Writing Reports, Proposals and Business Cases

This briefing written by Richard Bailey and is designed to help you produce compelling reports, proposals and business cases.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Introduction

The importance of report writing

The difference between reports, proposals and business cases

Our ABC of business writing

Structuring a report

Writing the report: editing and formatting

Writing a persuasive proposal

Referencing conventions

Writing persuasively – think like a consultant

How to give advice

Preparing a business case

Using AI for reports and proposals

Useful links and resources

Introduction

Those who know me may have heard me say: “Spend 80 percent of your time doing the work and 20 percent of your time telling people!”

Telling people what you have achieved isn’t showing off, it is simply showing the value of what we do as communicators.

The importance of report writing is one of the reasons that Chartered Institute of Public Relations assignments are mostly in report format rather than academic essays.  The courses are assessing not only knowledge and understanding but the ability to structure thinking and analysis in a way that can be presented to the organisation or client.

Check our our CIPR courses

The importance of report writing

If you work in public relations and communication, what do you have to show for your efforts? Where are the artefacts that demonstrate your craft and professional skills?

We’ll often point to proxy outputs (such as media coverage), and many people are thrilled to receive awards nominations since this provides some external validation for their efforts.

But the answer to the question of what we produce may lie closer to home – and be more under our control.

We produce words, lots of them. Many of these words are fleeting, and many of our outputs have a very short shelf life. But when we’re asked to produce reports and proposals we have an opportunity to demonstrate our competence by showing our understanding of an issue and communicating this with clarity.

Sometimes, we can rely on our presentation skills, where the spoken word is used to convince and persuade. At others, we may be able to gain agreement by email. But often, an important issue requires proper research, analysis and reflection. Only a well-crafted document will do.

Our work will be judged by others. Will the report be accepted? Will senior managers buy into our proposal, perhaps over some competing proposals?

In this context, these documents are important; they are vital to our work and success. We want them to be judged on their merits, and we don’t want them to be overlooked because they’re poorly written or the presentation lacks impact.

The difference between reports, proposals and business cases

There is some overlap between the terms, but there is a clear difference of emphasis.

Reports look backwards: they explain what has happened and act as a guide to decision making. What should we do as a result? What steps should we take to avoid this happening again? Reports focus on gathering evidence (research) and presenting findings. This can lead to recommendations.

In public relations and communication roles, we might report on issues and crises; we might report on events and campaigns; and we provide evaluation reports.

Proposals look forwards. Based on evidence and analysis, their purpose is to make the case for a course of action. They need to be persuasively written.

Our proposal could be part of pitching for new business (if we work as consultants or independent practitioners). It could be about reorganising the comms function, buying new systems or software, or entering new markets (if we’re working in-house).

Business cases also look forward. They provide a justification for undertaking a piece of work. Every project should have a business case that includes costs, what is going to be done and why plus what options have been considered – an element of the business case that is often forgotten. On projects, the business case is owned by the project sponsor and delivered by the project manager. (Every project should have a sponsor. A sponsor owns the business case. They are ultimately responsible for delivery the project and the benefits. They are not involved in the day to day running of the project.)

Our ABC of business writing

• Accuracy: Your report or proposal needs to be evidence-based. This means preferring the specific to the vague. A simple technique for writing more specifically is to cut out the adjectives (after all, if something is incredible, why should we believe it, and why should we trust you?). Meaning matters – as does the fiddly question of spelling, grammar and punctuation. Your professionalism is being judged, so even a stray or missing apostrophe could lose you credibility.
• Brevity: Long documents can signify a lack of thought, and do not necessarily indicate your mastery of the subject. Any document should be as long as necessary, and as short as possible. If you’re struggling to constrain your thinking, then the discipline of writing an executive summary is vital. Supporting information can be placed into an appendix leaving the report to focus on essential information.
• Clarity: You know your business. Your boss and colleagues know the business too. So you use acronyms and jargon to cut corners when communicating with each other. But are all the decision makers insiders like you? Your document might be circulated to non-executive directors or trustees for information and approval. Might they not benefit from greater clarity?
• Perspective is also important. While you need knowledge of the issue and organisation, it’s helpful to take the perspective of an objective outsider (that’s one advantage consultants have over in-house practitioners). One simple way to check your perspective is to write objectively about the organisation, avoiding subjective language (‘I’, ‘we’). This approach helps to remove emotion from the document, and allows you to focus on the evidence. Patrick Forsyth reminds us that the readers’ perspective is more important than the writer’s.

