Deck 9: Preparing Persuasive Business Proposals

Question 1

When identifying the need your proposal meets,you are identifying its _____.

A) content
B) purpose
C) audience
D) context
E) deadline

Answer 1

B

Question 2

If your audience doesn't know you,how can you build credibility in the proposal?

A) By asking thoughtful questions of the audience
B) By identifying areas of concern for the audience
C) By explaining what the audience is doing wrong and how they can correct those issues
D) By explaining your experience and qualifications
E) By identifying what the competition is doing

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is an internal proposal?

A) a proposal asking another company to do a joint venture
B) a proposal asking local businesses if they will sponsor your charity event
C) a proposal asking a client to select your firm for an upcoming project
D) a proposal asking your supervisor to implement a new initiative
E) a proposal asking a foundation to fund a program for your community

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A proposal that the writer initiates is called a(n)_____ proposal.

A) solicited
B) external
C) formal
D) internal
E) unsolicited

Question 5

In an unsolicited proposal,what is the first thing a writer needs to establish for the audience?

A) The cost of the project
B) The audience has an unmet need
C) The writer's company is the best company to solve the problem
D) What the writer's company can offer that competition cannot
E) The circumstances that influenced the proposal

Question 6

When a firm is looking for multiple competitive bids,they distribute a(n)_____.

A) request for proposal (RFP)
B) unsolicited proposal
C) solicited proposal
D) internal proposal
E) noncompetitive proposal

Question 7

How can identifying context help a writer develop a more effective proposal?

A) The writer can determine if the proposal was solicited or unsolicited
B) The writer can develop the proposal as an internal document
C) The writer can determine the level of persuasion necessary
D) The writer determines the requirements for content
E) The writer can determine who the key competitors are

Question 8

Which of the following questions is used to identify the level of persuasion necessary for the proposal,as well as its appropriate form?

A) What are the benefits of my proposal for the audience?
B) What content must I include?
C) How can I establish credibility?
D) Is my proposal solicited or unsolicited?
E) What are the possible objections to this proposal?

Question 9

What type of proposal means that the audience will not consider any offer other than yours?

A) Internal
B) External
C) Unsolicited
D) Competitive
E) Noncompetitive

Question 10

Understanding the need your proposal meets and how you propose to address that need is involved in the first step of preparing a proposal,defining its ________.

A) content
B) context
C) purpose
D) format
E) medium

Question 11

What should be identified at the beginning of the proposal?

A) A request for action
B) The establishment of credibility
C) The problem, need, or opportunity
D) An understanding of outcomes and benefits
E) Compelling recommendations

Question 12

The first step in preparing a proposal is to ________.

A) identify the level of persuasion it will require
B) develop a clear idea of your purpose
C) determine the appropriate form of the proposal
D) establish audience benefits
E) counter potential objections

Question 13

When responding to a competitive proposal,how can a company be sure they are submitting what the audience wants?

A) By utilizing information in the RFP
B) By meeting with the audience to determine need
C) By meeting with competitors to see what they are including
D) By responding with a proposal developed based on past experience
E) By developing a proposal that includes the lowest cost possible for the audience

Question 14

By considering the ________,you can identify the level of persuasion necessary as well as the appropriate form for the proposal.

A) purpose
B) need
C) context
D) content
E) medium

Question 15

What is the first step in preparing a proposal?

A) Identifying the purpose of the proposal
B) Determining the content that will be included
C) Identifying the deadline or due date
D) Understanding the context of the issue
E) Identifying the audience and what their needs are

Question 16

In a(n)________ proposal situation,your audience will not be considering any offers other than yours.

A) solicited
B) noncompetitive
C) unsolicited
D) competitive
E) external

Question 17

What should be the goal of every proposal?

A) To sell a good or service
B) To address audience requirements
C) To show a client how they can be helped by information outlined in the proposal
D) To indicate conduct cost/benefit analysis
E) To describe how your firm will benefit if they accept your proposal

Question 18

By definition,a(n)________ proposal is one your audience has asked you to submit.

A) external
B) internal
C) solicited
D) unsolicited
E) noncompetitive

Question 19

A proposal written to people within your organization is considered to be a(n)_____ proposal.

A) solicited
B) external
C) formal
D) internal
E) unsolicited

Question 20

Which of the following is an external proposal?

