The One-Page Proposal by Patrick G. Riley (2002, Paperback)

Lean. Trim. Clear. Concrete. In a world where decisions are made between two rings of a cell phone, this is what a successful business proposal must be. It's a lesson entrepreneur Patrick Riley learned after one too many potential partners ignored his painstaking (but long and forbidding) proposals. And now, in The One-Page Proposal, he shares his secret strategy -- the one that he has parlayed into a multimillion-dollar business career. Riley describes every important element of a successful business proposal -- from the basic message to the financial details. Step by step, he outlines how to create the perfect attention-grabbing pitch, offering dozens of strategies to help organize your research, focus your message, eliminate unnecessary language, and anticipate potential reservations. Learn how to:

• Use active, positive wording
• Compress data without losing important content
• Tactfully ask what you want
• Prioritize information, including only what's necessary
• Get the tone and voice right
• Tailor the product to your target reader