Using what youve got
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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.
Using what youve got
- 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