Tag Archives: proposal

Introduction Goes Here

(Imagen 3)

Proposal professionals are familiar with this question: do you write the executive summary first, or last?

I recently struggled with this, but in a non-proposal project—specifically, for an online article I was writing for a Bredemarket client. I had already asked my seven questions, so I had a high-level idea of the points I wanted to make. But I intentionally started writing the rest of the online article, and put some filler text at the beginning:

“*** Introduction Goes Here”

Those who have worked with me on content, proposal, and analysis projects know how much I love my three asterisks, and other things to flag incomplete text.

But why did I delay writing the introduction to the end? Because of one important difference between proposals and online articles.

  • When an entity receives a proposal, the content is analyzed internally by few who HAVE to read it. The humans and non-person entities (proposal evaluation software) are required to analyze sections of the proposal, or perhaps even the whole thing.
  • When an entity receives an online article, the content is analyzed externally by many who DON’T have to read it. The humans and non-person entities (Google, Bing, etc.) may start reading at the beginning, and if they don’t like the article, they quit reading right there. (Proposal evaluators don’t have that luxury.)

Because of this, the opening words of an  article can be very important. And the right words need to be there.

So I saved that writing exercise for later.

Process

Luna Marketing Services asked us on Instagram when we last went over our current processes.

My answer: January 18, 2024.

The illustration shows just one part of one of my processes. I don’t share the rest of this particular process, but it governs creation of most of my “CPA” materials.

In fact, I am about to start a short writing project for one of my clients, and I will start by asking these seven questions.

But not in Word. In the client’s Jira.

Don’t forget that processes require flexibility. Don’t complete processes for the sake of completing processes.

If Only It Had Been Lower Key

Several days ago, I scheduled the low-key release of a 10 second short for today at 9:00 am PST.

Specifically, I scheduled 2 uploads (which went to 3 platforms).

After I confirmed this morning that the uploads were successful, I performed a 3rd upload.

Only after that third upload did I realize that the video prominently highlighted Bredemarket’s ability to create proposal “temolates.”

Oops.

So I hurriedly deleted the old video (I hope) and released the “OP” version.

Repurposing in the Proposal World

I assume this is obvious, but maybe it isn’t.

I recently completed a proposal project for a Bredemarket client and assembled a single PDF (cover letter plus main proposal) for the client to email to its customer.

The client asked me for text for the submission email.

I simply isolated the key points from the cover letter and crafted a brief email.

One more chance to emphasize the points we made in the cover letter.

(This is just one example of proposal repurposing, of course, as anyone who has managed proposal boilerplate/standard text well understands.)

An Eventful Monday

Now that I’ve formally scheduled the release of my talkie—it’s even an “event” on Facebook—I may as well provide a description of what my talkie contains.

  • First, the video is 3 minutes and 40 seconds long, which for me is long. And why you won’t see it on Bluesky or Instagram. But you will see it here; it’s already scheduled.
  • Oh, and I talk. The video alternates between shots of me at Bredemarket world headquarters and shots of textual/image descriptions incorporating Canva’s finest AI-generated music. If you’ve seen my other videos you know the…um…score.
  • I start by introducing the subject of “marketing and writing services” and identifying MY hungry people (target audience). 
  • Then I explain, in detail, what Bredemarket’s “CPA” services are NOT…and what they ARE.
  • I briefly touch on the questions I ask my clients. If you’ve read Bredemarket’s “Seven Questions Your Content Creator Will Ask You,” you’re already familiar with these questions.
  • Then I do something that some sales professionals would NEVER do—reveal my pricing up front.
  • Finally, my call to action is for interested prospects to book a meeting with me on my CPA page. If you don’t already have the link to that page, you’ll get it on Monday.

Well, that’s that. Come back Monday at 8:00 am Pacific Standard Time / 1600 GMT.

My Latest Bredemarket Video Is (well, will be) a Talkie

I assembled my latest video on Friday night.

It’s a talkie. 

But my talkie doesn’t cause 21st century controversy.

I still have my usual text, images, and AI-generated music, but I actually talk between the segments.

I plan to release the video on Monday.

Well, except on Bluesky and other social channels that can’t handle 3 minute and 40 second long videos.

The facts are that I need to trim 2 minutes and 40 seconds to get my new video on Bluesky.

Proposal Tools of the 2020s

When I was last a full-time Proposal Manager a decade ago (for MorphoTrak), a proposal due date extension did not necessitate an update to an Asana task end date. Asana existed (its iOS and Android apps were both released by 2015), but MorphoTrak wasn’t using them.

Things are different now.

My consulting firm Bredemarket has helped (at least) four identity/biometric companies with proposal work over the years, including RFI responses, RFP responses, proposal letters, and similar communications; proposal templates; and proposal standard text (what the machinists call “boilerplate”).

I signed non-disclosure agreements with all these companies, which is why I redacted my current client’s name and its prospective customer from the accompanying image. But if my client wins, I will celebrate. Quietly.

Incidentally, since my Asana is only accessible to me, it only includes minimal information. In Asana, this entire response is a single entry. I use other means to communicate the more detailed schedule to my clients.

Incidentally, if you were one of MY prospects and received a communication saying that I was wrapping up a project today…I’m not. But it’s almost wrapped up, bearing in mind that any gas fills up the available space.

But if you want me to work on your gas, contact me via Bredemarket’s “CPA” page. 

Proposal work (the P) is just one of several services Bredemarket provides to identity, biometric, and technology clients. In fact, all 4 of the referenced Proposal clients have also used my Content services, my Analysis services, or both.

CPA