So, you’re responsible for putting together an RFP, and some of your team members happen to be a level or two above you in the chain of command. How do you get what you need from those colleagues? How do you adapt your approach to make them more receptive? How do you INFLUENCE UP to deliver the best possible bid for your organization? Donna Warrick is the President of Jamesson Solutions , a leadership development, talent management and selection firm out of Greensboro, North Carolina. With more ...
Dec 11, 2018•28 min•Ep. 23
We know that people are drawn to visual content. Unfortunately, most of us add graphics to our RFPs as an afterthought, and our charts and callout boxes fail to provide value in terms of the story we’re trying to tell. But if we can learn to use visuals the right way, they have the potential to convey information in a way that is more engaging, more memorable, and easier to understand than a tedious wall of text. Richard Goring is the Director of BrightCarbon , a presentation design and eLearnin...
Dec 04, 2018•42 min•Ep. 22
Behavior style drives communication preference. Some prefer directness and brevity while others like a friendly, casual approach. Some are extremely detail-oriented while others focus on the big picture. The ability to recognize DISC profiles and adapt to the preferences of your colleagues and clients has benefits in the realm of sales, hiring and team development—all integral parts of the RFP process! Drea Douglass is the Director of Talent Management Consulting with The Brooks Group , a corpor...
Nov 27, 2018•33 min•Ep. 21
If you are the incumbent in a bidding process, that contract is yours to lose. But how do you leverage your relationship with that client in the RFP to get that bid back? How do you remind them of the benefits of your partnership? How do you defend your own contract and win that client’s business once again? Today, I’m sharing my top four tips for defending your contract as an incumbent. I discuss the necessity of bidding on what they’re asking for in the RFP versus what you’ve been doing and th...
Nov 20, 2018•11 min•Ep. 20
What makes the process of responding to a request for proposal so difficult? Typically, businesses struggle with keeping everyone on the same page. Are we all looking at the same version of the RFP? Using the same voice? Formatting the document in the same way? It IS challenging to have multiple team members working on the same bid, but the RFPIO software solution makes the process much easier and more efficient. Josie Fey is the Communications Manager at RFPIO , a revolutionary proposal managem...
Nov 13, 2018•30 min•Ep. 19
Strategy is the highway for vision. The problem is, too many business owners spend a lot of time developing a complex roadmap that a) never gets finished, b) never gets communicated, or c) is too difficult for frontline workers to understand. So, how do you design a simple, focused business development strategy that leads to RFP success—and growth in your business at large? Gina Catalano works with CEOs and leadership teams to improve operations and increase business value. With 20-plus years of...
Nov 06, 2018•32 min•Ep. 18
What is the #1 source of conflict in the work environment? More often than not, a failure to communicate is at the root of the problem. So, how do we learn to speak the same language as our partners in the RFP process? What can we do up front to prevent tension later on? And how do we address conflict before it derails our progress as a team? Lesli Pintor is a lecturer in the realm of business communications for the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management and a Leadership Challenge C...
Oct 30, 2018•27 min•Ep. 17
Raise your hand if you’re interested in being more organized and efficient! If RFPs drive sales for your business, then you know that developing a consistent process will save you time and trouble in the long run. But is there an easy way to design a system one time—and then leverage software to apply that process every time an RFP comes through the door? Erin Mathie is the founder of Business Made Simple , a firm that specializes in process consulting and business systems. A serial entrepreneur...
Oct 23, 2018•26 min•Ep. 16
You may think that numbers are pretty straightforward and view pricing your services for an RFP as a clear-cut process. But Marsha Lindquist argues that crafting a winning pricing strategy is a creative endeavor, and with the right preparation, you can get to the numbers you’re aiming for and convey a business proposition that aligns with the customer’s values. Marsha has 30-plus years of experience in consulting with government contractors. Her firm, Granite Leadership Strategies , is known for...
Oct 16, 2018•27 min•Ep. 15
To win business with an RFP, you have to do more than just show the client that you can do the job. You need to show them that you’re the premiere choice. But how do you go about proving that you really want the work without coming across as desperate or manipulative? Today, I’m offering my top five strategies for demonstrating your greatness through the RFP. I explain the value in asking powerful questions that make the potential client think, especially when you’re up against an incumbent. I a...
Oct 09, 2018•13 min•Ep. 14
How much time do you spend digging through Word documents to find the right version of a resume for a particular RFP? How about the time spent copying and pasting case studies or reformatting resumes to fulfill the requirements of a certain proposal? Would you like to cut that time in half? Erling Linde is the founder and CEO of CV Partner, a software platform that streamlines the way you manage resumes and case studies for bids and proposals. Erling began his career as an IT consultant and deve...
