Book Review: Proposal Development Secrets - Work Smarter, Win More, and Get Home on Time, by Matt Handal

"Proposal Development Secrets" is a very easy read – the writing style is conversational, almost as if Matt was sitting in your kitchen with you. The language is clear – the examples are relevant and easy to follow – the tips will be fresh to new marketers and great reminders to experienced marketers.

As Matt tells us in his “How To Use This Book” section, this is NOT a “how-to” book. It doesn’t rehash or tweak any of the various proposal processes in use (or being taught) throughout the A/E/C industry. Indeed, proposal processes have a lot to do with what works specifically for your firm and its leaders.

One look at the table of contents assures the reader that this book is not designed to take him or her through the typical steps of developing a proposal, but is designed to explain the logistics, particularly the “long-lead” items like forms; deals with the issue of who creates what content and how; and helps answer the (often annoying) questions that non-marketers ask about why things are done the way they’re done, or what the client is really asking for between the lines.

The book address major proposal development activities – planning the effort (and implementing the plan), creating content, choosing what experience to include, editing other writers’ contributions, delivery and logistical hurdles – and provides great tips on how to meet the challenges inherent in each stage of the process. For example, under “Choosing the Right Past Experience,” Matt provides a “formula” for determining the relevance of your individual projects to the current pursuit. He also provides suggestions on some electronic aids that will help you use your preparation time to better effect.

Matt is not trying to teach anyone how to write a great proposal. However, in any place where the new marketer might typically stumble, this book is there with a steadying hand. Matt offers insights on how to recognize small glitches before they become real problems, so you can avoid or get around them, and how to get through such problems if you find yourself in the middle of one.

For anyone building a career in professional services marketing, the purchase of "Proposal Development Secrets" and the time you'll spend reading it will be two of the best investments you'll ever make. And when you finish that first read, the book will become a valued reference, one to which you'll refer often.
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Bernie Siben, CPSM, is Principal Consultant at The Siben Consult, LLC in Austin, TX, and a frequent writer for SMPS and other A/E/C industry publications. Contact: bernie@sibenconsult.com or at 559.901.9596.