Episoder
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In this episode:
How Nirvana includes pre-engagement, Hot Buttons and effective working with subject matter experts (SMEs)
Most businesses are normally reactive, often not expecting a bidding opportunity to be released and then trying to cater to it with a bad timeline.
Common mistakes include knee-jerk graphics, underestimating the time to create effective graphics, which should be done well before writing.
Where possible, I pre-engage for capture, discover the hot buttons, and establish win themes. Also a trainer, and I help with authoring.
Great insight can derive from what I call "Car Park" conversations. Clues and even body language help you get the key 3-4 hot buttons.
How to influence to engage earlier? Persistence. Show the stakeholders the benefits in dollars saved, time saved and improved win rate. Stop bidding on everything and your effectiveness and win rate will naturally increase.
My motivation years ago, initially, was to win. Now my motivation is to have the team believe in what is possible and to win better.
When Pre-Qualification Questionnaires (PQQs) first came out, there was a lot of concern from the industry.
My top tips? Pre-engage and pre-prepare. Have the content and stories and case studies ready. It makes a huge difference in how you win.
Contact me through the website:
www.willsconsultants.co.uk
Also please join me and listen in on my podcast:
'Winning bids and proposals'
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/winning-bids-and-proposals/id1517455655
Also Available on all major platforms.
Links to free tools:
Website: www.willsconsultants.co.uk
Podcast: 'Winning bids and proposals'. Available on all major platforms.
Free fact sheets to download with podcast 'Winning bids and proposals'.
About our guest
Jack Wills has forty years of experience in proposal and bid development. His interest in bid writing started when was called in to evaluate a major contract in the UK Ministry of Defence as a staff officer in the British Army.
As a 'gamekeeper' he quickly became a 'poacher' in the bid world!
Leaving the Army in 1988, he started his own business in the video and multimedia world, developing some 5-6 proposals per month! He is now a consultant working with many bluechip clients.
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* Capture is about being engaged long before the Request For Proposal (RFP) or Invitation To Tender (ITT) is released
* The Real prize is upstream, as an estimated 60% of decision-making power is before the ITT is ever released.
* Engaging clients in that thinking process is more profitable, as it creates value and we earn the right to take a share of the value we create
* Bid responders should be Snipers, not infantry.
* Better to win 1/100 large deals than 100 small deals
* A lot of firms scattergun their approach
* Bidders are great "midfielders" but if you wait until the ITT comes out you have missed the bigger opportunity
* Capture is based on an opportunity
* Account planning positions for opportunities to come. Pick a leader for the account and build a plan, connecting with who and in what order to inform the next connection and build momentum
* The CRM dirty secret is that real adoption is spectacularly low. CRM implementation is treated as an IT project instead of cultural change, and those who sell CRMs aren’t very good at it. Drive the transformation into how you win work.
* 80% of B2B biz should come from existing clients, which is a reflection of how well you look after them
* If you don’t know the economic buyer's partner name and success measures you are in deep shit :)
* One UK example is with Morgan Sindall https://www.morgansindallconstruction.com/
* Focus on winning deals in accounts that will have more ongoing projects rather than a single deal with nothing to follow. Build the account plan and capture plan.
* When driving change, not all people make the change
* At ISG it was a challenge keeping pace and affected how I had to change the approach to brief senior people. COVID-19 made us isolated and so I had to relearn how to give updates
* My role has been to bring expertise the CEO does not have, but my advice is as the caddy to help their success, not to. be the golfer.
* Maturity in Capture differs around the world. In Capture, the US is pretty mature.
* The UK is the leading nation in bidding as others are derivatives of the UK's lead, and Americans are a bit behind there.
* But Capture is the opposite, where almost all capture roles are in the USA, but not many "get it yet" in Europe. Capture is the next key step.
* US capture managers see the opportunity it all the way through. This creates continuity as most bid teams elsewhere don’t look at the relationship and what has happened upstream.
* The bidding person should mentor upward: invite a senior sponsor. * The biggest factor in winning is a board member, mentor them in what you need.
