How to Write a Business Proposal: Structure, Tips and Training

To write a business proposal, start with the client’s need, not your company history. Say what they want solved, how you will solve it, who will do the work, by when and on what terms, then prove you meet every requirement. The same structure works when you answer a tender or a request for proposals (RFP), with one extra rule: follow the issuer’s format exactly.

See all BOTI corporate training courses.

This guide walks through a proposal section by section and covers how to approach a tender or RFP. It ends with the common reasons proposals lose, so you can check your next submission against them.

Proposal, tender or RFP: what is the difference?

The three documents are close relatives, but they start in different places.

• Unsolicited business proposal: you approach a client with an idea or offer. You control the structure, so clarity and relevance carry the document.
• Solicited proposal or RFP response: the client has described a need and asked suppliers how they would meet it. You must answer their questions in their order.
• Tender: a formal, rules-based process, common in government and large organisations. Compliance comes first. A strong solution can be disqualified if a form is missing or a deadline is missed.

Writing a business proposal well means knowing which of these you are dealing with before you write a word. If your team writes proposals or tender responses regularly, BOTI’s Proposal and Tender Writing Training is a two-day practical course on the whole process. It covers purpose and audience, needs analysis, outlining, persuasive writing, readability and proofreading.

A worked structure for a business proposal

The sections below work for most proposals. When an RFP or tender prescribes its own structure, use theirs and fit this content into it.

1. Cover letter

Keep it to one page. Address it to the named decision-maker, refer to the request or conversation that led to the proposal, and state in one or two sentences what you are proposing. Close with the name and contact details of the person who can answer questions. Leave out your company history here, because that belongs later, if at all.

2. Executive summary

Many evaluators read this section first, and some read only this section. Write it last, once the rest of the proposal is settled. In about half a page, cover:

• the client’s need, in their words;
• your proposed solution in plain language;
• the main benefit or result they can expect;
• why your organisation is equipped to deliver it;
• the next step you are asking for.

For example, an opening might read: “You need 40 supervisors trained in performance conversations before the next review cycle, without taking whole teams off the floor at once. We propose four half-day sessions per group, run at your sites.” The client is named first, then the constraint, then the solution.

3. Understanding of the need

This section shows the reader that you have listened. Restate the problem, the background and any constraints such as budget cycles, locations, timeframes and regulations. Name what success would look like for them. If you made assumptions, list them here so they can be corrected before contract stage. Evaluators often score this section heavily, because a supplier who misreads the need is a risk.

4. Proposed solution

Describe what you will deliver, linked point by point to the needs in the previous section. A simple table that pairs each requirement with your response works well. Be specific about scope, including what is excluded. Vague promises read as padding, while concrete deliverables read as competence.

5. Approach and timeline

Explain how the work will happen: phases, milestones, who does what, how progress will be reported and how risks will be handled. A short timeline or Gantt-style chart helps the reader see that the plan is realistic. Show dependencies on the client too, such as access, approvals and information, so that delays are not later blamed on you.

6. Team and experience

Introduce the people who will actually do the work, with a short paragraph on each person’s role and relevant experience. Add one or two brief case descriptions of similar work, if you are permitted to share them. Fuller CVs go in the appendices. Avoid generic claims about being experienced. Show it through relevant detail instead.

7. Pricing section

Present the cost in the format the client asks for. If no format is given, make the pricing easy to compare with other bids. A good pricing section:

• breaks the total into clear line items linked to the deliverables;
• states what is included and excluded, and whether tax is included;
• explains payment terms and milestones;
• notes how long the quote remains valid;
• spells out any assumptions behind the numbers.

Where a tender asks for pricing on a separate schedule or in a sealed envelope, do not repeat figures elsewhere in the document.

8. Compliance documents

Formal tenders and many RFPs list mandatory documents. Typical examples are company registration details, tax compliance status, a B-BBEE certificate or affidavit where requested, signed declarations and returnable forms. Build a checklist directly from the request and tick each item off against the final pack. Missing or unsigned documents are a common reason bids never reach evaluation.

