The RFP Success Show

What is the #1 question we're getting about RFPs from clients and prospects lately? Is it a tactical question about time management, contradictory requirements, or formatting? Or a high-level question about managing stress and continuous improvement? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Lisa Rehurek tackles some of the most frequently asked questions about navigating RFPs. From mastering time management to handling contradictory requirements and managing stress, Lisa shares her expert advice to help you streamline your RFP response process. Key Takeaways Mastering Time Management Create a Timeline: Break tasks into manageable chunks and work backwards from the due date to ensure timely completion. Prioritize Critical Sections: Focus on the evaluation criteria and allocate time accordingly. Set Milestones: Establish key checkpoints and create a calendar with blocked time for uninterrupted work. Navigating Contradictory Requirements Clarify with Issuer: Use the Q&A period to address any contradictions and avoid confusion. Document Everything: Keep thorough records of clarifications and decisions for future reference. Use a Compliance Matrix: Develop a matrix to track requirements and identify contradictions early. Response Formatting Strategies Understand Guidelines: Build your response template to meet formatting requirements from the start. Be Creative Within Constraints: Use visuals and bullet points to make your proposal engaging while adhering to guidelines. Create and Customize Templates: Maintain a library of templates to streamline response preparation and ensure clarity. Stress Management Techniques Take Breaks: Regular breaks can boost creativity and reduce stress. Stay Organized: Keep all documents and drafts well-organized to avoid chaos. Celebrate Small Wins: Recognize and celebrate progress to maintain motivation. Commit to Continuous Improvement: Post-submission reviews help refine your process for future RFPs.   Connect with Lisa  The RFP Success Company Lisa on X Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com   Resources LIMITED TIME: RFP FLASH AUDIT The Role of Contracts in Successful Prime + Sub Partnerships on RFP Success EP036 How to Develop Your RFP Pricing Strategy on RFP Success EP081 How to Make a FOIA Request Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute  

What's the secret to getting the most out of AI when crafting RFP proposals? Is it about using AI to generate quick responses, or are there specific strategies to fine-tune the AI's output for high-quality, customized proposals? In this episode of The RFP Success Show, Lisa Rehurik dives into how to create effective AI prompts that will elevate your RFP responses. Lisa explains why the key to strong AI-generated content is in how you prompt it and shares tips on getting the best results by being specific, providing context, and asking for iterations. She also breaks down the most common mistakes people make when working with AI, including being too vague or overloading the system with too much information. Tune in to learn how to craft prompts that transform your standard replies into winning proposals and ensure your content still feels personalized, not just automated. Key Takeaways: Why AI prompts are crucial to RFP success Better prompts lead to more accurate and relevant AI-generated content, helping you save time while producing high-quality responses. How to structure your AI prompts effectively Specificity, providing context, and using examples are essential for tailoring AI outputs to your proposal needs. The importance of refining AI-generated content Never copy and paste—always customize AI outputs to align with your client's needs and your brand's voice. Using AI for creativity and iteration Ask AI for multiple versions of a response, which can spark new ideas and refine your strategy for winning proposals. Common pitfalls when using AI for proposals Avoid vague prompts and overwhelming the AI with too much detail. Balance is key to getting the most out of the tool   Connect with Lisa  The RFP Success Company Lisa on X Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com   Resources LIMITED TIME: RFP FLASH AUDIT The Role of Contracts in Successful Prime + Sub Partnerships on RFP Success EP036 How to Develop Your RFP Pricing Strategy on RFP Success EP081 How to Make a FOIA Request Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute  

What's the biggest challenge proposal professionals are facing with AI in RFPs? Is it about how to effectively integrate AI into their workflows, or concerns about losing the human touch in their responses? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Lisa Rehurik discusses the rapidly growing role of AI in proposal writing. She answers some of the most pressing questions about AI's impact on content generation, data analysis, and personalization, along with addressing common concerns around the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content. Lisa explains how AI can streamline your proposal process, why it's essential to maintain your unique voice, and what you need to do to prevent your AI-generated content from sounding too fluffy or generic. Tune in for insights on how AI can help you analyze data faster, craft stronger proposals, and ultimately enhance your win rates. Key Takeaways: How AI is reshaping proposal writing AI tools help generate initial drafts, analyze competitor proposals, and personalize content, but human oversight is crucial. Why you should never copy-paste AI-generated content While AI can save time, customizing and editing the output is essential to ensuring your proposal resonates with evaluators. The benefits of AI for content generation AI can help draft sections of your proposal, suggest language, and create outlines, freeing you to focus on tailoring the response. How AI can help with data analysis AI can sift through past RFP responses to identify what worked and what didn't, helping you refine your strategy for future proposals. Maintaining a personal touch in AI-generated proposals Always combine AI's efficiency with your expertise and insights to maintain the human element that evaluators are looking for.   Connect with Lisa  The RFP Success Company Lisa on X Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com   Resources LIMITED TIME: RFP FLASH AUDIT The Role of Contracts in Successful Prime + Sub Partnerships on RFP Success EP036 How to Develop Your RFP Pricing Strategy on RFP Success EP081 How to Make a FOIA Request Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute  

Welcome back to The RFP Success Show! After a brief hiatus, host Lisa Rehurik, founder and CEO of the RFP Success Company, returns with key insights from her 30+ years in the RFP arena. In this episode, Lisa takes us behind the scenes to share the most impactful lessons learned from her journey—stories of pitfalls, setbacks, triumphs, and unexpected opportunities. From her first proposal heartbreak to the evolution of her RFP processes, Lisa dives deep into the challenges small businesses face when responding to RFPs. She emphasizes the importance of thorough research, the value of setbacks for innovation, and how to leverage relationships and networking for RFP success. Whether you're a seasoned proposal professional or a small business owner navigating RFPs for the first time, Lisa's experiences offer practical guidance to help you win more contracts and level up your RFP game. Key Takeaways: The importance of thorough research: Go beyond the RFP document to understand your client's needs, mission, and goals to craft a compelling proposal. Learning from setbacks: Use challenges—tight deadlines, missing team members, or changes in the RFP—to innovate and streamline processes for future success. Leveraging networking and partnerships: Unexpected opportunities can come from unlikely places. Stay open to collaborations that could help you win RFPs. Celebrating triumphs and small wins: Even losses can teach valuable lessons. Celebrate successes and the lessons learned from failures to keep your team motivated. Memorable Moments: Lisa recounts her first RFP loss and the lessons it taught her about going beyond "meets expectations" and understanding the client's needs. Overcoming setbacks like tight deadlines and team challenges led to process improvements and greater collaboration within her team. Lisa shares how a networking event led to an unexpected partnership that changed the course of a proposal.  