* Capture works for a smaller number of bigger deals, otherwise focus on account management.
* Bid teams are helpless when forced to bid everything, it’s "bullshit"
* To influence the business and the bidding decisions, show data and win rates and feedback.
Links to free tools, useful tips or offers for our listeners
Visit htps://www.thebidtoolkit.com for our free to air bid process content, listen to our podcast The Red Review, and become a member of our online community at https://www.patreon.com/theredreview
About our guest
* Jeremy Brim brings 20 years of experience as a capture and bid management professional across both the public and private sectors. * Leading successful bid function spanning professional services, outsourcing, and construction - Jeremy has secured an enviable collection of high-profile projects, programs, and frameworks with blue-chip clients around the globe.
* Jeremy founded growth ignition in 2018, where he works with leadership teams to plan and execute interventions across the sales cycle.
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* How Nora lifted the shortlist ratio from 8% to 42%
* Clients who buy Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) to dramatically improve planning, forecasting & reporting through integrated systems instead of data mining and excel spreadsheets.
* Client mistakes made through deciding by lowest price, and internal teams being overly optimistic.
* Strategy Meetings to discuss can we meet the needs of the RFP, brought order to where there was chaos
* Summary Template developed by my predecessor, we enhanced
* We learn faster by making Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) Requests. FOIA requests allow you to compare winning bids and contrast that with what you are submitting.
* The horror story as a new-hire, getting an RFP out in the next 45mins, 20 full binders, hand-tabbed with 35 per binder, plus hand-tabbed cost proposal binder. Had to fit in a 20x20x20 inch box and no hand truck to get it to the car. So balancing it on a chair, getting it into the back seat of the car, we ended up with a pretty quick dismissal reply due to a known functionality gap. We should never have responded. I decided then that we would use data going forward.
* How Loopio allowed us to eliminate errors and the worry over these things being consistent throughout the response.
* The importance of knowing why you lose.
* My journey from graduating in 2008 when the economy was tanking, to learn on my journey through creativity, structure, and data to establishing myself in my role today.
Top Tips are:
* Get a Content Management System for boilerplate consistency
* Really take the time to dig into your FOIA Requests. We file a FOIA Request every time it's a loss. It is free business intelligence that you can learn from.
Links to free tools, useful tips & offers for our listeners
Top Tips are:
Get a Content Management System for boilerplate consistency.
Really take the time to dig into your *FOIA Requests. We file an FOIA Request every time it's a loss. It is free business intelligence that you can learn from. (*Freedom of Information Act).
We have used https://loopio.com/ as an amazing Content Management System since 2019 which has been amazing.
Here is the weighted scoring calculator which is really helping us as a base to save time and decide when to bid:
https://www.mypmllc.com/project-management-resources/proposal-management-templates/
Links
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/norafoux/
Email: [email protected]
About Nora Foux
Nora Foux is a graduate of the Philadelphia Institute of Art where she earned degrees in Industrial Design and Marketing.
She has worked for several top companies such as the American Heart Association, Comcast, and Publicis Healthcare Solutions.
Currently, Nora is with AssetWorks LLC where she has been a Technical Proposal Writer for their EAM software for over two years. Her updates to their bid process and content have increased their EAM shortlist ratio from 8% in 2018 to 42% in 2020.
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* How writing relates to various stakeholders in color team reviews
* Problems that stem from people: New people not yet integrated into the bid team; the right people who review the proposal at the wrong stage, and people who do not understand the technology that supports the bid process today
* Mistakes relating to compliance, and comments added during proposal development
* The best win themes come from the best capture manager
* How a writer who loves writing, yet is not Stephen King or a journalist, enjoys being a valued writer as part of a winning team.
Links to free tools, useful tips & offers for our listeners
LinkedIn Profile: Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanne-sener-30712923/
Read my Top Tips here: https://winningthebusiness.com/10-tips-on-getting-the-most-from-your-proposal-writers/
About Susanne Sener
* Susanne has worked full-time as a proposal writer since 2007.
