Laura’s Winning Ideas

Some of you have heard me rail about sprinkling proposals with lousy graphics that distract instead of inform. The cute picture of palm trees used to break up a dense page of text is a nuisance, not a help.

However, graphics can be a huge help to explain complex ideas. If your proposals contain complex concepts, you need graphics.

But first, you need some understanding of how to conceptualize graphics for proposals.

24 Hour Company specializes in creating proposal graphics for proposals. A spinoff of their firm, Billion Dollar Graphics offers workshops for you to do your own graphics.

If you are with a large company, you may already use 24 Hour Company. If you are with a medium sized firm, you should get to one of their training sessions. If your company is too small to afford a Washington DC training trip, pore over their website, sign up for a free registration, buy their books and study their methods.

Mike Parkinson and his team are out presenting demo sessions if you are in the Washington DC area. A worthwhile opportunity to see how they can help you win more work!

Welcome to the July 31, 2007 edition of business proposal carnival.

Matt Hanson presents Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog » Blog Archive » Printing Estimates - Harness These 5 Helpful Hints posted at Matt’s Creative Advertising Blog, saying, “Many online printers provide printing estimates for clients who visit their websites. Many of these of course are canvassing for the best prices…”

Jason Rakowski presents
How To Avoid Common Pitfalls When Using Music On Hold For Your Business posted at Learn Good Customer Service, saying, “While on hold messaging is not a complicated product, it can be somewhat confusing for beginners because of all the available choices. This article will help you avoid the most common pitfalls that can trip up a newcomer who is looking to make the best decision for his - her business.”

Cade Krueger presents
3 Questions To Make Your Business Enjoyable And Durable posted at Write To Right.

Chris Russell presents
Turning Coal into Diamonds: A Case Study on Customer Complaint Tracking posted at Productivity Planner, saying, “In order to reach the goal of fully utilizing customer feedback, a more comprehensive system for managing customer complaints is needed.”

Karl Goldfield presents Building a plan: Performance Expectations - A smidgen of Sun Tzu posted at Coaching sales champions.

Phil B. presents The Problems with IT Firefighting posted at
Phil for Humanity, saying, “People have to be punished for causing system malfunctions that they look to IT to fix for them. Due to the lack of planning or foresight of others, IT tech support is constantly in the position of resolving emergencies or putting out fires that they did not start.”

Business Development

Warren Wong presents The Gap Concept posted at Personal Development for INTJs, saying, “Why is it so important to be the first or the best in a market? Here’s the why you should be the first AND the best.”

Bhupendra Khanal presents
Brand dilution is as important as brand enhancement posted at Analytics Bhupe, saying, “At times, brand dilution for revenue is as important as brand enhancement.”

Proposals

Noric Dilanchian presents Dilanchian Lawyers - Proposal writing or review checklist posted at Lightbulb, saying, “This post is a “how to” guide for writing a proposal and checking it. It helps proposal writers get started, do a good job and avoid drivel.”

Tactics and Tools

Lori Prokop, Blog Manager presents
Building Relationships as You Are Selling posted at J Mark Walker - Sales Training, saying, “Could this be of service for your readers?

Part of successful proposals is developing great relationships. This article has a powerful tip on how to do this.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
business proposal carnival
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“Business was originated to produce happiness, not to pile up millions.”
B.C. Forbes
written in the first issue of Forbes Magazine, September 1917

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.

The Phaonmneal Pweor of the Hmuan Mnid

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch sudty at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm.

Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs, forwrad it.

Does this mean that spelling doesn’t matter? Not at all. Good spelling demonstrates a level of care and attention to detail that reflects well on the writer.

However, this research study proves that the human mind has an amazing amount of processing power. Your reader is thinking as they read. Keep your copy interesting and communicate compelling concepts and they’ll be thinking deeply about your message.

Deliver dull, bland proposalese, and they’ll be thinking about lunch.