3 tips on writing a letter to reject a proposal

26.9.12
Rejecting a Proposal

There are times where you would encounter a need to reject an application or proposal, and you have to do it tactfully. This happens when you are in a position where a hard reject is the wrong thing to do. 

Here are 3 tips on writing a proposal rejection letter

1) Never say NO
A truly skilled rejection letter does not directly says no, but is still strong enough to convey that the proposal didn't make the cut. In the context of love, you can notice that a mild rejection comes in the form of  " We are different" rather than " No, I don't like you."

2) Mention good things
Massage their ego by praising their strengths and accomplishments so far. Recognise what they have done well, and then go in for the kill. "While your company has garnered significant sales in a short time and generated positive publicity, we note that there are a few key criteria in question."

3) Ask questions
This should be your key "weapon" of rejection. Probe on the weaknesses on the proposal so that the applicant knows their proposal is lacking. Depending on your style, you might want to mercilessly list down all your doubts rather than having a back-and-forth ball game which will take a much longer time.

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