What is the #1 question we're getting about RFPs from clients and prospects lately?   Is it a tactical question about insurance requirements, due dates or FOIA requests? Or a high-level question about standing out from your competitors?   On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I answer five more FAQs we get about RFPs, including our most frequently asked question around distinguishing yourself in the proposal process.   I explain what to do if your small business can't meet the insurance requirements and why you should submit FOIA requests for scoring sheets, proposals from other bidders and previous contracts.   Listen in for insight on learning who your competitors are before an RFP hits the streets and find out how our RFP Flash Audit can help you level up your RFP game in the new year!   Key Takeaways   5 of the most common questions we get about RFPs How to ask if insurance requirements can be negotiated to accommodate small businesses Why agencies typically aren't willing to extend the due date on an RFP Why we recommend submitting FOIA requests for scoring sheets, proposals from other bidders and prior contracts How to find out who your competitors are before an RFP comes out Why it's crucial to build relationships with buyers long before an RFP hits the streets 3 ways to distinguish yourself in a proposal response   Connect with Lisa    The RFP Success Company Lisa on X Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com   Resources   LIMITED TIME: RFP FLASH AUDIT The Role of Contracts in Successful Prime + Sub Partnerships on RFP Success EP036 How to Develop Your RFP Pricing Strategy on RFP Success EP081 How to Make a FOIA Request Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

If you had the opportunity to ask an expert questions about winning business with RFPs, what would you want to know?   Do you have questions about pricing? Competing with big companies? Or recognizing when an RFP is wired?   On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I answer five of the most frequently asked questions we get about RFPs, discussing when it's worth it to bid against the big guys and when it's not.   I explain what to do if your small business doesn't meet all the requirements in an RFP and how to price your proposal so it's a win-win for you and the client.   Listen in for insight on what to do if you're not getting the scores you deserve and learn how to audit your previous RFP responses in a way that jumpstarts your win rates for 2024!   Key Takeaways   5 of the most common questions we get about RFPs When it's worth it to bid against the big guys (and when it's not) How to highlight the benefits of being a small business in your proposal response What to do if you don't meet all the qualifications in an RFP How to price your proposal so it's a win-win for you and the client The top 3 signs that an RFP is wired Why you might not be getting the scores you think you deserve What it looks like to write a proposal that resonates with evaluators Why we suggest auditing your proposals every year   Connect with Lisa    The RFP Success Company Lisa on X Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com   Resources   LIMITED TIME: RFP FLASH AUDIT The Role of Contracts in Successful Prime + Sub Partnerships on RFP Success EP036 How to Develop Your RFP Pricing Strategy on RFP Success EP081 How to Make a FOIA Request Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute  

To win business with RFPs, you've got to distinguish yourself from the competition in your response. But what if you don't know what your differentiators are? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I share my M&M analogy for discovering what makes your company different and better than the rest. I discuss why it's challenging to identify the ‘candy coating' in your own business and explain what question to ask clients and employees to uncover your differentiators. Listen in for insight on what to do if your business lacks a candy coating and learn how to take your business from simple peanut to delicious M&M in your proposal response! Key Takeaways   Why it's crucial to distinguish yourself from competitors in an RFP response What happens when you bore, overwhelm or confuse RFP evaluators The legend of how M&M's got their differentiator—a candy coating Why it's challenging to identify the ‘candy coating' in your own business Why I recommend getting outside counsel to help uncover your differentiators What question to ask employees and clients to discover your differentiators What to do if your company doesn't have a distinguishing candy coating  Connect with Lisa Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources  Elaborating on RFP Response Answers: The ‘Baked Potato' Episode on The RFP Success Show EP134 Get on the RFP Success Accelerator Waitlist Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Are you losing bids because you aren't certified as a small or diverse business? Heather Cox is Cofounder and President of Certify My Company, a firm that connects corporations with diverse businesses to create economic value and opportunity. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Heather walks us through the five primary demographics for certification, explaining how to know if your business qualifies as small or diverse. We discuss private sector national versus state government certifications, challenging you to be strategic in the certifications you pursue to grow your business. Listen in for Heather's insight on subcontracting opportunities for diverse businesses and learn how Certify My Company can help you win RFPs through certifications! Key Takeaways   How Heather's team serves small and diverse businesses as well as corporations Why you can't simply raise your hand and say you're a diverse business Why it's advantageous for a small or diverse business to get certified within a state Opportunities for small and diverse businesses to subcontract with large corporations that win state bids 5 primary demographics for certification—women, minority, LGBT, veteran and disability owned The private sector national certifications available to small and diverse businesses How long it takes to get certified through national organizations vs. state governments How certifications can help grow your existing business and land new contracts How corporations benefit from robust supplier diversity programs How to know if your business qualifies for small or diverse business certification How the lack of a certification can be the reason you lose a state contract The benefit of getting help from experts like Certify My Company  Connect with Heather Certify My Company Certify My Company on Instagram Certify My Company on TikTok Diversity Masterminds Email heather@certifymycompany.com Connect with Lisa Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources  Heather on RFP Success Show EP003 WEBENC NMSDC DBE Program Disability:IN NaVOBA NVBDC NGLCC 8(a) Business Development Program WOSB Heather's Missed Opportunities Video Get on the RFP Success Accelerator Waitlist Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute RFP Success Audit Service wecanhelp@rfpsuccess.com

