54 Planning a Proposal

Proposal Planning

Before you begin writing, it’s essential to understand a proposal’s basic purpose: a formal offer to complete a project or provide a service. While proposals may include technical background, feasibility information, data from surveys, or research findings, what distinguishes a proposal is its goal: to persuade the audience to approve, fund, or authorize the proposed project. If you plan to run your own business or work as a consultant, writing proposals may become one of your most important tools for gaining new clients. Even within a large corporation, nonprofit, or government agency, proposals are essential for initiating new projects or securing internal approval for your ideas.

A strong proposal provides all the information needed for a decision-maker to confidently say yes to the project, hire you, or both. To write a persuasive and effective proposal, put yourself in your reader’s position. What questions might they ask? What concerns might they have? What information would help them trust you and your approach?

It’s easy to confuse a proposal with other types of reports. For example, you might draft a document explaining a new technology you’d like your company to adopt. If the document explains how it works, outlines its benefits, and recommends moving forward—but doesn’t request your involvement in implementation—it’s likely a feasibility report, not a proposal. To turn it into a proposal, you need to request explicit permission to carry out the project yourself.

In any proposal, you’re not just selling the idea but also positioning yourself or your organization as the best choice to implement it.

Persuasion: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos

Proposals use the three classic rhetorical appeals—ethos, pathos, and logos—to persuade readers.

• Ethos (Credibility): Why should your audience trust you? If your potential client or reader doesn’t know your background, you must establish credibility. Reference your qualifications, previous projects, and client testimonials. If your organization is known for delivering quality work, emphasize that reputation. Credibility builds trust in your ability to complete the project successfully.

• Pathos (Passion and Appeal): Why are you passionate about this project? Why should the reader care? Your enthusiasm should be evident through understanding the client’s needs and your interest in solving their problem. Passion isn’t shown through punctuation—like excessive exclamation marks—but through your tone, confidence, and attention to detail.

• Logos (Logic and Evidence): Do strong reasoning and solid evidence back your arguments? Avoid making unsupported claims. Instead, demonstrate why your product, service, or solution is effective. Use examples, data, case studies, and expert opinions where appropriate. Be detailed and specific to show that your proposal is grounded in logic and practicality.

A strong proposal weaves together these three elements to demonstrate not only what you can offer but also why your offer is the right one and why you are the right person or organization to deliver it.

Attribution

This section contains material from Chapter 13.3 “Planning a Proposal” in Fundamentals of Business Communication Revised (2022) and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

References

References are at the end of this chapter.