Winning Proposals in Challenging Times
In 2007 I read a fascinating book by Nassim Taleb called The Black Swan. Taleb describes a black swan as a highly improbable event that is unpredictable and carries a massive impact. The 1987 stock market crash was a black swan. So was 9/11. And so were the extraordinary financial and economic events of 2008. So here we are in 2009 having to deal with economic circumstances that most of us would never have predicted a year ago. What can we do to give ourselves an edge in leaner times where several competitors are scrambling for fewer opportunities? In developing proposals, here are four factors to which you might want to pay extra attention. 1. Recognize the client’s issues More than ever we need to know what challenges the client is facing: * What is the reality of their present situation? * What is the state of their specific marketplace? * What steps are they taking to address issues in their marketplace? And how can we, in making a proposal, assist this client in dealing with ...