What’s the first thing you do when you get a request for proposal (RFP)? For a lot of people it is to manically start pulling information and people together in an attempt to get a head start on writing what will become a serious tome of work.

Trust us – this not the right first step.

The first thing anyone should do with an RFP is decide whether they should respond, or not.

I know the idea of turning down work is an anathema to most people and the optimist in all of us always thinks no matter how small there’s always a chance we might get the work…but nowadays your time is too valuable to waste large chunks of it.

Evaluating RFPs well could actually be a way of freeing up some time and of making sure you give the right amount of time and effort to the ones you do reply to.  This gives you more chance of winning the business you already have a shout of getting.

So how do you decide what RFP is worth the time?

Well, it’s obviously not an easy decision and a lot of is has got to be down to your own gut feeling. I know this isn’t scientific but trusting your own instinct is important.

To give that instinct a bit of honing one useful exercise is to revisit some old RFPs that you’ve both won and lost. Try and see if there are any patterns in both the Winner and Loser pile and understand where you maybe bidding for work that isn’t right or doesn’t fit your offering. By now, you should be getting a feel for what type of RFP is a good one for you.

Once you’ve done this there are really 3 headline areas to look at with each bid

1)   Is it a done deal? 

Some RFPs are sent out to tick a box to say a certain number of people bid for the work – and this quite often happens after the potential client has engaged their preferred supplier (you may even have been that preferred supplier!).

Sniffing these out is very, very useful as typically you are on a hiding to nothing.

2)   Is it what you do?

Take a long hard look and see if it really is what you offer that this customer is looking for?

If you don’t think you’re quite the right type of supplier then that’s a big step towards the customer thinking the same. Even if you did win it could mean some big issues when it comes to delivery…

3)   Show me the money

Is all the effort of bidding and then doing the work worth the money you will get in the end? If not, then why spend the time?

So through analysing each bid and then using a dose of your own instinct you can make a decision.

It might not always be the right one but over time you’ll develop it and it will make a big difference to your business.

Saying no to potential new business is not easy but it could just ensure you win the business you should be getting…

Well, 2009 was fun wasn’t it?!

Despite the harbingers of doom predicting the end of civilisation as we know it, most of us seem to have got through 2009 relatively unscathed.  Agreed, it wasn’t easy.  And yes, it got a little worrying half way through and, of course, there were some that sadly fell by the wayside…but that’s business.

As we start a new decade, we suggest that now should be the time to really embrace the year ahead and seize it for what it really could be: 12 months of opportunity.

Yes it’s going to be tough and yes there could be problems along the way but we’d respectfully suggest that when the year is this young, focusing on how bad it could be is as good as giving up.

We need to take a long hard look at 2009 and the lessons that can be learned…and then apply these lessons to how we think 2010 may shape up. In true Sales Engine style, we’ve tried to save you the bother and pulled together our thoughts.

Lesson 1 – Make the most of your bid opportunities
This sounds pretty obvious (and maybe it is) but never the less, it’s extremely important. As soon as you start to treat every opportunity like it could be the only one you get, you’ll begin to deliver the sort of pitches that will really stick in people’s minds.

Audiences this year will be unforgiving so you need to show them why it was worth their while coming to see you.

Whether it’s for a small, medium or whopping deal, make your pitch memorable.

Lesson 2 – The key message is everything
Yes, we’ve mentioned this a few times in the past (!) but it just goes to show just how important it really is. In tougher times, clarity of message is more vital then ever.  It’s that simple.

Importantly, it’s not just ensuring your prospect understands your key message when you’re in front of them.  You need to ensure that they remember it after you’ve left.

Lesson 3 – Stand up and be counted
As Billy Ocean so beautifully put it:

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going”

What he failed to mention (possibly because the lyrics didn’t scan) is that an equally large number of people go into their shells when things get scary. The theory is that by holing up and just getting on with their job, people will manage to steer clear from any of the nasty stuff.

In reality this is far from the truth.

Putting your head above the parapet now and setting yourself apart as a quality pitcher and not a purveyor of tiresome bullet point slide decks could take you further than doing the same back in the “good ole days”.

The reason is that there are far less people doing it…so if you do it well, more people will remember. Getting yourself out there amongst it could demonstrate a commitment to your business that not all your colleagues or competitors have.

So in conclusion…
This year will be a challenge for a lot of companies and a lot of people. But similarly it will also be a good year for some organisations and for many people.

You could be one them – all you have to do is start now.

Every year has its heroes and 2010 will be no exception – these 3 lessons could be the start of making you one of the few.