From the previous post;that may seem circular:You can persuade people to accept only the things they already accept or to do the things they already want to do. But that's not quite what's going on here. There is a difference between a belief and an attitude. Someone may issue an RFP for new equipment because he or she believes that production efficiency can be improved by using more modern technology. If you can base your proposal on the same belief and then demonstrate how your equipment will introduce labour-saving enhancements, the receiver's attitude toward you as the most suitable vendor will change in a positive way. However,if you send out a canned proposal, one that emphasizes the ruggedness and durability of your machines, instead of their impact on production efficiency, you will be not be addressing the client's basic belief. As a result, you may not persuade him or her to choose you.
This is the fundamental problem in submitting boilerplate proposals. Because customers vary widely in their beliefs and values, using the same text for everybody guarantees that a large percentage of them will find your message irrelevant or unconvincing. We will examine how to develop a client-centered message in the next post. Don't forget to drop a note of comment.
