For those of us who work as consultants or are in many service-oriented industries, our home business operations require us to make proposals and compete for clients and business. Putting together a top-notch and effective proposal requires time and skill and you may find yourself wondering if it is something that is best done by you–or if you’d get better results if you hired the work done by a professional?
While there are definitely basics to proposal writing, what makes a successful proposal can change with business climate. Many consultants or those in businesses where proposals are the norm develop a style that works for them and are able to just make adjustments as times and clients and needs change. You may even be able to come up with a basic proposal template that fits into your marketing and branding efforts and customize the proposal to meet the challenges of the individual client.
However, not everyone is skilled or gifted in the proposal-writing department. It takes not only attention to detail, but also a flair for design and knowing how to be professional and “sharp.” If it is something you struggle with, it can cost more in labor, time and materials than you can afford. It might be more affordable and advantageous for your business to hire a professional to write and assemble your proposals for you.
Some advertising, marketing, and public relations firms will do proposal preparation–but your best bet might be to find a small business or a freelance writer who specializes in résumés and other document preparation. A little graphic design and layout understanding goes a long way. You’ll want someone who can work on deadline and, depending on your type of business, the turnaround requirements may be rapid so you’ll want someone who can adjust. Be sure to weigh the costs of doing it yourself (including time, labor, printing, materials, software, etc.) with the cost of hiring someone else to create your proposals for you–this will help you make the right decision for your home business.
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