Sep 25, 2018•25 min•Ep. 13
Quality branding gives a small business instant credibility. But how does that translate to the way you present yourself in an RFP? How do you convey the energy and expertise of your business in the pages of a proposal? Arlene Pedersen is the CEO of Be Freaking Awesome , a consulting firm that helps passionate entrepreneurs and nonprofits increase their revenue and express their values in a powerful way. A branding and messaging expert, Arlene has more than 25 years of experience working with st...
Sep 18, 2018•38 min•Ep. 12
For most small business owners, the federal acquisitions process is intimidating. Sure, we’d all like to win federal contracts, but the registration process is complex and the regulations many. How do you know if your product or service is something the government needs? And how do you identify opportunities to work with the federal government in your area? Chantel Gibbons has 25 years of experience in the realm of business operations and government contracts, working with top contractors in mar...
Sep 11, 2018•26 min•Ep. 11
The fastest way to lose a bid is to annoy the evaluators! I recently conducted an informal poll, asking several RFP buyers the following question: What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to RFP responses? Today, I’m sharing their answers, discussing the Top 5 RFP Evaluator Hot Buttons. I explain the danger of including more or less information than the questions require, describing the evaluator’s challenge in comparing proposals. I also address how common it is for evaluators to receive pr...
Sep 04, 2018•26 min•Ep. 10
Do you have a few tasks you’d like to delegate, but not enough to justify hiring a part-time employee? Small business owners and entrepreneurs often end up doing it all themselves—which leads to overwhelm and burnout. Luckily, there is another option: You can leverage a team of virtual assistants and give yourself time for what matters most! Nicole Bandes is the founder and CEO of Virtual A Team, a concierge service that helps small business owners and solopreneurs manage the projects that move ...
Aug 28, 2018•29 min•Ep. 9
The difference between a successful project and an unsuccessful one lies in project management, yet small businesses often assign the role to an employee juggling other responsibilities—or worse, they skip that step altogether. How can we leverage project management processes to make the best use of available resources? And what qualities should we look for in an effective project manager? Cerila Gaillard is the founder of Orchestrating Your Success , a project management consultancy based in Ph...
Aug 21, 2018•30 min•Ep. 8
If your business is struggling to win RFPs, it can be of great benefit to solicit feedback and identify your areas of weakness. But have you ever thought about debriefing with the client when you WIN? Robin Merritt has 18 years of experience with the RFP process and 25 years in the workforce management industry. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Global Strategy for Axsium Group , a global strategic consulting practice that supports organizations in the full spectrum of workfor...
Aug 14, 2018•24 min•Ep. 7
How do you work together to write an RFP—AND achieve a consistent tone that makes your submission easy to read? And is there value in meeting regularly as part of this collaborative approach? Robin Merritt is the Senior Vice President of Global Strategy for Axsium Group , a global strategic consulting practice that helps organizations with the full spectrum of workforce management-related needs. Robin has 25-plus years of workforce management experience, and she has an extensive background in bo...
Aug 07, 2018•30 min•Ep. 6
If you’re struggling to land contracts and your RFP win percentage is bleak, you may be able to turn things around with some simple changes to your approach. So, what are the most common mistakes we make in responding to RFPs? Today, I’m going solo to walk us through the top 5 missteps companies make in crafting their RFPs. Drawing on my experience reviewing hundreds of RFPs every year, I discuss the most common problems—and how to avoid them! I address RFPs that get off track and fail to answer...
Jul 24, 2018•12 min•Ep. 4
As entrepreneurs and small business owners, we could all use a competitive advantage to tip the scales in our favor and win more contracts—and small and diverse business certifications provide one route to gaining that advantage. What are the major certifications? How do you complete a successful application? And what are the benefits to becoming diversity certified? Heather Cox is the co-founder and President of Certify My Company , the national leader in transforming Fortune 1000 supplier dive...
Jul 16, 2018•28 min•Ep. 3
How does Amy Schuman’s RFP team unseat incumbents to land an impressive 70% of the contracts they ship? And how have they kept that winning percentage consistent over the past 20 years, even as the firm—and its number of proposals—has grown exponentially? Amy is the National Marketing Director for Myers and Stauffer, a national public accounting firm that specializes in consulting, data management and analysis services for state and federal agencies managing government-sponsored healthcare progr...
Jul 16, 2018•24 min•Ep. 2
Hiring can be a scary prospect for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Yet trying to do it all on your own for the long-term is simply unsustainable. So, how do you go about learning to let go and hiring kickass employees—so that you can have an uninterrupted dinner with your family or even go on the occasional vacation? Talmar Anderson is the visionary behind Boss Actions , the firm that supports entrepreneurs in making the transition from business owner to boss. A hiring and management au...
Jul 11, 2018•30 min•Ep. 1
