The question you have to answer

Continue from the previous post. But it's not a good idea to assume that the problem or need as stated in the RFP is neccesarily complete or correct. Read it, understand it, but keep an open mind. There may be more left unsaid that partains to why the client is looking for help than has been included in the RFP.

         In addition, bear in mind that the client isn't always right. Sometimes the client thinks he or she knows what the problem is, but when you begin to look at the situation, you may find that the client is wrong or has only part of the problem defined.

          Use the RFP, if there is one, as a springboard for understanding the client's situation, but don't stop there. The RFP is telling you that there is a gap between what the issuing organization has or knows and what it thinks it needs in order to function effectively.  Don't miss the upcoming posts for more highlight.

          

1.What is the client's problem or need?

Sometimes the client issues a request for proposal that specifically states what is wanted: The FAA needs a course that will teach customer service and total quality principles to its management staff and hourly employees.

Smith, Goldblatt, and Wong, attorneys at law, are hereby soliciting bids for an office telecommunications system to be installed in the firm's new quarters no later than may 15 of this year. The system must provide the following features:...

The trustees of the kallaher Group of Homes for the Aged solicit bids for an audit of all of the properties for the fiscal years 2002 and 2003.

Tom's Auto Parts seeks a system to manage the inventory of parts and equipment at all thirteen store locations. The desired system will use bar code data to maintain a current inventory of parts and will integrate with our existing MAS 90 accounting system to automatically update inventory as parts are sold. These are all pretty clear.

Seven questions to keep you client focused

Before you ever set pencil to paper, before your fingertips caress a single key, you should answer the following seven questions. They'll force you to develop a client-centered perspective. If you are a proposal writer who supports a field sales organization, you should ask these questions of your colleagues in sales when they submit a request for proposal that they want you to work on. Without knowing these basic aspects of the opportunity, you can't give them the best possible support. If they resist, point out to them that you don't want to undercut the work they've done during the sales process by delivering a boilerplate proposal.(If they still resist, maybe they haven't done any work during the sales process and don't know the answers. When that's the case, you should question whether or not the opportunity is "real.") SEVEN QUESTIONS FOR A CLIENT-CENTERED PROPOSAL           1.What is the client's problem or need?   2.What makes this problem worth solving? What made this need worth adressing?   3.What goals must be served by whatever action is taken?   4.Which goal has  the highest priority?   5.What products/applications/services can I offer that will solve the problem or meet the need?   6.What results are likely to follow from each of my potential recommendations?   7.Comparing these results to the customer's desired outcomes or goals, which recommendation is the best?

Don't abandon your commitment

       Vendors are invited to send in their proposals by posting them to a web site, e-mailing them, or responding in forms posted on the web. To the extent that companies are using this kind of technology to save time and money, it's helpful. But when they post a spreadsheet or a rigid form, asking potential vendors a disservice. By reducing the buying process to spreadsheet comparisons, a company treats all products and services as commodities and limits the ability of providers to offer anything creative. Differentiators disappear and calculations of ROI or value become very difficult. All the same, you may still have an opportunity to use the principles we discuss in this blog. For instance, if you are allowed to submit a cover letter with your form, turn it into an executive summary. It's not an ideal situation, but if you are forced to respond in a spreadsheet, don't abandon your commitment to communicating persuasively.

Differentiators disappear

 Remember that Different receivers will respond differently to the same message presented in a particular medium.  A decision maker who likes to study information in detail and who tends to be an introvert will prefer to base decisions on a written proposasal. A more intuitive decision maker ,by contrast, would probably glance through the details in a written proposal but rely heavily on any accompanying presentation and the overview elements. The growth of the internet and the widespread use of e-mail have spawned a trend for electronic submissions.                                                                                                        

What is the channel?

The channel is the medium by which your message is delivered to the reciever. Traditionally, proposals have been delivered on paper in print but there are now other options, and they are becoming increasingly popular. For example, your proposal might be accompanied by a digital video of your eqequipment in action. Including a CD or videotape with your document expands the range  of channels you are using to get your message  home. Or you might present your proposal orally before handing over the document itself, using some form of multiple media presentation graphics.  combinit ng an audiovisual channel with print is a good idea, because research indicates that for relatively simple message s an audiovisual presentation  is actually more Persuasive than print alone.                            

How do companies choose representatives?

However, if there is an element of appeal, then listeners and readers will also look for evidence of credibility. The person doing the communicating must appear to know what he or she is talking about, must provide accurate information, must assemble relevant evidence, and must indicate that he or she understands the audience. These are all credibility factors. If you think about advertising,http://www.reviewme.com/?ref=133185 you can see how companies choose representatives on the basis of these qualities. As a spokesperson for athletic shoes or sports drinks, Michael Jordan is both credible-he certainly knows something about sports -and appealing -he's good looking, successful, and apparently a friendly guy. He probably wouldn't be as effective in commercials for lawn fertilizer or dump trucks. He'd still be an appealing personality, but we'd have to question the credibility of his endorsement. Coming soon! How you can establish credibility in your proposals.

Is the source really the person?

The source is the person or thing doing the persuading - the politician making a speech, the sales representative trying to close a sale, the company submitting a proposal, the foundation running a public service announcement. To bee effective, the source must be both credible and appealing. People believe in People they trust, and trust based on a combination of credibilityy and appeal ("rapport" is another way of defining the quality I have in mind here). The audience must like the person delivering the message. They must feel comfortable with the source. They must believe that the person cares about them and understands them. They must respect or admire the company submitting the proposal.These are all components of appeal.If you don't establish a measure of rapport or appeal at the outset of your presentation or document, the audience may tune out and never look carefully at whether you are credible.           

Check this out,Receiver

From the previous post, people process information in different ways. Presenting a detailed and analytical document to a person who prefers the "big picture" will complicate the persuasion process. Presenting information at a technical level that is too difficult for the audience to grasp will also damage the effort. After all, most people tend to say "No" when they are confused or uncertain about the information they are receiving.

           Later in this blog we'll talk about the best ways to adjust the delivery of your message to match the audience's expectations, preferences, and capabilities.

The receiver of the message

The receiver is a vital component of persuasion, because it's the receiver who must take action, who must make a decision, or whose attitudes must change.

       A message that persuades one person may leave another unmoved. Why? For now we can simply note that two of the factors determining how much influence a persuasive message has on an individual are the reciever's personality and his or her personal involvement in the issue. A person who feels threatened by change will be much harder to influence than one who feels confident and secure.Similarly, a decision maker will be particularly cautious in taking action on an issue that will directly affect his or her CAREER.