Читать книгу Winning Proposals - Hans Tammemagi - Страница 6

Another fascinating aspect of proposals is their Jekyll-and-Hyde personality. On the one hand, proposals are fascinating, alluring, and full of reward and satisfaction. On the other hand, they can be frustrating and difficult. Many people do not enjoy the stress that is involved in meeting tight deadlines and being required to produce winners.

Each proposal has a dual personality

Why do proposals have this complex dual personality? Let’s look at the difficulties first. Not many people know how to write a winning proposal. This is not surprising as most firms and educational institutions do not place emphasis on teaching this subject. Why is this?

A proposal is difficult to write; it combines a factual presentation with the psychology of persuasion. In other words, the proposal intertwines science and art. At the same time, the proposal must be attractive and have an appealing layout. It is not easy to combine these attributes.

Furthermore, the proposal is a major document; it can sometimes become as big as a large report or even a small book, which requires considerable effort to compile. It must contain a well-thought-out technical work plan, company credentials and experience, a cost estimate, and other relevant information.

In addition, proposals are often written under intense pressure. Meeting the required deadlines frequently means working overtime and disrupting family and private life. There may also be a fear of rejection should the proposal lose; this can be exacerbated by senior managers who may place considerable pressure on the proposal team with a win-at-all-costs attitude.