Can you leverage AI to write RFP proposals for your business? Since ChatGPT came on the scene last November, people have divided into two camps: Some folks are afraid of the technology, and others think it's a magic bullet that will write all their copy with minimal effort on their part. But Stephanie Nivinskus contends that when it comes to AI, we should be careful but not scared. So, what's the best way for small business owners use tools like ChatGPT to write better proposal responses? Are there other AI apps that we should know about? Stephanie is the CEO and Certified AI Marketing Consultant behind SizzleForce Marketing, a firm that combines the power of AI and human intelligence to help growing, mission-driven companies execute digital marketing solutions. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Stephanie explains what's wrong with dropping an RFP question in ChatGPT and simply copy-pasting the answer. We discuss how to train ChatGPT on your company's differentiators before it helps you write content and why you still need a human editor to work together with the bot. Listen in for Stephanie's insight on the privacy and copyright issues associated with artificial intelligence and learn how to choose the best AI tools for your business goals! Key Takeaways    What inspired Stephanie's decision to go all-in on AI in her marketing business Why using ChatGPT to write effective copy is not as simple as asking the bot a question What it means to ‘train the bot' and why it's so important What's wrong with dropping an RFP question in ChatGPT and copy-pasting the answer How to train ChatGPT on your company's differentiators before it helps you write RFP content Why you still need a human editor in conjunction with AI writing tools Why Stephanie recommends Hemingway for writing to a specific grade level How AI can help you build credibility through consistent content and competitive research The biggest mistakes people make when it comes to using AI How to choose the best AI tools for your business goals What privacy and copyright issues we should be concerned about when it comes to AI Stephanie's favorite AI tools for writing and image creation Connect with Stephanie SizzleForce Marketing Stephanie on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources    Stephanie's AI Strategy & Execution Session Stephanie's Blog on Building a Digital Marketing Funnel ChatGPT Hemingway App Midjourney Claude Jasper Grammarly Get on the RFP Success Accelerator Waitlist Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

If an RFP isn't asking a question that you think it needs to ask, is it okay to provide additional information?  While it's tempting to tell a client what you think they need in your proposal response, it's not always well received. Just like ordering a baked potato with butter and getting a loaded one. So, what is the best approach to elaborating on RFP response answers? So you stand out in a good way? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I'm sharing my ‘baked potato' analogy for elaborating on RFP response answers. I explain how it might confuse evaluators if you add or change offerings and describe the challenge of evaluating a response that doesn't align with the score sheet. Listen in for insight on positioning additional offerings in a way that boosts your score and learn how to demonstrate that the additional information you're providing serves the client's needs. Key Takeaways   What to do if an RFP isn't asking a question you think it needs to ask My ‘baked potato' analogy for adding additional information to a proposal response How it might confuse an evaluator if you add or change offerings Why you should only include additional offerings IF you can demonstrate how it adds more value to what they need How to position additional options in a way that boosts your score Connect with Lisa Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources   Get on the RFP Success Accelerator Waitlist Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute  

How do you set yourself apart in an RFP response? We recently helped a small business client get their first RFP win. And they were up against some big players in their industry. So, what did they do to stand out among the competition? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I'm discussing three categories of content that will take you from MEETS to EXCEEDS expectations on your next proposal response. I explain how to demonstrate DISTINCTION in an RFP and share our top three strategies for catching and keeping an evaluator's INTEREST to get the score you deserve! Listen in for insight on identifying your VALUE PROPOSITION in a proposal response and find out how our upcoming RFP Success Accelerator can teach you to set yourself apart in an RFP. Key Takeaways   3 categories of RFP content that will take you from MEETS to EXCEEDS expectations How we define distinction as setting yourself apart from everyone else who submits a bid What it looks like to demonstrate industry credibility in your writing How to identify your differentiators and why they can't be something your competitors do Why it's crucial to catch and keep an evaluator's interest in an RFP Our top 3 strategies for keeping an evaluator's interest (even if they're skimmers) How we define value proposition as the benefits of your product or service Why your value proposition should change based on the specific RFP opportunity Connect with Lisa Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources  Get on the RFP Success Accelerator Waitlist Don't Miss the September 6 LIVE Webinar How to Enable the Readability Feature in Word Sentence Length Comprehension Study Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Here at the RFP Success Company, we get some of the same questions over and over. And in episode 129, we covered eight of the most common questions we get from our clients and community. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I'm answering seven more FAQs, explaining why you can't wait until orals to go into detail on your requirements and what to do if you don't think the procuring agency is asking the right questions. I discuss why you shouldn't assume the evaluators aren't going to read your entire response (even though they may not) and challenge you not to use the answer, ‘Yes, we will meet the requirement.' Listen in for insight on the benefit of including graphics and tables in your proposal response and learn how to use the client's language in an RFP—without repeating the question word for word. Key Takeaways   Why you can't wait until orals to go into detail on your requirements for an RFP How to provide enough information about your qualifications without overwhelming the evaluators How to guide the agency in your response if you think they're not asking the right questions What to do if you're uncertain about the client's objective in an RFP Why ‘yes, we will meet the requirement' usually isn't a good enough answer Why you shouldn't assume the evaluators aren't going to read your entire response (even though they may not) The benefit of using graphics and tables vs. answering with a wall of text What to consider before you add an ‘additional notes' column to the RFP Excel doc The problem with copy-pasting the exact wording of the question in your response How to use the client's language without repeating the question word for word  Connect with Lisa Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources  Robin Davis on RFP Success EP067 Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute  

