#APMP2016

#APMP2016

War Stories from the Front

Lines of Commercial

Proposals

#APMP2016

The Veterans

Alan O’NealSAS

Debby BellSchneider Electric

Dave SeibertThe Seibert Group

Julie DyerMagellan Health

Robin DavisMetre

#APMP2016

Basic Training: Communicating what we do

The Battle Plan:Preparing to win

Keeping Your Socks Dry:Personal care for proposal professionals

From Private to General:Adding value to get noticed

#APMP2016

BASIC TRAININGCommunicating what we do

#APMP2016

Proposals: a bona fide profession

1. Create an easy-to-understand elevator pitch

2. Document and show what you do

3. Use the APMP for career validation

#APMP2016

We are sales people on paper

1. You are a salesperson

2. Teach your associates about best practices

3. Interview salespeople and SMEs to get what you need

#APMP2016

Debrief

What’s your elevator pitch?

#APMP2016

THE BATTLE PLANPreparing to win

#APMP2016

Be strategic not just tactical

1. Proposals Managers, manage

2. Tactics require Strategy

3. Persuade, not merely inform (NOSE vs.5 or 6 Ws)

I'm going to command the

whole shebang.You name them;I'll shoot them!

Strategy Tactics

#APMP2016

Making their priorities your priorities

1. Put on your sales hat AND your customer goggles

2. Find out their (actual) goals, motivations, and challenges

3. Read between the lines of what your customer tells you

#APMP2016

Why do we bid on everything?

1. Recognize that managers are often scared to “no-bid”

2. What can we do to help eliminate their fear of no-bidding?– Schedule a sales meeting 3 months before the

RFP comes out

– Get team consensus on what it will take to bid, and what it will take to walk away

#APMP2016

Permission to win

1. Define the most important reasons that would make you go after a project and assign a value range to those characteristics

2. List your top tier customers or agencies and assess your relationship and insight

3. Can you be compliant and do you have the resources required to respond well?

Go > 5.5

Caution 4.0 - 5.5

No-Go 0 - 4.0

#APMP2016

Debrief

How do you prepare to win?

#APMP2016

KEEPING YOUR SOCKS DRYTaking care of yourself & your team

#APMP2016

Kool-Aid Anyone?1. Bring a Pitcher to Work

– Bring a pitcher to work– Keep a stash of healthy drinks and snacks

2. Set Your Boundaries– 12-hour day, 18-hour day?– Always have dinner with your family– Maintain your exercise routine

3. Ask for Help– Communicate your needs with your team– Delegate– Escalate issues early Figure 2: Kool-Aid Man is the mascot for

Kool-Aid. Kool-Aid is a brand of flavored drink mix owned by Kraft Foods.

#APMP2016

Debrief

What is your self-care strategy?

#APMP2016

FROM PRIVATE TO GENERALAdding value to get noticed

#APMP2016

Taking initiative

1. When in doubt, ask

2. Adding value focuses on the customer

3. APMP Certification adds credibility and confidence

#APMP2016

Take a leadership position

1. Infuse yourself in the conversation– History does not have to repeat itself

2. Establish yourself through relationships– Grow your reputation across the organization

3. Partner with SMEs – Create solutions together– Improves trust– Builds respect

Figure 3: Vodka Infusion - www.liquor.com

#APMP2016

Violence is not the answer

1. Establish clear processes and expectations – Have tools in place that you need

• Compliance Matrix

• Responding Guidelines

• Proposal plan

2. Empower your team– Set clear expectations

• ‘Own’ assignments

• Escalating issues is not a failure

– Give permission to do the right thing

3. Enforce your established process

Figure 1: Frank Mir executing a Kimura arm lock

#APMP2016

Share what you know

1. Managers can’t fix something if they don’t know it’s broken

2. Solution? Metrics!

3. Share metrics with leadership

#APMP2016

Enable data-based decision making

Sample metrics to calculate and report Gross win rate

Short list win rate vs. presentation win rate

Incumbent win rate vs. new business development win rate

When you win…why? Against whom?

When you lose…why? To whom?

Where are RFPs coming from…what market? What broker? What consultant? What bid service?

#APMP2016

Debrief

How have you added value and heightened your profile?

Questions/Comments?

#APMP2016

Thanks for your time!

Alan O’NealSAS

Debby BellSchneider Electric

Dave SeibertThe Seibert Group

Julie DyerMagellan Health

Robin DavisMetre

Join the conversation on LinkedIn in the“APMP Commercial Community” group!

#APMP2016#APMP2016