Creating a Winning Proposal

India ChapterBest PracticeWebinarCreating theWinning ProposalDavid WarleyPPM.APMP

Our previous webinar topic:Choosing the right opportunities Establishing Requirements Developing Strategy Proposal Strategy Development Teaming Identification Winning Price Development Managing Time, Cost and Planning the Proposal Phase Communicating your Plan Quality Learning from Experience How are we going to win?

Creating the winning strategy: Solution Teaming Strategy StrategyCustomer Competitive Analysis Analysis Price Proposal Strategy Strategy

Base your strategy on discriminators: the differences that matter to the Customer. Sour Spot • Mitigate Our • Neutralize Weaknesses Our Their Their Weaknesses Strengths Strengths STRATEGY Customer’s Needs STRATEGY Their • Highlight Our Our Strengths Weaknesses • Ghost Their Strengths Weaknesses STRATEGY STRATEGY Sweet Spot

SMART Actions, memorable themes: • Ghost competitor 1’s weakness in space usage. Show that our solution needs 30% less space Win Stress extra cost and delivery risk with larger kit Strategy • Experience: Show compliance, provide references show(What and experience of team How • TCO: Neutralise Competitor 2 strength on price by stressingsentences) early benefits and savings over the full cycle • Ghost Competitor 2’s delivery performance by showing that our systems are shipping and in service now Major: Win • Compact cost effective solution Themes • Early delivery, early benefits (Key • Savings available this yearmessages) Minor: • Proven resilient solution • Experienced team

Getting the strategy into the proposal:Choosing the right opportunities Establishing Requirements Developing Strategy Planning the Proposal Phase Communicating your Plan Managing Time, Cost and Quality Outline Development Requirements IdentificationCompliance Checklist Development Storyboard Development Executive Summary Development Learning from Experience The Foundation Exam

Learning objectives:In this unit we are going to look at:Creating a customer focused OutlineMapping your win themes to the OutlinePlanning winning content for the writing teamDeveloping and using Theme Statements Proposal Guide 251

Creating and using an Outline

Simple three step process • Follow RFQ • Weight by • Allocate Win Develop instructions Add customer Annotate Themes to • Create top priorityTop Level level detailed • Develop your sections Outline structure Outline • Guidance for headings and informative writers numbers headings

1 Table of Contents 2 Executive SummaryThe top- 3 Technical Responseslevel, topical 4 Pricingoutline might start 5 Delivery Schedulelike this 6 Terms and Conditions 7 Compliance Matrix 8 References and Testimonials Proposal Guide 125

And develop like this… Section Typical Contents 1 Table of Contents 2 Executive Summary 3 Technical Response 3.1 System Architecture 3.2 Performance Analysis 3.3 Availability 3.3.1 Reliability 3.3.2 Reparability

Assign or allocate all other response requirementswithin the topical outline.That is, for all requirements that weren’t dealt with in the top-level topical outline, consider how they can be incorporated.When adding structure:• Confirm compliance with the customer’s instructions• Do not interfere with the “core” numbering system and/or naming conventions• Announce organisation; then follow it• Order points in decreasing order of importance• Group similar ideasTry to maintain a balance when extending the topical outline.

Allocate pages and additional structure according tothe relative importance of the topic to the prospect.Determine relative importance, based on:Evaluation criteriaDiscussion with the prospectJudgement

Technical Evaluation Criteria Priority Pages Heat Output 6 0.5 Performance 1 2 Physical Footprint 5 0.5 Power Consumption 4 1 Reliability 3 1.5 Reparability 2 1.5Add more detail (and pages) forhigher priority topics Proposal Guide 128

Map your Win Themes to the OutlineSection Heading 3 Technical Response 3.1 System Architecture 3.2 Performance Analysis Win Themes 3.3 Availability • Compact cost effective solution 3.4.1 Reliability • Early delivery, early benefits 3.4.2 Reparability • Savings available this year 4 Pricing • Proven resilient solution • Experienced team 4.1 Investment Analysis 4.2 Price Schedule & Terms 5 Delivery & Implementation 5.1 Project Organisation 5.2 Implementation Schedule

To assist evaluators in finding information quickly, usetelegraphic headings for top level sections.Use informative headings at section levels below thosespecified by the prospect.Informative headings can impart a positive message.EXAMPLESTelegraphic Headings Informative HeadingsProject Team Structure Proven Team Structure Reduces RiskFire Protection Plan Proactive Fire Risk Management Cuts LossesSeismic Protection Plan Earthquake Readiness is a Priority

Use storyboards to share your strategy• Create a template• Provide a sample completed example• Develop initial storyboards before the kickoff• Review and revise storyboards as a team BEFORE you start writing

Review storyboards as a teamHorizontal Review:Vertical Review:

Turn Themes into Theme Statements© LORE Systems International

Develop the theme: Payback this Speed of Fast Early OPEX XYZCo case year implementation deployment reduction. study approach Reduced project costs 50% TCO Cost of space Small footprint Only 30% of Gartner reduction and power and low power space needed benchmark consumption and 50% of report power High support Lifetime No ‘break fix’ Financial charges warranty maintenance projection vs charges. (-15%) competition© LORE Systems International

Theme statements link discriminating features to Customer benefits: “You will be able to realise financial payback this year(GOAL), overcoming the problem of implementation speed (ISSUE) because of our rapid deployment approach(FEATURE). This will give you early OPEX savings and release space equivalent to twice the purchase cost. Your internal project costs will also be half what you could expect with a typical alternative (BENEFITS). After a similar project XYZCo’s Managing Director said “ABC really delivered for us. The system was installed in half the time and paid for itself in 6 months”. (PROOF)”. A Theme Statement can also be a GRAPHIC© LORE Systems International

Organising section contentPut the most importantinformation first Introduce a structure • Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em Follow the structure introduced • Tell it to ‘em Add a conclusion • Tell ‘em what you just told ‘em

Highlight your key contentPage layout should make it easy for the evaluator tofind key information. Use a consistent way to highlightyour theme statements and section summaries.1. Telegraph Headings Direct the reader to main sections. Forever Tomorrow Today Graphics. Will always2. Informative Headings have greater impact Tell the reader why they should read. than just plain text.

You’re ready to start writing!Clear strategy => focus Outline => compliance & easy evaluation Themes => responsive and focused Storyboard => team direction Page layout => easy evaluation

Quick Quiz Question: Which of these statementsbest describes a theme statement? Please click on your selection

Sorry! Try again. “Theme statements link strategy and solution” is not the best description because themes should tell prospects why they should select you. Strategy and solution say more about the seller than the prospect. “Theme statements link the advantages and benefit ” is not the best description The best themes contain your because whilst important, unique discriminators. That is, these are saying more about something the prospect wants the prospect than they say which only you can offer. about why the prospect should buy from you. “Theme statements establish sales objectives” is not the best description because it says what the seller want to achieve for themselves.

Congratulations!A theme statement links a prospect benefitto the discriminating features of your offer.

In this session we have:Learned what’s meant by a ‘customer focused’ OutlineLearned how allocate Themes to the OutlineLearned how to share the strategy with the teamLearned how to develop and use Theme Statements Proposal Guide 251

Thank you for listening! If you would like to hear more about our Accreditation distance learning course: FREE introductory webinar TODAY at 7pm bidtowin.webex.com

Creating a Winning Proposal

by David Warley on Apr 15, 2011

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