Writing for Business – Added Value Proposal

Added-Value Proposal

The idea is to add virtual interviews option by HandShake company through Skype.

Length: 1000 words (or so)

Formatting: Sans serif font, size 11; one inch margins; numbered pages; your name & section # on top left corner of first page

What is “added value” ?

The term “added value” means just what it implies: When a customer purchases a product or service from you, she gets an extra benefit. Added value is not the same as offering a free product or a discount because the customer gets something different than what she’s buying or something that she can’t buy.

 For example, if you give a customer a free belt with the purchase of slacks, that’s a straight freebie. If you offer free alterations, that’s added value.

 If a personal trainer offers customers a free subscription to his newsletter, that’s an added benefit the customer might be unable to get elsewhere and for which the customer pays nothing extra.

 A common example of added-value selling is a software operating system that includes a free Internet browser, word processing software and spreadsheet programs.

Offering customers more than just the product or service they buy, such as free support or training, lets you add value to your product or service a customer might not be able to get elsewhere. The concept of added-value selling helps companies that aren’t able to make a product significantly different from its competitors to distinguish themselves — and in some instances, offer more benefits without much production cost.

• Proposal Components:

Use bolded subheadings for each section, and complete paragraphs (mostly direct paragraphs) along with bullet points where needed. Use visual elements as appropriate.

Abstract/Summary

The abstract is the most important component of the proposal. Spend time developing the best possible title. It should be no longer than one half to one page maximum.

 What will be done, by whom, how, over what period of time?

 What is the problem/need?

 What measurements will you establish for the success of this project?

Statement of Need

 What is the customer concern you are addressing and why does it matter?

 How does the customer benefit from this project?

 How does the business benefit from this project?

 If the business already addresses your area of concern in some way, how do they currently do

so, and why in your opinion is their current method insufficient or lacking?

Analysis of Competition

 Demonstrate your knowledge of the field by providing an overview of your chosen organization’s primary competitors.

 How are those competitors performing in recent years? What have they done to address your particular concern? Are other businesses implementing similar projects/practices? How will your added value project be better than the services offered by competitors?

 Note that your added-value project does not need to be unique or new; it can be a replication of someone else’s work in a new environment or on a larger scale.

Project Activity, Methodology and Outcomes

 Why did you choose to address the issue in the manner that you have? Are there other approaches? If so, why aren’t they appropriate to the situation?

 What are the specific activities involved? Who at the company will implement the project?

 Present a timeline of activities. Tables and charts work best here. They crystallize data, break up

pages of narrative, and convey extensive information well in a limited space.

 What specific outcomes will be achieved? What will change? List 2-4 outcomes you aim to

achieve in terms of customer satisfaction as well as organizational achievement.

Dissemination/Marketing

Describe your communication/promotion strategy to make customers aware of this project.

 Write a single sentence that can be used as a tagline for this new service/practice.

 Outline a brief summary of public relations (press coverage) and marketing efforts you would

propose for this project, including a list of targeted outlets.

 Include a list of at least 6 venues where you will seek visibility through PR or ad purchases, as

well as the logic behind choosing these specific outlets. Try to determine the number of unique impressions each of these outlets will give you. These venues can include online and print media such as websites, periodicals, newspapers, and trade journals; programs on television, radio/podcasts; public venues where ads can be displayed; & mobile/smartphone ads.