Writing a Business Proposal Guide
What is a Business Proposal?
A business proposal is partly a plan and partly an act of persuasion. In a
business proposal, you want to lay out your idea for a specific business,
project, or other economic undertaking. This means that you need to
explain all the different components that will go into making your idea
come to life. However, you are also proposing this idea to an audience,
which means that you need to convince them to accept your plan. To
persuade them, you need to explain why your idea is important and
necessary.
Think of your proposal as answering the following questions:
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What do I want to do?
How do I want to do it?
Why do I want to do it?
Why should you help me do it?
Once you have an idea for your business proposal, you can begin to
research potential solutions.
Parts of a Business Proposal
Business proposals come in many shapes and sizes. For the purposes of
this portfolio project, your business proposal will consist of the following
elements:
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Title: Be sure to provide a name for your project. You may also
want to design a logo or symbol to “brand” your idea, or make it
recognizable. You may make this its own page if you want, but it
won’t count toward your 1–2 page goal.
Introduction: Be sure to clearly identify the goal of the
proposal. Try to hook the audience by making this section
interesting and fun to read. But be clear about your idea, too.
Background: Explain the problem and provide your audience
with details about your problem. Details include what (or who)
is causing the problem, who is affected, and possible long-term
consequences if the problem is allowed to continue. Cite facts
and data from your textbook and other reliable resources. You
might want to include charts, graphs, or other visual aids here.
Proposed Solution: Summarize your solution to the problem.
Include the following elements in this section:
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Partners: Explain how the government, business leaders,
and citizens can help make your goal a reality. What do
they need to do to help implement your solution?
Resources: Identify what it will take to make your idea
happen. Do you need to increase trade for certain goods
and resources? Do you need land for building office
buildings or factories? Do you need transportation to
move people or goods? Will you need to approach banks
for loans or get other investors? (Hint: Yes.)
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Conclusion: Wrap it all up by clearly restating the problem,
outlining your solution, and emphasizing the reason that your
solution will work. Consider how your plan will benefit the
region and its citizens. Be sure to make this is very clear to
your audience. You need to get their support!
Appendix: This section is optional. Use it to include any
images, graphs, charts, or maps that might help to illustrate
your problem. Each piece should be its own appendix, and each
appendix should be named with a capital letter. The first should
be Appendix A, the second should be Appendix B, and so on.
This will allow you to refer to each one specifically within your
proposal.
Tips for Writing a Business Proposal:
1. Know your audience: Understand who will be reading your proposal and what their priorities are. You need to tailor your proposal to their needs and interests.
2. Provide data: Facts and data can go a long way in convincing your audience. Use statistics, graphs, charts and other visual aids to illustrate your point.
3. Use clear language: Avoid jargon or technical language that your audience may not understand. Keep your language clear and concise.
4. Be realistic: Your proposed solution should be attainable and practical. Avoid proposing something that is too ambitious or unrealistic.
5. Highlight benefits: Explain how your proposal will benefit the region and its citizens. Show how it will solve the problem at hand and contribute to the growth and development of the economy.
6. Get feedback: Before submitting your proposal, ask for feedback and suggestions from peers, mentors, or colleagues. This can help you refine your proposal and make it more persuasive.
7. Follow guidelines: Make sure to follow any specific guidelines or instructions for submitting your proposal. This includes word count limits, formatting, and other requirements.