"Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1The Power of the A+ Proposal
The Proposal: The Make or Break Move
How to Put the ""Power"" into Your Proposals
Be Compliant: Powerful Proposals Give Customers What They Request
Be Responsive: Powerful Proposals Address Customers' Needs, Key Issues,
Values, and Goals
What Proposals Reveal About You
Six Key Elements of High-Quality Proposals
Evaluating Proposals: The Best and the Worst
Challenges for Readers
Chapter 2A Simple Notion: A Proposal Is a Sales Tool
The DNA of Proposals: How Organizations Buy Products and Services
Purpose
Audience
Organization
Reader Intent
How Buying Decisions Are Made
They Won't Buy, Unless You Sell
Powerful Proposals: Simple, Clear, and Precise
Four Compelling Questions Every Proposal Must Answer
Question 1: Why Us?
Question 2: Why Not Them?
Question 3: So What?
Question 4: How So?
Challenges for Readers
Chapter 3Getting Your Message Across: Technical Proposals for Every Reader
The Competitive Advantage: Reader-Friendly Proposals That Sell
Compete by Communicating
Know Your Audience
Overcome Differences
Designing the Proposal
Two Messages, One Proposal
Double Exposure Techniques
Challenges for Readers
Chapter 4Sell the Benefits: Customer-Oriented Proposals
Why Steak Without Sizzle Is Not Enough
Customer-Oriented Proposals
Who Are the Buyers?
What Buyers Look For
The ""Me"" Proposal
Reading the Customer's Mind: The ""You"" Proposal
Five Essential Components of a Customer-Focused Proposal
Uncover and Respond to the Customer's Underlying Need
Address All of the Requirements and Requests
Mirror the RFP
Emphasize Benefits, Especially Intangible Ones
Develop an Effective Proposal Strategy
Challenges for Readers
Chapter 5What It Takes to Win: Credibility, Acceptability and Preference
Establishing Credibility
The Right Experience
The Right Solution
The Right Technology
The Right Team
Establishing Acceptability
Negotiable Terms
Competitive Price
Conducive Political Environment
Creating Preference
The Right Relationships
A Compelling Story
Winning Behaviors
Challenges for Readers
Chapter 6Winning Executive Summaries: Your Most Powerful Selling Tool
The State of the Art: High-Tech Summaries
A Powerful Executive Summary: Focus on the Benefits
Preparing to Create an Executive Summary
Develop Your Win Strategy
Build a Compelling Story Line
The GIFBP Matrix
How to Design an Executive Summary with Impact
Brochure Format: Your Best Sales Tool
Issues-Driven Executive Summary
Ad-Style Executive Summary
Four-Page Executive Summary
Product-Emulation Executive Summary
Customer-Empathy Executive Summary
Living Executive Summary: An Evolving Sales Tool
The Five Steps
Executive Summary Quality Check
Chapter 7: Timing Is Everything: Positioning to Win
How to Position Your Company to Be a Key Player
Begin Early: Build Relationships, Develop Influence, and Win the Customer
Creating a Company-Wide ""Can-Do"" Attitude
Challenges for Readers
Chapter 8: Proposal Management: The Art of Containing Chaos
Frontloading the Effort: Plan and Design
Freezing the Offer
Planning for and Conducting a Superior Kickoff Meeting
Solidify the Team
Lay the Foundation: Proposal Planning
Establish Credibility: The Process
A Failed Kick-Off: Danger Ahead
Revising for Quality: The Final Touches
Challenges for Readers
Chapter 9Getting It Written, Getting It Right: Guide to Creating Compelling Proposals
The Seven-Step Section Development Process
Step 1: Determine the Content
Step 2: Organize the Content
Step 3: Develop the Themes
Step 4. Develop the Visuals
Step 5: Develop the Proofs
Step 6: Create a Mock-Up
Step 7: Draft the Section
Challenges for Readers
Chapter 10The Red Team Review Process: Making Sure the Power Is in the Proposal
The Role of Reviews in the Proposal Process
Themes and Visuals: The Contributions of the Pink Team
Pink Team Objectives
Pink Team Process
Applying the Pink Team Review to the Final Draft
Does It Have What It Takes: The Red Team Review
Who Is Needed: Selecting Team Members
Red Team Objectives
Red Team Process
Long-Term Benefits
Challenges for Readers
Chapter 11Learning Forward: Win or Lose Protocols for Continuous Improvement
Administering the Protocols
Customer Interview
Internal Review
Lessons Learned
Improvement/Implementation Plan
Challenges for Readers
Appendix AThe Ultimate Weapon: Maximize Proposal Effectiveness with Techies Who Can Sell
Appendix BModels of Issue-Driven and Ad-Style Executive Summaries
Index
About the Authors"