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CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
PROPOSAL WRITING AS
AN AUTHORITY
STRUCTURE AND STRATEGY
WHY WRITE PROPOSALS
Today's business people expect well thought through proposals that
present sound ideas and programs that help marketers sell products and
build market position, presented in a way that is regarded as customized
and consistent with business planning.
Business Proposals
Communicate as an AUTHORITY
Sell the idea....not the evidence!
Each year it is important to go to each of your Target Accounts with
a business proposition. A business proposition is simply a proposal
to do business. Good business propositions offer win-win relationships and
are logical. Your marketing department collects examples of major
proposals that have been made to your clients. These major proposals can
be reviewed by you to help you generate ideas.
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CATEGORY
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
© Copyright. All Rights Reserved 1992-2024
Arthur Rosenfield
CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
● Proposals add importance to an IDEA’s value and show that you are
a focused thinker.
● Proposals demonstrate your conclusions based on your knowledge of
your market.
● Proposals allow people at your client and the support team to lift facts
and ideas.
● Proposals give all parties a chance to agree up front.
PREPARATION. ACHIEVE RECOGNITION AS AN AUTHORITY
By "Authority" we mean the collection of every bit of facts, knowledge,
digesting it, and ultimately being able to interpret and communicate that
information, knowledge, and insights in such a way that it creates value for
those who can benefit. Authorities are able to show that their position has
created value for others who have acted on their recommendations and
ability to identify trends.
Being recognized as an AUTHORITY requires research and insight.
● You need to know where to look for direct information and facts.
● You need to know where to look for indirect information and facts.
● You need to know what things indirectly impact a possible outcome or
trend.
● You need to meet with people who are leaders and other authorities
in the area to ask questions.
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CATEGORY
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
© Copyright. All Rights Reserved 1992-2024
Arthur Rosenfield
CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
Why is it important?
People would rather do business with someone who knows what they are
talking about and have vested themselves in a topic.
Authority is always respected when it is real and obvious.
Authority can open doors.
HOW TO STRUCTURE A PROPOSAL AS AN AUTHORITY
Designed to unlock the SECRETS that SELL THE IDEAS, NOT THE
EVIDENCE
FOLLOW THIS ORDER
START WITH A COVER FOR YOUR PROPOSAL
1. Restate the client’s OBJECTIVE or OPPORTUNITY.
a. Gives you the right to go forward.
b. Clearly and concisely define the clients opportunities, problems,
challenges,etc.
c. Be as specific and quantitative as possible.
d. Use information from a Customer Need Analysis.
e. Use information learned from calls on the customers' customer
and trade involvement.
f. Should be specific enough not to be presentable to any other
client
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CATEGORY
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
© Copyright. All Rights Reserved 1992-2024
Arthur Rosenfield
CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
2. Detail the FACTS, ASSUMPTIONS, SITUATION from NEEDS
ANALYSIS
a. Assumptions that client will accept.
b. Include the NOW factor.
In every business there is something happening NOW that
makes it vital to take action NOW. Making a decision about the
NOW factor is usually time sensitive. Taking an action NOW
will produce a positive result. Delaying usually produces a
negative result.
Look ahead. What is changing. Understand change. Welcome
change. Be inspired by change. Be relevant. Be competitive.
c. Ask questions. Ask why three times.
• First: You get information.
• Second: You get knowledge.
• Third: You get understanding and insight.
3. Present your IDEA
a. Try to create a theme. It will usually jump out at you as a result
of the information you have collected.
What exactly do you want the client to do and how much will it
cost?
b. Create a custom plan complemented by market research,
merchandising, and a mix of other tools which can help the
client achieve their objectives.
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CATEGORY
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
© Copyright. All Rights Reserved 1992-2024
Arthur Rosenfield
CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
c. Make your proposal multi-component.
d. Sample strategies for proposals.
e. A Creative suggestion or creative execution (Speculative
layout).
f. High impact suggestion.
g. Mixed merchandising suggestion.
h. Size/Shape/Position suggestion theme.
i. Other corporate resources that are available.
j. Content relevance environment applications.
4. Show the BENEFITS of your IDEA to the customer.
a. As a result of....
b. Your GET....
c. Link the benefits to the client’s objectives or opportunities.
You can expect to achieve the kind of environment where
your programs can succeed.
d. Savings for the client.
e. The economies of scale.
5. Show that the BENEFITS of your IDEA might be good for the
CUSTOMER’S CUSTOMER too.
6. Show at least three different forms of EVIDENCE that your IDEA
could be expected to produce the BENEFITS that you have
outlined.
a. Facts
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CATEGORY
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
© Copyright. All Rights Reserved 1992-2024
Arthur Rosenfield
CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
b. Testimonial
c. Analogy
d. Articles
e. Field Market Work
f. Judgment of an Expert
g. Market research
h. Financial analysis and Financial projections
7. Show how YOU and your company can help your client and that
YOU and your product or service are ESSENTIAL to the success
of the IDEA.
a. No other company can make these statements.
b. No other company should be able to make this same proposal.
c. No other person should be able to deliver the benefits.
8. SUMMARIZE the client’s objective or opportunity, your idea, and
the benefits the client can expect if they agree to your proposal.
9. Detail the ACTION STEPS to be taken to implement the plan.
a. The more detail you can anticipate and include, the more
confidence the customer will have that you can deliver what you
promised.
10. Ask for written agreement or signed contract.
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CATEGORY
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
© Copyright. All Rights Reserved 1992-2024
Arthur Rosenfield
CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
WHO ARE WE?
Strategic, Financial, and Business Development Group [SFBDG] evolved over a forty five year
period of actively working with high development companies to assist owners and C-Suite
Executives to identify and manage core competencies that result in sustainable growth,
increased market share, and profit improvement.
Today, the company works with family offices, financial institutions, capital partners, real estate
companies, professional services, intermediaries, and companies across all sectors of the
economy. Operations are international through its Professional Alliance Network.
The company operates from two websites:
SFBDG.cityentree.com
InternationalBDG.com
SFBDG opens doors for companies. Essentially, people need trusted introductions carefully
curated for strategic reasons.
Founder, Arthur Rosenfield, has had executive positions as well as a consultancy that included
M&A, Executive Development and Training. He developed the first commercial network on the
internet and operated it for 22 years before exiting. He has become known as a center of
influence and a connector. He founded a Chamber of Commerce in New York City, and has
been a Member of several Chamber of Commerce Boards. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney
(NY) once called him “A CAN DO MAN”.
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CATEGORY
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
© Copyright. All Rights Reserved 1992-2024
Arthur Rosenfield
CONFIDENTIAL - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION
SECTION E: PROPOSAL WRITING AS AN AUTHORITY
AUTHOR OF THIS DOCUMENT:
Arthur Rosenfield
Strategic, Financial, and Business Development
Group
© Copyright. All Rights Reserved 2013-2023
646-920-4652
Arthur@CityEntree.com PO Box 307
New York, New York 10021
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