Steve Schramm's team has achieved 80% win rates on state government contracts by making RFPs part of a larger business development process. So, how does Steve identify target clients and build relationships with them before an RFP hits the streets? How does he track prospects and recognize when opportunities are coming down the pike? Steve serves as Founder and Managing Director at Optumas, a strategy and actuarial consulting firm out of Scottsdale, Arizona, that specializes in publicly sponsored health and welfare programs. Steve is responsible for the design, development and implementation of healthcare reform projects, supporting clients in the realm of strategy development, risk analysis and communications. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Steve is back to explain how to nurture relationships with target clients, challenging us to research and raise our visibility with prospects before an RFP drops. Steve discusses why it's crucial to build a sense of trust with state government clients, describing how to demonstrate creativity and convey trustworthiness in a written response.  Listen in to understand Steve's system for tracking prospects and learn how to identify optimal opportunities for your business to work with high-value state government clients! Key Takeaways  How Optumas builds and nurtures relationships with prospects before an RFP drops Steve's insight on how to identify, research and raise your visibility with target clients Steve's response to someone who says they don't have time to research prospective clients Why practically-focused creativity and innovation works in state government RFPs What qualities a company needs to be successful in state government contracting Why it's crucial to build a sense of trust in a proposal and how to do that in a written response The challenges Steve has faced in state government contracting work (and how he overcame those challenges to retain the client through the next RFP round) Steve's advice on owning your mistakes and customizing your communication skills to serve state government clients Steve's system for tracking prospective clients and when their RFPs are coming out Steve's first 3 steps for responding to a perfect-fit RFP in less than 7 days 3 questions to ask yourself before you respond to a request for proposal   Connect with Steve Optumas Steve on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources  ‘17' by Mahalia Fred Again's NPR Tiny Desk Concert Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey Dr. Art Pelberg Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Steve Schramm's proposal team was bidding on 12 state government contracts per year and only winning two or three. He was frustrated by the amount of time and effort they were putting into RFPs with such a low ROI. So, Steve invested in support, and one year later, his team's win rate increased from 25% to more than 80%! What are they doing differently? And what can you learn from Steve's team to win more business with RFPs? Steve is Founder and Managing Director at Optumas, a strategy and actuarial consulting firm that specializes in the publicly sponsored health and welfare programs. Steve is responsible for the design, development and implementation of healthcare reform projects, helping his clients with strategy development, risk analysis and communications. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Steve joins me to explain why ‘find and replace' is not an effective RFP strategy and how his team pivoted their writing style from an internal to external focus. Steve describes how to tailor an RFP response to the specific needs of a prospective client, discussing how his approach differs when Optumas is the incumbent as opposed to being a new bidder. Listen in for Steve's advice on collaborating with partners on a proposal and learn how responding to fewer RFPs has dramatically increased his win percentage and made his team more effective, efficient and happier! Key Takeaways  How Steve's proposal team learned that ‘find and replace' is not an effective RFP strategy How writing from the client's perspective demonstrates your competitive advantage How to answer questions from a client's perspective in your RFP response The challenge Steve faced in pivoting his team's writing style from an internal to external focus How to tailor an RFP response to meet the specific needs of a prospective client How Steve's RFP strategy differs when he's the incumbent vs. new bidder Why you shouldn't bid on an RFP if you can't do the job better than your competitors How a cookie cutter response makes the client think the incumbent doesn't value their relationship Why you need a writing guide to successfully collaborate with partners on an RFP What made Steve willing to invest in support with the RFP process How Steve's proposal team increased their win rate from 25% to 80% in 12 months How responding to fewer RFPs makes Steve's team more effective, efficient and happier Connect with Steve Optumas Steve on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com   Resources   Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

What questions come up when you write an RFP response? It's likely that you share concerns with our clients and community here at the RFP Success Company. So, on this episode of the podcast, I'm answering eight of our most common FAQs, discussing why you need to repeat key information multiple times in an RFP response. I explain how to compare your business to others in the industry without mentioning them by name and explore how case studies build credibility and make your response more believable. Listen in for my take on the most important part of a proposal response and find out when you need to meet ALL the requirements of an RFP—and when you might get away with delivering on most.  Key Takeaways  8 of the most frequently asked questions we get from our clients and community 3 reasons why you need to repeat the answer to a question you already covered somewhere else Why you shouldn't refer evaluators to another section of your RFP response How to compare your business to others in the industry without mentioning them by name The importance of repeating key win themes throughout your proposal How case studies build credibility and make a response more believable, i.e.: show vs. tell My take on the most important parts of an RFP response How the executive summary serves as a Cliff's Notes version of your response When you need to meet all the requirements in an RFP (and when you might get away with delivering on most) Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com   Resources  Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Shredding an RFP is a phrase that those of us in the proposal industry use to describe how we will get an RFP ready for the proposal process, right after we receive the solicitation but before we begin writing. What does it mean to shred an RFP? And why would you add this extra step to the process when you could just jump right in to writing the response? On this episode of the podcast, guest host Ted Koval, Senior Proposal Manager at the RFP Success Company, walks us through the steps of shredding an RFP, explaining how it helps you identify every RFP requirement and track your progress. Ted describes how to build a compliance matrix, the tool we use to ensure that every question in a solicitation has been addressed and manage the process of meeting with SMEs. Listen in for insight on using the compliance matrix as the final check before you submit a response and learn how to shred an RFP and increase your chances of winning a deal for your company! Key Takeaways  What it means to shred an RFP and why you should do it before you begin writing How a compliance matrix helps us identify each RFP requirement and track our progress What columns to include as you build a compliance matrix in an Excel spreadsheet Why we suggest building an RFP template that mirrors your compliance matrix The benefit of setting up your response in the same order the solicitation was released How the MUST, SHALL, WILL sentences in a solicitation reflect the requirements you'll be scored on How the compliance matrix helps us manage the process of meeting with SMEs How the shredded RFP serves as a final check before you submit your response How an RFP reflects the attention to detail you'll likely have if you get hired for the job Why we use the compliance matrix in the agency debrief to identify lessons learned Connect with Lisa & Ted The RFP Success Company Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on Apple Podcasts Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources   Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Here at the RFP Success Company, we not only help our clients design, develop and write a top-notch RFP for submission, but they also look to us for guidance on proposal best practices.  And over the years, we've noticed some common mistakes our vendors make when it comes to RFP processes. On this episode of the podcast, guest host Ted Koval, Senior Proposal Manager at the RFP Success Company, sits down with team members Cheri Fisher, Director of Operations and Client Services, and Kevin Cleary, Proposal Manager and Writer, to discuss the top eight mistakes we see our vendors make and how to fix them! Cheri explores how waiting until the last minute to respond to an RFP impacts your proposal, and Kevin explains why it's crucial to involve your HR and legal departments early in the process. Listen in for insight on making time for a series of reviews of the draft response and learn how to create a winning culture where everyone at your company understands the value of responding to RFPs. Key Takeaways  The 8 most common mistakes we see our vendors make in responding to RFPs How waiting until the last minute to respond to an RFP impacts the proposal process How to create a culture where SMEs understand the value of responding to RFPs The impact of not having a formal go/no-go decision-making process in place Why it's crucial to involve your HR and legal departments early in the RFP process How not making time for us to meet with SMEs leads to boilerplate responses Why we suggest making time in the calendar for 3 reviews of the draft RFP response The consequences of submitting a proposal without differentiators or win themes What you can learn from an internal and external RFP debrief (win or lose) Connect with Lisa, Ted, Cheri & Kevin  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

