Page 129 - Writing Winning Business Proposals

120 Writing Winning Business Proposals

◉ Fourth, for every hot button you detect, you should generate a benefit that will
accrue from your addressing that hot button during the project. The likeli-
hood of these benefits accruing often sways a buyer toward one competitor
versus another.

Your completed Cell 2 looks like Figure 7.7. The red flags indicate your current
uncertainty about exactly how the hot buttons should be addressed. Those spe-
cific tactics you decide to bring up with Gilmore.

Identifying Evaluation Criteria
Here, you are troubled. As far as you can tell, Gilmore identified no evaluation cri-
teria during his discussions with ABC. True, the technical buyers have hot buttons
that they, singly, will use to evaluate the proposal. But no shared evaluation criteria
exist—at least none that you know of. And Gilmore, as far as you know, didn’t ask

Psychologics Worksheet Cell 2

Hot Buttons “What desires or concerns of each buyer must be addressed?”

Buyer’s Hot How Addressed SA M PO Benefits to Each Buyer from
Buttons Addressing His/Her Hot Buttons
Armstrong: ‡ Because report will be thorough, comprehensive, well
‡ Comprehensiveness red documented, and directed to Consolidated, improved
1 ‡ Thoroughness ability to receive capital funding and expedited process
‡ ROI/Bottom Line for getting it
‡ Teaching/Training ‡ Beginnings of a sound internal team
‡ Credibility from leading development of a plan
accepted by Consolidated
Gupta:
2 ‡ Thoroughness red

Collins: red ‡ Maintained, if not increased, service levels
3 ‡ Service Levels
‡ Risk
Morrison:
‡ Thoroughness/Logical red ‡ Perhaps added prestige/responsibility of leading teams
4 Rigor/Complexity to implement selected plan at new sites
‡ Involvement/Respect
Metzger: ‡ If capacity is increased at the current site, Metzger will
5 ‡ Consideration of red have the ability to promote well-deserving supervisors
Metzger’s preferred and to maintain control
option
* Address hot buttons through your sales approach (SA) and/or by altering your proposed methodology (M) and project organization (PO).

FIGURE 7.7 The hot buttons, analyzed
FIGURE 7.7 T h e h ot b utt ons , ana ly ze d