how to increase your company’s win rate in 7 proven steps webinar presented to apmp sydney chapter...
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How to Increase Your Company’s Win Rate in 7 Proven Steps How to Increase Your Company’s Win Rate in 7 Proven Steps
Webinar Presented to APMP Sydney Chapter
December 6, 2011
Bob Lohfeld, Lohfeld Consulting Group
www.LohfeldConsulting.com
Webinar Presented to APMP Sydney Chapter
December 6, 2011
Bob Lohfeld, Lohfeld Consulting Group
www.LohfeldConsulting.com
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.2
Win More BusinessWin More Business
Focus on 7 Proven Steps to—Focus on 7 Proven Steps to—
Advance in Your CareerAdvance in Your Career
Write Better ProposalsWrite Better Proposals
PROPOSAL
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.3
7 Keys to Winning in Team Sports (and Government Procurements)7 Keys to Winning in Team Sports (and Government Procurements)
Every Good Coach will Tell You:Every Good Coach will Tell You:
1 Recruit Great AthletesRecruit Great AthletesGet the Right People on the TeamGet the Right People on the Team
3 Use the Right ToolsUse the Right ToolsEnhance Your Level of Play with the Right ToolsEnhance Your Level of Play with the Right Tools
2 Have a Solid Game PlanHave a Solid Game PlanUse the Right TechniquesUse the Right Techniques
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.4
7 Keys to Winning in Team Sports (and Government Procurements)7 Keys to Winning in Team Sports (and Government Procurements)
Every Good Coach will Tell You:Every Good Coach will Tell You:
4 Focus on CoachingFocus on CoachingCall the Right PlaysCall the Right Plays
6 Avoid StealsAvoid StealsEvery Proposal is Compliant, Responsive, and CompellingEvery Proposal is Compliant, Responsive, and Compelling
5 Focus on Your StrategyFocus on Your StrategyBuild a Winning SolutionBuild a Winning Solution
7 Enjoy the GameEnjoy the GameHave Fun at What You DoHave Fun at What You Do
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.5
Like an NFL team, you start by drafting the right athletes Aptitude: excellent organizational and writing skills Domain expertise Experience Avoid unapplied labor (slugs)
Like an NFL team, you start by drafting the right athletes Aptitude: excellent organizational and writing skills Domain expertise Experience Avoid unapplied labor (slugs)
Step 1: Get the Right PeopleStep 1: Get the Right People
1
Build Your Core TeamBuild Your Core Team
Consultants used for surge and special skills Major companies use a 70/30 rule
Consultants used for surge and special skills Major companies use a 70/30 rule
Augment Core Team with Special PlayersAugment Core Team with Special Players
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.6
Step 1: Get the Right People (Cont.)Step 1: Get the Right People (Cont.)
1
Professional expertise: real consultants vs. migratory labor
Recognized accomplishment: more than a business card, peer recognition as among the best
Commitment to the profession: APMP certifications
Professional expertise: real consultants vs. migratory labor
Recognized accomplishment: more than a business card, peer recognition as among the best
Commitment to the profession: APMP certifications
What to Look for in ConsultantsWhat to Look for in Consultants
“Accidental Proposal Consultant” who will do “anything for money” (AFM) between full-time jobs
“Accidental Proposal Consultant” who will do “anything for money” (AFM) between full-time jobs
What to AvoidWhat to Avoid
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.7
Professional Development Training: raise their level of understanding and competitiveness (do you have a training program/plan with courses identified?)
Skills training: train like you play/fight/fly; train using your process and tools
Professional Development Training: raise their level of understanding and competitiveness (do you have a training program/plan with courses identified?)
Skills training: train like you play/fight/fly; train using your process and tools
Step 1: Get the Right People (Cont.)Step 1: Get the Right People (Cont.)
1
Train Your TeamTrain Your Team
Proposals are an intellectual competition. Look at your market (SB, mid, large) and ask, “Are we smarter, better trained, and more agile than our competition?”
Look for the best and brightest who can work under tight deadlines (reliable); can handle long hours under stressful situations (durable); and are smart, creative and driven to be successful (talented)
The objective is not to produce a proposal, it is to create the winning proposal
Proposals are an intellectual competition. Look at your market (SB, mid, large) and ask, “Are we smarter, better trained, and more agile than our competition?”
Look for the best and brightest who can work under tight deadlines (reliable); can handle long hours under stressful situations (durable); and are smart, creative and driven to be successful (talented)
The objective is not to produce a proposal, it is to create the winning proposal
Do You Have a Team That Can Win?Do You Have a Team That Can Win?
