Client-Centered Proposals

CLIENT-CENTERED PROPOSALS
Client-Centered
Proposals
How to Shift the Focus
from You to the Buyer
Mel Lester
March 7, 2014

The problem
with selling is…
It’s seller-focused
rather than buyer-
focused

Clients Are Part of the Problem

RFP Objectives What You Want
Level the playing field Tilt the field in your favor
Make all submittals alike Make yours stand out
Follow an objective
formal process
Engage the subjective
human dynamic
Focus on your firm Focus on the client
The RFP Isn’t Your Friend

Fully comply, but don’t
surrender Slavishly following the RFP can
neutralize your best advantages:
• Existing client relationship
• Previous site experience
• Deep understanding of client
needs
• Better solution or problem
definition
• Strengths not addressed in RFP
Favor “Assertive Compliance”

The first objective in
writing a winning
proposal is being
different
Don’t Overlook This…

Two-Ways to Differentiate Your Proposal
Client-Centered
Content
Client-Centered
Presentation

STEP ONE

Levels of Client Needs
Strategic
Needs
Technical
Needs
Personal
Needs
Why? The strategic issues
that drive the project
What? The technical issues
that define the project
How? The service
issues that
distinguish the
project

What are the client’s
key strategic needs
driving this project?
Answer This Question…

Weighing the Consequences

STEP TWO

High-Value
Integrated
Solution
Strategic
Outcomes
Technical
Outcomes
Personal
Outcomes
Strategic
Needs
Technical
Needs
Personal
Needs
Building an Integrated Solution

What are the desired
strategic outcomes for
this project?
Answer This Question…

ResultsSolution
Client’s
perspective
• Aspirations
• Circumstances
• Needs
• Wants
• Concerns
• Priorities
Objectives
What you
said you
wanted
How we’re
going to
deliver it
Client-Focused Writing

Project
Background
• Client needs
• Project history
• Site conditions
• Challenges
• Regulatory context
Project
Objectives
• Client vision
• CSFs
• Desired outcomes
• Business goals
Project
Approach
• Overall strategy
• Project narrative
• Integrated solution
• Client relationship
• PM process
Scope of
Work
• WBS
• Contract scope
• Regulatory/code
criteria
Setting the Project Context

Primary message: Here’s how
we will help your project (and
ultimately your business) succeed.
Secondary message: Here is the
scope of work we will perform.
And, by the way, we’re qualified.
Prioritizing the Message

STEP THREE

Sources: Kennedy & Greenberg, Clientship (1998); The BTI Consulting Group
Point of Differentiation:
Close the Value Gap
What Clients
Say They Value
What Consultants Say
Their Clients Value
Closing the Value Gap

Requirements Expectations
Stated Unstated
Impersonal Personal
Objective Subjective
Specific Less specific
All firms recognize Few firms uncover
Going Beyond Requirements

Communication
Meetings
Client involvement
& decision making
Information &
data exchange
Deliverable
standards
Invoicing &
payment
Managing changes
& mistakes
Performance
feedback
?
Clarifying Client Expectations

Benchmark
Expectations
Identify
Gaps
Create Service
Deliverables
Implement
Service Plan
Prepare
Service Plan
Solicit Client
Feedback
Client Experience Delivery Process

How well do you know
the client’s expectations?
Which should you address in the proposal?
Don’t Overlook This…

STEP FOUR

Technical
Communication
Persuasive
Communication
Impersonal Personal
Objective Subjective
Intellectual Emotional
Features Benefits, experiences
Information Influence
Technically Nonpersuasive

Define issues through
the client’s eyes
Connect tech solutions
to human benefits
Use personal language
in your writing
Write as if to an
audience of one
Getting Personal

Studies show that storytelling
can boost business performance:
Build your firm’s
brand
Improve your
sales success
Enhance employee
engagement
Facilitate culture
change
The Power of Story

1. Reality introduced
2. Conflict arises
3. Struggle ensues
4. Conflict resolved
5. New reality results
Source: Kaihan Krippendorf
Where can these basic story
elements apply to your proposal?
The Classic Story Spine

Story Elements
Regional wastewater collection
system
Conflict introduced • Regulatory deadline to vacate
rural septic systems
Struggle ensues • Conventional design approach
cannot meet deadline
• No agreements with area
WWTPs to take sewage
• Low initial flows create odor and
maintenance problems
• Costly environmental assessment
Conflict resolved • Expedited, collaborative design
process to meet schedule
• Strong relationships with area
local governments
• Creative design to eliminate odor
and environmental assessment
New reality results • Regulatory deadline met with
over $1.2 million in savings
Example Proposal Storyline

Stories are personal,
revealing thoughts
and feelings
Stories involve
actors, actions,
and interactions
Stories have
dramatic tension
and release
Key Story Attributes

STEP FOURSTEP FIVE

DID YOU KNOW?
Set aggressive page limits
SUGGEST
25
EXCLUDING APPENDICES / FORMS
pages
Avoiding Verbosity

Present content at two
levels: skim and read
Don’t make reviewer
read for key messages
Make ample use of
graphic elements
Break up text with
informative headings
Put most important
content first throughout
Making Your Proposal Skimmable

Move the most
important
information
to front of
the section,
or para-
subsection
graph “Inverted Pyramid”
Putting First Things First

XYZ
XYZ
XYZ
XYZ
XYZ
Would You Rather Read This…

Or This?

Learn From Publishing Experts

Do the “2-minute drill” to
identify key messages
List supporting points
for each key message
Organize points based
on importance
Develop a detailed
content outline
Write narrative to build
out your outline
How to Write Skimmable Content

Key Message 3
Supporting Points
What you must say
What you should say
What you could say
Key Message 2
Supporting Points
What you must say
What you should say
What you could say
Key Message 1
Supporting Points
What you must say
What you should say
What you could say
Proposal Theme
Fit to Proposal Organization
Building Out Your Content

STEP SIX

1. Executive Summary
• Essence of your proposal
2. Key Issues
• Problem definition
• Project objectives
• Special challenges
3. Project Approach
• Solution selection
• Technical execution
• Project management
• Service delivery
4. Project Team
• Org chart
• Resumes
• Subcontractors
5. Qualifications
• Relevant experience
• Resources & capabilities
6. Proposed Cost
• Lowest credible scope
• Scope options
Preferred Proposal Structure

Always include an
executive summary
Saving the Best for First

2
3 4 6
1
Client-Centered Content
5
Client-Centered Presentation
Summary…

For more information: Contact me
for links to articles exploring these
strategies in more depth:
mel@bizedge.biz
Don’t worry, I won’t be contacting
you further unless you ask me to!

Check this out: www.ae-resource.com
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Client-Centered Proposals

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