In the PROACTIVE POSITIONING lectures you will learn how to become strongly positioned as the preferred firm by…
running business development as a project with plans, goals, schedules, deliverables, record-keeping and feedback
analyzing your clients in order to understand whether you are positioned for a win
developing focused sales action plans for specific opportunities
understanding how people make decisions and how to use this knowledge in your communications
Your marketing program has positioned your firm in your target market(s). This, however, is not enough. Waiting for an RFP to show up in your mail is not effective business development.
Instead, highly successful firms use a planned program of activities that seeks to maximize the fit between their company and the targeted individual decision makers.
Understanding how your clients view their particular situation enables you to meet a client’s technical and personal needs.
You can now differentiate yourself from your competitors and win.
Proactive Positioning Requires Treating Business Development as a Project (13 minutes)
In this introductory video, you will be introduced to the distinction between marketing and sales and the elements that must be present in order to treat business development as a project, namely: a plan, diligent, skillful execution and effective record keeping.
The BD Elements...
...are described in these lectures:
The Plan
• CPR of Business Development
Diligent, skillful execution
• Client Account Analysis
• Making Client Contacts
Effective record keeping
• CPR of Business Development
• Client Account Analysis
CPR of Business Development (57 minutes)
CPR of business Development describes what the BD plan should look like and how to keep productive records. This is where you will learn how to run business development like a project with plans, goals, schedules, deliverables, record-keeping, and feedback.The concepts are presented in three chapters:
Proactive Positioning
Represents the CPR of Business Development (25 min). This is where you will learn how proactive positioning enables you to overcome the limitations of reactively responding to RFPs/RFQs. With this approach you can learn what it takes to win, take the steps needed to become the “firm to beat,” and overcome the limitations of federal procurement rules.
Simple Tracking System
Provides Basis for Business Forecasting (16 min). This is where you will learn about a simple marketing information system that helps you keep track of business opportunities, make sure that steps are taken to position your firm for the win, and how to use this data to forecast business.
Call Plans and Record Keeping
Keeps you on Track for High Wins (16 min). This results because with these plans you will treat business development as a set of projects, commit yourself to productive face-to-face client contacts, and practice strong time-management.
Client Account Analysis (1 hour, 43 minutes)
Client Account Analysis is a business development tool that helps you develop focused sales action plans for targeted business opportunities.
You can, as you watch this lecture, carry out an analysis on a current pursuit and end up with an action plan ready to be carried out.
“
Our proposal would’ve looked greatly different if we’d done this analysis first.”
—seminar participant comment
1. Decision Making Styles explains how people make decisions and how that impacts your approach to the client, your presentations and proposals.
2. The Account Analysis itself is a graphic based method of documenting what you know and don’t know about the client and what is important to each key decision maker. You will be introduced to the concepts of blockers and helpers, buying roles, and the use of coaches and ball carriers. Gap analysis is used to identify obstacles that may prevent you from winning.
3. Sales Action Plans are developed as a result of the analysis. Prioritized red flags (obstacles) are converted into actions which, when carried out, will improve your likelihood of a win.
4. Record Keeping is a means of collecting information to be used in the development of persuasive proposals and presentations.
Clients say it best:
“
Fantastic practical way to see gaps and bridges in strategic planning.”
—Deputy Program Manager, MWH Americas, Inc.
“
I like going through the client analysis. It actually shows you how much you don’t know about the client.”
—Business Developer, MWH Americas, Inc.
“
Fantastic practical way to see gaps and bridges in strategic planning.”
—Deputy Program Manager, MWH Americas, Inc.
“
We would have lost this job if it hadn’t been for the account analysis. It helped us identify our weaknesses and our strengths. As a result, we were able to leverage our strengths, especially the use of our ‘Advocate,’ and shore up our weak spots.”
“
I didn’t realize how poorly I knew my client.”
Making Client Contacts (46 minutes)
The Value Call
In this lecture you will learn how to come across as a helper, how to assure mutual understanding, and how to demonstrate your own knowledge not by what you say but by the questions you ask. As a result, your client receives value from your visit and invites you back.
Interviewing Clients
This lecture introduces a simple model, called the Funnel Approach, that can be used in interviewing the client to put you and the client at ease. The use of this technique helps you learn information that will help you write that winning proposal and prepare that persuasive presentation.
