Powerful Presentations

Day One

What We’ll Learn:• Proposal Basics • Tips for writing Powerful Proposals

•Handout:• RFP: Attention Citizens!

Next Time: • Parts of a Powerful Proposal• Writing Workshop: Audience Analysis and

Problem/Situation

Day One

Purpose of proposalsTo persuade the reader to accept your proposed solution to solve a problem or fulfill a needThese can include (but aren’t limited to) things like: • Problems on campus (cafeteria food, class crowding, etc.)• Sales of products or services • Grants for nonprofit agencies • Grants for research and development

Types of Proposals• Solicited• Usually in response to a Request for Proposal • Often part of a larger sales process which includes presentations,

negotiations, etc.

• Unsolicited• Grant proposals• Sales proposals • Requests for changes • Solutions to problems

Tips for Writing powerful proposals•Preview what you will tell them. •Tell them•Review what you told them•Find a theme and repeat it• Ex. Mayhem needs a hero. That hero is Wonder Woman

Tips for Writing powerful proposals•Make it about THEM, not YOU• It isn’t about what Superman can do. It’s about what Superman can do for YOU!• If you want Mayhem to pick your superhero, tell them why he or she is the best one to meet THEIR needs!

Tips for Writing powerful proposalsExample:

The Mole Man continues to strike Mayhem’s local banks, burrowing up from the sewers without ever setting off any alarms and before anyone realizes the vault’s been compromised. Mayhem needs a hero who can ferret out Mole Man’s underground hideout with his X-Ray vision and bring him to swift justice at last!

Tips for Writing powerful proposals• Sell the benefits, not the features• Features=What• Benefits=So what?

No: Superman is invincible.Yes: Because Superman is invincible, he can throw himself on a bomb to protect YOU, the Honorable Mayor, and YOUR family from harm in a crisis.

Tips for Writing powerful proposals• Be specific

Vague: Superman has a lot of awesome powers that will keep Mayhem Safe!

Specific: Superman has super speed, which allows him to respond to YOUR distress call right away. Because he can fly, he can rescue YOUR citizens no matter where trouble strikes.

Tips for Writing powerful proposals• Keep it brief• The fewer words the better. Keep it short and sweet. Need I say more?• Eliminate unnecessary words• Resist fluff• Resist drivel• Instead of Batman’s tragic history, try this:

When he lost his parents to violent crime, Batman decided to keep Gotham safe.

Tips for Writing powerful proposals• Chunk related information in a way readers can

understand•Use:

• Descriptive headings• Bulleted lists• Graphs and charts• Pictures or graphics

Tips for Writing powerful proposals• Spoon feed the reader• Be direct• State the point and the conclusion you want the reader to reach

No: The Joker’s no good. Someone should probably take him down.Yes: Stopping that Villainous Joker:The Joker is a dangerous, murderous lunatic who has blown up the City Hall for the third time this week, and you need to hire Batman to catch him and lock him up in Arkham Asylum where he belongs.

Tips for Writing powerful proposals• Focus on the action

• Strong words for strong heroes! Use action words, not wimpy words!• Fought, protected, committed, saved, battled, resisted, rescued,

escaped, schemed, destroyed, triumphedNo: The children of Mayhem were saved by Spiderman’s heroic act.Yes: Spiderman saved the children from the evil Doc Oc!

Powerful Presentations

Day Two

What We’ll Learn:• Parts of a Proposal• Problem/Solution

What We’ll Do:• Writing Workshop: Audience

Analysis and Problem/Solution

Next Time: • Parts of a Powerful Proposal:

Solution/Methods• Writing Workshop: Solution/Methods

Day Two

Parts of a Proposal•Executive Summary•Introduction•Problem/Situation•Solution

•Methods• Cost • Qualifications• Benefits

Parts of a Proposal•Use headings•Examples• Super Summary•Mayhem in Mayhem• Superman to the Rescue

Problem/situation•Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the client, their needs, their problem and how your features will solve their problem and benefit THEM. •This section will help you tailor your solution/methods to the client

Problem/situation• How, you ask? • Audience analysis• Answer these questions:

• Who is the audience? • What is their problem?• What is the PAIN? • What do they need? • Why do they need it? • How are they feeling about the situation?

