Over-modified, Under-substantiated
RFP responses must not be overly salesy: they must not read like a brochure. There are reliable rules of thumb that will help RFP response writers develop text that is crdible and persuasive.
Tag: Writing and editing
Use writing and editing best practices to develop responsive proposals that score well against RFP evaluation criteria.
RFP Responses: Not Victorian Scientific Monographs
Brevity is not just the soul of wit, it is a key target in all RFP response writing. And where one cannot be brief, one must use layout techniques, like bullets, that help evaluators see your content at a glance. Long sentences and paragraphs work against your objective: getting good …
Eschew Dog Puppies
The “dog puppy” rule is a handy summary of the importance of concision in RFP responses, as well as a reminder of how to actually do it.
Do or Do Not
Being definitive rather than tentative leads to better RFP responses. Thinking of Yoda (“Do, or do no. There is no try.”) can be a handy rule of thumb for proposal writers.
That’s So . . . 14th Century
Good RFP response writing reflects the client’s language. For a North American client, don’t use words considered archaic in North America.