By Michael W. McLaughlin
Have you ever been drawn into a proposal effort that your instincts told you to pass on but you didn’t? You’d think we’d learn.
Not long ago, I received an RFP, by email no less, from a prospective client’s purchasing department. Now, I’ve been around long enough that receiving a proposal request by email did set off my internal alarm. The one page RFP outlined a complex initiative, and described the process for submitting an electronic proposal. The instructions were crystal clear that phone calls to the client were not welcome, though email questions were acceptable.
I ignored both my instincts to politely decline to bid and their admonitions, and called anyway. Not surprisingly, I reached a friendly voicemail greeting telling me how important my call was, but that no one could answer it. Two days before the proposal due date, I reached someone at the client’s purchasing department and asked six questions, three of which remain unanswered to this day.
To make a long story short, I did write the proposal; how is a whole other story. Afterwards, a colleague and I reflected on the rules of proposal writing, some of which we’d just ignored. We stopped at seven.
1. The Proposal Itself Doesn’t Win, You Do
It’s a widely accepted principle in marketing that people buy on emotion and justify with fact. In the consulting equation, the proposal is the “fact” and you, the consultant, are the “emotion.” Your proposal must win the minds of your client, but only after you’ve won the rest. Throwing a proposal over the transom almost never works.
2. Proposal Development Is a Contact Sport
The proposal process is a perfect opportunity to forge a stronger bond with your client. The best proposals begin with a collaborative effort between the client and consultant. As the consultant puts ideas on paper, a healthy give and take with the client strengthens those ideas and the proposal. Too many consultants create a proposal in isolation from the client, missing the special opportunity a proposal effort provides.
3. Adapt to the Client’s Buying Process
The best consultants know that a project sale unfolds in predictable patterns, driven by how the client organizes the buying process. You’ll save a lot of time and energy by understanding that process. Many consultant selection committees, for example, begin by focusing on finding the “best” answer, without regard to price. As the committee’s work proceeds, other factors, including price, can change the focus. So at the outset, ask the client to explain the process, especially the part about who will make the final decision. Then, pay attention and observe as the process evolves so you can stay in step with it.
4. Know Your Competition
I know this is one of those “duh” things, but many consultants don’t spend enough time understanding the competitive landscape. We all know that some clients ask for a proposal simply to keep their preferred consultants on their toes. We also know that, sometimes, the process is actually wired in our favor. Consultants who grasp the competitive realities will make smarter decisions about sales strategy and the resources they devote to the proposal effort.
How do you get wise to the competitive situation? Again, ask the client for a straightforward answer—that might work. I find reading upside down is still an invaluable skill in consulting. A little detective work never hurts, as long as you keep it ethical.
5. Style Points Matter
To paraphrase Voltaire, perfection is the enemy of good. In many parts of a proposal, though, anything short of perfection means you’re likely to lose the project. Very few clients tolerate imperfections in grammar, names, titles, or the use of their data. The consultant with a clear, well-written proposal can be assured of one thing: the proposal will, at least, be read. I know this advice sounds obvious, but many consultants fail to get it right.
6. Work the Hard Stuff First
When some consultants start a proposal, the first thing they do is assemble the supporting material, like firm qualifications and bios. It’s an easy way to get some of the important pieces of the proposal put together. But I’ve found that crafting a clear statement of objectives, value, and approach consumes the most “think” time and, the sooner I get on with it, the better. So I do this “think” part first, and then assemble the supporting stuff, because I can tailor it to the engagement approach I’ve created.
7. Dump the Boilerplate
In addition to writing them, I’ve also been on the receiving end of every imaginable sort of proposal, and I’ve been floored by the boilerplate some people try to submit. The best consultants recognize that every opportunity is different, even if it seems the same.
A proposal must reflect the intricacies of the particular situation, not just the circumstances your last client faced. Sure, there are always similarities. But it’s the subtle differences that winning consultants uncover and include in their tailored proposals.
There’s one rule I never break, and it serves me well: I rewrite my resume for every opportunity so I can shift its focus in just the right way. A canned resume is never good enough. The same is true for the rest of a proposal.
My colleague and I stopped at the seven rules above, although clearly there are many more. I’d welcome your thoughts on additions to the list. Oh, and I never heard a word back from the client I sent that proposal to by email. Serves me right.
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