Tips and advice on the effective use of language and tone for maximum impact when writing bids, proposals and tenders.
Long sentences are difficult to read and readers have to work hard to understand their meaning. To help readability and increase the impact of your messages, break sentences into bite-sized ideas. Delete anything that is not essential. Bullet points are a very effective way of making key points stand out.
It is unlikely that the sections in your bid and proposal submissions will be read in the order in which you present them. Most readers skip through documents looking for parts which interest them most. For that reason, it is critical that you have a clear table of contents, good headings and that you minimise … Read more..
Before starting to answer a question, it is always a good idea to stop and think. Instead of cutting and pasting old responses or spewing out an endless stream of words, you should begin by analysing the question and planning your answer. A few minutes spent building a basic structure will result in a logical … Read more..
Many bid writers forget that their clients are time poor and will be speed reading their submissions. Writers often compose complex sentences with multiple clauses. While these may be grammatically correct, they are usually difficult to read. Try to keep your language simple, concise and unobtrusive. This will allow your key messages to be conveyed … Read more..
It is important that you demonstrate an understanding of customers’ requirements to help build trust and empathy with them. To do this, you should show insight into their needs, their industry sector and the economic climate. It is not sufficient merely to parrot back what they have already told you in the tender documentation
We are all aware that language and cultural differences can cause difficulties in business.
Since the purpose of headings is to help the reader navigate your document, you should ensure the titles are clear and meaningful.
If there is one golden rule in proposal writing, it is “Make It Easy For The Reader”.
In your proposal documents, you should always quantify terms such as “regular”, “often” and “quickly”.
A useful rule of thumb is that ‘affect’ is usually a verb while ‘effect’ is usually a noun.
