How to write losing proposals is not a particularly positive topic to discuss. However, many federal contractors seem quite adept at preparing such proposals so the discussion is most likely a worthwhile one. A small book could be written on the topic but, in an attempt at brevity, we provide the following list for your consideration:
The Keys to Producing Unsuccessful Proposals
- Bid on projects that your management determines that your company is eminently qualified to perform but you haven't sold in advance. This is probably the single biggest reason for proposal losses.
- Refuse to hire an experienced proposal manager and make multiple persons responsible for proposal management. Give the proposal project to a team so they can all pass the buck.
- Begin the writing process by assigning multiple tasks to different staff members. Ignore the fact that the writing process should begin by the creation of a detailed outline.
- Decide to work on numerous proposals simultaneously so your writers are stretched thin.
- Overwork your creative writers.
- Begin the process at the 11th hour because management procrastinated on making a decision on whether to bid or instead recently discovered the opportunity.
- Fail to recognize the amount of work that will be needed to produce a quality proposal. The rule of thumb is to take your estimate and triple it in order to come up with a reasonable estimate of the effort needed.
- Work your writers nights and weekends to make up for the poor resource estimate.
- Use generic, boiler plate text instead of tailoring the text to fit the RFP's specifications.
- Submit generic resumes which haven't been revised to meet the RFP's requirements.
- Provide more resumes and corporate experience descriptions than requested in order to demonstrate your superior capabilities.
- Boast about your company's eminent qualifications to perform, your highly-qualified staff, and corporate reputation without proving your mettle and presenting a creative solution.
- Don't give the agency what it asked for; instead, give it what your technical staff determines it needs.
- Pick and choose those RFP requirements that your staff deems of merit and ignore those it finds silly.
- Repeat the RFP requirements verbatim.
- Present too much information.
- Provide an Executive Summary that is boring and lackluster.
- Ignore the fact that you should include a Compliance Matrix.
- Panic if business is going south and write more proposals.
- Forget what is outlined above and repeat your mistakes.
The foregoing tips may be too much to digest at one time. So, consider initially focusing on the first two issues and many of your problems will be solved. Work on the remaining suggestions later.
The Proposal Architect, a template based business process for proposal writing.
Why is the Proposal Architect different from other software products?
- Integrates the sales and proposal-writing processes (resulting in a winning proposal which is focused on the customer's needs).
- Focuses solely on federal proposal writing
- Provides a cohesive structure for each step of the process of preparing a proposal. Each step of the process is linked to the other
- Saves your staff time by providing model text and a very controlled writing process
- Assures compliance with the Request for Proposal (RFP)
The Proposal Architect includes content for training your staff in the art of federal sales and proposal writing. Detailed instructions are included for writing each chapter of a federal proposal.
Read more about the Proposal Architect visit http://www.proposalarchitect.com/.
Cost: $1,900
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For assistance with the demo or for more information call 888-661-4094 ext. 8.
Play Fedmarket.com's 20 Questions Game Before You Waste Another Dime on Preparing a Losing Proposal
Fedmarket.com's proposal-writing experts have developed a new tool to help corporate sales executives and proposal managers save time and money on the painful process of the making the decision on whether to bid on a particular opportunity (we call this the "Bid/No Bid" Decision). Fedmarket's free questionnaire or test will help shed some light on whether or not your company has a real chance at winning a particular government contract. The name of the game in writing proposals is to only spend time and money on preparing proposals for those opportunities that your business has a realistic chance winning. Our 20 Questions Game helps participants discern their likelihood of success for any given project.
>>>> CLICK HERE: PLAY THE GAME
Writing and Managing Winning Proposals (1-day seminar)
Does your business spend weeks and countless resources pulling together a proposal that it submits at the last minute? The reality is that most companies have a 5% chance at winning contracts when they "take a shot" at responding to RFP's that they found on the web.
"Writing and Managing Winning Proposals" was specifically created to lighten the load on the number of responses to RFPs and win more government business. The tools and insight offered in this class are well worth your return on investment!
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Register online or call 888.661.4094 x 8 to reserve your seat.
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Rolling the Dice in DC, the definitive new book on federal sales
Sales Wisdom from a Long Time Player in the Federal Sales Game
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