How to develop a Cost/Price Volume and Stay Out of Jail
Follow four basic principles to develop a sound cost/price volume for your proposal.
You Can Submit a Competitive Price Bid
Often the decision to award a government contract comes down to pricing.
How You can use VfM to Submit more Competitive Proposals
Using VfM can improve the Management Volume of your government proposal.
Reducing Costs in a Pricing Proposal
There are ethical and sound economic steps you can take to reduce the cost of your price proposal.
Undertaking a Pricing to Win Analysis
Undertaking a pricing to win analysis early in the proposal development process will help you submit more winning proposals.
Pricing to Win
There are sound strategic and tactical reasons for focusing on pricing to win in government contracts.
The Importance of Pricing
Price matters a great deal when submitting a proposal.
General topics in proposal writing
9 Things Successful Proposal Professionals Do Differently
There are 9 things successful proposal professionals do differently. How many of these traits do you have?
Be Careful About Win Rates!
Proposal win rates often are used to measure business success. After all, there is a big difference between winning 30 percent and 60 percent of your bids. However, win rates are slippery numbers, and they may cloud rather than clarify your business efforts.
Belated New Year’s Resolutions for Proposal Professionals
Here are my new year’s resolutions for proposal professionals.
Can You be Happy as a Proposal Professional?
If we build social capital where we live and work, then we are likely to be happier as proposal professionals.
Creating a Satisfactory Work/Life Balance in Proposal Development
Achieving a reasonable and satisfactory work/life balance is important for proposal professionals.
Develop Winning Proposals by Effectively Reviewing your Writing
You need effective reviews of your written proposal sections to be a good proposal writer!
Develop Winning Proposals by Revising your Writing
When it comes to your proposal prose, revise, revise, and then revise!
Develop Winning Proposals by Writing Effectively
To write proposals effectively, organize!
Don’t Let Your Proposal Time Slip Away!
Follow a sound proposal schedule to avoid having your time slip away.
Dress Up Your Proposal Graphics!
Good graphics will make your proposals more persuasive.
Get Social Capital and be a Happier Proposal Professional!
Build social capital at your business, and you will become a happier person.
Go Green with your Proposals!
Go green! It is good for you, your company, and your planet.
How Can You Make Your Ideas Stick in Proposals?
To develop successful proposals, you must get reviewers to understand, remember, and believe your major themes.
How do You Write Winning Proposals?
Writing to win is a key element in winning proposals.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Proposal Professional: Be Grateful and Adjust Expectations
Proposal professionals should be grateful for their careers in the private sector.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Proposal Professional: Be Healthy
Companies and proposal managers can take concrete steps to encourage good health among proposal professionals.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Proposal Professional: Create a Healthy Work Environment
You can build strong social capital at work by creating a healthy work environment.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Proposal Professional: Create a Satisfying Work Environment
Create a satisfying work environment, and both you and your co-workers will be happier.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Proposal Professional: Go with the Flow
Creating “flow experiences” at work will enhance the lives of proposal professionals.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Proposal Professional: Have Faith
Religious organizations are a major source of social capital and happiness in America.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Proposal Professional: Make Peace, Not War
If you want to sustain strong bonds at work, be cooperative and promote reconciliation.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Proposal Professional: Support Policies that Increase Social Capital
Proposal professionals should support public policies that increase happiness and social capital.
How to Make the Big Switch — Welcome to the Nonprofit World!
Are you ready to switch from the business to the nonprofit world?
Join the Association of Proposal Management Professionals
Joining the Association of Proposal Management Professionals will expand your horizons and boost your career.
Proposal Teams as Learning Organizations
Proposal teams constantly need to be improving their skills to be competitive. There are steps you can take to hire, nurture, and train a proposal team to function effectively as a learning organization.
Seven Essential Etiquette Tips for Proposal Teams
Good etiquette helps proposal teams work productively without social friction.
Telling a Good Story is Important in Proposals!
In proposals, good stories inspire, motivate, and persuade others.
The Power of Collaboration
Mass collaboration may be the wave of the future and have profound implications for the way we develop proposals.
Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector
You can make a successful switch from the private to the nonprofit sector.
Use Graphics to Communicate Effectively in Your Proposals
Good graphics are an important component of persuasive proposals.
Use Graphics to Show your Proposal Data
Make your proposals more competitive by displaying data through graphics.
Using Compelling Visual Explanations
Good proposal visuals foster interest and comprehension. You can design proposals so that your visuals dramatically increase understanding.
Using Graphics to Emphasize your Win Themes
Good graphics can help you emphsize your win themes in proposals.
Using Self-Organizing Activities in Proposal Development
Proposal managers can use self-organizing teams in proposal development to develop new ideas and approaches that will use the team’s best talents.
