CHAPTER 11

Chapter 11 Summary
Writing Strategies for Reports and Proposals



Writing Strategies for Reports and Proposals, focuses specifically on using direct and indirect strategies in formal and informal reports. Consideration is given to audience, types of reports connected to strategy, and the components.

A proposal’s primary objective is to persuade your target audience to take specific action, including hiring you or your firm or buying your product. Often you will write a proposal in response to a Request for Proposal sent to you by another organization.

To win a new client or customer or retain an existing one, you usually face strong compatition. Whether you work for an organization or your are self employed, proposal writing often presents a key opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd. A poorly written proposal can kill your chances; a good one can influence or even determine the outcome.

That is why your proposal has to be as good as you can make it. Not only should it be clear and concise, but it must be persuasive and tailored for the potential client or customer.

Reports may need to be written for readers internal and external to your organization, although you may find that most of your reports will be for someone in higher authority for a variety of reasons. Reports can be informative or persuasive or a combination of both. Persuasive reports usually fall in to two broad categories: problem solution and feasibility studies. Informative reports include employee evaluations, progress reports and minutes of a meeting.

Short reports are sometimes in a memo or letter format, while longer reports are more formal and may include a title page and table of contents.