Persuasive Business Proposals : Writing to Win More Customers, Clients, and Contracts

Cover Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Contents -- Preface -- Section One: Seven Deadly Sins -- 1: A Good Proposal Is Hard to Find… But It's Worth Looking -- 2: Recognizing Reality -- 3: Rushing to the Exits -- Section Two: A Primer on Persuasion -- 4: Understanding Persuasion -- 5: Winning by a NOSE: The Structure of Persuasion -- 6: Seven Magic Questions: How To Develop a Client-Centered Message -- 7: Why the Inuit Hunt Whales and Other Secrets of Customer Behavior -- 8: The Cicero Principle: How to Avoid Talking to Yourself in Print -- 9: Fluff, Guff, Geek, and Weasel: The Art of Saying What You Mean -- 10: Weaving Your Web: How to Pull It All Together Right from the Start -- Section Three: The Art of the Part: Where to Put Your Effort -- 11: Letter Proposals -- 12: The Structure and Key Elements of Formal Proposals -- 13: Writing the Business Case -- 14: Recommending and Substantiating Your Solution -- 15: Persuasive Answers to RFP Questions -- 16: Presenting Evidence and Proving Your Points -- 17: Gathering and Tailoring Reusable Content -- Section Four: How to Manage the Process Without Losing Your Sanity -- 18: Deal or No Deal?: Qualifying the Opportunity -- 19: An Overview of the Proposal Development Process -- 20: The Pursuit of Perfection: Editing Your Proposal -- 21: The Packaging Is Part of the Product -- 22: Presenting Your Proposal -- 23: Tracking Your Success -- 24: Creating a Proposal Center of Excellence -- 25: Special Challenges -- Index.