Using the Principle of Recognition to Develop Winning Proposals
The most common mental process reviewers use is the principle of recognition. You can design your proposals to help reviewers recognize important themes and information.
Using the Principles of Good Informational Design
Proposal design is important. Learn how to help reviewers quickly find and understand the information that interests them.
What Can Ernest Hemingway Teach Us about Writing Proposals?
To write better proposals, channel your inner Hemingway.
What is High-performing Proposal Development?
The best companies find ways to create high-performing proposal development.
What kind of Management Approach should You use in Proposal Development?
The kind of management approach you use in proposal development will help determine how well the proposal team performs.
What should be your Performance Measures in Proposal Development?
In proposal development, the goal always should be to achieve a high return — a high ratio of dollars won compared to dollars invested.
When You Write Proposals, Focus on the Basics
In you proposals, focus on the basics of good writing.
Why Companies Should Hire Proposal Consultants…When Necessary
Consultants can help your company develop better proposals.
Writing Good Proposal Prose is a Challenge!
There are proven steps you can take to improve your proposal prose.
Writing Winning Proposals through Good Organizing
You can write better proposals if you carefully organize your writing.
Writing Winning Proposals through Good Planning
Start the proposal writing process with good planning.
You Can Build a More Cohesive Proposal Team in Five Basic Steps
You can use five basic techniques to create a more cohesive proposal team.
You Can Manage a Virtual Proposal Team!
At the beginning of a virtual proposal effort, ask yourself four basic questions.
You’re Not Finished with Your Proposal Yet!
Once you have submitted your proposal, there are still important tasks to complete.
Government Proposals
“Just Step Away from the Keyboard.”
You must create a thorough development process in order to write great government proposals.
Apply the “Peanut Butter and Jelly” Approach to your Government Proposal
Apply the “peanut butter and jelly” approach to improve your government proposals.
Asking Good Questions Can Improve Your Proposal
Asking good questions about government RFPs can help improve your proposal.
Avoid Four Mistakes in your Executive Summaries
Great Executive Summaries are very important in government proposals.
Being the Incumbant still means Submitting a Great Proposal
The biggest danger for an incumbent is complacency when re-bidding.
Can an SBIR Grant help you over the “Valley of Death?”
Can the federal government’s SBIR program help you company vault over the “Valley of Death?”
Can an SBIR Grant vault your Academic Research over the “Valley of Death?”
SBIR grants can help academic researchers vault their ideas and products over the “Valley of Death.”
Developing a Compliance Matrix
Developing a Compliance Matrix can help guide you through the RFP requirements and provide reviewers with a very handy list to use as they evaluate your proposal.
Developing Effective Oral Presentations
Effective oral presentations may be the difference between winning and losing a contract.
Doing a Government Proposal? There an App for That (Part I)!
There are many apps now available to help you do government proposals.
Doing a Government Proposal? There’s an App for That (Part II)?
Use apps to improve your proposal development processes.
Doing a Government Proposal? There’s an App for That (Part III)!
Use apps to improve your proposal efficiency and effectiveness.
Doing a Government Proposal? There’s an App for That (Part IV)!
Apps are becoming a tool in proposal development.
Focusing on Results in Past Performance
To receive high ratings for your past performance, focus on results.
How Can You be Compliant and Compelling in the Same Proposal?
You must find ways to be compliant and compelling in your federal proposals.
How Do Reviewers Really Evaluate Your Proposal?
Reviewers evaluate proposals fast, frugally, and with as little mental effort as possible. You can design your proposal to help reviewers evaluate without overtaxing themselves.
How Should You Decide Not to Bid?
Deciding not to bid on an RFP may make very good business sense.
Learn more abour the SBIR Program for Academic Institutions
Can the SBIR program help academic researchers turn knowledge into products?
Learn more about the SBIR Program
Can the federal government’s SBIR program help your company turn ideas and knowledge into commercial products and government contracts?
Make Good Oral Presentation with Graphics
Use good graphics to improve your oral presentations.
Minimize Your Proposal Risks
Learn to anticipate and mitigate your proposal risks.
Past Performance Matters!
Past performance is an important element in government evaluations of your proposal.
Prune Your Government Proposals!
Prune and cut to make your government proposals more concise, understandable, and persuasive.
Resolutions for Better Business Proposals
There are simple but highly effective resolutions that you can follow to improve their proposals.
Start Your Proposal with Great Application Instructions
Every great response to an RFP begins with great Application Instructions.
The Top Ten Reasons for Businesses to apply to the SBIR/STTR Programs
Your compaany may benefit from SBIR/STTR program funding.
The Top Ten Reasons for Colleges and Universities to Apply for SBIR/STTR Support
Your college or university researchers may benefit from SBIR/STTR funding support.
