Page 282 - Writing Winning Business Proposals

Internal Proposals (Make Certain They’re Not Reports) 273

Here, the same problem exists that affected the logic tree organized by find-
ings, conclusions, and recommendations: The logic tree provides Armstrong
with no clear answer after he reads or hears the recommendation. This logic tree
could prove the validity of Recommendation A, the validity of Recommendation
B, and the validity of Recommendation C. However, it does not answer the ques-
tion, “Why the combination of A, B, and C?” That is: “Why this combination of
actions?” The logic tree in Figure D.5 does provide an answer.

Organizing the Whole Report

As Figure D.6 illustrates, every logic tree row after the recommendation orga-
nizes the body of your report, not the whole document or presentation. The
recommendation itself, along with its supporting claims, can end the introduc-
tion. When the supporting claims are bulleted, they provide a good forecast of
the content and organization of the body, which in a longer report would contain
sections corresponding to each of the claims on the second row of the logic tree.
Before the recommendation, other slots typically are provided in what can be
considered the report’s introduction. These slots explain the problem or oppor-
tunity necessitating the study, as well as the study’s objectives and methodology.
The concluding part of the document or presentation can restate the recommen-
dation and summarize the benefits of acting on it.
Many of the techniques and strategies we’ve discussed relative to proposals are
also useful in preparing reports. Generally speaking, a proposal attempts to “sell”
a future service; a report “sells” the ideas gained from that service having been

We recommend
We recommend
Options A, B, & C.
Options A, B, & C.
(Why?)

No single option A, B, & C are A, B, & C are easy
A, B, & C are
No single option
A, B, & C are easy
will work. cost-effective. to implement.
cost-effective.
will work.
to implement.
FIGURE D.5 A logically constructed logic tree for a multipart recommendationn
FI GU RE D .5 A logically c onstruc t ed logic tr ee f or a multipar t r ec ommenda tio