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

by Tom Sant (Author) "Suppose you're a sales professional representing a vendor of specialized computer systems..." (more)
Key Phrases: North American, Vox Populi, Waugh Security (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"..this book contains valuable advice for writers who have to sell either their organization's or their department's products and services. -- Writing That Works

"It's a sturdy little book crammed full of suggestions, tips and templates." Mr. Sant lays it out step by step. -- Dalls, TX Morning News February 2004

Review

Writing That Works: "This book contains valuable advice for writers who have to sell either their organization’s or their department’s products and services. What's more, Sant writes clearly and concisely, and his wry humor and use of real -- and sometimes awful --examples adds to the readability. Use the book yourself or pass it on to departments that are writing bad proposals, and Sant assures readers most of them are."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 2 edition (December 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814471536
• ISBN-13: 978-0814471531
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,419 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Only Proposal Book You'll Need , March 26, 2005

By	Michael McLaughlin (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The second edition of Sant's book picks up where the original left off. It's well-writen, easy to follow and nicely organized. I've written more proposals in my day than I care to admit, but I found Sant's advice added to my own knowledge and my proposal writing efforts got measurably better.

After the introductory material, Sant goes into a discussion of how to use the tools of persuasion in a written document. His advice is clear and readers may find tips that they've forgotten, or never knew.

He then describes how to manage a proposal process from beginning to end, and finishes the book with some rules on writing and language that make a proposal even more powerful.

Sant uses lots of examples and sample proposals to illustrate his points, which brings his concepts to life for the reader.

Overall, the book is a great read. If you write proposals, you should have this book on your shelf.

Michael McLaughlin, coauthor with Jay Conrad Levinson, Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I think Cicero would have been proud..., February 2, 2004

By A Customer

Engineers like me need to be reminded. Sure the technology we're selling is amazing, but it's not about us. An effective proposal needs to focus on what the customer needs. This is what Tom Sant drives home so effectively in his book, "Persuasive Business Proposals." I've been using (and preaching to my colleagues) Sant's approach for more than ten years and have given away more than 20 copies of his first edition. The new edition is even better than the first.

Focusing on the customer sounds simple enough, but I regularly refer to the examples in Sant's book to get started. I also frequently open the chapter on word choice. It's a useful complement to the proposal tips, and it helps me confidently use words like complement. (Or should it be compliment? It's in the book!)

Sant quotes Cicero in his book to drive home the persuasion point. Hopefully both Cicero and Sant would accept this attempt at a persuasive close: Engineers need help to write persuasively. Persuasive proposals must focus on the readers' needs. Sant's book delivers practical examples for how to meet these needs. "Persuasive Business Proposals" is so well-organized and fun to read that proposal writers will use it as a frequent reference. Ultimately, engineers (who write proposals) simply need sales from winning proposals. Sant's methods are sure to deliver more wins. If you sell, you should read and use this book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for business proposals, May 15, 2004

By	Phil Connors (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This is a great book full of practical advice on how to improve your sales proposals. Most business books tell you what you should be doing. This book tells you how to do it. It covers traditional business proposals and Request for Proposal responses. If you're looking for help with business plans, this isn't a book for you. But if you want to improve your sales proposals and win more business, this book is great! I saw Tom Sant speak at a sales conference last year and he was terrific. I also recommend his email newsletter!