Defining Proposals

A proposal can probably mean a lot of things to different people. It could be when a person goes down on one knee to ask a significant other for their hand in marriage, or it could be a plan or suggestion to settle a prevailing problem. Proposals play a key role in the world of business for companies to develop a course of action in response to the needs of a client. These documents are meant to be persuasive in nature in order to convince a recipient to act in accordance with the proponent’s intent to solve the issue. Research or topic proposals are also common in academic writing, in which the principles of a particular subject are thoroughly discussed and supported by similar studies.

Why Are Proposals Important?

Let’s say you have a promising idea you want to pitch to an organization that could potentially benefit from it. Doing business is more complicated than meets the eye, as there are numerous proposals in the market that have been scratched out or completely ignored by investors. So, why bother making a proposal in the first place?

Proposal writing is an important skill that can greatly influence a recipient’s decision on whether or not your idea is worth the risk. Apart from stating your requirements to carry out the project, proposals also help identify a specific goal, establish a reason to pursue that goal, and develop a concrete strategy to meet these objectives. Written proposals can also be advantageous to readers because they are able to absorb information from a documented piece, then respond to it with the full implications of their decision.

Proposal Samples

Browse through the samples below to create the best proposal for your business or academic purpose.

Things to Consider in Proposal Writing

Some proposals are solicited while others are not. Proposals often vary in terms of purpose, format, and focus. It offers a preliminary plan or suggestion for you to move forward with your research. However, there are a few things that a writer must keep in mind when preparing the proposal. These factors are likely to affect a reader’s perception toward the idea as well as the outcome of the proposal.

Audience: The audience of your proposal may be the manager of a company or a panelist of decision-makers who will determine the fate of your efforts and ideas. These individuals have their own priorities and duties to take care of, so a clearly written proposal will be much appreciated. Tone: Be confident, encouraging, formal, and most of all, convincing. A good proposal should be flexible enough for negotiations to take place. Criticisms are bound to make your proposal seem like an embarrassment to your abilities, so prepare yourself for any disagreements that may question the credibility and efficacy of your proposed solutions. Aim: Avoid getting sidetracked with your content. Keep it as brief and direct as possible by focusing on the problem, your answer, and your hypothetical plan or suggestion. It’s best to establish a set of objectives beforehand to keep you on the right path. Language: Use clear, active language based on the understanding of your target audience. You can simplify your language by defining jargon when necessary and constructing sentences that are easy to comprehend. Structure: Applying an appropriate format will help ensure readability. This means writing bulleted items in paragraphs, using explicit subheadings, and following a logical flow of information. Make sure the document is composed of an introduction, body, and conclusion as well.