Just because they asked for a proposal does not mean they will read it

In the rush to try and get business have you ever been guilty of thinking that just because you have been asked to send a proposal you assume that the customer will read and understand the proposal before you next meet them? If you have, you are not alone, during the past month we have come across a number of instances where this has happened, including one which happened to us. There is some commonality in the situations we have come across, so we thought we would share them with you and the lessons learned.

A complicated situation rarely translates well to a written proposal
In all of the situations we have seen where the proposal has not been read, or in one case read but not understood, the common situation was that a complex solution to a complex problem was provided. In fact it is fair to stay that in all cases the customer had not been able to articulate the problem clearly, therefore there was no clear, explicit, detailed RFP to respond to.

When we spoke to the sales team and the potential customer we discovered that the customer was using the sales process as the means of understanding the issue and looking for a partner who might be able to help them solve their problem. In all cases they were looking for some form of "emotional favourite" or "trusted advisor" relationship and not an immediate solution.

So why did they ask for a written proposal?
The reality is that a written proposal is usually part of the customer's decision making process, it is a step towards a formal meeting usually with the client and probably others involved in the decision (e.g. procurement, finance or other departments with a vested interest). The reality is that it is more akin to a gatekeeping process that we all have to go through to get to the real issues and potentially the real solution. The written proposal is an integral part of the decision making process as it is often the first document and involvement that the wider decision making team have encountered.

So why didn't they read it?

Remember, that outside of the customer with the issue, the rest of the decision making group do not have a compelling problem that they themselves have to solve. Instead they are a check and balance to ensure the right supplier is chosen and the rules are being followed. The impact of this is that they do not necessarily understand the problem that the proposal is trying to address, let alone the impact of the proposed solution. It is therefore easier for them to decide that the supplier should fully explain the proposal as opposed to reading the written proposal and trying to decode it into language they understand.

As a sales person, you need to understand how influential your customer is, and more importantly how well they appreciate the decision making process of their company. If they understand, and can control the extended decision making group, they can ensure that everyone reads, or at least is aware of what problem they are trying to address and how they would like to achieve this.

What have these experiences taught us?

Here are 6 golden rules we would suggest you follow to ensure that the time you invest adds value to the sales process, and drives success.

1. Does the formal RFP match the informal discussion you have had to identify needs? If not you need to understand what has changed as you may be in danger of answering the wrong, or only part, of the questions on which final decisions will be made.
2. Make sure you understand the role of the written proposal in the decision making process. Is it a "check point" or the formal document that a decision is to be based upon?
3. Send a draft version of your proposal to your contact for confirmation that it addresses the issues.
4. Validate what your customer wants the formal presentation to address. Always ask if this has been agreed by the other members of the decision making group
5. Be prepared to run through the proposal in detail at the presentation, even if you were told that they would read it in advance. Just ask them the question!
6. Just because good sales practice tells you that you should get the customer to do the majority of the talking at a meeting, this does not always hold true. You need to confirm with your contact whether they want a "show and tell" or a discussion around the proposal.

So what were the outcomes?

In all the cases, including ours, the sales team had to go back to their customer to discuss the meeting. In the majority of cases they discovered that there was still confusion as none of the vendors had delivered the "one-stop-shop" solution the wider decision making group was hoping to see. In fact, there was recognition that the RFP and the associated brief for the presentation did not clearly articulate what they were hoping to hear.

To drive the process forward the sales teams went back to basics of "what are you trying to achieve?" By working closely with the customer they were able to to help them better articulate the problem to the wider decision making unit, and then appoint their preferred partner.

So what is our message to you?

The role of a sales team is to help your customer sponsor to have the confidence to make the right decision. Your sponsor may not know how to "work the system" - you need to help him/her. Your relationship, knowledge of the customer's processes and your overall selling skills are key to them getting to the "right" decision. Remember, the formal proposal is only a component of the whole decision making process. Knitting together all of the components is integral to your success.

Be prepared to ask for help

If you are not happy with your approach to dealing with formal proposals, or the final stages of the cycle please feel free to contact Accredit. We can give you quick feedback just by placing a comment on this blog, or we can work with you to ensure you are best placed to start drive the activities that will help you be successful.

Do you want to know more?

Either read our "Helping business drive sales" document or contact mark.savinson@sales-accredit.com and Mark can take you through more detail.