What could possibly go wrong when you're responding to an RFP? My 30 years of experience has taught me that A LOT can happen and the more prepared you are, the better. So, what are the most common speedbumps I've seen proposal teams run into over the years? And what can you do to prevent or plan for these delays? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I share five of the most common issues that interrupt the RFP process, challenging you to expect missed deadlines and build extra time into your response calendar. I explain how to prepare for the unforeseen absence of a key team member and why it's crucial to develop a strategy everyone can buy into. Listen in for insight on navigating technology problems and learn how to overcome the most common delays in the RFP process! Key Takeaways  5 of the most common things that delay the RFP process Why it's crucial to expect missed deadlines and build extra time into your calendar How to prepare for the absence of a key team member Why I suggest submitting your proposal a day early and knowing who to call if you have issues The benefit of having access to a backup computer and printer How reading the entire RFP early on helps you avoid finding requirements you missed Why you need a strategy everyone on the team buys into Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Are you submitting proposal responses but rarely getting the YES? Even when the RFP is right up your alley? Then, you may be missing one of my five non-negotiables for winning a bid. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I discuss the five things you need to do to get the YES, describing why it's crucial to meet 100% of the baseline requirements in an RFP. I explain how to convey your capabilities and experiences properly on paper and explore what it means to build trust in the context of an RFP response. Listen in to understand why it's more effective to SHOW rather than TELL and learn how to make it easy for evaluators to read your proposal and find the information they need to give YOU the YES! Key Takeaways  5 non-negotiables to get the YES on a request for proposal Why it's crucial to meet 100% of the baseline requirements in an RFP How to convey your capabilities and experience properly on paper What it looks like to build trust in the context of a proposal response How to SHOW rather than TELL in an RFP (and why it's more effective) The value in knowing the issuing organization's business or industry How to make it easy for evaluators to read your RFP response Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Invisible Ink Article on Showing vs. Telling Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

When Melissa Emler started bidding on RFPs to grow her event management business, she looked through a variety of opportunities and thought, ‘We could definitely do that.' But after a year of trying to figure it out on her own, Melissa wasn't winning contracts. And the frustration of losing left her playing small. Today, Melissa has changed her approach. She has identified the differentiators that set her organization apart and started seeking out best-fit opportunities for her business. Melissa is Owner of Modern Learners, a company that's designing the future of learning by building community, content and events. Prior to Modern Learners, Melissa enjoyed a traditional career in education, serving as a special education teacher, principal and Statewide Systems Coach for Universal Design for Learning. On this episode of the podcast, Melissa joins me to discuss how her proposal responses have changed since she started working with The RFP Success Company and why she only bids on RFPs in her team's niche. Melissa walks us through the process of ‘shredding the RFP,' explaining how it helped her uncover Modern Learners' unique value proposition—prioritizing community over course content. Listen in for Melissa's insight on using aggregators to identify opportunities and learn how investing in the right support helped Modern Learners leverage focused bidding for the win! Key Takeaways  How Melissa transitioned from a traditional career in education to entrepreneurship How prioritizing community over course differentiates Modern Learners from other organizations in the event management space Melissa's journey to finding opportunities for Modern Learners through RFPs How Melissa's RFP responses have changed since she started working with the RFP Success Company What it means to ‘shred the RFP' and how it helped Melissa identify her team's differentiators How Melissa is developing a strategy for networking before the RFP drops Why it's worth it to invest in support to help you respond to RFPs Why Melissa only bids on RFPs in her team's niche that they already have systems to execute How Melissa's mindfulness around the capacity of her team impacts which RFPs she bids on Melissa's experiences using aggregators to identify opportunities How the event management space evolved before, during and after COVID (and how that changed Melissa's approach to finding business) Melissa's commitment to the process of bidding on business with RFPs Connect with Melissa Modern Learners Modern Learners on LinkedIn Melissa on LinkedIn Email missy@modernlearners.com Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources Hopin altMBA Change School Wisconsin Procurement Institute Forecasting the Future of the SLED Market on The RFP Success Show EP111 RFPSchoolWatch Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

The good news is there's a ton of resources out there for finding RFPs in the state government space. The bad news is you have to work at finding the RIGHT opportunities. So, how do you build a consistent process for identifying RFPs that are a good fit for your business? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I share five strategies for finding government contracting opportunities, explaining how to conduct regular research on RFPs in different states. I describe how to set up Google Alerts around a standard list of keywords and why aggregators are the easiest way to find RFP opportunities for your business. Listen in for insight on finding specific procurement sites for target states or agencies and learn how to build authentic relationships with buyers, so they give you a heads up when RFPs are coming out! Key Takeaways  The abundance of resources for finding RFP opportunities in the government space Why you need a consistent process for finding RFP opportunities 5 strategies for finding the right RFP opportunities in the SLED market Why I suggest conducting regular research on RFP opportunities in different states and agencies How to set up Google Alerts for a standard list of RFP keywords Why aggregators are the quickest and easiest way to find RFP opportunities How to find specific procurement sites for your target states and agencies (and get on their lists) Why it's crucial to understand the procurement landscape in your state(s) How to get selected as an approved vendor in a particular state What it means to build authentic relationships with buyers and procurement officials How to build time into your calendar for finding the right RFP opportunities Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com Resources  How to Create a Google Alert FindRFP MyGovWatch Bidnet Direct Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Sometimes the RFP capability requirements are a perfect fit. But more often than not, we're just shy of what we need to really make a great showing. So, what can we do to overcome these weaknesses—now and in the future? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I discuss how to deal with a deficit for an opportunity in front of you now, describing how to weigh the significance of a requirement you don't meet to make the go/no-go decision. I explain when to find a subcontractor or partner to overcome a weakness in staffing or experience and how to be strategic and creative in presenting information when you have a small deficit. Listen in for insight on brainstorming with your team to overcome weaknesses in the future and learn to create an action plan to improve your capabilities and win more RFPs in the next 12 to 18 months! Key Takeaways  How to overcome weaknesses in your capabilities for an RFP (now and in the future) How to weigh the significance of a requirement you don't meet to make the go/no-go decision Why I suggest finding a subcontractor to overcome a deficit in staffing or experience When to partner with someone who has a strong relationship with the buyer How to be strategic and creative in presenting information if you have a small deficit What questions to ask your team around overcoming weaknesses in the future What do you wish you could say about your services or your company? What have you NOT had that caused you to pass or lose on other opportunities? How to identify 3 key weaknesses and create an action plan for the next 18 months Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

