The Leading Edge - Winter 2009 - (Page 9)

operational new business often hinges on an exceptional proposal Experts offer insight and tips to winning that next project By ann M. gynn hether responding to a request for proposal or submitting a pitch for new business, the challenges are many but they all relate to the ultimate question: How do we win this new project? “New business is the lifeblood of any company. Companies just need to be smart about business development and submitting proposals,” says Michele Harris, founder and CEO of SmartiSolutions, a marketing agency search firm. She advises that an initial meeting with the prospect, even a conference call, is a must before a proposal is submitted. “Clients want thoughtful ideas about where and how you would take their business,” Harris says. “In submitting a proposal, impress with strategy and ideas over information overload. You don’t need a ton of detail but you do need to dazzle.” Rose Fass of Fass Forward says showing how you can add value quickly and succinctly is critical. “This is more important than price—if your potential client can’t see the bottom line benefit, they won’t use you no matter how cheap you are,” she says. Distinguish yourself from your competition. Identify what the prospect could get from you that others can’t give—what separates you from the pack of other contenders, Fass notes. Demonstrate knowledge of the prospect’s industry and the company in particular— mention big accomplishments and big challenges that they face, she says. Raj Khera, CEO of MailerMailer, offers proposal writing advice through his blog, http://blog.mailermailer.com. One recent tip he shared is to make sure the bottom line bid is less than what it would be if you totaled each line item. “Include a line item called ‘discount,’ which is the difference between your bottom line bid price and each line item price total,” he says. “This way, if the customer tries to reduce price by picking a particular line item, you can accommodate them but then reduce your discount.” The most important value to demonstrate W is profit justification, says Frank Rumbauskas, author of The New York Times bestseller, Never Cold Call Again, and the follow-up Selling Sucks: How to Stop Selling and Start Getting Prospects to Buy. “You MUST show the prospect how your solution will put money into his or her pocket. It is not enough to sell on features, benefits or price,” he says. Winning proposals and clients is all about telling, says Nancy Trent, founder and CEO of Trent & Company. “Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you told them,” she says. Many salespeople fail to tell prospects what they are going to tell them. “The way you present your proposal will test the waters for success. It’s all about first impressions,” Trent says. She says being prepared for changes with the prospect is a must. Perhaps a new business pressure has caused the prospect to change course, a new requirement has arisen or budgets are lower than expected. Or nothing really has changed but as the decision draws near, cold feet cause the prospect to rethink a position on the campaign. Trent says be ready for these challenges by delivering a compelling story to get your message across by: • understanding the prospect’s needs better than anyone else. • having products and services that fit like a glove for those needs. • exceeding the prospect’s expectations in your specialty field by showing results, credibility and reputation with past projects. Lisa Nirell of EnergizeGrowth LLC advises that you ensure you are working directly with the economic buyer. “This is the person who can authorize payment or lead the project,” says the author of EnergizeGrowth NOW: The Marketing Guide to a Wealthy Company. “Do not waste time writing a proposal for someone who can say ‘no,’ but can never say ‘yes.’ Your proposal will gather dust.” e don’t forget the writing “proofread. proofread. proofread,” advises author and speaker Sue Thompson. “use spell check. “There is hardly anything that turns a client off more than an incorrect street address, poor syntax, or atrocious spelling,” she says. “poor writing and spelling can lead the reader to assess you as uneducated, unprofessional, or just plain stupid, especially if your proposal is being compared with others,” she says. Al borowski of proposal Writing Services says knowing the rules of writing and knowing how long it takes to write a truly effective proposal are critical to success. Among his advice, which is found in detail at www.proposalwritingservices.com: • Avoid “boilerplate” usage. • Demonstrate understanding of clients’ wants, needs and expectations. • Be conversational. Don’t write a college term paper. “Make it easy for your buyers to skim and still understand your story through your use of design elements such as graphics, slogans and informative headings,” says Dianna booher, author of Rules of Business Grammar: 101 Fast and Easy Ways to Correct the Most Common Errors. “A cut-and-paste job won’t do in today’s environment—particularly when cutting and pasting from poor models that have been ‘in the files’ for a decade or so.” ThE LEadIng EdgE 9 http://www.proposalwritingservices.com http://blog.mailermailer.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Leading Edge - Winter 2009

The Leading Edge - Winter 2009 Contents Stay on the Climb New Business Often Hinges on an Exceptional Proposal 2009: What’s Ahead and What's Behind for Businesses, Consumers and More Top 10 Misconceptions of Doing Business in Canada In a Nutshell: Q&A The Leading Edge Alliance

The Leading Edge - Winter 2009

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