Page 119 - Writing Winning Business Proposals

110 Writing Winning Business Proposals

I can think of three principles these two stories share:

1. Those without expertise who have to work with those who have it are
frequently cautious, uncertain, and distrustful. If I’m thinking about having
you do a project for me, I’m doing so because you probably have knowledge,
skills, or experience that I lack. Because what you tell me will be based on the
knowledge that I lack and that you have, I don’t have the proper framework to
evaluate the veracity of your claims.
2. If I have a hot button and you choose to address it, you will have to work
with me in a certain way. Quite likely, this means you will work with me in a
different way than you would work with another potential client on a similar
project. Addressing hot buttons usually affects how you conduct your project.
3. If you do indeed address my hot button, I will benefit. Because my hot button
reflects one of my needs, desires, or concerns, I will have that need, desire, or
concern satisfied or addressed if you respond to that hot button.

Consequently, for every hot button you identify on Cell 2 of the Psychologics
Worksheet (Figure 7.2), you should generate at least one benefit that accrues from
your addressing it. Take, for example, one of Ray Armstrong’s possible hot buttons
discussed in the work session of this chapter: teaching/training. A solid teaching/
training component in the project could be beneficial to him. It could help pro-
duce for Armstrong the beginnings of a more competent internal team, one that
better appreciates different functional disciplines and has a broader, multidisci-
plined view rather than a parochial orientation toward company operations.

Evaluation Criteria

Hot buttons as well as evaluation criteria (Psychologics Worksheet, Cell 4; see
Figure 7.3) are used by me and others to evaluate your proposal (and in the case of
hot buttons, often subconsciously so). Whereas hot buttons are always individual
considerations, evaluation criteria are collective considerations—that is, shared
and agreed upon. While most hot buttons have emotional content (involving
individual needs and desires), evaluation criteria generally have technical content
(involving requirements, specifications, and the like).
That said, it’s important to note that one category of hot buttons does have
technical content: the hot buttons of technical buyers. Marcia Collins has a
hot button (conditioned by her technical buyer role) related to “maintaining or
improving service levels.” In preparing your proposal to ABC, you certainly
would want to include the impact on service levels as a hot button. But unless the
focus on service levels is shared by all the members of the buying committee, it
isn’t likely to be one of the group’s evaluation criteria.