* In her first 5 years she worked on over 200 proposals and is now up to about 500. Her specialty is past performance volumes.
* Susanne's background also includes 10 years as a US Air Force officer.
* She was originally hired as a proposal writer because of her experience teaching college-level English classes. Business Development management wanted someone who could weave capture themes into the past performance volumes.
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* Too much MarTech wastes too much time
* Good Implementation delivers results
* An example of replacing a mess of MarTech with PandaDoc saved many hours per person and thousands of dollars per month
* How transactional companies like Software as a Service (SaaS) providers normally find out the hard way when t use a proposal
* How Patrick learned of his bipolar condition and has found a way to be accepted, supported and enjoy the buzz of winning sales deals
* And discussion of Patrick's recommended tool: trylavender.com
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Eileen Kent has built a reputation as The Federal Sales Sherpa, by leading others through the maze of US Federal opportunities to reach their goals.
Through experience, Eileen developed a three-step program that enables organizations to transform their selection of and approach to opportunities to bid on and win.
Starting with Eileen's experience of selling into Federal Agencies we explore her personal stories and those of her clients.
Once again we hear how vital it is to have an effective bid-no-bid process and be brave enough to keep to it.
Eileen shares insights into how she helps organizations recognize the cost of wasted bids and to develop their own processes to win more.
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eileenkent/
I will send you a link to my Bid/No-Bid template which you can complete and use in your own organization so that you too can "Write Less, Win More"
Website: http://www.federalsalessherpa.com
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* York originally created his UK-based video production company Five-On-A-Bike to cater to a wide range of businesses.
* In 2020, COVID-19 presented major challenges for York’s business and also significant health risks to the elderly. This risk complicated further the emotional decision families make when choosing a care home for their parents.
* York shares with us how video in marketing through to proposals has really helped his ideal clients and given his team renewed focus and passion to sustain the Five-On-A-Bike business long term.
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Discover how to: "Tell a good story to win from behind"
How clients who were initially sceptical of storytelling in proposals, have become long term clients who trust Rachelle’s approachRachelle explains how she weaves in her stories to an appropriate level, for a compliant responsive bid.Examples where even Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee help her client regain a foothold in an account where other valid approaches had failed.Scaling how much of a story to include, yet always establishing conflictLinks:
Website: http://www.rmrconsult.com/ LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelle-ray-marketing/Links to free tools, useful tips or offers for our listeners
Free InDesign shorts (quick tips to improve workflow): http://www.rmrconsult.com/indesign/Free resources for AEC Marketers: (sign up required) https://www.subscribepage.com/rmrc_resourcelibraryAbout our guest
Rachelle Ray has spent more than ten years working on proposals for Architecture/Engineering & Construction (AEC). She founded RMR Consulting after recognizing a need for flexible proposal management to address the ‘ebb and flow’ of marketing needs across the industry. Rachelle develops engaging proposal stories that position her clients as the 'heroes' or champions of the projects they're proposing on.
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Developing business acumen for proposals
Kathryn Bennett CPSM explains the importance of developing business acumen for proposals, as Kathryn identified that responding to fewer proposals better, results in a significantly better win rate.The Go/No-Go process in many companies is often swept aside when management wants to respond to as many bids as possible.By gaining business acumen, the proposal specialist can gather and understand appropriate business data to present s compelling case to the leadership team, on the benefits to be gained through quality responses over quantity.Links:
Website: http://loopio.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynbennettwrites/Links to free tools, useful tips or offers for our listeners
Loopio 2021 RFP Response Trends: https://loopio.com/resources/2021-rfp-response-trends-report/RFP Department GraderAbout our guest
Kathryn Bennett is the Director of RFP Excellence at Loopio.She has more than a dozen years of proposal management and technical communications experience.Kathryn believes that every proposal manager should be able to go home at the end of a 40-hour workweek, and she's made it her personal mandate to support better processes so proposal managers don't suffer from burnout. -
Discover the importance of Strategy vs Spaghetti: Why Strategy Always Wins
Understand why presenting yourself as master of many things, means being master of none.Understand how to begin to define your signature servicesHear examples of what a strategic approach and bid/no-bid process means more focus & winsLinks:
Website: www.onceuponanrfp.comBlog: https://onceuponanrfp.com/blog/LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caryn-kent-dean-cp-apmp-bid-and-proposal-tamer-67b276/Links to free tools, useful tips or offers for our listeners
We'd like to offer the listeners of The Proposal.Works™ Podcast a no-cost, no-pressure strategy session. https://calendly.com/onceuponanrfp/strategy-session-proposalworkspodcastlistenersAbout our guest
Caryn Kent Dean, MLIS, CP APMP, Managing Partner, founded Once Upon an RFP in 2018, after 20+ years in the industry. She has consistently created order from chaos, working with businesses to stabilize and grow their revenues. She actively participates in APMP as a Greater Midwest Chapter board member and mentor.
