Writing Reports: Proposals

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• Writing Reports Proposals

Includes information from Guffey text, Ch 11-13
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Discussion Communication Matters

• A Winning Proposition
• How do the 7 deadly sins of proposal writing
  reflect basic business writing concepts?
• How can you develop an understanding of the
  clients needs and desired results?
• Why is a written proposal important?

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Planning Business Reports
Begin with a challenge statement
Statement of purpose using SMART goals to limit
your scope
Outline issues to investigate by identifying key
research questions
Develop a work schedule timeline and assignments
Use this information to prepare Client Proposal
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Challenge Statements

• Problem Statements
• Defines the situation and the need for a response
  to achieve a desired outcome
• Starts () assumes and does not state ()

Negative Client was Stupid
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Challenge Statements

• Challenge statement
• Defines the desired outcome from a response to a
  situation
• Starts () assumes and does not state ()
• Infinitive phrase or declarative statement
• Need for response in Background section
• Situation facts in Research/ Analysis section

Stay Positive
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Challenge Statement

• Problem statement
• The agency has experienced a 50 turnover in
  volunteers, causing manpower shortages.
• Challenge statement
• The agency wants to increase volunteer retention
  by developing an understanding of causes of
  volunteer turnover.

(
)
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Challenge Statement

• Problem statement
• The agencys fundraising totals have fallen 25
  since 9/11. The agency wants to identify how to
  increase donations.
• Challenge statement
• The agency wants to increase donations by
  identifying successful post-9/11 fundraising
  strategies.

(
)
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Significance

• Proposals must reflect the importance of solving
  the challenge to the client
• Increase revenue/profits
• Serve more clients
• Fulfill the organizations mission

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Goals and Objectives
How to be SMART
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GOALS

• S pecific (targeted)
• M easurable (quantitative)
• A ttainable (possible)
• R ealistic (probable/resourced)
• T ime appropriate (deadline)

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Activity

• Individually identify a SMART goal to be
  accomplished within the next 3-5 years.
• Share with your team and pick one of the goals to
  share with the class.

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SMART Goal vs. Challenge Statement

• Challenge statement ? client focused
• Answers Why client wants you to pursue SMART
  goal
• SMART Goal ? team focused
• Answers What team plans to deliver/accomplish

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Goal Examples

• To develop a plan to improve attendance at staff
  meetings by 20 over the next 3 months.
• To develop a plan to increase average attendance
  at the next 3 agency-sponsored events by 25.
• To develop a plan to improve volunteer
  satisfaction as measured by volunteer retention
  by 10 over the next year.

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Research Planning

• Challenge statement
• SMART goal(s)
• Key questions to drive research
• Questions of fact (quantifiable data)
• Questions of value (worth, benefit, good, bad)
• Questions of policy (opportunities/ boundaries)
• Questions of procedure (process guidelines)
• Questions of strategy (interactions - always
  include a benchmark question)

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WRITING PROPOSALS
Includes material from Guffey Chapter 14
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Introduction

• Explain why the proposal is being made.
• Identify a challenge or name a key issue or
  benefit.

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Background, Problem

• Discuss the significance of the proposal and its
  goals or purposes.
• For solicited proposals, show that you fully
  understand the problem and its ramifications.
• For unsolicited proposals, convince the reader
  that a problem exists.

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Proposal, Plan

• Clearly state the SMART goal(s) of the project.
  Goals
• State what the client can expect you to do
  (research questions you will investigate).
  Objectives
• State what you expect/need from the client.
  Procedures
• Provide a timeline for completion (presentation
  and final report). Timeline

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Research Plan Objectives

• To develop a plan to improve attendance at staff
  meetings by 20 over the next 3 months.
• By researching the strengths and weaknesses of
  the current notification systems
• By researching why staff members attend or do not
  attend the meetings

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Summary Authorization

• Summarize potential reader benefits from project.
• Ask for approval. Make it easy to reply.

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Staffing/Budget

• State your understanding about staff/budget
  availability to call on in your recommendations
• Money available in addition to what is spent now
• Additional person-hours available
• Increased productivity possible
• Expanded skill sets possible

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Project Budget (for the real world, not client
project)

• Itemize costs carefully. Proposals are contracts.
• Present a deadline for the bid figures.

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Client Proposal Example

• Example