Winning RFPs

7/29/2019 Winning RFPs

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Tom SearcyFounder, Hunt Big Sales

The Five Keys to Winning RFPs

Susan ZeidmanAmerican Management Association

Todays Presenter

Tom Searcy Founder ofHunt Big Sales

$5 Billion in new sales usingthis system

Author, speaker, trainer

coach Built 4 fast growth companies

from $10M to $100M+, eachin less than 5 years

www.huntbigsales.com


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Reading this book should be the first step your team

takes EVERY time you receive an RFP.- Dan Kemper

President, Schur Packaging Systems

Tom Searcys RFPs Suck! Embodies the sameenlightened wisdom and insight responsible for

helping our company land a project in excess of $50million. Working with Tom over the years has been

one of the more stimulating and rewardingexperiences of my professional life.

- Richard DrennenPresident, Superior Mechanical, Inc.

This book is a serious keeper. No fluff. No B.S. Itsstuffed with pointers, recommendations, checklists

and whatever else you may need to logically andobjectively decide whether to respond to an RFP and,

more importantly, how to respond to it.

- Dave SteinCEO & Founder, ES Research Group, Inc.

Learning Objectives for Today...



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1. Saying No to no-win RFPs: This objective teaches you the key indicators

identifying when you should or should not answer the RFP.



1. Saying No to no-win RFPs: This objective teaches you the key indicatorsidentifying when you should or should not answer the RFP.

2.Yield and Efficiency: This objective focuses on your companys differentiating itselfin its RFP answer to get the most yield from its time and response focus.



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3. Leverage: This objectives identifies the types of readers and the questions theyneed answered by your response.



1. Saying No to no-win RFPs: This objective teaches you the key indicatorsidentifying when you should or should not answer the RFP.



4. Imagination: This objective discusses the key angles to take by which you can gain

an advantage over your competition to win



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4. Imagination: This objective discusses the key angles to take by which you can gainan advantage over your competition to win

5. Strategy: Tricks to getting the most out of the RFP format toensure your company is a finalist.


Focus for Today...




3. Leverage: This objectives identifies the types of readers and the questions

they need answered by your response.

4. Imagination: This objective discusses the key angles to take by which you can gain

an advantage over your competition to win

5. Strategy: Tricks to getting the most out of the RFP format toensure your company is a finalist.



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Before we get started.


RFPs are not fair

RFPs are not objective

RFPs do not provide an even playing field


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RFPs are not fair

RFPs are not objective

RFPs do not provide an even playing field

RFPs do not help companies make good

choicesthey are designed to help them

avoid bad choices.

STRATEGY 1: Saying No to no-win RFPs

Dont answer RFPs

Or at least not very many of them



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Poll 1: What percentage of RFPs that youreceive/request do you submit a response to?

1.


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Knowing when to say



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Dirty Dozen of RFPs

1. No succinct objectives2. No budget

3. Repetitive cut andpaste

4. No access

5. Boiler plate

6. Too many invitedvendors to an open

meeting

7. Variety of invited vendors

8. Excessive

free

specrequirements anddocumentation requests

9. Cycle of Request toDelivery Head fake ofthe emergency response

10.Tight control of length ofresponse easy onreader not responder

11.Rate card requests

12.No clear reason to leave


STRATEGY 3: Leverage

Write for your reader



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When you answer an RFP . . .



Your job is not to answer the RFP.

It is to:

1. Sell the differentiating core

benefits of your company



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It is to:

1. Sell the differentiating corebenefits of your company

2.Take away the prospects fears




It is to:

1. Sell the differentiating core

benefits of your company2.Take away the prospects fears

3. Appeal to time, money or risk



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Poll 2: Who is the hardest person for you toconvince out of these 5 of your typical RFPreaders?

1. Money2. Process Compliance3. Technology4. Specialist/Engineer5. End-user



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5 Characteristics of Winning RFP Writers

1. Strategy know what we are great at and what thecompetition is not great at

2. Time/Effort Commitment

Assess RFP and own company

Review cost/benefit ratio of past RFPs

Assess chances of success and dont play but if

mind games Dedicate large amount of SME and senior exec

time

3. Imagination/Curiosity

4. Patience

5. Realistic Stance Say no



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Final Proposal Checklist1. Is my themeevident and

repeatedthroughout theproposal and is itclearly stated?

5. If no structurewas

recommended,have I used alogical alternative?

9. Does the body ofmy response read

smoothly andcoherently?

13. Have I includedpage numbers

according to theRFP instructions?

2. Have Ianticipated andalleviated thewhales fears?

6. Have I answeredall the questionsposed in the RFP?

10. Do I have amethod fordelivering theresponse to thecorrect place at thecorrect time?

14. Have I correctlylabeled pagesaccording to theRFP instructions?

3. Have I appealedto time, money andrisk so the whale

has a reason tobuy?

7. Does all mymath computecorrectly?

11. Is theresponse legible?

15. Have I taken allthe words toavoid out of my

document?

4. Have I followedthe structure asrequested?

8. Do myresponses reflectthe RFPs score-keeping system?

12. Have I doublechecked for typos?Misspellings?

16. Is the companywebsite up-to-dateand accurate?


Resources

Blogs:

www.huntingbigsales.com

www.inc.com/author/tom-searcy

Email:

[email protected]

http://www.huntingbigsales.com/http://www.inc.com/author/tom-searcyhttp://www.inc.com/author/tom-searcyhttp://www.inc.com/author/tom-searcyhttp://www.inc.com/author/tom-searcyhttp://www.huntingbigsales.com/


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Questions?

Download the RFPs Suck eBook!

http://tinyurl.com/7229hhe

Forbes: blogs.forbes.com/dealmakers/

[email protected]

Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn


AMA Playbook Website playbook.amanet.org
http://tinyurl.com/7229hhehttp://blogs.forbes.com/dealmakers/http://blogs.forbes.com/dealmakers/http://tinyurl.com/7229hhehttp://tinyurl.com/7229hhe


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The AMA Solution:

Winning the Dreaded RFPSeminar #5201

Increase your chances of winning by eliminating bias in the RFPprocess

Create your own RFP in real time and receive an expertevaluation

How to effectively frame financial quotes, bids and estimates

5 characteristics of winning RFP writers

How to quickly calculate the ROI of an RFP response

Writing for your reader: How to break down the RFP form to

match their needs

Use Promo Use Promo Code: LD9X for $100 Discount

(you must register before April 5, 2013)

www.amanet.org or 1-800-262-9699

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