captureplanning.com Learn about proposal writing and business development



How to get the most out of our web site:
CapturePlanning.com is a huge resource for learning about business development and how to win proposals.

Fill in the box below so we can keep you up-to-date with the latest best practices for winning more business.

Enter Your Email Address:


We get a lot of inspiration from the CapturePlanning.com Group on LinkedIn. You can to if you join us there. It's free!


5 Keys To A Successful Proposal Process Implementation

Having a process defined and documented is only the start. Most companies struggle to get their process implemented. Here are some tips that can help you survive the experience.

Make it easier to follow the process than it is to do the proposal without it. With or without a process, it's not easy to do a proposal. A well designed process, by eliminating the need to reinvent the wheel, will expedite things and make it easier to follow the process than to improvise. A more complex process, requiring more effort and training to follow it, reduces the advantage to the user, increases the perception that the process requires work over and above what is required to do the proposal, and increases resistance to the process. If you find yourself asking people to invest in following the process for an intangible future benefit, your process is too difficult. The process should show people how to do the things they will have to do anyway, and make it easier than coming up with their own solutions.

Prime the pump. Whenever possible, customize process templates and fill-in forms in advance. This lowers the effort to execute the process. Every time someone faces a blank page, the outcome is unpredictable. It also raises the level of frustration and resistance. Set things up so that all contributors have to do is to provide content.

Build training into the process and make it constant. Training should not be a separate once a year or even once a proposal event. Thirty-six five-minute sessions delivered at the moment of need are better than one three-hour session. Each task should come with guidance built in. If you have identified what you want reviewers to validate, then you have the criteria you need to enable contributors to self-review. Think of every instruction paragraph, checklist, or process document as a training tool. Build it into the process so that they don't have to go looking for it. Surround the participants with guidance.

Set expectations. Communicate clear roles and responsibilities at every step to ensure that participants know what they are getting into. No one should ever stop work or feel frustration as a result of not knowing what is expected of them. Process cooperation and acceptance starts with a clear dialog regarding expectations. The process should provide opportunities to raise issues with expectations early and frequently to anticipate and mitigate potential problems.

Ensure participants are capable of fulfilling their assignments. Even if the process defines roles and responsibilities, communicates expectations, and provides guidance, it will fail if participants are not capable of fulfilling their assignments or not are available to fulfill them. When staff are assigned who cannot fulfill their assignments, you are doomed to failure. They need to be helped or replaced as quickly as possible. To ensure the success of your process implementation, you should anticipate that this will happen occasionally and address it during resource identification and shortly after assignment tasking.


Return the Favor! Show the author of this article some love and appreciation by posting a link to it, tweeting it, or emailing a friend and telling them about it. Thanks!



PropLIBRARY is our professional-grade tool for accelerating, inspiring, guiding, and improving your proposals

The PropLIBRARY Knowledgebase provides step-by-step guidance to help you:

  • Get ready to win before the RFP is even released
  • Develop win strategies
  • Plan, write, and produce a winning proposal
  • Base proposal quality on what it takes to win
  • Comes with online training!

>> Click here to learn more about the features and benefits of using PropLIBRARY






The hundreds of articles in our free library are derived from The CapturePlanning.com MustWin Process and the documents that we sell. The articles discuss the theory and foundations of the techniques we have developed. But if you want our templates, forms, and process documentation that turn theory into documents and tools ready to be put to work, you should consider our premium content.


Premium Content:
PropLIBRARY: Our Tool For Winning Business Leads

How to Write an Executive Summary
How to Write a Management Plan
Proposal Format and Samples Package
Business Proposal Sample Makeover: Before and After
509 Questions to Answer in Your Proposals
Quick and Dirty Guide for Writing a Last Minute Proposal
Business Development for Project Managers & Engineers
How to Survive Your First Business Proposal

Save by getting our Discount Package!

More Free Articles:
Proposal Writing
How to Write a Business Proposal
How to Write an Executive Summary
Proposal Writing for Professional Services
Proposal Management
Win Strategies and Themes
Red Teams & Proposal Quality Validation
How to Create a Proposal Compliance Matrix
Proposal Process & Procedures
Process Implementation & Acceptance
Proposal Storyboards
Proposal Training
Proposal Software
Proposal Tips
Proposal Graphics
Oral Proposals and Presentations
Marketing and Business Development
Relationship Marketing and Customer Contacts
RFP Readiness and Lead Qualification
Sales Letters & Copy Writing
Bid/No-Bid Decisions
Government Contracting
Request for Proposals (RFP)
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Small Business Development & Startup


Miscellaneous
Home
About Us
Privacy Policy
Site Terms of Usage
Contact/Send Us Feedback

Copyright © 2011. Please review the Terms of Use prior to copying or distributing.