Problem/situation• Example• Mayhem, Texas has a problem. Crime is at an all time high. Villains

run amok in the streets. The city is shelling out millions of dollars to pursue these villains and repair the damages they’ve caused, but law enforcement can barely keep up. The citizens live in fear every day, and many of them have abandoned Mayhem for the safety of cities like Haven and Serenity. Without a hero to defend the city, the villains will overrun Mayhem, and you, they mayor, will be out of a job.

Writing Workshop: Audience Analysis• Answer these questions:

• Who is the audience based on the RFP you received? • Is there a secondary audience who might read your proposal? • Does the secondary audience have the same needs/pain/fear as the primary audience? • What is the problem? • What is the PAIN?• What are they afraid of? • What do they need?• Why do they need it? • What are their criteria to select/reject you?• What is your relationship with the audience? • What else do you need to know about the audience?

Writing Workshop: Problem/Solution

Based on your answers to the Audience Analysis, write your Problem/Situation section

Powerful Presentations

Day THRee

What We’ll Learn:• Parts of a Proposal: Solution• Parts of a Proposal: Methods

What We’ll Do:• Writing Workshop: Solution/Methods

Next Time: • Parts of a Powerful Proposal:

Cost/Qualifications• Writing Workshop: Cost/Qualifications

Day Three

Parts of a Proposal: Solution• Determine if your solution meets the needs of your client

• Answer these questions:• What are the features of your solution?• What are the benefits of the features? • How do the features and benefits of the solution ease the PAIN?

• Remember: • Need>pain>feature>benefit

Parts of a Proposal: SolutionExample:We propose that you hire Batman to defend Mayhem. Batman will crack down on crime in Mayhem and thwart those nefarious villains in no time! One of the most intelligent of all the heroes, he can help you and local law enforcement form a strategy to combat crime. Fearless and bold, he will use his arsenal of marvelous toys to always come out on top. Best of all, his alter ego is super rich, and he can pay for all the damages he causes during his nighttime thwartings and rooftop battles!

Parts of a Proposal: Methods• Example

Batman will use move into Mayhem’s largest, gloomiest mansion and be ready to defend your city within the month (allow time for Batcave construction!). He will ferret out the worst, most destructive (and most expensive!) villains first. Joker, Penguin, Mr. Freeze—they don’t stand a chance when the Dark Knight is on the prowl. Once he’s delivered the worst of your villains to Arkham Asylum, he will spend his nights patrolling the rooftops and back alleys. Batman’s methods include: flying from building to building using his marvelous toys, using Batarangs to tie up villains and deliver them to local law enforcement, outsmarting the wiliest of wisecrackers, and solving complicated riddles with his superior intelligence.

Parts of a Proposal: Solution/Methods• Remember:• Make it about THEM, not you!• Be specific!• Spoon feed the readers!• Be brief!• Tell them. • Tell them again. • Review what you told them.

Writing Workshop: Solution/Methods• Write your solutions and methods sections

• Align your solution and methods with the needs/pain/fear• Will the solution solve the problem, an does the method eliminate the

fear?

• Answer these questions:• What solution do you propose to solve Mayhem’s problem?• How will you do it?• What are your hero’s methods?

Bonus Example: Since Batman never uses guns, you don’t have to worry that innocent citizens will be in danger from friendly fire!

Powerful Presentations

Day Four

What We’ll Learn:• Parts of a Proposal: Solution• Parts of a Proposal: Methods

What We’ll Do:• Writing Workshop: Solution/Methods

Next Time: • Parts of a Powerful Proposal:

Cost/Qualifications• Writing Workshop: Cost/Qualifications

Day Four

Parts of a Proposal: Cost• Keep it brief, informative and specific• Use bulleted lists • Use a table• Use whatever you need to tell them exactly how much it will

cost• Don’t sugar coat it• Justify the cost through the value you offer

Parts of a Proposal: CostExample

Superman’s Salary: $0 (Superman was put on this planet to defend it. He requires no compensation. He would, however, like to be directed to the nearest daily newspaper.)

Superman’s Fortress of Solitude: $6M (includes tangential costs such as transporting space rocks from Krypton and burrowing deep underground)

Phone booth on every corner: $500 per phone booth (no phones required because everyone has a cell phone these days.)