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.8
Step 2: Use the Right ProcessStep 2: Use the Right Process
2
Establish a Business Acquisition Framework That Covers 5 Stages:Establish a Business Acquisition Framework That Covers 5 Stages:
Business Development
Capture Management
Pre-proposal Preparation
Proposal Development Post-submittal
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.9
Defined: written and available process (framework) and instructional materials (procedures)
Repeatable: the process has survived multiple acquisitions
Managed: use the process to manage the pursuits and don’t manage around the process
Measured: track not only your wins and losses, but also how well you carried out the process
Optimized: based on results and statistical analysis, work to continually improve processes
Defined: written and available process (framework) and instructional materials (procedures)
Repeatable: the process has survived multiple acquisitions
Managed: use the process to manage the pursuits and don’t manage around the process
Measured: track not only your wins and losses, but also how well you carried out the process
Optimized: based on results and statistical analysis, work to continually improve processes
Step 2: Use the Right Process (Cont.)Step 2: Use the Right Process (Cont.)
2
Work Toward Building a Mature Business Acquisition Process (for Major Competitions and Task Order Responses)Work Toward Building a Mature Business Acquisition Process (for Major Competitions and Task Order Responses)
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.10
Step 2: Use the Right Process (Cont.)Step 2: Use the Right Process (Cont.)
A Mature Process Will—A Mature Process Will—
Increase efficiency (everyone knows what to do and how to do it)
Reduce costs (reuse artifacts)
Increase win probability
Do You Have a Winning Process, or is Every Pursuit a New Adventure? (Reminds Me of the Movie 50 First Dates)
Do You Have a Winning Process, or is Every Pursuit a New Adventure? (Reminds Me of the Movie 50 First Dates)
Percentage of companies we interview who admit to
having inadequate processes
Percentage of companies that actually do anything
about it
80% <20%
2
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.11
BD pipeline management tools include: Excel spreadsheet Deltek CRM (server or cloud) SalesForce.com (cloud) Microsoft Dynamic CRM (server or cloud)
Capture Management tools: Capture Command Center (Lohfeld’s SharePoint-based framework for managing
capture and proposal activities) Deltek GovWin (task order management)
BD pipeline management tools include: Excel spreadsheet Deltek CRM (server or cloud) SalesForce.com (cloud) Microsoft Dynamic CRM (server or cloud)
Capture Management tools: Capture Command Center (Lohfeld’s SharePoint-based framework for managing
capture and proposal activities) Deltek GovWin (task order management)
Step 3: Use the Right ToolsStep 3: Use the Right Tools
3
Define Your Overall Business Acquisition (BA) Lifecycle and Then Select and Use the Best Tools for Each Phase of the BA Lifecycle (Not The Other Way Around)
Define Your Overall Business Acquisition (BA) Lifecycle and Then Select and Use the Best Tools for Each Phase of the BA Lifecycle (Not The Other Way Around)
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.12
Proposal Management Tools SharePoint (Microsoft) Privia (SpringCM) Virtual Proposal Center (Intravation) SalesEdge (Sant) Custom development
Establish an Enterprise Repository with Appropriate Levels of Security to Archive Artifacts and Get Them off Your PC SharePoint (server or cloud) Oracle Siebel SAP
Proposal Management Tools SharePoint (Microsoft) Privia (SpringCM) Virtual Proposal Center (Intravation) SalesEdge (Sant) Custom development
Establish an Enterprise Repository with Appropriate Levels of Security to Archive Artifacts and Get Them off Your PC SharePoint (server or cloud) Oracle Siebel SAP
Step 3: Use the Right Tools (Cont.)Step 3: Use the Right Tools (Cont.)
3
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.13
Establish 5 Special-purpose Capture and Proposal Productivity Tools Résumé database Past performance database (not the same as a contracts file) Reusable graphics library Pre-written proposal content On-line archive of past proposals
Personal Proposal Productivity Tools (Microsoft-centric) Office 2010 and Windows 7, but keep other versions available for government
electronic submissions SharePoint 2010 Adobe Creative Suite Adobe Acrobat Pro See Beth Wingate’s list of tools on our website
Establish 5 Special-purpose Capture and Proposal Productivity Tools Résumé database Past performance database (not the same as a contracts file) Reusable graphics library Pre-written proposal content On-line archive of past proposals
Personal Proposal Productivity Tools (Microsoft-centric) Office 2010 and Windows 7, but keep other versions available for government
electronic submissions SharePoint 2010 Adobe Creative Suite Adobe Acrobat Pro See Beth Wingate’s list of tools on our website
Step 3: Use the Right Tools (Cont.)Step 3: Use the Right Tools (Cont.)
