The RFP Success Show

Only focusing on getting things done faster is NOT a sustainable solution for your RFP process. That's why Kathryn Bennett encourages using Lean principles over Agile ones to get work done right the first time. Kathryn is the Director of RFP Excellence at Loopio, a Toronto-based software company that streamlines the RFP response process for more than 1,000 leading organizations, including IBM and...

Crafting your #RFP to get a win is a large and technical undertaking. But telling the story of why your business is going to do something wonderful for this world can be the key to getting on your reviewer's good side. How can you make sure you are doing everything you can to get your RFP approved? Does taking a moment to step back and reflect on your mistakes help you get ahead as an entrepreneur...

The pandemic was perhaps the world's most difficult stress test. But you can emerge stronger if you take action NOW. So, what should businesses be doing to recover from the disruption of COVID? How might you benefit from the American Rescue Plan? And how can you put yourself in the best position to win stimulus dollars through RFPs? Deb Zahn is the Founder and CEO of Craft of Consulting , a firm d...

When the pandemic began, businesses scrambled to create systems for working from home. But now, we have a chance to take a breath and rethink our processes. To be more intentional in our sourcing of technology. To find efficient ways to collaborate, in or out of the office. Dave Hulsen is a Cofounder and Chief Operating Officer at RFP360 , the premiere RFP management software solution for buyers a...

The American Rescue Plan was signed into law in March, and with it, we anticipate an exponential increase in buying for infrastructure projects. So, what should your business be doing TODAY to get ready for the coming influx in RFPs? Dave Hulsen is the Cofounder and COO of RFP360 , a full-circle RFP management software solution that improves the way businesses issue and respond to RFPs. He has an...

Yes, you need an effective strategy, efficient processes and engaging content to build a winning culture on your RFP team. But the keyword here is TEAM. You need the fourth and final piece of the puzzle, the PEOPLE, to execute on the first three elements of our 4x4 framework. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I address the four components of a successful RFP team, explaining how to make sur...

Now that you know how to build an effective RFP strategy and establish efficient processes, it's time to tackle the meat and potatoes of the proposal response—CONTENT. So, what questions should you be asking as you write the proposal itself? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I cover the four key guidelines for creating proposal content, reminding you to address the question at hand and posi...

Once you have the right RFP strategy in place, it's time to take a look at your proposal PROCESSES. And while we don't want to overburden you with processes, having a few key systems in place can save you a LOT of time and trouble. On this episode of the podcast, I discuss the four processes you need to get a proposal out the door efficiently, starting with your process for learning about RFPs for...

To consistently win bids with your proposals, you need four puzzle pieces in place—strategy, process, content and people. And here at the RFP Success Company, we call these components the 4x4 Framework for RFP Success. For the next four weeks, I'm walking you through each of the four elements of the framework, beginning with STRATEGY. So, what does a successful RFP strategy look like? On this epis...

Proposals that win business are easy to read. But how do we make technical content accessible without dumbing down the material? And what tools are available to help us improve the readability of an RFP response? Samantha Enslen is the content strategist and technical editor behind Dragonfly Editorial , an award-winning creative agency known for explaining complex topics clearly. The Dragonfly tea...

More and more, RFPs specifically ask for concise responses. But how do you decide what to include and what to leave out? Samantha Enslen is the Founder and President of Dragonfly Editorial , an award-winning creative agency known for explaining complex topics clearly, whether the team is writing proposals, marketing communication or thought leadership pieces. Samantha is sought-after in the propos...

So, you've submitted your RFP response. You considered pricing carefully and went as low as you felt you could in the proposal. And now the client is asking for your Best and Final Offer (BAFO). How do you negotiate pricing so that you don't end up taking a loss on the job or being taken advantage of by the client? Is there some way that everyone can win? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I...

How do you decide what your solution is worth? Of course, pricing is dependent on the ask involved in a given RFP. But there are a few guidelines that can help you think strategically about how to price the goods and services you provide. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I'm sharing five best practices for developing an RFP pricing strategy, explaining why it's crucial to consider your pri...

How long should your proposal be? Yes, you want to give evaluators all the information they need so you score the maximum points. But there's a fine line between adding the right amount of detail and overwhelming your reader! So, how do you describe what you do, how you do it and why it's important in a concise, accessible way? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I'm sharing my top four tips...

According to Gallup research, only 15% of US employees feel engaged at work. And when employees aren't motivated, the bottom line suffers. So, what can leaders do to better connect with their teams—in a time when tensions are high and many of us are working remotely? And how might those strategies for establishing connection extend to the RFP response? Management Consultant Mark Musgrave has advis...

"It's really about that customer intimacy. The more than you can understand what they're doing, where they're going, and dialogue with them well before an RFP really makes the difference." --Jennifer Zonneveld Developing a winning proposal strategy requires that we know opportunities are coming well in advance and build relationships with the organization's decision-makers. But how do you find out...

In a perfect world, an organization's proposal, marketing and business development teams work together, building a strategic plan for RFP success. And yet, a number of proposal professionals continue to be siloed from the rest of the organization and left out of the capture strategy discussion. So, what can we do to demonstrate our value beyond the production of the proposal document and demand a...

While the COVID era has been a challenge for the RFP industry, we can take advantage of this opportunity to reinvent the way we work, improving our processes and leveraging the tools available to collaborate—whether or not we're together in the same room. So, what will the RFP process look like in a post-Coronavirus world? Today, we're joined by David Seibert, President of The Seibert Group and au...

Do you feel like you don't stand out? Like you keep getting passed over for new opportunities? Are you ready to change that? You CAN set yourself apart, provided you make a commitment to cultivating a particular set of skills. The skills shared by top performers. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, I'm sharing the top five traits of a top performer, challenging you to go beyond simply doing y...

There is no user's manual for what we're facing right now. The COVID-19 quarantine has disrupted business as we know it and shifted the way companies are spending money. So, what can small businesses do make the best use of this uncertain time? How can we position ourselves as an ideal vendor partner or service provider that corporate decision makers will advocate for when a need arises? Angelique...

These are unprecedented times we are living in and it can be difficult to keep morale and engagement high as work becomes remote.  Nobody has all the answers as we transition to a different business environment, but we are all working toward getting a better grasp on how to handle those changes and move toward a new normal.  On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Zak Hemraj of Loopio talks about...

It's no longer enough to simply meet the qualifications in an RFP. Everyone who is bidding meets the qualifications. If we want to win, we have to show the potential client that we know who they are and what they need—and that they can trust us to deliver. So, how do we create that strong emotional connection in a proposal? Dr. Kevin Switaj is the President and CEO of BZ Opportunity Management , a...

A lot of business leaders think of story as fluff. They favor data over description, believing that a list of merits is enough to connect with a potential client. But data doesn't make you more likable or trustworthy. Storytelling does. Faye Fulton is a professional NSA speaker, author and business storytelling consultant. Her expertise lies in training business owners and professionals around wha...

What can you do to make sure your small business survives the chaos caused by the Coronavirus? One strategy is to secure government contracts for your particular product or service. But are federal, state and local governments buying right now? Mark Musgrave serves as Regional Procurement Manager at GovPurchase , the nation's leading online government contracting tool. Mark and his team pair the G...

We are living through an unprecedented time. The Coronavirus pandemic has a lot of us working from home, learning how to communicate with our teams remotely and stay productive despite the potential distractions. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, I'm sharing my best practices for working remotely. I address how to conduct client communication from home, offering advice on identifying Wi-Fi...