Parts of a Proposal: Qualifications• Focusonthequalificationsthatarerelevanttotheclient’sneeds• NoonecaresifSupermanthwartedaninvisiblegirliftherearenoinvisiblevillainsinMayhem,right?

ExampleSinceBatmanhasexperiencewithhomicidallunaticssuchasRiddler andJoker,youcanbesurehecandefeattherabid,murderousNanny,Mayhem’smostnotoriousvillainwiththeamazingmartialartshemasteredwhileunderthetutelageofGrandKungFuMasterChuChinLi.

Writing Workshop: Cost/Qualifications•Write the Cost section•Make sure to include all the costs requested in the

RFP: Attention Citizens!

•Write the Qualifications section• Remember to include only the qualifications that are

relevant to the needs of your audience!

Powerful Presentations

Day Five

What We’ll Learn:• Parts of a Proposal: Benefits• Parts of a Proposal: Executive

Summary

What We’ll Do:• Writing Workshop: Solution/Methods

Now:• Claim victory! You wrote a powerful

proposal!

Later: • Revise your completed proposal to include

in your portfolio at the end of the semester

Day Five

Parts of a Proposal: Benefits• Review what you told them!

• Sell your solution

• Show them how your solution will ease their pain

• Include a benefit for every feature

• Don’t be afraid to lay it on thick!

• Just remember who your audience is, and don’t forget your secondary audience

Parts of a Proposal: BenefitsExamples

When you select Wonder Woman to defend Mayhem, her sparkling personality and sterling reputation will instantly raise Mayhem’s estimation in the eyes of the nation and in your constituent. No longer will you be considered a vile, misogynistic boys’ club. Since 52% of Mayhem’s population is female, imagine the goodwill they will show toward you, they mayor, come election time.

Because Wolverine can regenerate, you never have to worry about his medical bills, saving Mayhem a lot of money in worker’s compensation claims.

Parts of a Proposal: Benefits• Make this your last section

• Always end this section with a call to action, just like in a letter

Example

Thank you for considering Superman to defend your city. I look forward to presenting Superman as the leading candidate at the city council meeting next Thursday. Please contact me with any questions regarding this proposal at 555-555-5555 or through email at superman@thefortressofsolitude.com.

Yours, Lois LaneSuperhero Agent and Crack Reporterloislane@thedailyplanet.com

Parts of a Proposal: Executive Summary•Write this section last, even though it comes first

• Summarize your entire proposal in a few paragraphs • Pull copy directly from your sections

• Include all the sections• Keep it brief

•Make it awesome!

Example of an Executive SummaryMayhem, Texas has a problem. Crime is at an all time high. Villains run amok in the streets. The city is shelling out millions of dollars to pursue these villains and repair the damage they’ve caused, but law enforcement can barely keep up. The citizens live in fear every day, and many of them have abandoned Mayhem for the safety of cities like Haven and Serenity. Without a hero to defend the city, the villains will overrun Mayhem, and you, the Mayor, will be out of a job. Superman can solve this problem. With incredible powers such as flight, which he can use to fight villains anywhere; super speed, which he can use to arrive right when you need him; and super strength, which he can use to get your citizens out of any pickle they’re in, he is the perfect choice to defeat Mayhem’s craftiest villains, who can soar above buildings, escape from the scene of a crime before law enforcement even arrives, and trap your citizens in a bus on the precipice of a broken bridge. Since he will rush to your city’s aid any time there is a problem (provided there is a handy phone booth around), Mayhem can feel secure knowing they are never without a defender.

With Superman thwarting these crafty villains, costs to your city will decrease significantly, raising your approval rating and allowing Mayhem to spend money on the important things such as road improvement and schools. Citizens will rest easy at night, knowing no one will kidnap them on their way to work to hold them for ransom in a dastardly scheme. With little to no cost to Mayhem, as Superman was put on this planet to defend it and requires no compensation, you can protect your city and come out shining like a star on election day. Since Superman has an excellent track record of success in protecting Metropolis from such nefarious villains as Lex Luthor and Emperor Zod, he has the experience you want to get the job done right.

Writing Workshop: Benefits/Executive Summary

Now that you know it all, write your benefits section and your executive summary!