For most architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), and environmental firms, proposal writing is a daily occurrence, a way of life! But just because you have a request for proposal (RFP) in hand doesn’t automatically mean you should pursue it. And what should you be doing once you make a decision to pursue a project?
Many AEC firms excel at proposal writing, but most are looking for new techniques and approaches to stay competitive and stand out from the crowd. Proposal reviewers continually report fatigue when it comes to reviewing proposals that are too similar and too long, frustration about the difficulties in finding pertinent information, and annoyance at the prevalence of irrelevant boilerplate content that does nothing to help them decide if a firm is qualified or not.
Brief, clear, laser-focused proposals are far more apt to succeed than a thick “book” of meaningless information. What approach does your firm take?
AEC marketers are challenged to create effective proposals that address the clients’ needs while conforming to every proposal requirement. Winning proposals often focus on the primary value messages of highest importance to the client, incorporating well-developed themes.
Yes, it is often about price. No, it is not always about price. However, when your proposal looks the same as every other proposal, price becomes the only way a client can differentiate AEC firms. How’s that work out for you?
aecumen’s AEC Proposal Training Program delves into the nuts and bolts of effective proposal writing, beginning with whether or not your firm should even pursue an opportunity! (Too many firms make poor go/no-go decisions.) The content is customizable depending upon your firm’s unique needs, and the topics can be expanded or compressed. Content can include:
- Before the RFP: Positioning Your Firm
- Making the Right Go/No-Go Decision
- Strategizing the Proposal
- Developing Relevant Value Messages
- Collaboration: Pulling Together the Winning Team
- Rule Following & Rule Breaking: What You Need to Know
- Key Content Sections
- Choosing the Right Words
- The Importance of Design
- The Latest Research on the Science of Decision-Making
- The Role of the Red Team (Should You Have One?)
- Creating Themes and Incorporating Relevant Stories
- Typical Challenges & Solutions
- Trends in Proposals
- It’s Never Just About the Proposal
- Proposal Tracking
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- The Latest Proposal Metrics
- …and much more!
Is it time to elevate your proposal game? Contact Scott D. Butcher, FSMPS, CPSM at 717.891.1393 or sbutcher@aecumen.com. Scott has trained thousands of professionals through in-house programs, presentations, conferences, and more. He’s one of the country’s thought leaders on AEC marketing, authoring several books, research reports, and ebooks along the way. Scott writes Marketropolis – the only sales and marketing blog on the Engineering News-Record website – as well as his aecumen blog. During his career he’s been involved with more than a thousand proposals, pursing work as prime and sub-consultant; full-service AEC to stand-alone engineering discipline; design-bid-build, design-build, and construction management; simple letter proposal to advanced Statement of Qualifications; customized template to SF330 to SF255 and other government forms; online, digitally, and in print; for projects ranging from a few thousand dollars to more than $100 million.