Structuring a report

Patrick Forsyth suggests a four part structure for a report, with our additions in italics:

1. Setting out the situation (what happened?)
2. Describing the implications (so what?)
3. Reviewing the possibilities (what could we do about it?)
4. Making a recommendation (what should we do about it?)

Here’s a suggested structure for a full-length report (based on Manser and Curtis):

• Table of contents
• Executive summary
• Introduction (including the background and any terms of reference)
• Facts
• Analysis and discussion
• Conclusions
• Recommendations
• Appendices
• References

Writing the report: editing and formatting

Good editing is an essential component of good writing. As well as correcting obvious mistakes, you should be editing for clarity and consistency.

Ideally, a colleague should review the document as the writer is too close to it (and knows what she means – so can’t always see how her words will be read). But if there’s no one else to do this, then you should leave time between drafting and editing.

Writing a persuasive proposal

There are many similarities between reports and proposals, but a key distinction is that a proposal must be persuasive. The best way to ensure this is to make it focused on the client’s (or management’s) problem.

Some people shy away from the negativity implied by ‘problem’. You can use ‘issue’ or ‘challenge’ if you prefer, but the literature is clear on this: if there’s no problem, then there’s no need for PR.

At its most simple, the proposal should identify and analyse the problem, and propose a sensible way of resolving the problem.

Structuring a proposal

A full proposal is likely to have the following sections:

• Executive summary
• Situation analysis
• Problem statement
• Campaign goal and objectives
• Stakeholder identification and messages
• Strategy
• Communication tactics
• Timescale
• Budget
• Evaluation plans

Writing the executive summary

This comes first – but is written last. (If not, you’ll merely write an introduction and your readers may lose patience).

Summaries save time by telling busy people whether they should read the full document. Some may even make their decision based on the summary alone. So take time to do this well, and make it persuasive.

Your summary should contain the key points of the full proposal:

• The problem
• The programme goal
• Target groups
• Strategy
• Budget total
• Evaluation plans

Presenting a proposal

Your professionalism is being judged, so how the proposal looks is important. You should choose a professional look that has:

• Consistent fonts and sizes
• Consistent headings and sub-headings
• Consistent referencing
• Adequate line spacing, borders, and white space

Referencing conventions

There are multiple systems for referencing sources.

Academic referencing (such as Harvard referencing) is based on the author-date system. So a short citation (author’s name and publication date) is embedded in the text, with the full publication details provided in an alphabetical list of references at the end. This is a requirement of most university assignments, but is unsuited to business reports as it can make the text dense and hard to read.

For business documents including reports and proposals, footnotes or endnotes are more usual. These can be automatically generated by your word processing application. Footnotes appear at the bottom of each page; endnotes are gathered at the end of the document. Both are numbered in the order in which they appear in the document (rather than being listed alphabetically, as with academic referencing).

Note that some recent textbooks by academics, especially those with the general reader in mind, have been published with footnotes rather than with academic referencing. This is true of Strategic Public Relations Leadership by Anne Gregory and Paul Willis, one of our favourite books in the PR Academy online library for students.

Endnotes can and should be used to reference academic arguments, research data, news reports, websites and other sources cited in your document. They are typically used to cite the source referred to, but can also be used to add in supporting commentary in order to keep the main text as short as possible.

PR Academy recommends that you adopt a consistent approach to referencing sources as follows: author(s) surname, author initial(s), year of publication, title of publication or journal article, publisher details, URL (if websource) and date URL was accessed (if websource).

If there is no known author for a reference, simply put the name of the organisation that published the document (for example, CIPR reports with no individual author).

Writing persuasively – think like a consultant

The key to persuasive writing is to see the world from your readers’ viewpoint. What are their concerns? What’s their understanding of the problem? If you can share their concerns, then you’re already halfway there.

