Lost proposals…was your price really too high?
For many prospective clients, the fastest and easiest way to tell you that they’re not proceeding with your proposal, tender or bid is to say “sorry – the price is too high”. Sometimes this is the entire story. Other times, it is simply a quick way to avoid saying what’s really the problem – […]
Continue ReadingSo you’ve been asked to provide a capability statement
The meeting with that prospective client went well, and the signs are pointing to yes for some work to head your way. But, *groan* they’ve just asked you to ‘send over your capability statement’ so they can show a few colleagues before they make a decision. What a capability statement is not Firstly, let’s be […]
Continue ReadingYour favourite blog posts of 2016
It’s a wrap for the JMA BD insights and tips blog for 2016, but before we slide into holiday mode, we wanted to take a look back at our readers’ favourite posts of 2016. These are the top five – have you read them yet? #1 Pricing lessons from a Big Six pricing specialist Our […]
Continue ReadingWhat to do when clients want a price negotiation
Having a price negotiation with a client is not always easy, but it’s an important skill and one that you’ll need to employ more and more. Clients bargaining with their professional services firm is not unusual. It’s perfectly reasonable for clients to care about their money, and it’s smart for you to show that you […]
Continue ReadingWinning tenders, bids and proposals: what matters most?
Clients often ask me what will help them write a winning tender, bid or proposal. Look through the following list of proposal or tender attributes (or key pieces) and pick the three you think will have the most impact on whether you win (or not): content accuracy clarity of writing completeness conciseness persuasive language addressing […]
Continue ReadingUsing firm governance and management to gain competitive (and other) advantages
When leading and large clients determine their professional service relationships, one factor influencing their decision is how well prospective service providers fit with their own values, culture, and aspirations. Evidence of strong governance and responsible management goes a long way to demonstrating this fit and becomes especially important in competitive bids, tender and proposal processes with […]
Continue ReadingWhy you need a good LinkedIn profile, and where to start
Have you ever used Google to find out more about someone you met at a networking event or conference? Chances are that their LinkedIn profile showed up somewhere near the top of search results, and probably higher than their firm website bio. If someone Googled you, what would they find? LinkedIn is the most popular […]
Continue ReadingWhat do you really know about your competition?
In contracting and mature professional services markets, it’s more important than ever to know how your firm stacks up against the competition. This applies generally to firms, but it is also really important in competitive tender, bid and proposal situations. Even basic information about your competitors can be a powerful tool for your decision-making – […]
Continue ReadingHow easy is it to do business with your professional services firm?
How is easy it for prospective clients to become clients of your professional services firm? Are you or your team inadvertently putting up barriers that are turning off prospective clients? Firms often work long and hard on the marketing and positioning side of business development so the prospective lead or referred client is primed and […]
Continue Reading5 steps to a successful marketing strategy
The most profitable professional services firms understand that a successful marketing strategy is part of everything they do; it’s a coordinated process, not just a series of campaigns. Just like politicians who stay on message, the most successful firms have focus: from cultivating referral relationships to tweeting, each activity is aligned to the overall goals […]
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Feature article
Closed or invitation only tenders, bids and proposals
Firstly, what are closed or invitation only tenders, bids and proposals? In addition to the generally well-understood terms ‘tender’, ‘bid’ and ‘proposal’, there are ‘open’ and ‘closed’ processes, and then variations within each that can apply to professional services procurement. Open or public tenders, bids and proposals An open tender is just that, open to […]
