10 Qualities of a High-Performing Proposal Writer (and Why You Still Need Them In The Age of AI)
By Georgia Ryan
With AI proposal-writing tools now handling everything from generating content to checking compliance, it’s tempting to think that proposal writers are no longer essential.
The truth is, while AI tools, like AutogenAI, are great for handling the heavy lifting, a skilled proposal writer brings creativity, judgment, and strategic thinking that AI can’t replicate. In this article, we explore why the human touch is still crucial and what you need to look for when hiring a high-performing proposal writer.
AI Can’t Replace Creativity
AI can produce a good first draft in record time, but it still needs to be skillfully prompted by a human to bring the best out of it. And it can’t replicate the creativity that turns a proposal into a compelling story.
A high-performing proposal writer works with AI-tools and shapes content into something that resonates with the client, showing how your solution helps them overcome their challenges and achieve their goals.
In competitive proposals, it’s often a creative narrative that differentiates a proposal and persuades the client to choose a team. Creativity, not just technology, often makes the difference.
Judgment and Strategy
AI can analyze data, but it can’t offer the strategic judgment to navigate complex client relationships or outsmart the competition.
Great proposal writers do. They understand how to position your strengths while subtly neutralizing competitor advantages.
Strategic framing aligned with the client’s priorities is often what sets a winning proposal apart.
Collaboration Across Teams
Proposal writing is never a solo effort, it requires input from multiple departments: finance, legal, operations, marketing, and more.
A great proposal writer doesn’t just write – they synthesize input from various teams into a single, unified voice.
Collaboration is key to successful proposal writing, and AI alone can’t manage this complex process.
What to Look for When Hiring a Great Proposal Writer
- Strong, Persuasive Writing Skills The core of any great proposal writer is the ability to craft persuasive, concise narratives. proposal writers are storytellers. They take complex information and simplify it, aligning your solution with the client’s goals and evaluation criteria. A strong writer makes the proposal come alive. You’ll know it when you see it.
Key Insight: Look for writing that’s persuasive, concise, and resonates with the client’s needs – clear writing wins proposals.
- Attention to Detail One typo, one missed compliance detail, and your proposal could be out. Great proposal writers juggle the big picture with precision, ensuring every compliance box is ticked and every word is intentional.
Key Insight: Detail-oriented proposal writers reduce risks and increase your chances of passing compliance checks – precision is non-negotiable.
- Experts at Translating Subject Matter Expertise A proposal writer doesn’t need to be an industry expert, but they need to be masters at translating complex technical, financial, or legal content into persuasive, client-friendly language. Their superpower is taking what your experts know and transforming it into a compelling narrative that resonates with the client. In specialized sectors, industry expertise is a bonus, but their primary role is to make the technical details easy to understand and impactful.
Key Insight: Proposal writers who excel at translating complex information help clients understand your value without feeling overwhelmed.
- Adaptability Under Pressure Proposals are fast-paced, high-stakes environments, and adaptability is crucial. A great proposal writer copes well under pressure, managing last-minute changes and evolving client requirements without breaking stride.
Key Insight: Adaptability is essential in the fast-paced world of proposal writing – find writers who can adjust quickly without compromising quality.
- Synthesizing Multiple Voices A great proposal writer takes input from different departments and crafts a cohesive proposal. They’re experts at synthesizing technical, financial, and operational perspectives into a single, clear voice. This ensures that the proposal doesn’t feel disjointed, but tells a consistent story that aligns with your company’s voice.
Key Insight: Cohesive proposal writing makes your company’s message feel unified and professional, which reassures clients.
- Curiosity and Research Skills A great proposal writer doesn’t rely on the information handed to them. They dig deep to understand the client’s challenges, research competitors, and gather additional insights to give your proposal an edge. This curiosity will also drive them to learn more about their craft and get better. Curiosity is a uniquely human attribute, which AI-tools can supercharge.
Key Insight: Curiosity fuels a deeper understanding of the client’s world, resulting in proposals that stand out.
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Proposal writing is about understanding the client’s concerns and responding to them. A great proposal writer uses emotional intelligence to read between the lines and craft a narrative that addresses the unspoken concerns of the client. This builds trust and reassurance, making your solution feel like the safest choice.
Key Insight: Emotional intelligence is critical to building trust and creating a proposal that reassures clients that your solution meets their needs.
And, don’t forget, bidding is a team sport. A proposal can be a pressure cooker, and a great proposal writer knows how to cooperate, collaborate, and support their teammates – as well as negotiate the egos of senior management. Managing relationships well ensures that everyone stays focused and productive while also safeguarding the team’s wellbeing. In a tense, deadline-driven environment, this can make all the difference in delivering a successful proposal.
- Resilience Proposal writing is tough. You win some, but you lose more. A great proposal writer needs resilience. The ability to bounce back from losses, learn from feedback, and stay motivated for the next opportunity. Without resilience, even the best writers burn out.
Key Insight: Resilience ensures that your proposal writer remains motivated and ready to improve, even after setbacks.
- Time Management Effective time management is absolutely crucial in proposal writing. A great proposal writer knows how to prioritize tasks, manage tight deadlines, and deliver high-quality content on time. They can break down complex proposals into manageable pieces and ensure that the final product doesn’t feel rushed or incomplete.
Key Insight: Proposal writers with strong time management deliver polished, complete proposals, even under tight deadlines.
- A Sense of Humor When the pressure’s on, a sense of humor helps. Proposal writing is grueling, deadlines are tight, and stakes are high. A great proposal writer often has a slightly irreverent, dark sense of humor to lighten the mood and keep the team motivated when things get intense. It might seem minor, but the ability to stay positive in the face of long nights and tight deadlines can make all the difference.
Key Insight: A sense of humor can keep morale high, helping the team stay productive and focused even when the stakes are high.
Here’s The Truth
Even in the age of AI, high-performing proposal writers will remain some of the most valuable assets you can have.
AI can handle a lot of the heavy lifting, from generating content to checking compliance, but it’s the human touch that turns a proposal from good to great. A skilled proposal writer brings creativity, strategic thinking, curiosity, emotional intelligence, and the ability to synthesize multiple perspectives into a winning submission.
When hiring a proposal writer, look for someone who can manage details, adapt under pressure, translate complex expertise into persuasive writing, and juggle tight deadlines. Oh, and make sure they’re funny, too.
