Full Description

• Stop losing jobs because of ineffective proposals
• Get practical tips to boost your firm’s proposal hit rate
• Read in-depth case studies of how firms just like yours plan, prepare, and write winning proposals
• Learn how to develop eye-catching proposals that stand out from the pack
• Find out how to plan, organize, and assemble an effective proposal team
• Standardize the proposal-writing process so that you can save time and money
• Learn how to highlight the benefits that your firm can bring to a client
• Get tips for developing a proposal schedule and getting the proposal team to stick to it
• Find out how to improve the writing skills of your proposal team
• Learn common mistakes to avoid in the proposal preparation process
• Find out how to attractively design and lay out proposals

A/E firms spend significant amounts of time and money submitting proposals to clients. Yet the typical firm only wins about 35% of the proposals they submit. Is your firm losing jobs because of ineffective proposals?

Stop wasting time and money on weak proposals. Make sure your firmÂ’s proposals are standing out from the competition and landing projects by getting a copy of ZweigWhiteÂ’s A/E Proposals Cookbook. This book provides a step-by-step guide to planning, preparing, and writing winning proposals. Filled with best practices and case studies, this book will provide you with practical information to improve your hit rate.

A/E Proposals Cookbook will provide you with tools and techniques for improving the proposals your firm is sending out and help you win more of the plum jobs you want. Get best practices to enhance the content, organization, and writing of your firmÂ’s proposals.

Some of the most important steps in writing winning proposals take place even before you put pen to paper. It’s critical that A/E firms first have an effective go/no-go decision-making process to ensure they don’t waste time pursuing projects that they have little chance of winning. Firms also need to do their research to understand the prospective client and assess the competition. A/E Proposals Cookbook will walk you through these preliminary steps in the proposal-writing process. You’ll learn how to decide which projects to target, identify your prospective client’s hot buttons, and find out how to differentiate yourself from the competition.

Once you have completed these preliminary steps, it’s time to develop the proposal team. A/E Proposals Cookbook will help you choose the proposal team members, establish a timeline, and work with subconsultants and teaming partners. You’ll also find out how to train your staff to improve your proposal-writing process.

Successful proposals clearly communicate to prospective clients the benefits that a firm will bring to them on a project. A/E Proposals Cookbook will help you develop winning strategies and themes to convey the benefits that your firm can bring to a project.

A/E Proposals Cookbook will provide you with practical tips for improving the key elements of the proposal. It will provide you with techniques for improving your writing style and using graphics that will clearly communicate your message and catch the eye of the selection committee. You’ll also get advice on reviewing and proofreading proposals, printing and binding, delivering the proposal, and receiving a debriefing. In addition, A/E Proposals Cookbook will provide you with details on software that is available to design and environmental firms to help with proposal preparation.

Have you ever wanted to know the secret to other firms’ successes in writing winning proposals? A/E Proposals Cookbook contains 10 real-life case studies, so you can get an inside look at how other A/E firms have planned, prepared, and written proposals that have won projects. The case studies profile firms of all types and sizes in the design and environmental industry so you can see how firms just like yours are boosting their hit rates. Get helpful advice from the people whoÂ’ve spearheaded proposal teams. Get the inside story on how they put their proposals together and find out how they have been successful. They’ll also tell you what pitfalls to avoid. Why repeat problems that others have solved?

Stop sending out proposals that miss the mark with prospective clients. Make sure your proposals stand out from the crowd and give clients what they want to see. If your firm is struggling with getting your proposals to the short list, or is simply looking for ways to write better proposals, make sure you get a copy of ZweigWhite’s A/E Proposals Cookbook.

Contents

Foreword

Chapter 1: Making the go/no-go decision
- Deciding whether to compete for a job
- Key factors in go/no-go decisions
- Gathering information from the client

Chapter 2: Understanding your client
- Before the RFP is released
- The pre-proposal meeting
- Targeting your client’s hot buttons

Chapter 3: Assessing your competition
- Why competitive intelligence is important
- Tactics for gathering competitive intelligence
- Determining your strengths and weaknesses

Chapter 4: Developing the proposal team
- The team leader
- Project manager and principal-in-charge
- Marketing staff
- Technical staff
- Subconsultants and teaming partners
- The kickoff meeting
- Proposal schedule

Chapter 5: Developing a winning strategy
- Analyzing the RFP
- Highlighting your firm’s benefits
- Differentiating yourself from the competition
- Conducting unique research
- Planning your proposal around presentation requirements

Chapter 6: Elements of the proposal
- Cover
- Cover letter
- Executive summary
- Firm background
- Experience
- Project approach
- Management plan
- Capacity
- Resumes
- Schedule
- Fee

Chapter 7: Writing and graphics
- Boilerplate and templates
- Improving your writing
- Graphics and layout

Chapter 8: The final touches
- Red team review
- Proofreading
- Printing and binding
- Delivering the proposal
- Electronic submissions

Chapter 9: Getting a debriefing
- Finding out why you won (or lost)
- Getting the most out of a debriefing

Chapter 10: Public-sector proposals

Chapter 11: Proposal preparation software
- Desktop publishing programs
- CRM and proposal databases
- SF330 preparation packages

Chapter 12: A/E proposal case studies
- Profiles of 10 real-life proposals by A/E firms.