How can you write proposals that win new business and showcase your personal brand?

1 Understand the client's needs

Before you start writing your proposal, you need to do some research and analysis to understand the client's needs, goals, challenges, and expectations. You can do this by reviewing their brief, website, social media, and previous projects, as well as asking them questions and listening to their feedback. This will help you tailor your proposal to their specific situation and show that you care about their success.

2 Highlight your value proposition

Next, you need to highlight your value proposition, which is the unique benefit that you offer to the client that sets you apart from your competitors. You need to explain how your services or products will solve their problems, meet their objectives, and deliver results. You also need to demonstrate your credibility and expertise by providing relevant examples, testimonials, and case studies of your previous work.

3 Showcase your personal brand

Your personal brand is the impression that you create in the minds of your audience through your communication, style, and personality. You need to showcase your personal brand in your proposal by using a consistent tone, voice, and design that reflects your values, vision, and mission. You also need to inject some of your own flair, passion, and story into your proposal to make it more engaging and memorable.

4 Write clearly and concisely

One of the most important aspects of writing a proposal is to write clearly and concisely. You need to avoid jargon, acronyms, and technical terms that might confuse or bore your reader. You also need to use simple, direct, and active language that conveys your message effectively and persuasively. You need to structure your proposal logically and use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and white space to make it easy to read and scan.

5 Include a call to action

A call to action is a statement that tells your reader what you want them to do next after reading your proposal. You need to include a call to action at the end of your proposal that encourages your reader to take the next step in the hiring process. This could be signing a contract, scheduling a meeting, making a payment, or asking a question. You need to make your call to action clear, specific, and urgent.

6 Proofread and edit

The final step in writing a proposal is to proofread and edit it before sending it to your client. You need to check your proposal for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors that might undermine your professionalism and credibility. You also need to review your proposal for clarity, accuracy, and relevance and make sure that it aligns with the client's needs and expectations. You can use tools like Grammarly, Hemingway, or ProWritingAid to help you with this process.

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?