Have you ever been in a meeting and discovered with a shock that you weren't on the same page as someone else? It's embarrassing. It's awkward. I was involved in writing a speech for the CEO of a major corporation. The CEO had already discussed with me what he wanted to say and I had written a draft. The draft had been passed to a manager in the marketing department. The take of this manager was that it was not what they wanted the CEO to say. So who's in charge here? Is there a consistent message?I bring up this example because business proposal requests on the face of it are straightforward, but may have an agenda of which you are unaware. A department requesting a proposal might not have the OK of senior management. Senior management might not even know about it. As potential supplier, you get caught between a rock and a hard place.It's a question of clarity. You have to take the time to find out, or rather confirm, what it is the client wants. Because of the stricter format, this is less likely to be an issue with an RFP. It's much more likely with some informal business proposal. And here's a very important point. The client may not know what they want and the reason for the proposal may be to define it. Sometimes the proposal request is made so as to determine the best direction for the company over the next decade. It may also be to discover the best way to reorganize the company due to a change in strategy.How do you find out? Fortunately most clients are amenable to giving potential suppliers the information they need to come up with productive proposal bids. They organize briefings for suppliers, either live, or via conference calls and web-based sessions. If that doesn't produce all the answers a supplier needs, the client provides a contact person through which the supplier can obtain additional access and answers to questions.The focus then is on you, as the supplier, to contact the client in order to get what you need. One conversation can shift the way suppliers decide to approach a bid, simply because they are now more aware of what the client needs, or what the client's real circumstances are.So here's the point. If you have any doubts about what the client wants, make sure you find out. It's better to know from the start without having to course correct mid way through developing your business proposal. You might also discover that you're wasting your time on proceeding with the proposal bid and should be focusing your energies elsewhere. But please, find out. [EXTRACT] Have you ever been to a meeting and discovered with surprise that they were on the same page as someone else? It's embarrassing. It's uncomfortable. I was involved in writing a speech for the CEO of a large corporation. The CEO had discussed with me what he meant and I had written a draft. The project had been a manager in the marketing department. Taking this director was not what I wanted the CEO to say. So who's in charge here? Is there a coherent message? I bring up this example because the proposed business applications in the face of it are simple, but may have an agenda which are not conscious. A department requesting a proposal that does not have the approval of senior management. Top management did not even know. As a potential supplier, you get between a rock and a hard place.It 's a matter of clarity. You have to take the time to find, or rather confirm what the customer wants. Due to the strict format, this is less likely to be a problem with a request for proposals. It is much more likely that some informal business proposal. And here is a very important point. The client can not know what they want and the reason for the proposal may be to define it. Sometimes, the RFP is to determine the best direction for the company over the next decade. You can also discover the best way to reorganize the company due to a change in strategy.How find out? Fortunately, most customers are likely to give potential suppliers the information they need to reach production proposal offers. Information sessions are organized for suppliers, either live or through conference calls and web-based sessions. If that does not produce all the answers you need a provider, the client provides a contact person through whom the provider may obtain additional access and answers to questions. The aim is therefore that, as the provider, contact the customer to get what you need. A conversation can change the way you approach deciding providers offer simply because they are more aware of what the customer needs, or what real customer are.So circumstances here is the point. If you have any questions about what the customer wants, be sure to find out. It is better to know from the start without the correct course midway through the development of its proposed business. You might also find you're wasting your time to go ahead with the bid proposal and should focus their energies elsewhere. But please, find out.
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