How do you write effective proposals and reports that meet the expectations and needs of your stakeholders?

1 Know your stakeholders

Before you start writing, you need to identify who your stakeholders are and what they care about. Stakeholders are the people who have an interest or influence in your project, such as clients, managers, colleagues, partners, or funders. Each stakeholder may have different goals, perspectives, and preferences, so you need to understand their needs, expectations, and concerns. You can use tools like stakeholder analysis or personas to map out your stakeholders and their characteristics.

2 Define your purpose and scope

Once you know your stakeholders, you need to define the purpose and scope of your proposal or report. The purpose is the main reason why you are writing, such as to persuade, inform, or request. The scope is the extent and limits of your topic, such as the background, objectives, methods, results, or recommendations. You need to be clear and specific about what you want to achieve and what you will cover in your document. You can use tools like SMART goals or problem statements to clarify your purpose and scope.

3 Structure your content logically

After you have defined your purpose and scope, you need to structure your content logically and coherently. The structure of your proposal or report may vary depending on your genre, format, and audience, but generally, you should follow a clear and consistent outline that guides your reader through your main points. You can use tools like headings, subheadings, bullet points, tables, or graphs to organize your content and make it easy to scan and understand. You can also use transitions, signposts, or summaries to link your sections and show how they relate to each other.

4 Use clear and concise language

When you write your content, you need to use clear and concise language that conveys your message effectively and professionally. You need to avoid jargon, slang, or acronyms that may confuse or alienate your reader, unless you define them or they are common in your field. You also need to avoid vague, wordy, or passive sentences that may obscure or weaken your message. You can use tools like plain language principles or active voice to make your writing clear and concise.

5 Support your claims with evidence

To make your proposals and reports credible and persuasive, you need to support your claims with evidence. Evidence is any information that supports your arguments, such as facts, data, statistics, examples, or testimonials. You need to choose relevant and reliable sources of evidence that match your purpose and audience. You also need to cite your sources properly and acknowledge any limitations or assumptions in your analysis. You can use tools like citation styles or critical thinking skills to support your claims with evidence.

6 Review and revise your document

Before you submit or share your proposal or report, you need to review and revise your document to ensure that it meets the expectations and needs of your stakeholders. You need to check your document for any errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, or formatting that may affect your credibility or readability. You also need to check your document for any gaps, inconsistencies, or redundancies in your content that may affect your clarity or coherence. You can use tools like proofreading strategies or feedback loops to review and revise your document.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?