Unleash your Critical Thinking Skills in Government Proposals!
Creating an environment that encourages and supports critical thinking will improve your government proposals.
Use Graphics When You have Tight Page Limitations
Use graphics in RFPs with tight page limits and you will create more persuasive proposals.
Use your Proposal Outline to Develop a Compliant Proposal
To be compliant, start with a compliant proposal outline.
Using CPARS in Past Performance
Using CPARS effectively can improve your past performance evaluations.
What is the “Peanut Butter and Jelly” Approach to Government Proposals?
Apply the “peanut and jelly” approach to improve your government proposals.
Who Do You Write to in a Government Proposal?
There are different audiences to consider when you write a proposal.
Writing Winning Executive Summaries
Writing great Executive Summaries in proposals will increase your likelihood of being awarded contracts.
You Must have a Good Win Strategy to Develop Good Win Themes
Do not confuse your win strategy with your win themes.
Proposals and Nonprofits
“Just Step Away from the Keyboard.”
Thinking and careful planning should precede the writing of a grant proposal.
9 Things Successful Grant Proposal Professionals Do Differently
There are 9 things successful people do differently. How many of these traits fo you have as a grant proposal professional?
Apply the “Peanut Butter and Jelly” Approach to your Government Grant Proposal
The “peanut butter and jelly” approach can help improve your government grant proposals.
Are You Ready to Apply for a Federal Grant? First Get Your Finances in Order!
Before you apply for a federal grant, you must ensure that you have the ability to properly manage and disperse federal grant funds.
Avoid Four Common Mistakes in your Grant Executive Summaries
Great Executive Summaries are very important in government grant proposals.
Be Careful about Grant Win Rates!
It is very difficult to calculate grant win rates accurately.
Being an Incumbent still means Submitting a Great Grant Proposal
If you are an incumbent, treat your grant as a must-win proposal to continue your project.
Belated New Year’s Resolutions for Grants Professionals
Here are my new year’s resolutions for grants professionals.
Can You be Happy and a Grants Professional?
If we build social capital where we live and work, then we are likely to be happier as grants professionals.
Develop Winning Grant Proposals by Effectively Reviewing your Writing
You need multiple reviews of your grant narrative to be a good writer!
Develop Winning Grant Proposals by Revising your Writing
Thoughtful revision is a key element in effective proposal writing.
Develop Winning Grant Proposals by Writing Effectively
Organize yourself to write effective grant proposals.
Doing a Grant Proposal? There’s an App for That (Part I)!
Grant professionals can use apps to improve the proposal development process.
Doing a Grant Proposal? There’s an App for That (Part II)!
Grant professionals can improve the proposal development process by using apps.
Doing a Grant Proposal? There’s an App for That (Part III)!
Using apps can help you do grant proposals.
Doing a Grant Proposal? There’s an App for That (Part IV)!
Apps are becoming a tool in proposal development.
Don’t Let Your Grant Proposal Time Slip Away!
Use a schedule to finish your proposal tasks well and on time.
Dress Up your Grant Proposal Graphics!
Your grant proposals will be more compelling and persuasive if you use good graphics.
Foundation vs. Government Proposals
Nonprofit organizations that apply for government grants need to know the differences between foundation and government grant applications.
Get Social Capital and be a Happier Grants Professional!
Build social capital at your workplace, and you will become a happier person
Go Green with your Grant Proposals!
Going green in your propsoals is good for you, good for your organization, and good for the planet.
How Can You Develop Compelling Win Themes for Grant Proposals?
You can develop compelling win themes for your grant proposals that will help you tell a great story.
How Can You Use Good Win Themes to Strengthen your Grant Proposal?
Good win themes can strengthen your grant proposal if used strategically.
How Do you Write Winning Grant Proposals?
Writing is a critically important element of proposal development.
How Should You Decide not to Bid on a Grant?
Deciding when not to bid is a very important decision.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Grant Professional: Have Faith
Being involved with religious organizations is a major form of social capital and happiness in America.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Grant Professional: Support Policies that Increase Social Capital
Grant professionals should support public policies that increase happiness and social capital.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Grants Professional: Be Grateful and Adjust Expectations
Grant professionals should be grateful for their careers in the nonprofit sector.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Grants Professional: Be Healthy
Nonprofit organizations and proposal managers can take concrete steps to encourage good health.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Grants Professional: Create a Healthy Work Environment
Creating a health work environment helps build strong social capital.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Grants Professional: Create a Satisfying Work Environment
Work toward create a satisfying work environment and both you and your co-workers will be happier.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Grants Professional: Go with the Flow
Creating “flow experiences” at work leads to more satisfied grants professionals.
How to Achieve Happiness as a Grants Professional: Make Peace, Not War
If you want to sustain strong social bonds at work, be cooperative and collaborative.
