Whether you want to convince your boss to approve your project, persuade your client to buy your product, or impress your audience with your research, you need to structure your proposal or report in a clear and persuasive way. In this article, you will learn how to use the following six steps to craft a compelling document that achieves your goals.
Before you start writing, you need to define the main purpose of your proposal or report, and who you are writing for. Your purpose should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Your audience should be analyzed in terms of their needs, expectations, preferences, and potential objections. This will help you tailor your message, tone, and style to suit them.
In my experience, understanding both the purpose of your document and your audience's perspective is crucial for effective communication. A proposal or report that is structured around SMART goals tends to be more focused and impactful. When you know precisely what you aim to achieve and by when, your writing becomes more directed and persuasive. Similarly, a deep understanding of your audience allows you to address their specific concerns, anticipate their questions, and present your information in a way that resonates with them. This dual focus on purpose and audience has consistently helped me to create documents that are not only informative but also compelling, leading to higher engagement and better outcomes.
Organizing your ideas and information into a logical and coherent structure is an important step. A simple outline format can be used, such as an introduction that provides background, context, and motivation for the proposal or report. It should state the main goal, thesis, or hypothesis, and briefly summarize the main points and evidence. The body should develop the main points and evidence in separate paragraphs or sections, with headings, subheadings, and transitions to guide the reader. Evidence should be supported with facts, examples, statistics, quotes, or other sources. Additionally, any counterarguments or limitations should be addressed and explained how they are overcome. The conclusion should restate the main goal, thesis, or hypothesis, summarize the main points and evidence, emphasize the benefits, implications, or recommendations of the proposal or report. Finally, end with a call to action, a question, or a suggestion for further research.
Once you have your outline, you can start writing your first draft. Don't worry too much about grammar, spelling, or formatting at this stage. Focus on getting your ideas and information across in a clear and concise way. Use simple and direct language, active voice, and positive words. Avoid jargon, slang, or vague terms. Make sure your sentences and paragraphs are coherent and cohesive.
After you finish your first draft, you need to revise and edit it to improve its quality and effectiveness. To help you in this process, consider the content, style, grammar, and mechanics of your proposal or report. Does it address your purpose and audience? Is the tone and style appropriate? Are the rules of grammar, spelling, and punctuation followed? Have you included a title page, table of contents, executive summary, or appendix if needed? Additionally, does it use clear and concise language? Does it avoid repetition and ambiguity? Are the formatting guidelines followed? Are proper citations and referencing used? Answering these questions will help ensure that you produce an effective draft.
Before submitting or presenting your proposal or report, it’s important to proofread and polish your final draft. You can read your document aloud or use a text-to-speech tool to catch any errors or awkward phrases. Additionally, use a spell checker, grammar checker, or online editing tool to identify and correct mistakes. It can be helpful to ask a colleague, friend, or professional editor to review your document and provide feedback. Finally, print out your proposal or report and check it for any formatting or printing issues.
Finally, you need to follow up and evaluate the results of your proposal or report. Ask yourself if you achieved your purpose and goals, if you persuaded or informed your audience, and if you got the approval, feedback, or action you wanted. Consider what worked well and what didn't in your proposal or report, as well as what you learned from the process. Additionally, measure the impact or outcome of your proposal or report by using metrics, surveys, or feedback forms. Analyze the data and report the findings to gain valuable insights.
1) Begin with the end in mind, know the ideal/intended outcome before starting. Do online research, ask ChatGPT, and/or speak to others. Depending on the report, have some plausible scenarios, e.g. to proceed with proposal or maintain status quo. 2) Write the main body first, then conclusion, and introduction last. Only when we have the report content, then we know the best way to craft the introduction and executive summary. However, do start with objectives and background, where relevant. 3) Proofread a day after completing the report. Good to go through at least 3 times before the first submission. Proofread when the mind and eyes are fresh, e.g. first thing in the morning, after an energising break, or after a nourishing meal.
Before you begin, know what problem you aim to solve for the reader. Lead with the number one emotional consequence the reader is or will be dealing with without your solution. This goes in the into. Close with the solution and the positive emotion that will come with it (opposite of the intro).