Heard in this episode...
"You're not saying, well, I can do anything, because honestly, that sounds like you can do nothing or you don't know what you can do. When you put your flag in the ground and say this is what I do and how I serve you, clients really respect it." - Caryn Kent Dean MLIS CP APMP
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Discover the importance of Tailoring Your Proposal To Your Client
Understand why submitting an untailored bid is like sending a junk mailThe importance of the bid/no-bid process and tracking logHear how a client won millions of dollars in new business with tailored proposalsLinks:
Website: http://www.ameliconsulting.com LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferhamakerLinks to free tools, useful tips or offers for our listeners
For additional information, in the USA call 1-833-GO-AMELI or fill out a contact information form at www.ameliconsulting.com/contactAbout our guest
Jennifer Hamaker is the Founder and President of Ameli Consulting, a professional consulting firm that provides Proposal, Marketing, and Business Development services. Ameli is named from the word ameliorate, which means improving and making better, which is at the core of Ameli's services and their ability to deliver above customer expectations. Jennifer has nearly 20 years of experience in producing winning proposals, is a certified Foundation Level Association of Proposal Management Professional, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree.
"Remember what happens with junk email. They trash it. They're going to do the exact same thing with your proposal response. Nobody wants to read 200 pages of boilerplate content. They want to read something that was written for them" - Jennifer Hamaker
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At The Proposal.Works™ Podcast we talk with experienced professionals who:
Consult and advise businesses on how to manage proposals to winAre responsible for creating proposals that win business for their own organizationAre software vendors creating the tools and platforms used as part of the proposal processOn this podcast, we always explore REAL STORIES. We dive beyond the theory of how things are supposed to work. Instead, we share when it when worked amazingly well and why, and other times when it was painfully bad and what happened. We learn our toughest lessons when things go wrong.
Guests are experts certified by the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) or those with similar deep experience who have built a business and/or career as a Proposal Specialist.
We also talk with software vendors creating innovative platforms and tools to support the Bid, Proposal and Capture Management Business Development Cycle.
Learn from the experts where and when they have applied their tacit knowledge and experience for amazing wins.
Join me to hear real-world stories an get valuable insights you can use to win better today!
your host, Pete Nicholls CF APMP
Pete Nicholls is the Founder of HubDo and creator of Proposal.Works™
HubDo is a marketing consulting and specialist software provider founded in 2011, operating in North America, ANZ, the UK and Europe.
Proposal.Works™ is the process, community and platform enabling hundreds of consultants and their clients to create professional proposals that win better. Pete also hosts The Proposal.Works™ Podcast where proposal experts share real-world stories of how they win.
Pete has over 20 years of experience in global sales and business development, winning bids from $500 to $50M. Pete is a HubSpot Certified Trainer, Business Mentor for QLD Government and is Foundation Certified by the APMP*
APMP: The Association of Record for Bid, Proposal, Business Development, Capture and Graphics Professionals. Visit https://www.apmp.org/page/AboutAPMP
Connect with Pete on LinkedIn
