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Ensuring your sales proposals influence as well as communicate By Ian Hirst, CEO, Greenbank
Ensuring your sales proposals influence as well as communicate
ByIan Hirst, CEO, Greenbank
2 Bid Tools that will really make a difference…
Introductions..
A Global Sales & Leadership Performance ConsultancyClients include, IBM, Atos, BT, Santander, Mercer, SC Johnson, Dow Jones, Quadriga
15 years in Sales/Bid Management Head of Global Sales Operations at Reuters
2 Bid Tools that will really make a difference…
Reviewing bids with a ‘client hat on’
2 Bid Tools that will really make a difference…
A good test – reading through your clients eyes…
• One level more senior than your target audience
• Who has not been involved in the project so far…
• And is reading it on the train…
2 Bid Tools that will really make a difference…
What our customers have said about their own sales proposals
“Virtually no attempt to cite benefits. The proposal mainly
lists features and advantages”
“Factual description of our track record with little attempt to
contrast it with other suppliers. No use made of our inside
knowledge derived from nine years of already working with
the client!”
“At no time does the proposal state what the clients issues /
problems are and what he needs to do about them!”
“No understanding of the client’s decision criteria and why
our solution is best placed to meet them..”
2 Bid Tools that will really make a difference…
The Essence of a Value Proposition
Client’s Business Initiative
Your Specific
Business Value
Your Company and your Solution
2 Bid Tools that will really make a difference…
Stephen PierceSales Guru..and multi-millionaire
” Knowing WHAT people are buying
will make you a living. Knowing WHY they’re
buying will make you rich. “
2 Bid Tools that will really make a difference…
Explicit Business
PROBLEMS & NEEDS
ENABLERS(The Means to
the End)
SOLUTIONSwe want to emphasise
EVIDENCE (examples,
proof)
BusinessDRIVERS (Internal & External Context)
Value Map
