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• Cover
• Introduction
• About This Book
• Foolish Assumptions
• Icons Used in This Book
• Beyond the Book
• Where to Go from Here
• Part 1: Understanding Proposal Development
• Chapter 1: Introducing Bids and Proposals
• Defining Bids and Proposals
• Preparing to Propose
• Becoming More Professional
• Chapter 2: Understanding Different Types of Proposals
• Responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP)
• Writing a Proactive Proposal
• Comparing Small and Large Proposals
• Understanding Procurement: The Differences Among Segments
• Part 2: Focusing on Your Customer
• Chapter 3: Building Customer Relationships
• Getting to Know Your Customers
• Handling Customer Engagement: Your Sales Process
• Managing Customer Relationships
• Chapter 4: Giving Your Customers What They Ask For (And More)
• Following Your Customers’ Instructions
• Complying with Your Customers’ Requirements
• Enhancing Compliance with Responsiveness
• Chapter 5: Sizing Up Your Competition
• Gathering Information About Your Competitors
• Unseating Incumbents
• Ghosting Your Competition
• Part 3: Planning Your Approach
• Chapter 6: Developing Your Proposal Process
• Understanding Where the Proposal Process Fits In
• Pre-Proposal Stage: To Bid or Not to Bid?
• Proposal Development Stage: Delivering on Your Proposal Strategy
• Post-Proposal Stage: Getting Ready for Another Round
• Chapter 7: Setting Yourself Apart From Your Competitors
• Presenting Features and Benefits
• Backing Up Your Claims with Proof
• Chapter 8: Keeping Your Proposal on Track
• Coming Up with a Schedule That Works
• Budgeting Your Funds and Resources
• Choosing Your Proposal Team
• Part 4: Creating Your Proposal
• Chapter 9: Developing Your Proposal
• Crafting the Executive Summary
• Writing a Transmittal Letter
• Describing the Customer’s Situation
• Answering Your Customer’s Questions
• Writing the Solution for a Proactive Proposal
• Establishing Value in the Pricing Section
• Building the Experience Section
• Closing with a Call to Action
• Chapter 10: Applying the Principles of Good Writing: Structuring Your Argument
• Outlining to Guide Your Writing
• Writing Clearly
• Writing Persuasively
• Using Headings to Guide the Reader through Your Proposal
• Chapter 11: Making Your Proposals Look Good
• Designing Eye-Catching, Accessible Documents
• Applying Basic Design Principles to Make Your Proposal Stand Out
• Using Graphics to Help Readers Understand Your Proposal
• Chapter 12: Getting Your Proposal Out the Door
• Getting Fresh Eyes On Your Proposal
• Readying Your Proposal for Delivery
• Responding to Electronic Submissions
• Giving an Oral Presentation
• Part 5: Taking Your Proposal to the Next Level
• Chapter 13: Using Tools and Templates to Accelerate Your Proposals
• Tooling Around with Proposals
• Creating Foolproof Processes and Outputs
• Chapter 14: Leading Proposal Teams Effectively
• Leading Long Before the Project Begins
• Guiding Your Team from Start to Finish
• Taking a Virtual Approach to Proposal Team Leadership
• Chapter 15: Making Each Proposal Better than the Last
• Improving with Every Opportunity
• Collecting Content for Reuse
• Getting and Staying in Proposal Shape
• Part 6: The Part of Tens
• Chapter 16: Ten Templates for Building Your Proposal
• Creating a Compliance Matrix
• Proving Your Past Performance
• Standardizing the Proposal Model
• Keeping Up with Your Costs
• Tracking Your Customer Contacts
• Scheduling Your Process Milestones
• Deciding Whether to Bid
• Checking Off Production Activities
• Checking the Checker
• Capturing and Sharing Lessons Learned
• Chapter 17: Ten Common Misconceptions about Bids and Proposals
• Engaging the Customer Early Isn’t Important
• An Executive Summary Only Summarizes Your Proposal
• Features and Benefits Are All the Same
• If You’re the Incumbent, You’ve Got Nothing to Worry About
• Always Use Business Speak and Buzz Phrases in Your Proposals
• Sales Is a Game of Numbers, So Bid on Everything
• You Can Skip the Reviews if You’re Short on Time
• Collecting Information about Your Competitors Is Unethical
• After You Decide to Bid, Stick to Your Decision to the End
• Debrief Sessions Help You Single Out Underperformers
• Appendix: Online Resources
• About the Authors
• Advertisement Page
• Connect with Dummies
• End User License Agreement