Creating Customer Value In Your Proposals

There are many ways to create customer value in your proposals.

The following is a list of some of the most well-known methods.

-Make sure you know what the customer values in your business and propose it to them (and use it as evidence to support that you're the best choice). 

-Use data and numbers to prove your worth. 

-Establish yourself as an expert by being able to answer any questions they might have about your industry or product, without making them feel unintelligent for asking. 

-Take at least 10 minutes before submitting a proposal, checking for spelling mistakes and grammar errors (which can be fixed with a once over from Google's spell checker). 

-Be aware of the proposal language that they use in their business and match it. 

-Paint a picture of your company as a "dream team" for them (though without being cheesy).

(Article Contributed By Entrepreneur.com)  [ARTICLE END]

I think this article is right on the money. I have been in the proposal writing industry for over 20 years and can tell you the biggest mistakes sales people or companies make when it comes to proposals are:

1. They don't know their prospect like they thought they did and adjust their proposal to reflect it...or

2. They have all the qualities of a great proposal but they don't have a story and don't know how to use it...or

3. They send an inexperienced person out on their behalf who tells them what they want to hear, but doesn't know enough about the product to be able to say more than 5 sentences without sounding like an idiot...or

4. They don't care how they sound as long as they get paid...and trust me most people will not even remember them in a few months or years...or

5. They just don't know what is needed to be a success.

There are many more...for example, too many companies and sales people don't know what is important to their customers and market or why it is important. Short proposals are worthless...Give me the details I need to make sure you can do what you say you can do. One of my favorite sayings from my Dad who was in the construction supply business for decades was "It's not enough for me to sell you what I have stored in my warehouse, I have to sell you on coming back in the future because of how well our relationship has been."

This website (www.proposalsuccess.com) has over 30 years of experience in the proposal business and can help you get it right!

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 For full details on each prize and to enter visit: http://www.proposalsuccess.com/grandprize.html   [/learn_more]

The Guide to Winning Government Contracts [ARTICLE START] There's nothing like winning a government contract. You feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing that your company has two predecessors who were awarded government contracts within the last year. You look at yourself in the mirror, knowing you've mastered the art of winning. Upon signing up to go, you list all possible steps to take in order to win as many contracts as possible. All you need to do is follow these 9 steps and win big:  1. Start with an accurate mission statement for your company which includes who your business' customers are and what results your product/service is capable of delivering for them (people with a clue will always ask this question).  2. List all possible challenges that could impede the success of getting a contract. What advantages do your company have? What skills do you have in place to overcome these challenges? How will you link or connect with your customer base related to their needs? 3. List all of your company's products, services and/or programs which if successfully implemented could eventually lead to winning a contract. 4. List all possible customers that would be likely to award a contract in the future (activate the picture of the customer sitting on their couch with no shoes on, in front of a TV watching a sitcom...blah blah blah). 5. List all possible steps that you can take to overcome the above challenges. What types of programs plus personnel will be needed? 6. List the companies and people that your company targets in order for you to implement all of the above. 7. List all possible ways for them to evaluate your company as a whole (write down EVERYTHING that could possibly be an indicator that your company has a winning bid...because trust me it will be!). 8. List all possible ways to win a government contract in its entirety if one were to ever be awarded. 9. Create a mission statement (that includes these steps listed) including who your customers are, what results they are looking for, the tools and resources you will use to support winning...and then repeat it all for each possible contract type (i.e. a single project, multiple projects, various grants, etc which could lead to recommendations for future awards). Aside from all of the above steps listed above, throw in some fun and entertaining ideas to keep your customer attention...and you'll be on your way to winning a government contract. BINGO!

The Guide to Winning Government Contracts [ARTICLE END]

1. Start with an accurate mission statement for your company which includes who your business' customers are and what results your product/service is capable of delivering for them (people with a clue will always ask this question).

2. List all possible challenges that could impede the success of getting a contract. What advantages do your company have? What skills do you have in place to overcome these challenges? How will you link or connect with your customer base related to their needs?

3. List all of your company's products, services and/or programs which if successfully implemented could eventually lead to winning a contract.

4. List all possible customers that would be likely to award a contract in the future (activate the picture of the customer sitting on their couch with no shoes on, in front of a TV watching a sitcom...blah blah blah).

5. List all possible steps that you can take to overcome the above challenges. What types of programs plus personnel will be needed?

6. List the companies and people that your company targets in order for you to implement all of the above.

7. List all possible ways for them to evaluate your company as a whole (write down EVERYTHING that could possibly be an indicator that your company has a winning bid...because trust me it will be!).

8. List all possible ways to win a government contract in its entirety if one were to ever be awarded.

9. Create a mission statement (that includes these steps listed) including who your customers are, what results they are looking for, the tools and resources you will use to support winning...and then repeat it all for each possible contract type (i.e.

Conclusion: Understanding mission statements is crucial to understanding the company you are dealing with. A mission statement helps the company set clear goals, and identify its direction and purpose. Mission statements can also help in identifying potential problems in areas such as communication, human resources, etc.

This website (www.proposalsuccess.com) has over 30 years of experience in the proposal business and can help you get it right!

BEGIN YOUR SUCCESS STORY NOW...