A) A proposal suggesting a new volunteer program to your HR department
B) A proposal asking your boss to implement a flex-time schedule
C) A proposal seeking the business of a new customer
D) A proposal recommending a new process to your supervisor
E) A proposal requesting that your department be allocated funds for a new project

Question 21

Because a proposal is a(n)________ document,it must not only provide information but also motivate your audience to act.
B) persuasive
C) solicited
D) informative
E) noncompetitive

Question 22

A proposal that is ethical is _____.

A) simple
B) cost effective
C) timely
D) accurate
E) moderate

Question 23

Well written proposals include a specific course of action for an organization and show the audience how this course of action makes sense,creating a stronger _____.

A) probability of success
B) understanding of how others have benefited from a similar experience
C) justification for price
D) ability to enforce the sales contract
E) sense of integrity

Question 24

After reading the ________ of your proposal,your audience should understand your main ideas without having to read the entire proposal.

A) analysis
B) introduction
C) overview
D) context
E) requirements

Question 25

A solicited sales proposal that is noncompetitive is often referred to as a(n)_____

A) business case
B) grant proposal
C) statement of work
D) RFP
E) deliverable

Question 26

In the context of the proposal,which of the following terms refers to the items you are agreeing to provide to the audience?

A) References
B) Appendices
C) Competitive advantages
D) Deliverables
E) Schemes

Question 27

What is the first step to submitting an effective online proposal?

A) Compose detailed content offline
B) Analyze the application in advance
C) Evaluate your answers compared to the foundation's criteria
D) Identify and evaluate priorities
E) Ensure compatible technology

Question 28

The details of a proposal must always prove that you are credible and that the plan is _____.

A) deliverable
B) feasible
C) cost effective
D) timely
E) transferable

Question 29

In an unsolicited proposal,what does summarizing the problem,need,or opportunity do?

A) It gives the audience confidence that you have listened to them carefully
B) It shows the audience that you truly understand what they have asked you to address
C) It shows the audience that you are able to present an appropriate solution to a problem they have identified
D) It builds your credibility in your audience's eyes
E) It helps convince the audience that they will benefit from continuing to read so they can learn about your proposed solution or idea

Question 30

After the problem or need has been identified,what is the next step in developing content for the proposal?

A) Present a compelling recommendation with supporting details
B) Identify the outcomes and benefits
C) Establish feasibility and credibility
D) Request action
E) Evaluate the proposal for accuracy

Question 31

A(n)_____ is essentially a targeted marketing letter sent to someone who may need your products or services.

A) contract
B) statement of work
C) deliverable
D) unsolicited sales proposal
E) business case

Question 32

When a proposal is unsolicited ________.

A) the audience will explicitly state their requirements
B) the audience will hint at their requirements
C) you will not be able to address audience requirements
D) you will need to brainstorm the audience's requirements
E) the audience benefits are not expected to be addressed

Question 33

Which of the following would be the most ethical approach to proposal writing?

A) Discuss flaws in your competitor's products or services so the audience does not error in deciding who to grant the project to.
B) Make product or service comparisons based on customer reviews
C) Ignoring other options that would work for the audience, if the audience did not specifically request information on those
D) Promise whatever it will take to win the contract, and determine how to meet those obligations after
E) Discuss the costs that will accurately meet your audience's requirements and expectations.

Question 34

When presenting a compelling recommendation,what should be included?

A) A list of audience needs and requirements
B) A summary of the opportunity
C) An indication that you have listened to them
D) An outline of what the proposed solution will cost
E) Supporting details

Question 35

A proposal that is written to implement an idea to create a project is considered to be a _____.

A) proposal for action or change
B) business case
C) sales proposal
D) proposal for grants
E) proposal for other funding

Question 36

What is the goal of an unsolicited sales proposal?

A) To identify a statement of work
B) To provide a timeline for actions
C) To solicit funding for a project
D) To provide an executive summary
E) To encourage further discussion

Question 37

What is the advantage to sending a proposal via email?

A) The writer has the opportunity to include a strong business case
B) The proposal can be summarized in the email
C) Additional information not covered in the proposal can be included
D) The receiver can print hardcopies of sections of the proposal, depending on interest
E) Costs and risks do not need to be included in the final proposal as they would be covered in the email

Question 38

The term ________ refers to the supplemental information provided in a proposal.It often includes examples of past projects,client testimonials,and technical specifications.