What do you wish you knew about government contracting? What if you had access to a seasoned contracting officer, so you could understand the process from their point of view? Kevin Jans is President of Skyway Acquisition, a team of former COs on a mission to bridge government and industry, helping clients target better and win more contracts. He also serves as host of the Contracting Officer Podcast. With 16 years of experience as a contracting officer for the Department of Defense, Kevin bought and managed more than $3 billion in products and services. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Kevin joins me to discuss the three deciders in every purchase and describe how much control contracting officers have in the decision-making process. Kevin walks us through the four acquisition time zones, explaining why you need to know about an RFP long before it drops and how to learn more about the budget for a given purchase. Listen in to understand the #1 thing Kevin feared when selecting a new vendor and learn what a contracting officer looks for—beyond simply meeting the requirements of an RFP. Key Takeaways Kevin's background as a contracting officer for the Department of Defense How Skyway Acquisition serves as a bridge between government and industry The 3 deciders in every purchase—economic decider, customer and procurer How much control contracting officers have in the decision-making process What differentiates a technical sale from a business sale Kevin's 4 acquisition time zones Requirement Market research RFP Selection Why you need to know about an RFP long before it drops The best way to learn more about the budget for a particular purchase 3 things you can do to go beyond just meeting the requirements of an RFP The #1 thing contracting officers fear when selecting a new vendor The limits of a contracting officer's responsibility to engage with industry Connect with Kevin Skyway Acquisition Kevin on LinkedIn Contracting Officer Podcast Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Agile Government Contracting by John Stenbeck and Kevin Jans Save Your Time: A Former Contracting Officer Explains Why the Government Market May (or May Not) Be Right for You by Kevin Jans The 3 Deciders on Contracting Officer Podcast EP118 FOIA The Technical vs. the Business Sale on Contracting Officer Podcast EP222 What Is a Mid-Size Business? on Contracting Officer Podcast EP099 The Acquisition Time Zones on Contracting Officer Podcast EP003 Where Do RFPs Come From? on Contracting Officer Podcast EP381 Is Your Price Reasonable & Realistic? on Contracting Officer Podcast EP338 What Is a Red Team Review? on Contracting Officer Podcast EP396 Staffing Is Not Just Staffing on Contracting Officer Podcast EP097 The Execution Time Zones on Contracting Officer Podcast EP372 FAR 15.2 Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Are you struggling to win business with RFPs but can't figure out why? If so, you can hire a company like ours to look through past proposal responses and identify what's tripping you up. Or you can conduct your own RFP mini-audit. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, guest host Ted Koval, Proposal Manager at the RFP Success Company, interviews me around the five red flags that let you know you need an audit of your RFP process. I share my peanuts versus M&M'S analogy for making your proposal stand out, explaining how to address the agency's needs, answer their requirements and speak to your differentiators in an RFP response. Listen in for insight on getting your proposal team in sync and learn how to leverage an RFP audit to improve your processes and consistently craft a winning response! Key Takeaways What's involved in doing an audit of your RFP responses 5 red flags to let you know you need an audit of your RFP process How an RFP audit identifies why you're losing bids My peanuts vs. M&M'S analogy for making your proposal stand out How it impacts your response if the proposal team is not in sync What it means when your SMEs don't respect RFP deadlines Why you need a documented go/no-go decision-making process What issues proposal teams run into when they lack a content library The power in addressing an agency's needs throughout your RFP response How to answer the requirements AND speak to your differentiators Why it's important to get feedback whether you win or lose How graphics help evaluators read your RFP response Connect with Ted Email ted@rfpsuccess.com Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources RFP Audit Request Email wecanhelp@rfpsuccess.com Ted Koval on The RFP Success Show EP100 Women's Business Enterprise National Council Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Most proposal professionals understand the importance of putting the client at the center of the bid process. But what if a client centric proposal is not enough? According to Kevin Switaj, a winning proposal takes things one step further, leveraging empathy and creativity to build an emotional connection with the evaluator. Kevin is President and CEO of BZ Opportunity Management, a full life cycle proposal consulting firm out of northern Virginia. With more than 15 years in proposal development, Kevin is a recognized thought leader and regular contributor to industry publications. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Kevin joins me to discuss his new book, Keys to the Castle: Building Empathy and Creativity into Bid Processes. Kevin discusses how an empathetic proposal builds emotional connection with prospective clients and describes how we might apply Pixar storytelling techniques in an RFP response. Listen in for Kevin's insight on helping subject matter experts write with empathy and learn how to develop content that speaks to the client's perspective and opens a conversation with evaluators. Key Takeaways How Kevin's thinking around connecting with evaluators inspired Keys to the Castle How an empathetic proposal builds an emotional connection with prospective clients Kevin's take on why writing to the client's needs is not enough How we might apply Disney or Pixar storytelling techniques to a proposal response How to develop empathetic content by focusing on the client's point of view Kevin's annotated mockup approach to helping SMEs write with empathy How to reorganize the capture process around Kevin's empathetic approach to RFPs Logistics Intelligence gathering Idea development Why you should only bid on opportunities that align with who you are as a company What it looks like to put the client at the center of the proposal process The first step in building empathy and creativity into your team's bid processes Connect with Kevin BZ Opportunity Management BZ Opportunity on LinkedIn Kevin on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Kevin on The RFP Success Show EP072 Keys to the Castle: Building Empathy and Creativity into Bid Processes by Kevin Switaj APMP Bruce Farrell Creativity, Inc.: Understanding the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar's Greatest Films by Dean Movshovitz She-Hulk 96-Step Shipley Process Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Evaluation criteria seems to be a bit of an afterthought for most companies bidding on RFPs. Sure, it's one of the first things you look at. But are you making the evaluation criteria an explicit part of your bid strategy? And are you using it to your advantage in the content of your RFP response? On this episode of the podcast, I share 3 ways to leverage evaluation criteria in a proposal, challenging you to put yourself in the shoes of an evaluator and imagine the scoring tool they might be using to judge your RFP response. I explain why it's crucial to use keywords that appear in the evaluation criteria throughout your proposal and describe how to map the evaluation criteria to your response. Listen in for insight on identifying what is most important to the client and learn how to use evaluation criteria to build out your bid strategy and write effective content for a proposal response. Key Takeaways 3 ways to leverage the RFP evaluation criteria in your response What it looks like to put yourself in the shoes of the evaluator How to demonstrate an ability to communicate complex information to diverse audiences How to leverage the language they use in evaluation criteria statements What it means to map the evaluation criteria to your response How to use callout boxes and specialty icons to map evaluation criteria to your response Why evaluators may have very little knowledge of the RFP itself How evaluation criteria reflects what is important to the client Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Bid Strategy on RFP Success Show EP085 Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Most people think there is little room for negotiation in a proposal response. But if you've done your homework to understand a buyer's needs, you can negotiate in your answers to the questions on an RFP and offer solutions they may not even be aware of. Don Carmichael is Chief PreSales Evangelist at Winning Skills Ltd., a boutique technology sales enablement firm. Prior to founding Winning Skills, Don enjoyed a 30-year career in PreSales, heading EMEA PreSales Enablement at both SAP and Oracle. Don's client roster includes Adobe, Deloitte and SurveyMonkey, among many others, and he is the cohost of Two PreSales in a Pod, a show that explores the world of PreSales and buyer enablement. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Don joins me to explain why everyone needs negotiation skills and what it looks like to negotiate an RFP answer through redirection. Don discusses the concept of buyer enablement and describes how it might shift our approach to sales, challenging us to serve as trusted advisors or buyer coaches rather than traditional sales reps. Listen in to understand why HOPE is a more effective sales strategy than FEAR and learn how to spot opportunities for negotiation in an RFP response! Key Takeaways Don's background in technology presales for large enterprise software companies How technology presales consultants contribute to an RFP response Why everybody on an RFP team needs to be good at negotiation The concept of buyer enablement and how it might shift your approach to sales Why you can't negotiate in an RFP response if you haven't had pre-conversations with the prospect How to leverage redirection to negotiate in an answer on an RFP What to do when you can't say YES to an RFP question (but you don't want to say NO either) How to build relationships through content to become a buyer coach Why 43% of complex B2B solution buyers prefer a rep-free buying experience Why HOPE is a more effective sales methodology than PAIN or FEAR Connect with Don Winning Skills by Don Carmichael Two PreSales in a Pod Podcast Don on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Don's Piece on Henry Ford and RFPs Sandler Selling System The Jolt Effect Research ‘Traditional B2B Sales and Marketing Are Becoming Obsolete' in Harvard Business Review The Jolt Effect: How High Performers Overcome Customer Indecision by Matthew Dixon and Ted McKenna Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Yes, your team is qualified and capable of doing the job required by an RFP. But so is every other business that submits a response. So, how do you take your technical content and make it persuasive? What does it look like to write from a sales perspective? Dave Rynne is the copywriter and RFP response specialist behind The Sales Enablement Writer. After two decades on Wall Street, he built a successful content and copywriting business helping SaaS companies transform their proposal processes. Dave is an expert in leveraging copywriting techniques to articulate value in a way that wins business, and he is also a proud member of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Dave joins me to discuss what it means to be a sales enablement writer and describe how technical writers might approach RFPs from a sales perspective. Dave explains what information he collects in the presale process to write to a prospect's unique challenges and shares the strategies he uses to agitate their problem and position yourself as the solution. Listen in for insight on keeping a content library current and learn how to make yourself memorable by adding sales enablement techniques to your RFP response! Key Takeaways How Dave's background on Wall Street led to a career in the RFP space Dave's insight on what it means to be a sales enablement writer Dave's top 4 strategies for making technical writing more persuasive What technical writers can do to inject sales enablement into their writing What info Dave collects in the presale process to help him write to a prospect's challenges How knowing more about a company than what is stated in the RFP builds trust How to keep a content library current with a quarterly review Dave's take on the biggest mistakes writers make in responding to RFPs Lose sight of who responding to Errors in spelling and grammar Why Dave recommends limiting paragraphs to 2 or 3 sentences each How Dave thinks about making a proposal response memorable Connect with Dave Dave's Website Dave on LinkedIn The Sales Enablement Writer Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Dave on the HubSpot Sales Blog RFPIO Grammarly Mastering Editorial Peer Review on RFP Success Show EP114 Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Are you so busy bidding on RFPs that you don't have time to build systems and processes? Creating systems may not be sexy, and it won't result in an immediate win. But if your proposal team reinvents the wheel with every new RFP, you're hurting yourselves in more ways than you realize. So, what is the benefit of setting up systems and processes for responding to RFPs? And what parts of the process should standardized? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I explain how standardizing or automating administrative tasks frees up time and brainpower for the creative needs of a response. I walk you through the five parts of the proposal process that should be systematized, challenging you to build an assessment criteria tool and clearly define each team member's role in writing. Listen in for insight on what standardized content should be in your library and learn how to leverage software to create SOPs for preparing an RFP response. Key Takeaways How systems and processes promote consistency and make people's lives easier How standardizing or automating administrative tasks frees up time and brainpower for creativity What 5 parts of the RFP process should be standardized or automated Assessment criteria Kickoff process Role definitions Response calendar Library content Why it's beneficial to build an assessment criteria tool and define roles in writing What standardized content should be in your library and updated at least quarterly How you might leverage software to build systems for preparing an RFP response Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