9. Appendices

Put supporting detail here so that the main body stays readable: full CVs, detailed methodology, sample materials, reference letters and policies. Label each appendix clearly and refer to it from the main text, for example “see Appendix C for the detailed project plan”.

How to answer a tender or RFP

The writing skills are the same, but the discipline is stricter. Work in this order:

1. Read the whole document before writing anything. Note the closing date and time, the submission method, page or word limits, and the evaluation criteria.
2. Decide whether to bid. If you cannot meet a mandatory requirement, a polished response will not help.
3. Build a compliance matrix. List every requirement and question, who owns it and where it is answered.
4. Ask clarification questions by the stated deadline. Use only the channel the issuer specifies.
5. Mirror their headings and numbering. Evaluators score against a sheet, so make each answer easy to find.
6. Write to the scoring criteria. Give more space to the sections that carry the most weight.
7. Review, sign and submit early. Late submissions are usually not accepted.

For teams that bid for contracts as a small or new business, the Tender Training Course: Secure Business for a New Venture (3 days) and Tender for Business or Work in a New Venture (2 days) focus on the tendering process itself. Staff who issue and evaluate tenders can look at Governance & Efficiency in Tendering and Supply Chain Management (3 days).

Common reasons proposals lose

• Non-compliance: a missing form, an unsigned declaration, the wrong format or a late submission.
• Writing about yourself instead of the client: pages of company history before the client’s need is mentioned.
• Not answering the question asked: reusing old text that almost fits.
• A weak executive summary: vague, too long, or written before the solution was settled.
• Unclear scope or pricing: the evaluator cannot tell what is included or compare it with other bids.
• No evidence: claims without examples, team details or a credible plan.
• Hard to read: long sentences, jargon, dense pages and no headings that match the request.
• Careless errors: the wrong client name, inconsistent figures, spelling mistakes. These suggest the delivery will be careless too.

Most of these problems are fixed by a process: a clear outline, a compliance checklist, a readability check and a separate proofread by someone who did not write the draft.

Proposal writing training: online, in-house or workshops

Proposal writing training helps most when several people contribute to the same bids, because they learn a shared structure and review process. BOTI runs its proposal writing workshops in-house at your premises, at its venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or as an online proposal writing course. The online option suits teams whose writers sit in different offices. Delegates can bring a real proposal or tender they are working on and apply each step to it.

Looking for executive report writing?

If you are searching for executive report writing or a professional report writing course, the skills overlap with proposal writing, but the purpose differs. A report informs a decision, while a proposal asks for one. BOTI’s Report Writing Course (3 days) covers report structure and writing in depth. For a shorter online option, the Effective Business Communication: Emails, Reports and Presentations That Land masterclass runs for three hours. You can see all related courses in the Communication & Business Writing category.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main sections of a business proposal?

A typical business proposal has a cover letter, an executive summary, a section showing your understanding of the client’s need, the proposed solution, the approach and timeline, the team and experience, a pricing section, any required compliance documents and appendices. If a tender or RFP prescribes its own structure, follow it instead.

How is answering a tender different from writing a proposal?

A tender is a formal process with fixed rules. You must submit every mandatory document, use the prescribed format and forms, and meet the closing date and time exactly. A strong solution can be disqualified for non-compliance, so build a compliance checklist from the tender document before you start writing.

Can I do a proposal writing course online?

Yes. BOTI runs Proposal and Tender Writing Training as a live online course, as an in-house workshop at your premises, or at its venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg. Online delivery suits teams whose proposal writers work in different offices.

How long is BOTI’s proposal writing training?

Proposal and Tender Writing Training runs over two days. It covers the proposal writing process from purpose, audience and needs analysis through outlining and persuasive writing to readability checks and proofreading.

Is the proposal writing course accredited?

No. It is a professional skills programme for staff who write proposals and tender responses, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.

This course is not accredited. It is delivered as a professional skills programme, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.

To give your team a shared, practical method for proposals and tender responses, book Proposal and Tender Writing Training. Call BOTI on 011 882 8853 or email [email protected]. Training runs in-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online.