3
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.14
Choose the battles you are going to win and invest appropriately Stand down on those you are unlikely to win
Choose the battles you are going to win and invest appropriately Stand down on those you are unlikely to win
Make the Right Management DecisionsMake the Right Management Decisions
Step 4: Call the Right PlaysStep 4: Call the Right Plays4
Use a scorecard to evaluate bid opportunities Use a “portfolio approach” to include some lower investment, higher payoff, lower win
probability bids to maximize your likelihood of achieving your revenue goals Build your “A list” of programs that you plan to bid and a “B list” of backup programs to bid if
an “A list” program is delayed (always have a backup plan to make your revenue number)
Measure Your Pursuit Progress and Don’t be Afraid to Shut Down a Pursuit if You are Not Making Real Progress (See Color Mosaic on Next Slide)
Get a Running Start on Your Proposal• Start proposal planning & development in anticipation of RFP release, not after the RFP is out
Manage Your Workload to Avoid Burnout
Use a scorecard to evaluate bid opportunities Use a “portfolio approach” to include some lower investment, higher payoff, lower win
probability bids to maximize your likelihood of achieving your revenue goals Build your “A list” of programs that you plan to bid and a “B list” of backup programs to bid if
an “A list” program is delayed (always have a backup plan to make your revenue number)
Measure Your Pursuit Progress and Don’t be Afraid to Shut Down a Pursuit if You are Not Making Real Progress (See Color Mosaic on Next Slide)
Get a Running Start on Your Proposal• Start proposal planning & development in anticipation of RFP release, not after the RFP is out
Manage Your Workload to Avoid Burnout
Make the Pursuit and Bid/No-bid DecisionsMake the Pursuit and Bid/No-bid Decisions
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.15
Step 4: Call the Right Plays (Cont.)Step 4: Call the Right Plays (Cont.)
Pursuit Decision ScorecardPursuit Decision Scorecard
4
Color code: Blue (excellent), Green (good, but could be better), Yellow (poor and needs much work), and Red (we don’t know how to begin)
QUALITATIVE DECISION MODEL
Pursuit Decision Factors Color Scale Assessment
1. Strategic Fit Blue
2. Understand the Requirement Green
3. Right Solution Blue
4. Customer Advocacy Green
5. Competition Favorable Yellow
6. Financial Objectives Green
7. Pursuit Investment Green
Overall Assessment Light Green
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.16
Winning solutions are created (engineered), they don’t “just happen”
Address all requirements of the RFP (explicitly or implicitly)
Link your solution to the goals and objectives of your customer
Build features that will be evaluated as proposal strengths (features and benefits) and—
Demonstrate high likelihood of mission success Exceed contract requirements whenever practical in a
way that is meaningful to the customer
“Best Informed Wins.” If you understand the requirement better than your competition, you should be able to offer the best solution
Winning solutions are created (engineered), they don’t “just happen”
Address all requirements of the RFP (explicitly or implicitly)
Link your solution to the goals and objectives of your customer
Build features that will be evaluated as proposal strengths (features and benefits) and—
Demonstrate high likelihood of mission success Exceed contract requirements whenever practical in a
way that is meaningful to the customer
“Best Informed Wins.” If you understand the requirement better than your competition, you should be able to offer the best solution
Step 5: Emphasize Creating a Winning SolutionStep 5: Emphasize Creating a Winning Solution
5
Winning Bids will Always be “Feature Rich” with Many Strengths, No or Few Weaknesses, and Offer Low RiskWinning Bids will Always be “Feature Rich” with Many Strengths, No or Few Weaknesses, and Offer Low Risk
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.17
Step 5: Emphasize Creating a Winning Solution (Cont.)Step 5: Emphasize Creating a Winning Solution (Cont.)
5
Do you have a win laboratory or victory lab as part of your process?Do you have a win laboratory or victory lab as part of your process?
Build Solution Development into Your Capture and Proposal ProcessesBuild Solution Development into Your Capture and Proposal Processes
Never start writing your technical or managementproposal until you’ve agreed on the solutions and features that you will showcase
Never start writing your technical or managementproposal until you’ve agreed on the solutions and features that you will showcase
Agree on Your SolutionAgree on Your Solution
Creativity may be your only real competitive advantage since today’s breakthroughs are tomorrow’s obsolete technology
Creativity may be your only real competitive advantage since today’s breakthroughs are tomorrow’s obsolete technology
Focus on CreativityFocus on Creativity
Capture Management
Pre-proposal Preparation
Solution Sessions
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.18
Make no mistakes in the proposal that cause you to lose points Make it easy to evaluate (score) The battle should be won by having the best solution—assume your
competitors’ proposals will be well-written!
Make no mistakes in the proposal that cause you to lose points Make it easy to evaluate (score) The battle should be won by having the best solution—assume your
competitors’ proposals will be well-written!
