#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