1. Demonstrate the client's need
Catch the reader's attention by stating a specific need or problem that she or he has. At the heart of every client-centred proposal are statements showing that you understand the client's need or problem. Show clients that you recognize their need. Spell it out.
2. Show the benefits of meeting that need
Use the RFP and other information to show the client your understanding of the payoff to be expected from meeting the need. Don't spell out your solution; that comes next. Spell out how the client will improve productivity, profitability and success by solving his or her problem. Explain the possible consequences of inaction. You'll establish credibility not so much by demonstrating our expertise as by showing our understanding of the client's business.
3. Recommend your solution
Make a firm, clear recommendation accompanied by action steps. Don't be vague. Don't hope that they'll get your point. Recommend a specific approach, program, publication, ad campaign or application: "We recommend that the National Research Council use our company to design, write and produce its corporate marketing brochure." And present it so well that the client believes that our solution will meet their need.
4. Provide details
Give the reader technical and other details needed to show our qualifications and competence to deliver the solution on time, on budget and to specification. These materials must demonstrate your credibility and ability to provide such a solution.
They will also show that you understand the costs involved, particularly the return on investment to the client. Discuss related issues, costs, management issues, schedules, risks, future implications. Always return to our key selling point‹our recommendation presented in terms of a quantifiable benefit. Give convincing reasons that the client should choose you over all others.
1. What is the client's problem or need?
State for yourself the client's need or problem, in one sentence if possible. Use the RFP, but keep an open mind. The client may not have included every reason for soliciting proposals.
2. What makes this need worth addressing, or this problem worth solving?
Look beyond the obvious, and ask yourself: Why must the client meet this need now?
3. What goals must be served by whatever action is taken?
Before you decide what to propose, find out what the client wants to accomplish. The more specific you are about the client's goals and how they impact his or her business, the more convincing your proposal will be.
Some business goals
Capturing market share; increasing profitability; reducing overhead; promoting product
Some technical goals
Automating labour-intensive processes; enhancing quality with automated machining
Some social goals
Enhancing employee morale; reducing turnover; increasing brand recognition; changing consumer attitudes
Personal goals
Include issues of career and prestige that the client is dealing with in trying to solve the problem
4. Which goals have the highest priority?
Rank what is most important to the client, and write your proposal in that order.
5. What products or services can you offer to achieve these goals?
Brainstorm. Be creative. Consider anything. The more creative you are in combining what you know with what you have to offer, the more likely you are to produce a client-centred solution that stands out among the competition.
6. What results are likely to follow each of our recommendations?
Make an educated guess. Will they lead to the client's most important goal? Will they provide competitive leverage? What will they cost? How long will they take?
7. What should you recommend?
Choose the course of action from the client's point of view. Avoid the solution that simply offers the largest profit margin‹write your proposals for the long term.
1. What must I establish about my company before the client will believe what I say?
2. What key recommendation am I making? Have I a focussed strategy?
3. What are the opportunities for improving the client's productivity and profitability that I'm presenting in this proposal?
4. To what line of reasoning is this proposal an apparent conclusion?
5. What are the meanings of the words I'm using? Will the client understand them?
6. How can I contrast our proposal with those of the competition? Without naming names or throwing muck, how can I show that ours is superior?
7. How inclusive (or limited)is this proposal? Should it be more focussed? or expanded?
8. How can I support or prove my assertions? What evidence will convince the client?
9. What can be said against my proposal? Why might someone disbelieve or reject it?
10. What does this proposal assume? What business objectives are at its foundation? What other issues does it take for granted?
11. Does this proposal state clearly that some action must be taken? Does it indicate the consequences of inaction?
12. What will the action called for cost in time and money?
13. Does the proposed action involve coordinating large numbers of people and resources? How will this be managed?
1. The client's business needs
2. My company's business strengths
3. Our competitor's strengths and weaknesses
The client's business needs
Of the three elements in any strategy, the client's need is the most important. Use the seven-step, client-centred approach mentioned earlier to identify the client's need or problem.
My company's business strengths
To win proposals, you have to establish a difference between itself and the competition. To do this, head separate sheets of paper with the names of our products and services. Beneath each heading, list everything that makes you stand out in the marketplace, that separates us from the competition. Try to identify "uniqueness factors" about your business that are one of a kind.
Our competitor's strengths & weaknesses
Look at the competition and compile "uniqueness factor" lists for them. The more you learn about the competition, the better you'll understand how to position your company.
1. Cost strategy
If you decide the cost strategy, you must write your proposal‹every section, page and paragraph‹to persuade the client that your solution:
2. Quality strategy
Use the quality strategy if you can convince the client that your solution:
3. Technology strategy
Use the technology strategy to persuade the client that your solution:
4. Competitive strategy
Use the competitive strategy to persuade the client that your solution:
Arrange material in order of priority
Use lots of headings
Highlight important points
Avoid banal headings and titles
Avoid boilerplate
Sell your solution
Support your recommendations
Don't attack competitors by name
Use a strong close
Make your proposal easy to understand
Use simple, direct language
Write in the active voice
Sentences written in the active voice are more direct and vigorous than those written in the passive.
Use definite, specific, concrete language
Be specific rather than general, definite instead of vague, concrete rather than abstract. The surest way to arouse and hold interest is by being specific, definite and concrete.
when you can say
Magellan LANDMARK sales representatives need marketing tools that help them close sales in the shortest possible time.
Avoid unnecessary words
If you can remove a word and keep your meaning, do so.
Avoid a patronizing tone
2. How do they perceive your company? your work? your services?
3. What biases do the evaluators have toward your company, and how will these biases affect the scoring of your proposal?
4. Does a competitor have a preferred position with the evaluators?
5. How much do the evaluators know about your creative solution, and how much additional information will they need?
6. What will the evaluators be looking for when they evaluate our proposal?
7. How much weight will they attach to cost? project management? technical expertise? your size? previous work?
Content
4. Is the creative strategy a good one?
5. Are the facts accurate?
6. Is the creative strategy supported by sufficient evidence and examples?
7. Is the proposed solution clearly worthwhile?
8. Is there any vagueness, abstraction or generalization?
9. Is there too much detail and no overview or sense of perspective?
10. Is the proposal client-centred or us-centred?
Organization
11. Do the cover letter and executive summary attract the reader's interest?
12. Is the proposal one unified, persuasive argument? Is there one strategy to which everything is related?
13. Are the parts arranged in a coherent, logical order?
14. Is there closure to each major section?
15. Have I structured the information from the reader's point of view?
16. Are my headings clear, properly worded and parallel?
17. Is each section organized around (1) the client's need, (2) the solution, and (3) the supporting details?
Style
18. Are the sentences easy to understand?
19. Are all technical terms and jargon used correctly?
20. Have I avoided clichés?
21. Is the proposal concise?
22. Is the level of writing appropriate for the reader?
Accuracy
23. Are there mistakes in grammar, usage, spelling or typing?
24. Are there mistakes in names, titles, dates, costs or other details?
25. Is the proposal neat, professional and easy to read?
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