A lot of my clients think they've got editorial peer review covered. But there's a lot more to it than simply having someone read through your response and check for spelling errors. And a proposal that hasn't been through a thorough peer review lacks the professionalism you need to win business with RFPs. So, what does an in-depth editorial peer review look like? Jana L. Burge is Founder and President of JLB Consulting, a firm that supports businesses through editorial peer review. Jana has 37 years' experience in copy editing and proofreading, demonstrating an expertise in identifying errors and inconsistencies in RFP responses. She is also a master in improving the flow and readability of written work without altering the author's overall tone. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Jana joins me to discuss the editorial mistakes proposal writers make most, challenging us to be succinct and embrace simplicity in our responses. Jana explains why she addresses formatting errors first in the EPR process and offers advice on how to suggest changes without bruising the writer's ego. Listen in for insight on making time for a comprehensive EPR and find out what tools Jana suggests to build your skills in the realm of editorial peer review. Key Takeaways The misconception that just anyone can do an editorial peer review How prospective clients lose trust when your RFP hasn't been through an EPR Jana's insight on what editorial mistakes writers make most Why fixing formatting first is Jana's top priority in any new editorial peer review How to be kind with your comments and suggested changes Jana's tips for being consistent throughout an RFP response How long an editorial peer reviewer needs to read one page of an RFP What Jana does when she isn't given sufficient time to conduct a thorough EPR What online tools Jana uses to support the EPR process Jana's advice for proposal writers on being succinct and embracing simplicity How to get better at performing an editorial peer review Jana's tricks for navigating page limits (without changing margins or font size) Connect with Jana Jana on LinkedIn Email janalburge@outlook.com Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Grammarly Dictionary.com Thesaurus.com Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Companies that are new to government contracting see it as a magic bullet. You respond to an RFP, and you win a lucrative five-year contract! And yes, it's easy to get excited about an opportunity that seems like a great fit for your business. But if you don't already have a relationship with the buyer, you're chances of winning are quite low. So, you're not doing yourself any favors by bidding cold. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I explain what it means to bid cold and why it's almost always a bad idea. I discuss the competitive advantage you need to unseat an incumbent and describe how insider information helps you write a better proposal response. Listen in to understand why a buyer won't take a chance on a vendor they don't know and trust—and find out why you can't speak to a prospect's specific needs and challenges when you bid cold. Key Takeaways What it means to bid cold and why it's almost always a bad idea The one time it's okay to bid cold and what you can learn from the experience Why you have a less than 5% chance of winning when you bid cold The competitive advantage you need to win an RFP (beyond being qualified and capable) 2 reasons why it's challenging to unseat an incumbent How insider information helps you write a better RFP response Why a buyer will not take a chance on a vendor they don't know and trust How ongoing relationship building and information gathering allows you to speak to a prospect's greatest needs and challenges The #1 mistake companies make when responding to RFPs How a low win rate impacts the morale of your proposal team Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Should you build your own internal RFP team? Or outsource the proposal process? If your company is just breaking into the RFP space, you may be looking at larger companies that have as many as 10 dedicated proposal professionals and wondering, is that where we're going? Is that what we should be doing? So, what factors should you consider in deciding whether to buy or build an internal RFP team? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I explore the pros and cons of building your own in-house proposal team, explaining why it's crucial to have the infrastructure to support an internal RFP team and invest in their professional development. I discuss what it looks like to outsource your proposal team and why I suggest the hybrid approach—hiring one or two people internally and then bringing in an external response management team like the RFP Success Company. Listen in to understand how a hybrid approach benefits growing companies and learn how we can function as your proposal team in the short term and help you build out an internal team over time. Key Takeaways What factors to consider in deciding whether to build or outsource your RFP team The volume of RFPs per month that merit building an internal proposal team The pros and cons of building your own internal RFP team Why it's crucial to have the infrastructure and investment to support an internal RFP team What it means to ‘buy' your proposal team Why I suggest a hybrid approach (1 or 2 internal hires + an external team) How the hybrid approach gives you a bigger, more experienced team right out of the gate Why the writer and proposal manager should be 2 different people How we help growing companies build out an internal proposal team Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources APMP Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