Take time to listen. Then research and evaluate the evidence, and provide a clear recommendation for a future course of action (taking into account other, perhaps opposing, perspectives).

In a section headed ‘Outside in, not inside out’, Ardi Kolah emphasises the importance of taking the point of view of the buyer when selling.

‘Without doubt, the point of view (POV) of the prospective customer or client is now a highly valuable commodity. As a result, the practice of ‘selling’ is much more ‘outside in’ rather than ‘inside out’.

While Ardi Kolah’s focus is on selling, the consultant (whether in-house or external) should be presenting proposals that are in the client’s best interests and solve a problem facing the organisation. So this should not involve ‘hard selling’. A proposal designed to benefit the consultant and merely take money off the client has no merits and is not the basis for a long and trusting relationship.

Anne Gregory and Paul Willis argue for all public relations leaders to adopt a consultancy approach. But what are the requirements of the role, and what skills do you need to master?

The European Communication Monitor researchers provide three characteristics of excellent communication managers. They should be:

• Sagacious. This means being knowledgeable, but also demands reflective wisdom and shrewdness. ‘The ‘excellent’ practitioner will be able to manage the complex, dynamic context and functions of their organisation as they will possess the cognitive, technical, social and communication skills to gain the confidence of colleagues from other sectors and functions… They will be able to advise senior management.’
• Linked. ‘Communicators, we suggest, are advising and enabling top executives and other members of the organisation in the field of media and communication.’ While there has been an increase in high-tech communication, we should not dismiss the importance of face-to-face communication (described as ‘high- touch’).
• Solid. ‘Individual solidity first of all means that you have to be able to handle paradoxes. Communication professionals find themselves constantly between management and employees, between the organisation and their opponents, between experts and the press to name a few. Personal solidity is at the heart of reflective communication management.’ This means ‘having explicit individual solidity driven by personal, organisational and professional ethics and frameworks.’

How to give advice

Your proposal will propose a recommended solution to a problem you’ve identified.

You will need to present an argument and will need to be able to substantiate your argument.

According to Samir Parikh in the Consultant’s Handbook, there are two approaches to this:

The deductive method

This starts from a solid basis (ideally a fact or a point of firm agreement) and proceeds through a funnel-like process to eliminate various options and proceed to a firm conclusion.

The problem with this approach is that if any one statement can be disputed or proven false, then the conclusion may no longer hold. Similarly, if any relevant information has been omitted, the solution may not be robust.

So two tests need to be applied before presenting a deductive argument:

Can each premise be proven or reasonably substantiated?

Has all relevant information been included?

The inductive method

The inductive method of reasoning is more persuasive in its approach, by aggregating premises to demonstrate that its conclusion is likely to be true. It can also incorporate more subjective information.

While the deductive method delivers a conclusion that is unique (by eliminating other options), the inductive approach simply builds a case for a particular choice.

Preparing a business case

The business case provides justification for undertaking a project or programme. It evaluates the benefit, cost and risk of alternative options and provides a rationale for the preferred solution. It will typically include:

• Strategic case – the background of the project or programme and why it is needed
• Options appraisal – what options have been considered and which has been chosen (not forgetting the ‘do nothing’ option)
• Expected benefits – the benefits that will arise from the work and any unavoidable disbenefits
• Commercial aspects – the costs, investment appraisal and funding arrangements
• Risk – the major risks and their impact on the business case
• Timescales – a summary of the delivery of outputs and realisation of benefits
• The business case is owned by the project sponsor and responsibility for delivering it lies with the project manager. The viability of a project will be monitored against the business case and the business case can change over time as a project progresses.

Using AI for reports and proposals

Artificial intelligence (AI) is strong at writing structured documents: many of the documents that public relations practitioners may find challenging and time-consuming (such as news releases, reports and propsals) are easily handled by AI. But just because AI can do something doesn’t mean it should be used for the task.

Some risks of using AI generated text uncritically include:

• Leaking of confidential information
• Errors (hallucinations) being introduced
• Loss of tone of voice (for example, AI text may default to US spelling and phrases)

So the safe recommendation is to use AI at the brainstorming stage to avoid the problem of a blank screen. Let’s ask AI to suggest a template for a business proposal.

