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This is Part 5 of my series on the 12 step process from my book. Last time, I discussed Step 6 and 7 – Your Service Solution and your Management Solution. If you missed it, visit my website.

In this episode, I’m continuing the series with step 8, which is using a Style Sheet to makes it easier to get consistent material from contributors and much quicker to assemble it into a full proposal response. Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:05 — 4.2MB)

This is part 4 of the 12 step process you should use to develop a winning bid. In this part, I’m continuing the series with steps 6 and 7 which are your Service Solution and your Management Solution. Yes, they are different. Read the rest of this entry »

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In an earlier blog, I listed the 12 step process you should use to develop a winning bid and in my last podcast, I talked about the Strategy Session and Kick-Off steps. If you missed it, visit my website.

Now, I’m covering Step 5 – Pricing. While my book focuses on the written proposal response, Pricing is obviously important, not just from a price perspective, but because it drives your overall strategy and your solution. Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:53 — 4.0MB)

In an earlier blog, I listed the 12 step process you should use to develop a winning bid and in my last podcast, I talked about the Pre-RFP and RFP Review steps. If you missed either of them, be sure to read them.

Now, I’m covering Step 3 – Strategy Session and Step 4 – Kick-Off. For Strategy in particular, this is only part of what you need to do. It’s such an important part of winning, I also cover a lot more in the book. Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:01 — 4.1MB)

In my last blog entry, I talked about a 12 step process to ensure you don’t end up submitting a losing bid because you didn’t have a plan. If you missed it,  read the blog.

In this and the next few podcasts, I’ll outline the 12 steps. Read the rest of this entry »

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The biggest mistake you can make is pretending negative issues or concerns the client may have about your organization, product or service don’t exist.

No matter how much you think your company and your product or service is superior, you can assume there are people who don’t agree. Unfortunately, some of these people may be evaluating your proposal. Read the rest of this entry »

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Value-added is something you may see being requested in RFPs and if not, you’re likely trying to figure out how to provide it in your proposals. The simple question is what ‘value added’ really means and whether it will have material impact on your proposal. Read the rest of this entry »

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Getting material from the subject matter experts within your organization, or from subcontractors and suppliers, can be challenging. There are a few reasons for this. Often, these individuals don’t know how to write effectively, and may not fully understand what’s expected of them. If they’re technical experts, their focus and interests may not match what you need to provide. These people are probably passionate about what they do, but don’t know how to sell that. Read the rest of this entry »

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In this podcast, I’m covering a common question which is : How long should a proposal be?

The rule of thumb for how long your proposal should be is to make it as long as you need to get your point across without overwhelming the evaluators. More is not better. Consider the effort it takes by the reviewers to slog through long proposals.

In the words of Dr. Frank Luntz, author of the book Words that work, “… brevity, clarity, and simplicity are simply the hallmarks of good communication.” Read the rest of this entry »

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In this podcast, I wanted to discuss the most important part of a successful RFP proposal response other than a good price.

It’s about answering the damned question.

Ok, answering the question is a simple concept when responding to Request For Proposal questions, yet proposal writers frequently don’t answer the question the way the client intended. Since a proposal isn’t a two-way dialogue, you need to get it right the first time. Read the rest of this entry »