Step 6: Build a Compliant, Responsive, Compelling Proposal Step 6: Build a Compliant, Responsive, Compelling Proposal
6
Professional Proposals are Expected to be Compliant, Responsive, and Compelling and Convey Your Solution in the Most Favorable Way to Receive the Highest Evaluation Score
Professional Proposals are Expected to be Compliant, Responsive, and Compelling and Convey Your Solution in the Most Favorable Way to Receive the Highest Evaluation Score
Compliant
Compelling
Responsive
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.19
Always follow these rules: Never criticize the person, only critique the
solution or proposal to make it better Encourage innovation, experimentation, and
creativity within the framework of your business acquisition process
Recognize and appreciate the contributions to success and don’t chastise those who tried hard but didn’t win
A happy team builds a culture around winning and your team can become invincible in your competitive market
Always follow these rules: Never criticize the person, only critique the
solution or proposal to make it better Encourage innovation, experimentation, and
creativity within the framework of your business acquisition process
Recognize and appreciate the contributions to success and don’t chastise those who tried hard but didn’t win
A happy team builds a culture around winning and your team can become invincible in your competitive market
Step 7: Have Fun!Step 7: Have Fun!
7
People Who Have Fun at What They do are More Engaged, Creative, Productive, and Motivated to WinPeople Who Have Fun at What They do are More Engaged, Creative, Productive, and Motivated to Win
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
On a Scale of 1 to 4, Rate Your Company in Each of the 7 Factors On a Scale of 1 to 4, Rate Your Company in Each of the 7 Factors
How Well Do You Stack Up?How Well Do You Stack Up?
20
4
4
32
1
4
3
2
1
43
21
43
21
4
3
2
1
4
3
2
1
3
2 1
PEOPLE
PROPOSAL
QUALITY O
F
LIFE
DECISION
TOOLS
PROCESS
SOLUTION
The Graphic Gives You a Clear Indication of Where You Need to Focus Your Energy
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.21
•Survey shows on average, a 20% increase in 7-factor scores produces a 20% increase in win rate!
Companies Government Market Commercial Market
Number of companies in
survey
Average 7-factor score
Win Rate Number of companies in
survey
Average 7-factor score
Win Rate
Low 7-factor assessment scores 9 17.89 44.4 6 12.83 41.33
High 7-factor assessment scores 8 21.5 65.3 5 21.2 43.8
Average 19.59 54.4 16.64 42.45
APMP Survey shows higher 7-factor scores result in higher win rates
US Government contractors had 17% higher 7-factor scores and 28% higher win rates than US companies in the commercial market.
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.22
Presentation slides and 7-Factor Assessment Scorecard are on our website at www.LohfeldConsulting.com http://www.lohfeldconsulting.com/news-knowledge/page/4/
More information about productivity tools can be found in Beth Wingate’s presentation: http://www.lohfeldconsulting.com/news-knowledge/2011/06/appmaven%E2
%80%99s-secret-arsenal-tools-and-apps-to-achieve-victory-apmp-2011-6-3-11/
Please think of us for capture and proposal support, process development/ implementation, and training.
Upcoming training classes (http://www.lohfeldconsulting.com/about/events) December 9, APMP Foundation-level Accreditation, Springfield, VA January 12, APMP Foundation-level Accreditation, Columbia, MD
Presentation slides and 7-Factor Assessment Scorecard are on our website at www.LohfeldConsulting.com http://www.lohfeldconsulting.com/news-knowledge/page/4/
More information about productivity tools can be found in Beth Wingate’s presentation: http://www.lohfeldconsulting.com/news-knowledge/2011/06/appmaven%E2
%80%99s-secret-arsenal-tools-and-apps-to-achieve-victory-apmp-2011-6-3-11/
Please think of us for capture and proposal support, process development/ implementation, and training.
Upcoming training classes (http://www.lohfeldconsulting.com/about/events) December 9, APMP Foundation-level Accreditation, Springfield, VA January 12, APMP Foundation-level Accreditation, Columbia, MD
ConclusionConclusion
Copyright 2011 Lohfeld Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
About Lohfeld Consulting GroupAbout Lohfeld Consulting Group
www.lohfeldconsulting.com Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/Lohfeldwww.lohfeldconsulting.com Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/Lohfeld
Lohfeld Consulting Group specializes in helping companies create winning proposals. As the premier proposal services consulting firm focused exclusively on government markets, we provide expert assistance to government contractors in Capture Planning and Strategy, Proposal Management and Development, Capture and Proposal Process and Infrastructure, and Training.
Contact Bob LohfeldCEO of Lohfeld Consulting GroupEmail: RLohfeld@LohfeldConsulting.comTel: (410) 336-6264
23
www.lohfeldconsulting.comwww.lohfeldconsulting.com
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