Here’s a structure for a basic business proposal suggested by Copilot (which uses ChatGPT):

1. Title Page

• Project title
• Your company name
• Your company logo
• Date of submission

2. Table of Contents

• A list of sections and page numbers

3. Executive Summary

• Brief overview of the problem or opportunity
• Key proposal points
• Benefits of the proposal
• Call to action

4. Introduction

• Background information
• Purpose of the proposal
• Scope of the project

5. Problem Statement or Opportunity

• Description of the problem or opportunity
• Why it needs to be addressed

6. Proposed Solution

• Detailed explanation of the solution
• How it addresses the problem or opportunity
• Benefits and advantages of the solution

7. Project Plan or Methodology

• Project timeline and milestones
• Steps to be taken
• Resources needed

8. Budget

• Detailed cost breakdown
• Justification for expenses

9. Team

• Key personnel and their roles
• Relevant experience and qualifications

10. Conclusion

• Summary of key points
• Restatement of benefits
• Final call to action

11. Appendices

• Additional supporting documents
• Charts, graphs, or images

And here’s an outline suggested by Google Gemini:

I. Cover Letter/Executive Summary:

• Cover Letter (Optional but Recommended): A brief, personalized letter introducing your company and the proposal, expressing enthusiasm and highlighting key benefits.
• Executive Summary: A concise overview of the entire proposal, summarizing the problem, proposed solution, key benefits, and cost. This is often written last but placed first after the cover letter.

II. Problem/Opportunity Definition:

• Background: Describe the client’s current situation, the challenges they face, or the opportunity they want to capitalize on. Clearly define the problem you’re addressing.
• Needs Assessment (Optional): If applicable, present data or research that supports the existence and severity of the problem.

III. Proposed Solution:

• Detailed Description: Explain your proposed solution in detail. Be specific about your approach, methodologies, and deliverables.
• Benefits: Clearly articulate the benefits the client will receive, focusing on tangible outcomes and quantifiable results. Use metrics and data to support your claims.
• Alternatives Considered (Optional): Briefly discuss any alternative solutions the client might consider and explain why your proposal is the best option.

IV. Implementation Plan:

• Timeline: Outline a realistic timeline for project completion, including key milestones and deadlines.
• Resources: Describe the resources you will allocate to the project, including personnel, equipment, and technology.
• Project Management: Explain how you will manage the project, including communication protocols, reporting frequency, and quality control measures.

V. Pricing and Payment:

• Cost Breakdown: Provide a detailed breakdown of all costs associated with the project, including fees, expenses, and any other relevant charges.
• Payment Terms: Clearly state your payment terms, including payment schedule and methods of payment.

VI. Company Information and Credentials:

• About Us: Briefly describe your company, highlighting your experience, expertise, and relevant qualifications.
• Case Studies/Testimonials (Optional): Include examples of successful projects you have completed for other clients.
• Team (Optional): Introduce key members of your team and their qualifications.

VII. Appendix (Optional):

• Supporting documents, such as resumes, contracts, research data, or any other relevant information.

Useful links and resources

Writing

Canavor, N (2013) Business Writing for Dummies, Wiley

Foster, J (2008) Effective Writing Skills for Public Relations, (fourth edition) Kogan Page.

Kolah, A (2013) The Art of Influencing and Selling, Kogan Page

Smith, R (2017) Becoming A Public Relations Writer: Strategic Writing for Emerging and Established Media, (fifth edition) Routledge

Truss, L (2009) Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The zero tolerance guide to punctuation, HarperCollins

Being a consultant

Black, C (2014) The PR Professional’s Handbook, Kogan Page

Gregory, A and Willis, P (2013) Strategic Public Relations Leadership, Routledge (see chapter 14)

Maister, D. Green, C. Galford, R (2002) The Trusted Advisor, Simon & Schuster

Parikh, S (2015) The Consultant’s Handbook, Wiley

Tench, R. Vercic, D. Zerfass, A. Moreno, A. Verhoeven, P. (2017) Communication Excellence: How to Develop, Manage and Lead Exceptional Communications, Palgrave Macmillan (see Part III)