You win some, you lose some. That rule of life is true of proposals, but you can improve your chances significantly. Read these 15 tips to increase your wins and master the rules of the proposal game.

1. Focus on the prospective client’s needs.
In any proposal, it’s tempting to pull out your “standard proposal” and make minor changes for the new prospective client. But doing so leads to proposals that sound canned and miss the mark. Such proposals do not excite the prospect because they don’t focus on their needs (also known as their pain). Yes, refer to old successful proposals for ideas and some content, but review that content through the eyes of the new client.

2. Obey their rules.
If you are responding to an RFP (request for proposals) with specific steps to follow, follow them exactly. Their purchasing or procurement department has probably spent a lot of time preparing the RFP. Ignoring its requirements is an almost certain way to disqualify your proposal. After all, if you won’t comply with their request now, what will you do when they hire you?

3. Use the prospect’s language.
Using the company’s language communicates that you have been listening to them, that you understand them, and that you and your process will fit in. If the potential customer wants an “associate onboarding process,” call your program that. Do not call it an employee orientation program.

4. Focus on them—not you.
Too many proposals are all about the company that is writing them—pages of bios, history, and mission. If the RFP requests that information, it belongs there, of course. But find a way to focus on the prospect. Share not only your mission, for example, but how your mission relates to your proposal reader.

5. Answer your readers' questions.
Think about what your readers would ask if you were facing one another across a table. Then provide the answers. A few likely questions are:

6. Have a good reason for everything you include—no padding! Long proposals are less likely to get read—at least in their entirety. Be sure the length of your proposals doesn’t cause your reader to skip key points. When members of one company’s marketing department reviewed their proposals with a critical eye, they were embarrassed to recognize how much boilerplate (filler) padded their proposals. When asked, “Why would your readers want this information?” they responded, “They wouldn’t—let’s delete it.”

8. Describe the client’s situation delicately.
It is persuasive to describe the client’s current situation (followed by the desired situation you will help them achieve). But making it sound too negative may offend your reader. Wording such as “You can’t keep programmers even when you are able to hire them” would insult many readers. Instead write “When programmers leave the company after a short time, you are losing a significant investment.”

9. Describe what is included and what isn’t.
Details reassure your readers that you have thought through their situation and that there will not be unpleasant surprises later on. If the project may require follow-up work or revisions, indicate whether your proposal covers that work.

10. Write for “pass it on” readers.
Few proposals have only one reader. Even when your client has become your friend, he or she will be required to pass on your proposal for approval.

To meet the needs of these pass-it-on readers, provide essential details about your credentials and experience, especially when you have experience with their company. Take the time to prove yourself to pass-it-on readers, and write more formally than you would to a friend.

11. Avoid jargon—or at least define it.
Pass-it-on readers will not approve your proposal if they can’t understand it. Avoid jargon, acronyms, abbreviations, and undefined technical terms unless you are certain all readers will understand them.

12. Include relevant testimonials.
People respect the opinion of their peers. So use positive comments from your past and current clients in your proposal. Many RFPs include a question like this one: “What would your references tell us about your quality of work?” Rather than write what your clients would say, include what they did say, in relevant, powerful comments.

13. Follow the rules of good business writing:

—Be concise. After you finish a draft, try to cut the number of words by 10 percent.
—Make your proposal skimmable with headings, white space, and short chunks of text.
—Focus on the positive. Describe the experience you have rather than noting what you don’t have. Express sincere enthusiasm for the project.
—Be clear. When you finish a draft, let a day or more pass; then reread the document in search of parts that are not as clear as you had thought.
—Be logical. Review each section to be sure it responds logically to your reader’s questions. Ask yourself, “Does that follow?” and “Is that true?” as you read each paragraph or chunk of text.

14. Strive for perfection.
After checking your grammar and spelling, proofread in stages:
—Proofread all the headers and footers.
—Check for formatting consistency. Are the headings correct and consistently rendered?
—Review the table of contents, checking that each item in it matches an item in the proposal on the specific page listed.
—Proofread the proper nouns, verifying the spelling of client names by checking the RFP or the Internet.
—Use a calculator to verify any financial figures or other numbers.
—Read the document from beginning to end.

Although these proofreading steps may seem like a lot of work, they make a big difference when you—rather than the prospective client—find and correct errors and inconsistencies.

15. Learn from your losses, and move on.
When your proposal does not succeed, consider what you might have done to communicate more effectively. But remember: The goal is not to win every contract—it’s to win those that will make both you and the client successful and happy.