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