How To Win Proposals as the Underdog
You have what it takes to serve the customer, and you know you would crush it. But, you’re smaller and lesser-known than your competitors. How do you stand out?
Photo by Austris Augusts on Unsplash
Who doesn't love a good, triumphant underdog story? Watching the underdog win inspires us to step outside our comfort zone and go for something that seems out of reach. It gives us hope and possibility.
As a proposal writer, I love working with these types of clients--the smaller, lesser-known organizations who are capable and passionate. Why? Because underdogs are often underestimated, scrappy, resourceful, creative, and agile.
If you find yourself up against a giant competitor (or many) in a bid situation, do these five things:
Know your client and their needs
I'm talking about their real, deeper needs. Like, the bigger picture of why they are looking for your product/service. Is it to increase sales? Streamline processes? What are their pain points? What are they struggling with?
In my experience, I rarely see larger companies doing this well. This is an area you can really excel and set yourself apart. Too many larger companies are resting on their laurels and talking about themselves throughout the entire proposal, rarely addressing these deeper issues. Know and address these upfront, and you'll develop a sense of trust while putting yourself ahead of others.
2. Find your unique differentiators and highlight the hell out of them
After you've talked about the client's needs and pain points, don't just offer your solution. Tell them what makes your organization better...stronger...faster.
In other words, what makes your company/service different than the others? This is the area where I see people fail the most in proposals. Everyone has something unique that they do best, that no one else does. Don't say something generic like "our people are the best." Be specific.
As a smaller company, one of those differentiators could be that this customer will be the sole focus of your entire organization, so the customer will experience a high level of attention. Or, maybe you have a unique approach that no one else has. Remember, large organizations have lots of levels and are typically siloed. Use this to your advantage.
3. Establish a relationship - don’t go in cold
Let's be real. If you're going into a bid situation without any contact with the customer, no relationship, nothing - it's going to be tough to win the business, no matter how good the proposal is. Remember, people buy from people they trust.
If you're just starting out, of course, you’re probably going to need to respond to some bids this way. Just be mindful of your time and resources. Spend time and effort on business development. Try to focus on responding to proposals where you have a connection and/or relationship with one of the parties involved, and leverage that relationship to develop trust.
If you are in these types of bid situations, and you don't win, ask for a debrief to learn what you could have done differently. This is an opportunity to develop a long-term relationship with this client, and who knows, maybe you'll be the front-runner the next time.
4. Answer the questions
This seems like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many people miss the mark on this.
READ THE ENTIRE RFP, and take each question line-by-line to make sure you've answered it thoroughly.
Then, have people outside your team read your response to see if it sounds clear and addresses the question. By doing this you're demonstrating that you've listened and complied. Make the reader/evaluator's job easier, and you'll get to the top of the pile.
5. Include success stories
If you don't have testimonials or case studies, it's ok. Think about situations with other similar customers that went well (regardless of size), and use these successes throughout the proposal. It's a great way to A) demonstrate that you have the experience and expertise to do the work, and B) highlight your differentiators, again.
Do you have an amazing underdog success story? Or any other helpful tip? Post in the comments!
Tammy Holzer, MA is an APMP Executive Summary Micro-Certified writer, strategic proposal developer, and business development specialist. To find more articles and tools visit www.tammyholzer.com.
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