How to Add Zip to Your Nonprofit Proposals!
You can add zip to your nonprofit proposals by using the principles of good information design, using good visuals, and by using recognition to organize the proposal’s structure and content.
How to Develop a Grant Budget and Stay Out of Jail
Follow four basic principles to develop a compelling budget for your grant proposal.
How to Help Reviewers Evaluate Government Grant Proposals
You can use four important techniques to help evaluators to review your government grant proposal quickly and effortlessly.
How to Learn from Losing
Nonprofit organization can use rejected government grant proposals to improve their proposal development processes.
How You can use VfM to Submit More Competitive Grant Proposals
Using VfM can help you submit more competitive grant proposals.
Join the Grant Professionals Association
Joining the Grant Professionals Association will broaden your horizons and boost your career.
Make Good Nonprofit Oral Presentations with Graphics
Good graphics can help you make more effective oral presentations.
Managing a Virtual Grant Proposal is a Challenge!
It takes special skills to manage a virtual proposal effort.
Minimize Your Grant Proposal Risks
Recognize and address the predictable risks in grant proposal development.
Myths and Realities in Grant Proposal Writing
Writing a great grant proposal is not an easy task.
Pricing Your Government Grant Proposal
Learn to develop good government grant budgets.
Prune Your Grant Proposals!
Prune your prose to make your grant proposals more persuasive.
Resolutions for Better Proposals from Nonprofits
Nonprofit organizations should follow some simple but highly effective resolutions to improve their proposals.
Searching for Federal Grant Opportunities
To get federal grants, you must know how to search for them electronically.
Seven Essential Etiquette Tips for Grant Proposal Teams
Practicing good etiquette will help your grant proposal team perform better.
Should You Apply for a Federal Grant?
Carefully assess your chances of being awarded a federal grant before you decide to spend the time, money, and resources to apply.
Start your Proposal with Great Application Instructions
Every good grant proposal effort begins with a great set of Application Instructions.
Telling a Good Story is Important in Grant Proposals!
In a grant proposal, a good story becomes a powerful tool for advocacy and persuasion.
Proposals and Small Businesses
Develop a Proposal Plan to Create an Outstanding Proposal
Small businesses can write great proposals by developing a detailed proposal plan before the writing process begins.
Developing a Performance-Based Work Statement
To remain competitive in proposal development, you must be able to develop excellent Performance-Based Work Statements.
Help Reviewers Evaluate Your Proposals
Help reviewers evaluate your proposals quickly and effortlessly by using four basic techniques.
How Can You Develop Compelling Win Themes?
Developing compelling win themes will help you to tell a great story in your proposal.
How Can You Use Good Win Themes to Strengthen your Proposal?
Good win themes will strengthen your proposal if used strategically.
How Small Businesses can break into the Federal Government
You can break into the world of federal contracting by cultivating seven key habits.
How Small Businesses Can Win Government Contracts
Every day, small businesses are finding ways to win their first federal contracts.
How to Learn from Losing
Proposals are rejected all the time, but you can use a rejected proposal to improve your proposal development process.
Making Relevant Experience Count in Proposals
To develop a competitive application, you must highlight your relevant experience.
Myths and Realities in Proposal Writing
Writing a great business proposal is not easy.
There is No Substitute for a Great Kick-Off Meeting!
A successful kick-off meeting is the most important and effective way to begin a proposal.
Use Red Team Reviews to Improve your Proposals
The best way to improve a proposal is to conduct an effective Red Team review.
Use the Principle of Recognition in Your Proposals
Use the principle of recognition to help reviewers evaluate your proposal as easily as possible.
Using Statistics Accurately in Proposals
Numbers in proposals can be used or abused. Learn to use numbers accurately and with caution.
What are Good Win Themes?
Developing compelling win themes helps you to tell a compelling story in your proposal.
You Can Write Good Proposals!
Writing good proposals is very important. Reviewers need to read your proposal easily and find information that interests them.
Pricing Proposals
How to develop a Cost/Price Volume and Stay Out of Jail
Follow four basic principles to develop a sound cost/price volume for your proposal.
How You can use VfM to Submit more Competitive Proposals
Using VfM can improve the Management Volume of your government proposal.
Pricing to Win
There are sound strategic and tactical reasons for focusing on pricing to win in government contracts.
Reducing Costs in a Pricing Proposal
There are ethical and sound economic steps you can take to reduce the cost of your price proposal.
The Importance of Pricing
Price matters a great deal when submitting a proposal.
Undertaking a Pricing to Win Analysis
Undertaking a pricing to win analysis early in the proposal development process will help you submit more winning proposals.
You Can Submit a Competitive Price Bid
Often the decision to award a government contract comes down to pricing.