Create a Proposal Schedule


A proposal is like any other complex project. To ensure an on-time completion, you need to establish a schedule right away and then regularly check progress against it.

To create the proposal schedule:

  1. Identify the "drop dead" date—the absolutely last date by which the final draft must be completed and ready to go to production.

  2. Schedule printing to be completed with plenty of time for shipping or delivery of the final document. Include at least one or two extra days to allow for emergencies and problems.

  3. Create a Gantt chart for a large-scale project, using a tool like Microsoft Project. Identify the critical events or deliverables in your project.

  4. Look for opportunities to complete tasks in parallel, not sequentially.

  5. Don't forget to build in time for a technical review of the first draft and a mock evaluation of the final draft. The mock evaluation, or "red team review" as it's often called, should occur approximately two-thirds of the way into the schedule. (We'll discuss this process in more detail later, in Chapter 21.)

  6. Use labor-saving tools whenever possible, including automation software, design templates, compliance checklists, and so forth.

  7. Empower your contributors to do a good job the first time by providing them with all the information they need, including insights into the client, competitors, key issues, strategy and win theme, and so on. A kick-off meeting is an ideal place to provide this information, but you should also build in incremental reviews to reinforce the right approach and to make sure they are heading in the right direction.




Persuasive Business Proposals. Writing to Win More Customers, Clients, and Contracts
Persuasive Business Proposals: Writing to Win More Customers, Clients, and Contracts
ISBN: 0814471536
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 130
Authors: Tom Sant

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