Writing Business Cases and Proposals

2-day course, in person or online

Download a PDF of this course description

Colleen Trolove

Why it matters

Let’s get your work moving!

The ability to write a killer proposal or business case can be the difference between success and closing the doors – between movement and remaining static.

Walk the tightrope of enthusiasm and evidence

Knowing how to write a compelling, persuasive proposal is both a skill and an art.

First of all, how do you keep them awake? How do you include evidence without seeming heavy or boring?

You don’t want to fall into the old trap of the cheesy sales pitch. But how do you appeal to people’s emotions in a fresh, genuine way?

Your course on persuasive writing

This workshop focuses on all aspects of writing a compelling bid, proposal, or business case.

Practical course using your documents

You’ll practice on your own documents. If the whole team is working on the same proposal, I’ll facilitate you through preparing a draft on the day.

What the training covers

Day 1

Reader-centric tools

  • Focus on the reader for success

  • Putting yourself in the readers’ shoes

  • What all readers want to know

  • Bottom line up front

Plain language

  • What is plain language?

  • Who uses it?

  • Why use it? (the benefits)

What makes a good business case or proposal?

  • The elements of a business case

  • The production process

  • Putting together the team

Preparation and research

  • Knowing your audience

  • Context and history

  • Researching options

  • Collecting supporting and opposing data

Day 2

The needs analysis

  • Describing the opportunity or problem

  • Presenting your options analysis

  • Making your solution pop

  • Risk mitigations

  • What’s in it for me?

The presentation of your thinking

  • What is voice and tone?

  • Persuasive language

  • The art of logic and rhetoric

  • Anchors, priming, and presuppositions

Structuring to persuade

  • Constructing your overall argument

  • Your argument in a nutshell at the start

Supported writing

  • Practise, practise, practise!

The specifics

Who’s it for?

Up to 14 people who do persuasive writing at work

How long?

2 full days at your venue

How much?

All trainings are $8,000 + gst per day plus travel

What format?

In person or online, but not a mix of both

Before the training

You can give me document samples to use in the training (optional)

To bring on the day

  • Laptops

  • Your own documents to work on

Colleen Trolove

Download the full course outlines

Plus the ROI information you need to make a strong business case for this training!

Course descriptions

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