PROPOSALS are basic business tools in any organisation. In this day and age, oral suggestions are no longer legitimate ways of doing business, for even if a project or idea is suggested verbally, no action is taken until a written proposal is drafted. Bear these in mind when drafting a proposal for that winning idea:

1. Make sure your suggestion is viable

Think and re-think. Make sure your idea or suggestion is viable before you even think about making a formal document to present to your superiors. It makes no sense to go through all that trouble of writing a proposal if the idea is useless; so go it over in your head before you put pen to paper (except of course to make unofficial jottings or an outline of the details).

2. Know your audience

The first thing to bear in mind when drafting a proposal is who you are writing to. It doesn’t matter how brilliant your idea is, if it is not appropriately crafted to appeal to the target audience, that is, who you are trying to sell the idea to, it will most likely be snubbed.

3. Be specific

Don’t allow the reader to have to be trying to figure out what you are talking about. Everything you say (or write) in that proposal must be clear, specific and to the point. Don’t speak generally. Narrow it to the specific case or situation you are trying to solve.

4. Define the problem

Along the same lines, your employer will not, as they say, fix what is not broken, so be sure to identify what you are trying to fix with your proposed idea. This is where you draw for those lunchtime conversations about how much the company is losing or is ineffective, and use them to show your boss that they could be doing much better.

5. Say how your suggestion will benefit the organisation

After you have identified the problem, it’s time to propose a solution. That’s the reason you are writing this proposal anyway! Clearly explain your plans and say why they will work. Appeal to logic and use projected or estimated figures to show your employer that your idea will ‘save the day’ (or at the very least make it better).

6. Include timelines and if necessary, a budget

Your employer wants to know that you are thinking practically and are well-organised. So you need to show him how your idea can work within specific time-frames (whether quarters, terms or specific dates) as well as within a reasonable budget.

7. Be concise, but effective

In being specific, you must also be very concise with what you write. Bullet points are always a good way to go in this regard. However, do not be afraid to explain in a paragraph or two the contents of your proposal; just don’t go writing an epistle. After all, you want to keep the audience interested while clearly explaining every last detail of your plan/idea.

8. Use the active, rather than passive voice

This shows confidence in what you are proposing. For instance, instead of saying “Ten thousand students will be reached,” say “We will reach 10,000 students.” Even though you are saying the same thing, the phrasing has a different effect on the reader; the latter being more effective than the former.

9. Use graphics

Don’t be afraid to use graphs, charts, pictures, even a video if your proposal is being presented rather than merely drafted and left on your employer’s desk. This makes it more interactive and it helps when who you are proposing to is able to visualise what you are saying.

10. Proofread and edit

The concept of ‘going over your work’ is not only useful in school. Even in the workplace it makes sense to review what you have written. If it doesn’t make perfect sense to you, you might not want to take it to the next board meeting. Also, pay attention to spelling, grammar and the overall neatness and presentation of your work. They give points for that too!

— Aldane Walters