A) overview
B) introduction
C) references
D) executive summary
E) appendices

Question 39

In a grant proposal,what does the evaluation section identify?

A) How to measure the success of the program
B) Who is responsible for overseeing the program
C) What the overall program will look like
D) What criteria should be used when deciding to grant to proposal request
E) Why the writer is passionate about the project

Question 40

In a solicited proposal,the summary conveys to the audience _____.

A) the audience has a need you can fulfill
B) the cost associated with the acceptance of the proposal
C) when and where the issue began
D) you have listened to them and understand what they are trying to accomplish.
E) how you plan to meet the audience's needs and requirements

Question 41

The goal of sending an unsolicited sales proposal is to _____.

A) understand the needs of your audience
B) generate interest in your business proposal and to encourage further discussions
C) acquire information from your audience about which products and services they are using at present
D) acquire information from your audience about expected future trends in the market
E) acquire details about your competitor's proposals from your audience

Question 42

Which of the following is a guideline for writing grant proposals?

A) Send proposals to any agency that has funds to distribute, regardless of its relevance to your organization's project.
B) Arrange a personal meeting only after you have submitted your grant proposal.
C) Omit a cover letter, as it is not expected from most funding agencies.
D) Never submit a proposal online.
E) Draft a proposal that addresses each topic area.

Question 43

The best way to address feasibility is to ________.

A) present realistic implementation plans
B) highlight your qualifications
C) demonstrate your expertise
D) provide a customer testimonial
E) describe similar projects which you have completed in the past

Question 44

Because online proposals allow limited space for responses,how can a writer be sure his or her responses accurately reflect their request while fitting in to allotted space?

A) Analyze the application in advance
B) Print the application before filling it out
C) Use the same language as the online form
D) Compose detailed content offline
E) Identify priorities and how your project meets those priorities

Question 45

Establishing ________ means showing that you have the ability to deliver what you propose.

A) feasibility
B) agreeability
C) credibility
D) assimilability
E) adaptability

Question 46

In a grant proposal for funding,what information is typically included in the cover letter?

A) What will be delivered
B) What total costs will be
C) The time frame of the deliverables
D) The circumstances that will result in success
E) What is being requested

Question 47

The process of negotiating an agreement in China can take a long time because ________ Chinese businesspeople.

A) relationships are very important to
B) unsolicited sales proposals are not entertained by
C) financial advantage and profit are not important to
D) oral commitments are not recognized by
E) written agreements are never used by

Question 48

When analyzing the application for an online submission of a proposal,what should be considered?

A) The language used by the audience
B) An identification of how the project meets the criteria of the audience
C) An indication of the writer's credibility
D) The feasibility of the project
E) What information will be required on the application

Question 49

In China,signed contracts ________.

A) mean a final agreement
B) must be honored
C) are not open to renegotiation
D) signal interest in doing business
E) are a binding commitment

Question 50

A sales proposal ________.

A) is used exclusively as a persuasive tool
B) cannot serve as a sales contract
C) represents a commitment between both parties when signed by a client
D) is always an unsolicited proposal
E) should not mention the details of the schedule and budget

Question 51

What type of proposal is most likely to be more than three to four pages long?

A) A grant proposal
B) An unsolicited proposal
C) A response to an RFP
D) A sales proposal
E) A proposal for funding

Question 52

According to businesspeople in the United States,which of the following is most likely to be the biggest benefit to stress in a business proposal?

A) Gain in status
B) Relationship with people
C) Benefit for the society
D) Profit
E) Gain in power

Question 53

How can a writer be sure they are asking the right agency for funding when writing a grant proposal?

A) Arrange a personal meeting
B) Send a draft of the proposal with details to follow
C) Conduct an Internet search
D) Send a cover letter asking relevant questions about the audience
E) Analyze the application in advance

Question 54

When responding to an RFP,what steps can the writer take to ensure the proposal is effective?

A) Create a checklist of requirements
B) Evaluate priorities
C) Study the competition
D) Compose content offline
E) Ask for a face-to-face meeting

Question 55

A cover letter for a grant proposal ________.

A) is not necessary
B) should avoid mentioning the specific amount of money you are requesting
C) should specify how your request addresses the agency's mission
D) should end with a request that the reader consider your proposal, but wait for them to suggest a meeting
E) should be brief and not address issues like the feasibility of the project

Question 56

Organizations increasingly require proposals to be submitted ________.

