Most proposals get ignored for one reason: the person reading them doesn’t immediately understand what’s in it for them. They have to work to figure out the value, and most people won’t.
A proposal that gets approved is written for the decision-maker, not the writer. Here’s how to do that.
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## Before You Write: Answer Three Questions
If you can’t answer these three questions clearly, your proposal isn’t ready.
1. **What problem does this solve?** Not what the project is — what problem it solves for the business.
2. **What does it cost to do nothing?** The consequence of not acting.
3. **What does success look like in 90 days?** Measurable outcome, not activity.
Everything in your proposal should serve those three answers.
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## The Structure That Gets Read
### One-Page Summary First
Decision-makers are busy. Give them the full proposal in one page before you write the detail.
Format:
– **Problem:** One sentence
– **Solution:** One sentence
– **Investment:** One sentence (cost in time, money, resources)
– **Return:** One sentence (what this produces)
– **Ask:** What you need from them — decision, budget, resources, or approval
If they read only this page and sign off, you’re done. If they need more, the detail follows.
### Detailed Sections (Only If Needed)
1. **Background** — The context that led to this proposal (3–5 sentences max)
2. **Scope** — What this includes and what it doesn’t
3. **Timeline** — Key milestones and completion date
4. **Resources** — What you need (people, budget, access)
5. **Risks** — What could go wrong and how you’ll manage it
6. **Appendix** — Data, research, supporting materials (referenced but not dumped in the main body)
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## The Language Rule
Write for a smart executive who has no context and ten minutes. That means:
– Short paragraphs
– Active voice
– Numbers, not adjectives (“40% time savings” not “significant time savings”)
– No jargon or internal shorthand
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## Common Proposal Mistakes
**No clear decision-maker.** If you’re sending it to everyone who might have an opinion, nobody feels responsible for saying yes.
**Too much solution, not enough problem.** People need to believe the problem is real before they’ll invest in the solution.
**No cost of inaction.** If doing nothing has no downside in your proposal, why would anyone change anything?
**Vague success metrics.** “Improve communication” is not a metric. “Reduce missed deadlines by 50% in 60 days” is.
**No ask.** If you don’t ask for something specific, you won’t get anything.
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## What to Do After You Send It
Don’t just send and wait. Follow up within 48 hours with a brief message:
> “I sent over the [proposal name] — wanted to make sure it landed and see if you had any questions before we move forward.”
This is basic project management. It’s also how you signal you’re serious about the outcome.
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