Persuasive Business Proposals: Writing to Win More Customers, Clients and Contracts [Paperback]

"This book contains valuable advice for writers who have to sell either their organization's or their department's products and services. What's more, Sant writes clearly and concisely, and his wry humor and use of real -- and sometimes awful --examples adds to the readability. Use the book yourself or pass it on to departments that are writing bad proposals, and Sant assures readers most of them are." -- Writing That Works

"With over 40,000 copies sold, the first edition of Persuasive Business Proposals helped many readers construct dynamic, effective proposals. Now in paperback, this fully-revised second edition still gives readers simple, effective techniques for organizing, writing, and delivering proposals while updating the author’s winning strategies for today’s global business environment.

By cutting through the confusion, and providing dozens of real-world examples, this updated version provides step-by-step instructions for crafting value-centered, recipient-specific proposal packages, with all-new discussions on:

* How to increase business using new communication channels from e-mail and electronic submissions to PDF, HTML, and others

* The Seven Worst Proposal Mistakes illustrated with real-world examples

This is an essential book for anyone seeking to win contracts and sell projects."

Persuasive Business Proposals, 3rd Ed — paperback jacket copy

Writing effective proposals is a vital skill for winning business in today’s economy. Now in a revised third edition packed with up-to-the-minute information and strategies, Persuasive Business Proposals provides you with powerful methods for crafting compelling messages and winning proposals that speak to your prospects’ needs and establish your firm’s strategic value. With clear instructions as well as before-and-after samples, this classic, bestselling guide shows you how to:

• Organize your content in the most persuasive way possible.

• Develop and deliver individually tailored, client-focused messages every time.

• Structure letters and formal proposals to present a winning value proposition that positions your firm as the ideal solution to clients’ needs.

• Follow up your proposal submission, analyze the client’s decision, and incorporate lessons learned to take better advantage of future opportunities.

Taking you step-by-step through a highly effective process for writing the kind of customized packages that capture new business, the third edition includes all-new ways to “power up” cover letters and executive summaries; advice for overcoming “value paranoia” ; essential questions for qualifying opportunities; guidelines for incorporating proof into a proposal; tips for winning renewal contracts; and much more.

You’ll learn how to boost the clarity of your writing, edit your proposal for optimal impact, and avoid the traps that can undermine even the strongest proposals. And you’ll learn effective strategies for dealing with automated procurement systems.

Your business has a lot to offer and it’s time to make sure your potential customers and clients know it! Packed with new information and invaluable strategies, this is the one guide you need to maximize the effectiveness of your proposals—and win more contracts.

TOM SANT is a well-known sales and proposal consultant, whose clients range from small entrepreneurial operations to Global 500 companies, including General Electric, Microsoft, Wells Fargo, and Accenture. He is the creator of the world’s most widely used proposal automation systems, ProposalMaster and RFPMaster. He lives in San Luis Obispo, California.

Tom Sant (San Luis Obispo, CA) is a world-renowned proposal consultant whose clients range from small entrepreneurial operations to Global 500 companies including General Electric, Microsoft, Lucent, and Accenture. He is the creator of the world’s most widely used proposal automation systems: ProposalMaster and RFPMaster.