are relevant to the client’s needs
• No one cares if Superman thwarted an invisible girl if there are no
invisible villains in Mayhem, right?
Example
Since Batman has experience with homicidal lunatics such as Riddler and
Joker, you can be sure he can defeat the rabid, murderous Nanny,
Mayhem’s most notorious villain with the amazing martial arts he
mastered while under the tutelage of Grand Kung Fu Master Chu Chin Li.

36. Writing Workshop: Cost/Qualifications
•Write the Cost section
• Make sure to include all the costs requested in the
RFP: Attention Citizens!
•Write the Qualifications section
• Remember to include only the qualifications that are
relevant to the needs of your audience!

37. Powerful Proposals
Day Five

38. What We’ll Learn:
• Parts of a Proposal: Benefits
• Parts of a Proposal: Executive
Summary
What We’ll Do:
• Writing Workshop:Solution/Methods
Now:
• Claim victory! You wrote a powerful
proposal!
Later:
• Revise your completed proposal to include
in your portfolio at the end of the semester
Day Five

39. Parts of a Proposal:Benefits
• Review what you told them!
• Sell your solution
• Show them how your solution will ease their pain
• Include a benefit for every feature
• Don’t be afraid to lay it on thick!
• Just remember who your audience is, and don’t forget your
secondary audience

40. Parts of a Proposal:Benefits
Examples
When you select Wonder Woman to defend Mayhem, her sparkling
personality and sterling reputation will instantly raise Mayhem’s
estimation in the eyes of the nation and in your constituent. No longer will
you be considered a vile, misogynistic boys’ club. Since 52% of Mayhem’s
population is female, imagine the goodwill they will show toward you, they
mayor, come election time.
Because Wolverine can regenerate, you never have to worry about his
medical bills, saving Mayhem a lot of money in worker’s compensation
claims.

41. Parts of a Proposal:Benefits
• Make this your last section
• Always end this section with a call to action, just like in a letter
Example
Thank you for considering Superman to defend your city. I look forward to presenting
Superman as the leading candidate at the city council meeting next Thursday. Please
contact me with any questions regarding this proposal at 555-555-5555 or through email at
superman@thefortressofsolitude.com.
Yours,
Lois Lane
Superhero Agent and Crack Reporter
loislane@thedailyplanet.com

42. Parts of a Proposal:Executive Summary
• Write this section last, even though it comes first
• Summarize your entire proposal in a few paragraphs
• Pull copy directly from your sections
• Include all the sections
• Keep it brief
• Make it awesome!

43. Example of an Executive Summary
Mayhem, Texas has a problem. Crime is at an all time high. Villains run amok in the streets. The city is shelling out
millions of dollars to pursue these villains and repair the damage they’ve caused, but law enforcement can barely keep
up. The citizens live in fear every day, and many of them have abandoned Mayhem for the safety of cities like Haven
and Serenity. Without a hero to defend the city, the villains will overrun Mayhem, and you, the Mayor, will be out of a
job. Superman can solve this problem. With incredible powers such as flight, which he can use to fight villains
anywhere; super speed, which he can use to arrive right when you need him; and super strength, which he can use to
get your citizens out of any pickle they’re in, he is the perfect choice to defeat Mayhem’s craftiest villains, who can
soar above buildings, escape from the scene of a crime before law enforcement even arrives, and trap your citizens in
a bus on the precipice of a broken bridge. Since he will rush to your city’s aid any time there is a problem (provided
there is a handy phone booth around), Mayhem can feel secure knowing they are never without a defender.
With Superman thwarting these crafty villains, costs to your city will decrease significantly, raising your approval
rating and allowing Mayhem to spend money on the important things such as road improvement and schools. Citizens
will rest easy at night, knowing no one will kidnap them on their way to work to hold them for ransom in a dastardly
scheme. With little to no cost to Mayhem, as Superman was put on this planet to defend it and requires no
compensation, you can protect your city and come out shining like a star on election day. Since Superman has an
excellent track record of success in protecting Metropolis from such nefarious villains as Lex Luthor and Emperor
Zod, he has the experience you want to get the job done right.

44. Writing Workshop: Benefits/Executive Summary
Now that you know it all, write your benefits
section and your executive summary!