Page 137 - Writing Winning Business Proposals

128 Writing Winning Business Proposals

Therefore, we will conduct strategy sessions with all relevant ABC managers to
gain consensus on and establish the proper criteria.

In the fourth column (Qualifications; Figure 7.12b), you explain your qualifi-
cations for addressing the need. In this column, the focus is again on you, on how
you are qualified to do what you claim you will do:

Our team understands the range of potential criteria and is adept at leading
strategy sessions to secure consensus.

In the last column (Benefits; Figure 7.12b), you state the benefits of meeting
the need. In this column, the focus returns to the prospect, on the benefits the
prospect will receive related to this theme:

Because the final decision will be based on agreed-to criteria, the selected
alternative will be “owned” by your management team.

As you complete subsequent rows for your additional themes, you try to stay
alert to the interrelationships among the themes, the lines of force that connect
them. For example, you consider two selected themes that aren’t yet developed
in Figure 7.12a and Figure 7.12b: Your broad business perspective is a counter to
some of the competitors and will help ensure the study’s comprehensiveness, a
hot button. So in writing or rewriting the row for one theme, you try to include
language that intersects with another.
With the Themes Development Worksheet completed, you now have your web
of persuasion, spun out among the proposal’s various slots: situation, meth-
ods, qualifications, and benefits. In subsequent work sessions, you will place
that persuasion strategically throughout your written proposal and throughout
your discussions with ABC as well as in your proposal presentation. For example,
the Situation and Methods columns will provide you the persuasion necessary to
answer this question: “Why, out of a universe of possible approaches, have you
chosen this one, for this situation?” That question’s answer (though the buyers
might not consciously recognize why the answer is so powerful) is this: “We have
designed our approach as we have because it addresses your hot buttons, meets
your evaluation criteria, and counters our competition.” Done right, that kind of
rationale for your methods section is extraordinarily persuasive.