Assignment 5

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MAKE SURE YOUR WORDS AND GRAPHICS COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER When you use words and graphics together, you need to make sure they work together in harmony and support each other. The first and most obvious rule is that the content of your words and graphics should be consistent. For example, if you’re calling out some numbers from a graphic, make sure those numbers are accurate.

Avoid repeating the content of the graphic in your prose. If you’re simply going to rehash the contents of the graphic in writing, there’s not much point in including the graphic. Instead, strategically use information from your graphics to support the arguments you’re making in prose.

Proposals

Businesses of all kinds create proposals for potential customers and clients—for example, to bid for work, to outline the scope of a job, or to state a price. The content of a sales proposal will vary widely, depending on the kind of business you’re in, and most businesses have a standard format they use. Check to see if your organization has a proposal template, then use these suggestions to make it as compelling as possible.

GET THE ASK CLEAR If you write a lot of proposals, it’s tempting to go on automatic pilot, filling in the various sections with numbers and other details. That approach is probably fine a lot of the time, especially if you provide the same service or product over and over. But it’s worth mentioning here that you should pay attention to your prospective customer, and make sure your proposal reflects your understanding of their needs.

WRITE FOR YOUR READER If you’re preparing a proposal, it’s probably at the request of someone you’ve talked to at your potential customer. Needless to say, you should consider carefully all the information your contact has given you. You should also go beyond that. Depending on the situation, it’s very likely that others in the organization will review your proposal. Who might they be, and what might they be concerned about? If your contact person is not the decision-maker, it might be worthwhile to ask who else will review the proposal.

Everyone reviewing a proposal will be concerned about cost, but don’t assume that cost is the only factor. Really think about your reader’s needs, and ensure that your proposal addresses them.

GET THE CONTENT RIGHT Decide how you want to present estimates in your proposal. Sometimes estimates are binding. In other cases, the proposal contains a clause stating that the final cost may vary depending on a variety of circumstances. You should date your proposal and include an expiration date for the price quoted, so that you don’t bind yourself to a price forever and there’s no misunderstanding with the customer.

If there’s a risk of cost overruns, address that risk directly and outline the factors that might cause them, including unanticipated circumstances on the job or changes in the customer’s requirements.

If you feel the customer isn’t entirely sure what they want, consider providing several different estimates for different options. Some companies routinely include add-ons in proposals, which can lead to more business, but add-ons can also annoy customers if they feel they are being upsold. Any add-ons you suggest should clearly address the customer’s needs as you understand them.

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