Pre-Sales, Solution Design and Bid Management An Overview
Setting the Context…XYZ reports 50% revenue growth and 40% rise in Net Profits during Q1 FY13
Fresh orders of $200mn were secured during the quarter, resulting in $990mn of executable order book over the next 12 months.
Twenty new customers were added in this quarter.
What all does it take to build order-book and bring new business to the company?
Whether it is one single person or a group of persons, who are working tirelessly day in and day out to make sure company is sustainable?
Agenda
1. •Understanding the Sales Cycle
2. •What is Pre-Sales
3. •RFx
4. •Solution Design
5. •Bid Management
Agenda
1. •Understanding the Sales Cycle
2. •What is Pre-Sales
3. •RFx
4. •Solution Design
5. •Bid Management
Sales CycleIts about………………….
…………………….?
Sales CycleBuyer Considerations………….?
Seller Considerations………….?
Sales Cycle
NAC
O PS
P
Sales Cycle
NAC
O PSuspecting
P
Sales Cycle Suspecting
Generating the sales lead
Marketing Campaigns
Trade Fairs, Industry Forums
Online Marketing, Social Media
Inside Sales Team
S
Sales Cycle
NAC
O Prospecting
Suspecting
P
Sales Cycle Prospecting
Qualifying the sales lead
For a sales lead to qualify as a sales prospect, qualification must be performed and evaluated –
Product Applicability / Fitment of Solution
Ability to afford our solution
Time frame of purchase
S P
Sales Cycle
NAnalysisC
O Prospecting
Suspecting
P
Sales Cycle Analysis
Taking the qualified prospect through a question and answer session to identify the requirements
Help the buyer identify and quantify a business need or a ‘gap’ between where prospect is today and where it want to be in future
SPIN
S P A
Sales Cycle Analysis
SPIN
S P A
Sales Cycle
NAnalysisC
O Prospecting
Suspecting
Proposals
Sales Cycle Proposals
Come up with a business proposal suggesting various products/services that will suffice the need of the prospect
Includes Cost, Schedule and other information
S P A P
Sales Cycle
Negotiation
AnalysisC
O Prospecting
Suspecting
Proposals
Sales Cycle Negotiation
Negotiate the terms set in the business proposal
Pricing (Technique & Amount)
Scope of the Project
Timeline
S P A P N
Sales Cycle
Negotiation
AnalysisClosure
O Prospecting
Suspecting
Proposals
Sales Cycle Closure
Making the actual sale
Getting the Sign-Off / Purchase Order
Getting the SOW signed
S P A P N C
Sales Cycle
Negotiation
AnalysisClosure
Repeat Order Prospecting
Suspecting
Proposals
Sales Cycle repeat Order
Maintaining the relationship with client and brining more orders through
Cross Selling, Other Project Opportunities
Order Renewals
S P A P N C O
Sales Cycle
Negotiation
AnalysisClosure
Repeat Order Prospecting
Suspecting
Proposals
Sales Cycle Hunters
Farmers
Agenda1. •Understanding the Sales Cycle
2. •What is Pre-Sales
3. •RFx
4. •Solution Design
5. •Bid Management
Pre-Sales Pre Sales includes the
entire gamut of activities involved in preparing to engage with prospects / clients,
and includes specific responses to client requests
Pre-Sales
Pre-SalesResponding to Client Requests
Responding to RFP, RFI, RFQ
Providing any information to the client, which helps him take the buying decision
General client queries about solutions and capabilities
Responding toClient
Requests
Pre-SalesSupporting Client Visits
Prospects / clients may visit the vendor’s office
To see the vendor’s infrastructure
Gives vendor an opportunity to showcase its capability and do cross-selling
Supporting Client Visit
Responding toClient
Requests
Pre-SalesVisiting Clients
Visiting client for meetings
Due diligence – to get a clear understanding of the requirement
May also include demonstration of Proof-Of-Concepts or product
Solution Presentation to the Client
Visiting Clients
Supporting Client Visit
Responding toClient
Requests
Pre-SalesInterfacing with Internal & External Groups to Design Best Fit Solution for Client
Need to interface & coordinate with
Technical Competency Centres
Functional SME
Legal and Financial
Delivery Teams
Recruitment
Third Party / OEMs
Visiting Clients
Supporting Client Visit
Interfacing & Coordinating
Responding toClient
Requests
Pre-SalesMarketing Support
For various marketing events, need to support marketing team through
Offering and Capability related documents, brochures and posters
Extended capability (if any) through alliances with other product development firms or niche vendors
Visiting Clients
Marketing Support
Supporting Client Visit
Interfacing & Coordinating
Responding toClient
Requests
Pre-SalesCompetitor Analysis & Market Scanning
Clients receive response from multiple vendors, so one must know where does it stand against competition
What is our competition in an industry / for a specific bid opportunity and what are their offerings / differentiators
Market scanning is done through market research reports, analyst reports
Visiting Clients
Marketing Support
Supporting Client Visit
Competitor Analysis
Interfacing & Coordinating
Responding toClient
Requests
Pre-Sales
Visiting ClientsMarketing Support
Supporting Client Visit
Competitor Analysis
Interfacing & Coordinating
Responding toClient Requests
Agenda1. •Understanding the Sales Cycle
2. •What is Pre-Sales
3. •RFx
4. •Solution Design
5. •Bid Management
RFx RFI / EOI
Request for Information / Expression of Interest
These are usually relatively short documents that ask specific questions about the vendor and services vendor provides
Capability Evaluation
Often used as pre-qualifier to determine which vendors will receive an RFP or RFQ – Vendor Empanelment
RFx RFP
Request for Proposal
These are often lengthy documents that provide detailed information on requirements
functions & workflow, business goals, integration specs, etc
to the vendors so they may propose a solution which meets the Client’s needs and goals
It often includes scope of requirements, pricing requirements, contract terms & conditions, as well as detailed case studies & reference requirements
RFx RFQ
Request for Quotes
Can be part of an RFP or RFI
This is a request for pricing based on what's outlined in the RFI or specified in an RFP, or can be used as a request for ala carte pricing for various service options
RFxRFI , RFP & RFQ
A company can do any one or more of the above, usually in the order shown
Often the RFP may incorporate both the RFI and RFQ as sections of the doc, and also include other evaluation steps such as a demo, proof-of-concept or presentation
A big advantage of using RFI, RFP or RFQ in software evaluation is that it allows vendors to self-eliminate because they can better assess their own chances
This helps the buyer narrow down the choices to the most feasible solutions
Agenda1. •Understanding the Sales Cycle
2. •What is Pre-Sales
3. •RFx
4. •Solution Design
5. •Bid Management
Solution Design
?
