The Secrets of Selling: How to win in any sales situation

Chapter 5. How to write proposals

• The best way to write a proposal

• Management summary

• Introduction

• Your understanding of their requirements

• Your company’s suitability for the work

• The proposed way forward

• Costs

• Possible next steps

	‘That which is written without effort is usually read without pleasure.’
	--Samuel Johnson (1709–84), writer

Written proposals need two things – good structure and good English. This chapter is about the structure. (The next one is about good English.) Structure is important for writing. It is the reason why the people who write plays are called ‘playwrights,’ rather than ‘playwrites’. Plays are only good when they are well constructed, and the same goes for anything you write.

A sales proposal will only have a clear structure ...