A) as text messages
B) through an online form
C) as posts on social networking sites
D) on blogs
E) by an instant messenger

Question 57

In a formal RFP,what is the executive summary used for?

A) To show an understanding for the client's needs
B) To propose a solution that meets the needs listed in the RFP
C) To propose a competitive fee
D) To make information easy to find
E) To provide a quick overview of the key ideas

Question 58

A(n)________ is essentially a targeted marketing letter directed to someone who you believe may benefit from your products or services.

A) internal proposal
B) unsolicited sales proposal
C) RFP
D) competitive proposal
E) solicited sales proposal

Question 59

If a proposal is more than a few pages long,then which of the following components is most likely to help the reader see the structure of the document at a glance?

A) References
B) Headings
C) Appendices
D) Glossary
E) Foot notes

Question 60

Which of the following is an example of a grant proposal?

A) A supervisor requesting funding from her boss for new computers, monitors, and printers to enable her department to function more efficiently
B) An academic organization requesting funding from a foundation to support a math, science, and technology competition
C) A bookstore employee suggesting to the bookstore owner that they start organizing family-friendly programs, like a story hour
D) A chef in a restaurant requesting that the restaurant start offering a line of light and healthy menu choices
E) An employee asking for approval to work in a flex-time schedule

Question 61

Proposals that respond to RFPs are always noncompetitive.

Question 62

A proposal must provide details about how it will be implemented and explain costs.

Question 63

Which of the following is most likely to be included in the executive summary?

A) The title of the proposal
B) The problem necessitating the proposal
C) The name of the recipient of the proposal
D) The name of the writer of the proposal
E) The date the proposal was submitted

Question 64

Which of the following terms is most likely to refer to a situation in which an application is not saved on your computer but is hosted by the software company and is available on the Internet,often for a monthly fee?

A) Parallel computing
B) Cloud computing
C) Mainframe computing
D) Software as a service
E) Grid computing

Question 65

________ allow you to include additional information that may interest the reader but is too detailed to include in the body of the proposal.

A) Glossaries
B) Executive summaries
C) Cover messages
D) Appendices
E) Tables of Contents

Question 66

A(n)________ allows readers to find the material that interests them.It should be a complete and accurate listing of the headings covered in the proposal.

A) appendix
B) executive summary
C) glossary
D) table of contents
E) cover letter

Question 67

Which of the following is most likely to be included on the title page of a report or proposal?

A) The suggested solutions
B) Name of the recipient of the proposal
C) Important implementation details
D) A project management plan and timetable
E) Total project budget

Question 68

Unlike other persuasive communication,a proposal does not require in-depth analysis.

Question 69

An appendix in a proposal consists of supplemental information and often includes examples of past projects,client testimonials,and technical specifications.

Question 70

Which of the following is typically found first in a formal proposal?

A) Title page
B) Executive summary
C) Table of contents
D) Appendices
E) Cover message

Question 71

Unsolicited proposals are often organized using a direct format.

Question 72

In a formal RFP,what is the table of contents used for?

A) To show an understanding for the client's needs
B) To propose a solution that meets the needs listed in the RFP
C) To propose a competitive fee
D) To make information easy to find
E) To provide a quick overview of the key ideas

Question 73

A proposal must only provide information; it need not motivate your audience to act.

Question 74

An unsolicited proposal typically uses a direct format.

Question 75

Many proposals,especially those that are unsolicited,are unsuccessful because the audience decides to do nothing at all.

Question 76

A(n)________ briefly summarizes the most important information in the proposal and key decision makers might read only this document and,based on how persuasive it is,decide whether or not to read the entire document.

A) appendix
B) title page
C) executive summary
D) table of contents
E) glossary

Question 77

If a proposal is ________,you need to provide some extra structure so that readers can navigate the document and easily find the information they are looking for.

A) between two to four paragraphs long
B) less than a page
C) two pages or less
D) longer than three or four pages
E) just one paragraph long

Question 78

In addition to serving as a persuasive tool,a sales proposal often serves as a sales contract.

Question 79

Which of the following can help a writer best track the interests of the audience,allowing a more targeted proposal?

A) Face-to-face meetings
B) Repurposed content
C) Data analytics
D) Software as a Service (SaaS)
E) Executive summaries

Question 80

Most proposals are delivered in writing after an oral presentation.