How to Write an Abstract – Part Two

They say the definition of a smart mind is the ability to write a good abstract. In the first tutorial, we looked at how to structure an abstract by developing the tone, phrasing, and also explaining how its purpose differs from the main document. However, before we go any further, let’s … [Read more...]

Are you making these 7 proposal writing mistakes

It’s easy to become snow-blind when writing a business proposal, especially if you are performing more than one role in the team. And if you're new to proposal development, bidding, and grant applications that are many pitfalls to avoid. Some are predictable, others less so. 7 Proposal Writing … [Read more...]

A [business] writing tip from… Tolstoy

You wouldn’t think Tolstoy and proposal writing would have much in common, would you? But if you’ve read War or Peace, which is much easier to read than you’d think, there’s a few techniques in there that you can apply to your proposals. For example? Summary - read the first three chapters … [Read more...]

9 Ways To Improve Your Business Proposal’s Executive Summary

Here are nine guidelines to help you write a better Executive Summary for your next business proposal. The Executive Summary creates difficulties for many proposal writers. Is it part of the business proposal or is it a separate document? How long should it be? Should it include costs? 1. Define … [Read more...]

Increase your Proposal Success Rate

"For your own good" is a persuasive argument that will eventually make a man agree to his own destruction. Janet Frame Why do you write business proposals? Same reason we do! We write proposals to win more business, pay our bills and send the kids to college. Same as you, I guess! … [Read more...]

37 Proposal Writing Secrets

This short course on proposal writing reminds us that our business proposal does not stand alone. It is process of a larger process that involves planning, research, writing, editing, proofing, submission and acceptance. This list gives 37 ways to improve your next proposal. Scroll through it and … [Read more...]

How to Write Your First Case Study

Case studies and white papers are very effective marketing tools if you want to promote the benefits of your product or services. Case studies are the first most popular device used to promote the business. If you plan to write a case study, this article will give you a better understanding  about … [Read more...]

How to Write Better Case Study Documents

As mentioned earlier, a case study is a soft-sell sales document. Its role is to highlight your abilities without resorting to market-speak and sales clichés. An effective approach to catch the reader's attention (who is frequently a potential client) is to explore how the solution helped … [Read more...]

How Many Hours a Week Do You (Really) Spend Writing?

How much time do you spend working every week? I don't mean being in the office, but actually working. You have 37.5 hours every week, but how much is actually spent doing what you're paid to do? When I say working I mean developing real outputs (e.g. content); this includes illustrations, diagrams, … [Read more...]

9 Business Proposals Formating Tips

Last week we looked at how to format your Business Proposal, use a Style Guide, select the right type of font, language and writing style to impress the proposal evaluation team. Let’s look at other ways you can improve your next Business Proposal or Grant application. 1. Proofreading Always … [Read more...]