Author : Cherie Burbach
Ask any marketing person to name the bane of his or her professional existence and they'll likely say one word: proposals.Why? How bad could it be, right? Well the process of answering a proposal can be laborious at best and haphazard at worst. At times construction firms spend more time preparing a bid than they do a proposal. And yet proposals are required for large, popular jobs that will likely add a hefty figure to your bottom line. What steps should you take in responding to these requests? Here are five key steps:1) Determine your proposal team. While your marketing person will help you assemble and write proposals, the team should also consist of your best project managers and someone from your executive staff to assist with content.2) Banish the "fire drill" method of responding to a proposal. Inform your staff that it's their job to pay attention to the rumors heard on the street about pending proposals. Watch for them. Let your team know they might be expecting one to come their way. As soon as you have an idea about when a future proposal might be made a reality, let everyone on your proposal team know, especially your marketing person, so they can begin any research and preparation.3) As soon as the RFP is in your hot little hand, gather your team and decide how (and if) you want to proceed. Take a long hard look at the project. Is it right for your firm? Don't ever respond to a proposal "just to keep your name in the ring" for a project your firm really doesn't even want.4) Once you've decided that you're going to respond to the proposal, gather your team and divvy up the work. Be careful with assumptions here. Don't hand off a pile to your marketing person and tell them the responses they need to develop are all "boilerplate." (In fact, cast out this term from your mind – proposals are rarely boilerplate in the true sense of the word.) Realistically determine who would be best in answering each section.5) Immediately set up a time to meet again with your proposal team and wrap up any questions still unanswered. If all questions are sufficiently answered, gather your team once more to read the proposal. This basic step is rarely done in construction firms. Your marketing person should be reading for continuity, tone, and if each question is answered in the manner in which it is asked. Each member of your proposal team should help proof the document for content and flow.With these steps your firm will take a more proactive approach with proposals and you and your staff will have a better chance to win them.About the Author:Cherie Burbach is the author of The Difference Now, A New Dish, and At the Coffee Shop. Cherie works as a consultant for PersonalsTrainer in which she helps online daters write great profiles that catch attention. For more information, please visit her website at http://www.thedifferencenow.com and her blog at http://www.thedifferencenow.blogspot.com
Keyword : business, marketing, construction, proposals, jobs, bidding, sales, new prospects, clients, money
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