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7 Tips for Creating a Great Business Proposal |
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by Steve Strauss
Used with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center
 Q: Steve - I was wondering if you had any tips on what constitutes a good proposal. Much of my business comes from making proposals, and I think they could probably be stronger, though I am not sure they are weak, if that makes sense. Thanks in advance. - Kirk
A: In his excellent book, Writing Winning Business Proposals, author Richard C. Freed says this about business proposals:
Although a few are outstanding, most aren't. Many offend with 'cut-and-paste' boilerplate, miss important opportunities to provide value, suffer from poor logic and organization, and focus more on you than on me and my organization. Although some do a few things well, some don't do much well at all.
I think he is on to something. I read quite a few business proposals, and have written many. Most often, and most successfully, my proposals have been to publishers. Each time I have written a book, the process begins with a proposal that explains what the book would be, who its intended audience is, why it would be better than competitive books, and why the publisher would be nuts not to publish it.
Similarly, not a few business proposals come across my desk. Some are excellent and some are not. So here then are my 7 Tips for Creating a Great Business Proposal:
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Upcoming Expiration of the 2009 ARRA and Section 179 |
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The Economic Stimulus Act and Section 179 “ The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” has been officially extended. The Section 179 Deduction increases made available in the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 through December 31, 2009, if you have purchased and installed the equipment.
With the current news that is all around us it is sometimes hard to justify opening our pocketbooks and investing in our companies. We all know that the best way to improve ourselves and our businesses is to invest time, energy and money in accomplishing our goals. As the year draws to a close you need to take a look and see what can be done to improve your business. The decision to improve may save you money.
With the changes to the Section 179 Deduction made by the Economic Stimulus Act signed in February 2008 there are some exciting benefits for business.
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22 Ways To Work Quicker on your Computer |
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Used with permission from the HP Small & Medium Business Center
 Work, family, friends and a few hours for yourself? Sometimes it seems impossible to fit everything in one day. If you are looking to spend less time at your computer and more time somewhere else, check out these clever keyboard shortcuts.
Windows of opportunity
If you often work with several windows open simultaneously, you’ll save valuable minutes using these quick key options.
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The Importance of Thank You Notes |
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Used with permission from JOEL H. WELDON & ASSOCIATES, INC. http://www.SuccessComesInCans.com
 The importance of writing thank-you notes was reinforced to me years ago when I was on a Delta Airlines flight to New Orleans. I fly a lot, usually a couple flights a week -- so when it comes to the service provided by flight attendants, I'm sort of an expert.
On that particular day I received exceptional service from the moment I boarded the plane. The flight attendant hung my coat up, got me some lemon water, which is what I always drink, and provided excellent meal service. She smiled easily, had a positive attitude and just seemed so happy to be of help.
And it wasn't just towards me. She treated all the passengers the same way. So, I took out a piece of paper and wrote a thank-you note to the president of Delta Airlines. His name was listed in the in-flight magazine. In the note, I was very specific. I referred to the flight attendant by name, which happened to be Linda Williamson, and I described exactly what she had done. Then, before sending it in to Delta, I gave it to Linda to read.
Why did I do that? Because it's important for people to know what they did right, so they can do it again.
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