The document discusses how to prepare for requests for proposals (RFPs) and proposals. It recommends adding more value to existing information and activities while acknowledging limited resources. It emphasizes aligning sales, marketing, and delivery messaging and having honest assessments of buyer awareness. It also stresses having reliable information sharing across the organization and designating a proposal manager. When a request is received, the document advises scoping it, identifying roles, and leveraging previous work while keeping the buyer's needs in mind. It also provides tips for follow-up such as debriefing and staying in touch with the customer.

1. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
Using What You’ve Got: Preparing for
RFPs and Proposals
Sara Willson-Thacker & Tricia Peck
B2BCamp Summer 2013

2. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
When Procurement Attacks
• New products and pioneering services make tasty
targets:
– Commoditization happens fast
– Contacts abdicate “buyer” status
– Consultants appear out of nowhere

3. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
Prepare by Doing What You’re Already
Doing
• Add more value to current info and activities
• Acknowledge limited resources
• Don’t do more than you need to…yet

4. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
Before You Get a Request
You Need
• Aligned Sales & Marketing
messaging, reality-checked
by Delivery (Ops)
You Have
• Approval processes for
website text & email
templates, regular training
for ALL, centrally stored
competitive intel, etc.
4
Why? Because this.
Sales
Delivery/OpsMarketing
Proposal

5. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
Before You Get a Request
You Need
• An honest assessment of:
– Buyer internal awareness
– Individual contact awareness
– Individual contact style
You Have
• A CRM tool where you note:
– Buyer stakeholder
information
– Relationships and
conversations
– Info from additional resources
(e.g., LinkedIn)
5

6. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
Before You Get a Request
You Need
• Reliable flow of information
across the organization
– Know who knows what
– Share, share, share!
– Be comfortable asking for
input, information and
ownership
You Have
6
Sales
DeliveryMarketing
Market Demand
and Feedback
Solution
and
Customer
Feedback
Competitive
Intel & Market
Chatter
Market
Positioning and
Demand Gen
Prospect
Requests and
Challenges
Solution
Capabilities
and Creative
Options

7. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
Before You Get a Request
You Need
• Someone to steer the ship
– Treat it like any other project
– Think about candidates ahead
of time
– Know your outsourcing
options in a pinch
You Have
• Awesome employees
– Known strengths and
weaknesses
– Cross-functional skills
– Calm under pressure
7

8. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
When You Get the Request
• Scope it – deliverables, due date, team
• Clearly identify and support your designated proposal
manager
• Remember your roles, balanced with creative contribution
– Keep your buyer/evaluator in mind – technical, non-technical
• Don’t forget all the work you’ve already done
• Determine and document who has the “last red pen”

9. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
My Unofficial Minimum SLA
• Say “you” more than “we”
• Answer each question, and answer it directly
– Corollary: Get to the “yes” as quickly as you can
– Corollary: Don’t be afraid of the roadmap
• Show, don’t (just) tell
• Never, never, never lie

10. Copyright © 2013 AirWatch, LLC. All rights reserved. Proprietary & Confidential.
Don’t Forget the Follow-up
• Yes, have a debrief
– Assess internal process, communication, content
– Revisit what you thought you knew about your buyer
– Look at the bigger picture: Was this a one-off? The
beginning of a trend? The emergence of a consultant?
– Understand the situation before you take further
action so you don’t waste time, resources or money
• Stay in touch with the customer, ask for feedback