Page 197 - Writing Winning Business Proposals

188 Writing Winning Business Proposals

Typical Qualifications Sections Don’t Present an Argument

Qualifications sections written to Generic World can’t present an argument
whose claim is “We are the best-qualified firm,” because best implies in this situ-
ation. Such sections tend to be organized by easy-to-boilerplate categories, as in
Figure 11.2, rather than as specific claims that answer the question Why?
If I asked you, “Why are you the best-qualified firm?” I doubt that you would
answer, “Description of the firm, industry experience, and, oh yes, consult-
ing philosophy.” You wouldn’t be answering my question. You’d be answering
something like, “What categories will you use in organizing your qualifications
section?” I don’t care about that question. I want to know why you believe you’re
the best-qualified firm so that I can judge for myself.
These categories, you see, focus inwardly only on your abilities and capabili-
ties, not outwardly on their intersection with my needs. Consider the subsection
“Description of the Firm.” (Yes, this qualifications section was written by the
same consultant I previously discussed, and yes, it was part of a proposal sent to
me.) The subsection contained information on the history of the consulting firm,
the number of employees, and the number and location of offices. Terrific!
All this information could be relevant and persuasive in our situation. For
example, assume the proposed project would take one year, require vast consult-
ing resources and expertise, and affect my organization’s facilities around the
world. In this case, I might want to engage a stable firm that’s been around a long
time, with vast resources and diverse expertise and with offices and capabilities
around the world. However, my proposed project could require only specialized
expertise and affect only one of our operations. Of course, that was the case. But
the consulting firm’s qualifications section was written by someone with scant
knowledge of my organization and of my organization’s current situation and

We are the best-
We are the best-
qualified firm.
qualified firm.
Why?

Description Industry Sector Proprietary Consulting
Consulting
Sector
Proprietary
Description
Industry
of firm experience experience methods philosophy
methods
philosophy
experience
experience
of firm
F IGURE 11.2 T he lo w er-lev el bo x es don ’ t suppor t the claim of the upper bo x.
FIGURE 11.2 The lower-level boxes don’t support the claim of the upper box.