Ten Things You Must Do to Win. Presented by David Bol

Transcription

1 Ten Things You Must Do to Win Presented by David Bol

2 A Quick Exercise I need 3 volunteers Two conditions A current business card Reasonable expectation that you will be at the 2015 APMP International Conference 2 APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 2

3 A Quick Introduction Why Win? Benefits to winning Generates Revenue Creates new jobs Keeps existing jobs Improves return on Rate on Investment (ROI) It is a motivator Could be a catalyst for a promotion Creates a much better culture than losing does APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 3 3

4 The 10 Things to Improve Winning 1. Have a C level champion on your team 2. Know the Competition 3. Freeze a realistic price early 4. Solution developed prior to the RFP release 5. Know customer needs outside those stated in the RFP 6. Have a fully developed Capture Plan at RFP 7. Know what discriminates your solution 8. Plan before writing 9. Follow a process 10. Don t be afraid to no bid 4 APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 4

5 Have a C Level Champion on Your Team 5 APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 5

6 Take Away Benefits Improves efficiency due to high level direction Lowers costs by minimizing changes Gathers support from other Sr. leaders Fast tracks issues and resolution 6 Immediate action items Identify and get buy in from the C level executive Have them visible especially at Kick off and required at all other milestone reviews, no exceptions APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 6

7 Know the Competition 7 If possible ask the customer Use every resource possible Learn the competitors history with customer both past and current Know the competitor s solution APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 7

8 Take Away Benefits 8 Better understanding of your position to write to Defines strategies that will be used Allows specific opportunities for ghosting Immediate action items Invest in an intelligence database Contract out this activity if weak or non existent internally Don t leave any stone unturned APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 8

9 Freeze a Realistic Price Early Differentiate between value and price Know your customer s budget Develop a strategy to achieve a Price to Win Refine solution based on changes in the competitive landscape APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 9 9

10 Take Away Benefits Early understanding if we can play Eliminates costly rework from price changes Ensures matching of all work to a WBS element eliminating missed elements not priced Maximizes the greatest revenue potential Immediate action items 10 Introduce final costing early and have the milestone review evaluate for accuracy Always know the Maximum Addressable Budget Estimate early a price to win using an opportunity based, bottoms up approach APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 10

11 Solution Developed Prior to the RFP Release Introduce solutions early and often to customer for feedback Include enough detail to write and cost to Provide a key solution graphic Review for realism and probability of winning APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 11 11

12 Take Away Benefits Tighter, more focused, compelling writing from the very beginning Reduces cost due to errant writing Improves quality from early planning Customer focused, one voice achieved early 12 Immediate action items Demand complete solution at Kickoff Include documentation in review packages that must pass review gates minimal exceptions APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 12

13 Know Customer Needs Outside RFP 13 Know your customer s customer Answers the Why behind the requirement Proves depth of understanding beyond requirements Discriminates your solutions Customer begins to view you as a partner APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 13

14 Take Away Benefits 14 Shows depth of relationship and positions you as a preferred vendor Write to specific solution versus to a generic response Improves customer focused writing and their wanting to buy from you Immediate action items Expand contact plan and keep it current Have relationships with end users, engineers and others in the trenches versus exclusively with the decision makers APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 14

15 Have a Fully Developed Capture Plan at RFP There are 4 Cs in Capture APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 15 15

16 Take Away Benefits Gain early and regular visibility over business development opportunities Gain efficiencies by specifying and managing capture activities Increase revenue by efficiently deploying limited business development resources Increase motivation by knowing their efforts are productive versus guessing at the unknown 16 Immediate action items Implement a capture planning discipline used on all opportunities to capture new business Keep the process dynamic, flexible, interactive and current Maintain a balance between planning and execution APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 16

17 Know What Discriminates Your Solution Emphasize discriminators that focus on people, experience, performance and understanding your customers business Identify both positive and negative discriminators APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 17 17

18 Take Away Benefits 18 Discriminators that are exclusive win the procurement Negative discriminators that are discussed. Minimize the competitors advantage Discriminators add value and therefore increase revenue opportunity in a best value award Immediate action items Conduct an exercise that identifies discriminators Write strategies and themes against these discriminators Write ghosting statements supporting discriminators APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 18

19 Plan Before Writing Plan Organize Write examine Revise Have a plan Use a tool 19 APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 19

20 Take Away Benefits Good Writing results from good planning The better your plan is up front, the faster and more effective your writing will be Good writing reduces waste, therefore reduces cost Upfront planning reduces the stress time on the back end improves quality and reduces cost 20 Immediate action items Embed a planning tool in all proposal efforts i.e. a storyboard Follow a process that always includes a Pink Team that reviews bullets or a high level draft APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 20

21 Follow a Process Commit to using a process on every effort 21 Make your process tailorable to the specific need Use document based reviews to control and add value Collect matrix and drive continuous improvement APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 21

22 Take Away Benefits 22 Process drives discipline, encourages repeatable activities and lowers costs Consistent look and feel improves quality Milestone reviews demand that the highest probability of winning efforts are worked others tossed out or put on hold Immediate action items Define, know and understand your process Incorporate milestone reviews that add value, do not skip these reviews and don t compromise content APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 22

23 Don t Be Afraid to No Bid Eliminates low probability opportunities Improves Return on Investment Improves win rate Improves Capture rate Conserves precious resources Improves your Quality of Life 23 APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 23

24 Take Away Benefits Eliminates opportunities that have not been positioned properly Conserves resources keeps them fresh Conserves Bid & Proposal dollars 24 Immediate action items Ensure that every opportunity passes through a formal gate Have formal criteria that at a minimum must be present and approved absolutely no exceptions! APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 24

25 Summary Winning is not an option we must win! Through disciplined activities, we can improve our probability of winning Our competition knows this too, we must do these activities better Winning can actually become a habit Winning then becomes contagious! 25 APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 25

26 Thank You 26 David Bol CPP APMP Fellow Senior Vice President, Western Region Shipley Associates (303) APMP BID & PROPOSAL CON 2014 PAGE 26