It is not just in face-to-face interactions that we have be concerned about first impressions.
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In this article, we will review the basic structure of professional business proposals and how to choose the most appropriate format for your business proposals. The same can be said in written correspondence, more particularly when you are submitting a business proposal. In this article, we review the basic structure of a proposal, how to select a proposal format, and tips in writing a professional business proposal.
The Basic Structure
A business proposal is an unsolicited or solicited bid for business. A proposal is usually written to another company or institution. Companies can also require their local departments to write proposals when suggesting solutions to upper management. At its very basic level, a business proposal answers two things: what the other party needs, and how your company can address this need.
- Company Overview
- Statement of the Problem (also referred to as the Need Statement)
- Background and Benefits (mostly used for unsolicited proposals)
- Scope of Services/ Deliverables
- What
- Who
- When
- Where
- How
- How much
- Contact Details
- References
Below is a sample business proposal: NOTE: This sample is just a basic draft for the purpose of illustration. The part 2 of this article series gives more information on business proposal formats.
| Company OverviewLinkages International is Christchurch’s fastest growing technical support company. In our three years of service, we have provided customer assistance for 36 multinational companies, 6 of which are in the Fortune 500 list.
Statement of the Problem The credibility of many online industries depends on how fast and how efficiently they can respond to telephone calls and email messages. Without an actual physical location that customers can go to for inquiries, assistance and complaints, telephone, and email assume the role of the company’s physical presence. The lack of a top of the line customer support system for phone and email communication can seriously affect your business’ bottom line! Scope of Services/ Deliverables What? 24 hour customer assistance via telephone and email. Who? Trained and qualified customer service representatives will answer all inquiries. When? Set up can begin immediately. 1 year, 3 year and 5 year contracts available. Where? All customer service personnel and equipment would be hosted by Linkages International’s main office in Christchurch. How? The Linkages International process involves: Consultation. Linkages International staff would meet with your company to determine your specific needs and preferences. Staff Training. Customer representatives assigned to your company would be trained in your company profile, product range and other technical knowledge necessary to accomplish the job. Set-up. Dedicated phone and internet lines would be set up for your company. How much? Please see attached document for our package rates. Contact Details Mr. Scott Daniels Head of Sales and Marketing, Linkages International References Mr. Jason Orange Director, Mediasource Corporation WA Ms. Rutina Compton Customer Service Head, Media Ventures Ltd. NSW |
In Part 2 of this series we will look more closely at specific formatting techniques for proposals.
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