Solution Design Effort Estimation
Estimating how much effort it is going to take to complete the project
Various industry standard methodologies are used for effort estimation like FP, WBS, SMC
Given in Person Months
Solution Design Technical Solution
Technical Solution, addressing the client’s requirements
Technology Selection
Technical Architecture
Technology Stack
Licensing / Sizing Information
Infrastructure / Hosting Solution
Compliance to NFR
Open Source Or
Proprietary
Solution Design Functional Solution
Functional Solution, addressing the client’s requirements
Functional Flow
Fitment of any existing frameworks
Compliance to FR
Solution Design Project Execution Methodology
Which Methodology will be followed for project implementation
WaterfallIterativeAgile
Client specified or Vendor recommended methodology
Warranty, Maintenance & Support
Solution Design Project Plan
Timelines to implement the project
Milestones to complete various stages of the project
Activities to be performed and various deliverables
Solution Design Resourcing & Team
Recommended Team structure
Onsite / Offshore composition
Different Roles identified
No of resources for each identified role
Sample CV / Positioning for key roles
Solution Design
?Open Source Or
Proprietary
Solution Design Effort Estimation Technical Solution
Functional Solution
Project Execution Methodology
Project Plan
Resourcing & Team
What goes in a Proposal Executive Summary – Cover Letter
Value Proposition
Understanding of Requirements - Client’s Pain Points
Solution
Vertical & Technical Capability – Accelerators, Case Studies & References
Pricing Vendor Information
Agenda1. •Understanding the Sales Cycle
2. •What is Pre-Sales
3. •RFx
4. •Solution Design
5. •Bid Management
Bid Management Process
Bid QualificationBid Qualification Form
1. Project Name/Bid Title 2. Client name 3. Business Domain (Finance / Insurance / Transport, etc) 4. Type of Request (RFP / RFI / Estimation only) 5. Type of Bid (Please mark X in column)
Custom Software Development Workflow Application Application Support & Maintenance Packaged Software Systems Integration Enterprise Knowledge Solution Legacy Modernization & Maintenance Other:
6. Items required from Offshore (Please mark X in appropriate columns)
Complete Proposal Response to RFI Technical Solution Only Presentation Project Estimates Only Other:
7. Critical Success Factors for winning the Bid
8. What is the Account Managers assessment of the
probability that NIIT will be selected?
9. What is the budget the client has in mind for this assignment?
Bid Qualification
10. Technological preferences of client, if any?
11. General Information Milestone Date RFP/RFI published by Client RFP/RFI sent to Offshore Submission to Client Response needed from Offshore Client briefing (if any) Likely decision by client
12. Main Competitors’
13. Is there a preference for local vendor (Yes/No)? 14. What is Approx. Planned Gross Margin from Sales Team? 15. Any other Information relevant to this bid
16. Name of Account Manager & Geo
Bid Management Process
Bid Team FormationKick-off meeting - Roles and Responsibilities
Understanding Business Problem / Requirement Win Theme – Differentiators, Value proposition
Technical and Functional SolutionExecution ApproachEstimation, Resource Plan
Final Review of Entire proposalSubmission to prospectArchival of proposals
Bid Plan
Deal Strategy Document
Effort & Cost Estimation
Proposal
sReview Cycles
10 tips to prepare a winning proposal
1. Focus on the Customer2. Customize and personalize 3. Define the Solution4. Calculate Benefits--Buyer Value5. Show Non-financial Benefits—Buyer Value6. Describe the Methodology 7. Include Differentiator8. Highlight Business Information More Than Technical Information9. Develop Proposal Standards 10. Ensure the Quality Standards
Proposal Building Tips
Presentation Know your audience Establish the context Include only essentials, from customers perspective Establish a structure (agenda) Ensure a flow, in order of importance Use of mnemonics, pictures, graphs – must be relevant Using the right tone.
◦ Tone is determined by Choice of words, expressions, sentences Modulation Facial expression, body language Voice
“Client buys you first then your company”
Proposal Presentation
“winning isn’t everything it’s the only
thing”.