Generating Leads Through Social Media (part 3 of 3): How to fill out a winning request for proposal
The sales process has changed over the years and salespeople are spending more and more time responding to Requests for proposal (RFP’s) and less time directly engaging the potential client. This can be frustrating for a salesperson whose strengths lie in connecting with the client and selling benefits. However, there are ways to use those selling skills and increase the chances of creating a winning proposal. Based on meeting planner panels and research of which proposals get noticed, Signature has developed a training program to help salespeople streamline the process to creating winning proposals that stand out from the competition.
Signature’s Writing a Winning RFP can help your sales team design proposals that solicit a response including the steps needed to differentiate your property from its competitors. We will help them go outside of the cookie cutter proposal to create ones that are sales based and specific to the client. We will also show ways to implement these easily by customizing some key areas to make an impact with the buyer.
The areas covered in this training are:
- How to avoid early elimination- one of the must-have table stakes to responding to RFPS
- How to sell electronically: this implies acknowledging, persuading and substantiating within just a few paragraphs of text.
- Writing benefit statements that engage meeting planners.
- Identifying when to pick up the phone or sending an engaging email
- Creative methods for standing out from your competitors
There are several websites and online services that house Requests for Proposals (RFPs), bids, Request for and tender information depending upon the type of business you are looking for—institutional, government or private sector.
Many provinces post opportunities onto their own sites in addition to posting them on well-known siteslike MERX. Many large municipalities post their data online but many smaller centres most of the time do not. Many of the smaller municipalities prefer to pick suppliers based on personal relationships and mutual benefit. The tenders which are publicly advertised may be found in small local papers and in some larger newspapers or again on one of these following RFP online sources:
Hospitality industry:
corpobids.com: Corpobids is a website where meeting planners can request quotes from different service providers.
planifierunmariage.com (available in French only): Future brides and grooms are invited to fill out requests for proposals to be sent to hotels and venues of their choice.
reunionsetevenements.com (available in French only): On this site, meeting planners have access to packages including lodging, meals and activities. After making their selection, they can send out requests for proposal to different providers.
Other industries:
merx.com: MERX offers public and private sector contract opportunities in Canada.
rfpsource.ca: RFPSource offers small and medium-sized companies the opportunity to bid, post opportunities and pursue strategic partnerships in Canada, the United States and internationally.
bidsCanada.com: A Canadian search engine that specializes in indexing brief descriptions and links to tenders, Requests for Proposal (RFP), Requests for Quotation (RFQ) and other solicitations posted on Canadian public-sector websites.
seao.ca: The official tendering site of the Government of Quebec Feeling inspired and looking for new business? Writing winning requests for proposal can definitely generate extra revenue for your company. After training, start by setting aside some time every week to
searching and effectively writing the RFPS. Furthermore, allocating a budget to have access to RFP documents and RFP websites may also be necessary depending on your market.
Cheers to your success!
Julie Charbonneau, Signature Canada
Business Development and Training Director
j.charbonneau@signaturecanada.ca
Phone: 438-870- 3087
www.signaturecanada.ca
Signature’s Writing a Winning RFP can help your sales team design proposals that solicit a response including the steps needed to differentiate your property from its competitors. We will help them go outside of the cookie cutter proposal to create ones that are sales based and specific to the client. We will also show ways to implement these easily by customizing some key areas to make an impact with the buyer.
The areas covered in this training are:
- How to avoid early elimination- one of the must-have table stakes to responding to RFPS
- How to sell electronically: this implies acknowledging, persuading and substantiating within just a few paragraphs of text.
- Writing benefit statements that engage meeting planners.
- Identifying when to pick up the phone or sending an engaging email
- Creative methods for standing out from your competitors
There are several websites and online services that house Requests for Proposals (RFPs), bids, Request for and tender information depending upon the type of business you are looking for—institutional, government or private sector.
Many provinces post opportunities onto their own sites in addition to posting them on well-known siteslike MERX. Many large municipalities post their data online but many smaller centres most of the time do not. Many of the smaller municipalities prefer to pick suppliers based on personal relationships and mutual benefit. The tenders which are publicly advertised may be found in small local papers and in some larger newspapers or again on one of these following RFP online sources:
Hospitality industry:
corpobids.com: Corpobids is a website where meeting planners can request quotes from different service providers.
planifierunmariage.com (available in French only): Future brides and grooms are invited to fill out requests for proposals to be sent to hotels and venues of their choice.
reunionsetevenements.com (available in French only): On this site, meeting planners have access to packages including lodging, meals and activities. After making their selection, they can send out requests for proposal to different providers.
Other industries:
merx.com: MERX offers public and private sector contract opportunities in Canada.
rfpsource.ca: RFPSource offers small and medium-sized companies the opportunity to bid, post opportunities and pursue strategic partnerships in Canada, the United States and internationally.
bidsCanada.com: A Canadian search engine that specializes in indexing brief descriptions and links to tenders, Requests for Proposal (RFP), Requests for Quotation (RFQ) and other solicitations posted on Canadian public-sector websites.
seao.ca: The official tendering site of the Government of Quebec Feeling inspired and looking for new business? Writing winning requests for proposal can definitely generate extra revenue for your company. After training, start by setting aside some time every week to
searching and effectively writing the RFPS. Furthermore, allocating a budget to have access to RFP documents and RFP websites may also be necessary depending on your market.
Cheers to your success!
Julie Charbonneau, Signature Canada
Business Development and Training Director
j.charbonneau@signaturecanada.ca
Phone: 438-870- 3087
www.signaturecanada.ca
Julie Charbonneau
Signature Canada is a leader in training employees to deliver legendary customer service while increasing sales. Since 1986, Signature’s unique training methodology has provided a measurable ROI for our customers, compelling them to return year after year.