(612 Reviews)

Unfocused Proposals Concern

Write Proposals That Are Clear, Strategic, and Built to Win.

Implications of Unfocused Proposals

A proposal that lacks focus can cost your team valuable opportunities. Proposals, instead of highlighting your solution for the client, becomes a generic document that fails to persuade. Unfocused proposals are often too long, too vague, or too internally focused. Clients want clarity and relevance, not complexity. Focused proposals are structured around the reader’s priorities and make a clear, compelling case for action.

Writing Habits That Hurt Business

Proposal writing often goes off course when teams rely on habits rather than strategy. Without clear guidance, writers fill pages with technical jargon, recycled content, or worse, useless information. The result is a proposal that lacks energy, direction, or connection to the reader. These same habits can affect other forms of business writing, leading to missed opportunities and wasted effort.

Frequent Rewrites

Proposals that go through endless edits often start without a clear goal or structure.

Unclear Reports

When reports lack focus or organization, they fail to support a proposal’s message.

Proposals that Don’t Win

If your proposal doesn’t speak to the client’s needs, it will likely not be read or considered as a viable option.

Unclear Purpose

Without a specific goal, proposals become a list of features rather than a persuasive argument.

If any of these hit home, consider our Writing Workshops.

What Causes Unfocused Proposals?

Many proposals fall short because they are written reactively, with no planning or reader insight. Writers may rely too heavily on templates or old content that doesn’t match the client’s needs. Teams may struggle to frame their value clearly or to align multiple contributors around a shared message. These issues can all be corrected with the right training and tools.

No Clear Proposal Strategy

Proposals that lack planning phase often feel scattered and unfocused.

Failing to Address Client Needs Directly

If your writing centers on your company, not the client, the proposal misses the point.

Overloading Proposals with Unnecessary Content

Too much information distracts from the key message and weakens the pitch.

Disorganized Messaging Across Sections

If sections repeat, contradict, or don’t flow, readers struggle to stay engaged.

Misuse of Proposal Templates

Templates can be helpful, but only when tailored to the reader and project.

Lack of Persuasive Language or Framing

Proposals need more than facts. They must tell a story that shows why your team is the right choice to solve the client’s problem.

Inconsistent Proposal Formatting

Formatting issues make it harder for clients to navigate and compare your content.

Limited Training on Audience-Focused Writing

Teams may not understand how to adapt tone, language, or content based on who is reading.

Workshops That Remedy Unfocused Proposals

Hurley Write’s workshops help teams write focused, client-centered proposals that stand out. Participants learn how to plan strategically, structure content clearly, and use persuasive framing that resonates. Whether submitting to regulators, partners, or prospects, our training gives your team the tools to write with purpose and confidence.

Next Steps: Improve Your Team’s Writing Today

Let’s discuss your team’s unique writing challenges. We’ll evaluate writing samples and recommend a customized solution designed to improve clarity, productivity, and results.

Don't take our word for it, see what our clients have to say.

For 35+ years, we’ve shown organizations how to improve their communication, whether that involved designing and teaching writing and/or reviewing workshops, improving their writing and/or reviewing tools, offering individualized coaching, or helping them put processes in place.

And we can help your team of professionals, too!

Mike Brett

Raytheon

“The content and instructions allows for taking bite sized pieces of the homework assignments. I learned a lot and the instructor was flexible with my busy travel and work schedule. I would take another course through Hurley Write.”

Aylia Thomas

John Deere

“I author content for operator manuals. All of the minimalism strategies taught in this class can be directly applied to my writing.I can see the benefits to both our audience as well as our checkbooks!”

Dan Littlefield

Genentech

“We really needed someone who's expert at teaching the writing, because it's not just the writing, right?... I thought that one of the things that Hurley Write did that was really strong for us was talk about audience.”

Aylia Thomas

Orica US

“I author content for operator manuals. All of the minimalism strategies taught in this class can be directly applied to my writing. I can see the benefits to both our audience as well as our checkbooks!”

Jacueline Davis

IDA

“Hurley Write placed the emphasis on why we communicate in the first place. The instructor presented a truly captivating lecture on how we can very quickly craft an easy-to-read document that meets the needs of our reader. Thank you.”

David Anderson

DTCC

“Hurley Write placed the emphasis on why we communicate in the first place. The instructor presented a truly captivating lecture on how we can very quickly craft an easy to read document that meets the needs of our reader. Thank you.”

William Walters

IDA

“The instructor covers many useful writing skills and concepts. I recommend the course to scientists, engineers, program managers, editors, or anyone who wants to write more persuasively and succinctly.”

Simon Matthews

Raytheon

“This course is helping me with the new documents that I am writing. I recommend this course to anyone involved in writing engineering or technical documents.”

Gregory Marshall

D & H Global Tax Group

“I found this class to be extremely worthwhile and I came away with many useful tools for effective writing. The instructor was great at engaging the class and presented information well. Overall, I’d say this was the most important course I’ve taken.”

Andrew Charles

Bristol Myers Squibb

“The two-day session were well planned and the breakout activities offered great opportunities to incorporate major lessons into the real-world writing deliverables.”

Mike Brett

conEd

“The content and instructions allows for taking bite-sized pieces of the homework assignments.I learned a lot and the instructor was flexible with my busy travel and work schedule. I would take another course through Hurley Write.”

Judy Lettington

PaxVax

“Very concise and helpful. Came to our facility and answered all questions patiently and with real examples. Used multiple angles to explain concepts for better understanding. Really enjoyed the class.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if our proposals are missing the mark?

If your win rate is low, focus may be the issue.

What are the most common problems with unfocused proposals?

Common issues include poor organization, unclear value, lack of focus on the reader and their problem, and too much content.

Can your workshops help teams write proposals that align with client needs?

Yes. We teach teams how to analyze the client’s goals and structure content that speaks directly to those needs.

Do you cover strategies for organizing and structuring proposals?

Absolutely. We teach clear frameworks that help teams plan, sequence, and align every section of the proposal.

How do you help teams balance technical content with persuasive messaging?

Our training shows teams how to use technical content as part of a persuasive narrative that builds trust and drives decisions.

Are proposal writing techniques different across industries?

Yes, and our workshops are tailored to reflect industry-specific needs, terminology, and expectations.

Can you customize the training using our actual proposals?

Yes. We use your documents in the workshop to ensure that every concept is practical and directly applicable.