The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing : How to Satisfy Your Clients and Double Your Income (Hardcover)

by Herman Holtz (Author) "effective tool for the task-most effective for both parties, requester and prosper. The proposals submitted provide the information necessary for your sales arguments and for..." (more)
Key Phrases: proposal library, functional flowchart, worry items, Postal Service, Freedom of Information Act, Department of Defense (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
THE CONSULTANT'S GUIDE TO PROPOSAL WRITING

Third Edition

When clients make the decision to hire you, they are putting more than money on the line. They are also putting their company's future and its reputation in your hands. That's why your success depends on your ability to gain prospective clients' complete confidence, not only in the solutions you offer, but in you —your capabilities and character.

In this latest edition of his bestselling guide, Herman Holtz—the "Consultant's Consultant"—shows that the most effective means of doing this is with a strategic, well-written proposal. But that's only part of the picture. He also shows you why and how a winning proposal, when correctly used, is an indispensable tool for forging lasting relationships with clients and increasing income.

The first book devoted exclusively to this critical consulting skill, The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing takes you through all of the steps involved in researching, planning, designing, writing, and presenting winning proposals. Drawing upon nearly three decades of experience as a successful consultant to both government and Fortune 500 companies, Herman Holtz shares everything he knows about what clients really want to see in a proposal and how to give it to them. He also provides valuable tips on effective language and design, what information to include and what to leave out, how not to undersell or oversell yourself, and how to generate interest in additional and future services.

This Third Edition has been thoroughly updated to cover all of the important technological advances that have occurred since the last edition, as well as important new trends in the consulting markets themselves. You'll find a new chapter on how to market yourself in cyberspace via Web sites, e-mail, and other online resources, plus a new section on the latest in desktop publishing technology and how to make the most of it. This edition also features guidance for the growing numbers of consultants specializing in proposal writing, and for professional writers who would like to add proposal writing to the services they offer clients.

The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing, Third Edition gives you everything you need to know to simplify one of the most difficult consulting jobs—winning clients.

From America's foremost expert on consulting, a complete guide to developing winning proposals

A winning proposal is more than just a statement of proposed consulting services. An effective, well-crafted proposal is a valuable marketing tool that can:

• Win new clients
• Generate new business from established ones
• As much as double your income!

In this updated Third Edition of America's #1 consultant's guide to proposal writing, Herman Holtz —the "Consultant's Consultant" —tells you everything you need to know to research, design, write, present, and get the most out of winning proposals. He tells you what clients are really looking for in proposals and how to give it to them. And he shows you how to:

• Get the most out of the latest desktop publishing technology
• Market yourself via the Web, e-mail, and other online vehicles
• Find and tap key online research sources
• Discover the keys to creativity
• Avoid common errors in proposals
• Safeguard your proposal against piracy
• Solve the problem of page-limited proposals
• Develop cost, technical, presentation, and competitor strategies
• Sell to the government
• Make the bid vs. no-bid analysis and decision

From the Publisher
The essential guide to proposal writing for business consultants just got better. It has been updated and revised to include up-to-the-minute information on writing the most effective proposals. New to this edition are chapters on marketing on the Internet, which includes tips on using e-mail and web sites, and a chapter on desktop publishing. Holtz, a consultant to such companies as IBM, GE, Dun & Bradstreet, and Chrysler, is a leading authority on the subject of writing successful proposals, and offers here all the information consultants need to know.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 3 edition (October 6, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471249173
• ISBN-13: 978-0471249177
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #473,030 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing: How to Satisfy, June 5, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing: How to Satisfy Your Client and Double Your Income (Hardcover)

Review for the Consultant's Guide to Proposal Writing: How to Satisfy Your Client And Double Your Income.

This particular book was rather helpful to me, for as a writer already, and knowing the pressures and demands (edits, edits, edits, and deadlines, deadlines, deadlines)besides pleasing the client and of course attract the attention of the desired reader---this book is a straightforward how-to on what you need to do inorder to meet and satisfy all the elements when writing a proposal.

The content and context are thorough and easy to understand and follow for someone experienced in proposal writing but also matter-of-fact enough for anyone desiring to dip into this specific field of writing. It also provides basic and general tips that apply to the nature and the art of writing in itself.

All in all this guide was as it's title suggests a how-to/reference for problem solving in proposal writing. I would suggest this to anyone that is interested in writing, and who does not want to restrict themselves to specific genres of writing, and want to make money in other lucrative sectors of the writing market as proposal writing.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not Worth The Money, May 6, 2007

By	James E. Reid "Thirst for Knowledge" (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Very Basic, and quite frankly old school. Not focused enough on Variety of Buyer Needs. Emotional, Economical, Rational etc. Do not recommend at all