The state, local and education or SLED market took a hit in 2020 as COVID shutdowns forced governments to shift into remote or hybrid operations. But federal funding is helping the market rebound. And money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) means opportunities for businesses to break into or expand their reach in SLED government contracting. So, what industries look to benefit most from ARPA? And what can your business do to capitalize on growing opportunities in the SLED market? Chris Dixon is Senior Manager of SLED Market Analysis at Deltek, the leading global provider of software solutions for project-based work. Chris' team conducts targeted research aimed at shedding light on the SLED market across multiple industries. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Chris joins me to share his SLED market forecast, describing why public sector markets are counter cyclical and how federal COVID relief funding facilitated the strong recovery we're seeing right now. Chris explores opportunities provided by ARPA, explaining why cloud and cyber solutions are dominating the SLED market right now and what's driving growth in the architecture and engineering and operations and maintenance space. Listen in for Chris' advice on selling commercial solutions in the public sector and learn how to leverage GovWin's database of opportunities to win state, local government and education contracts for your business! Key Takeaways Deltek's role as the leading global provider of software solutions for project-based work How to develop business strategy using GovWin's database of opportunities The 12 industries Chris' team tracks for trends in the SLED market Why the public sector is usually up when commercial markets are down How federal aid buoyed the SLED market and prepared it for the strong recovery we're seeing right now ARPA's focus on serving communities disproportionately impacted by COVID Why there's lag time before ARPA funding will be available (and how to best use that time) What mid-market companies need to know about the SLED market Why cloud and cyber solutions are dominating the SLED market right now What's driving the biggest growth industries in the SLED market at present (e.g.: architecture and engineering, operations and maintenance) The likelihood that governments will maintain e-procurement systems in a post-pandemic world Chris' advice on selling solutions built for the commercial market in the public sector  Connect with Chris Chris on LinkedIn GovWin GovWin on Twitter Deltek on Twitter Deltek on LinkedIn Deltek Email chrisdixon@deltek.com Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources National Association of State CIOs Office of Justice Programs CARES Act American Rescue Plan Act GovWin's Q1 2022 State and Local Procurement Snapshot Public Technology Institute Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Are you struggling with state government RFPs? Though it seems counterintuitive, you will win MORE contracts by bidding LESS. Just ask the team at Highstreet IT Solutions. They reduced their response rate from six to three formal RFPs per month. And doubled their win rate in the process. Josh Ezring is Vice President of Business Development at Highstreet IT. He has more than 20 years of experience as a senior sales leader with top enterprise software companies including Oracle, HP and IBM. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Josh joins me to explain why his team committed to state contracts as a source of revenue and how they've evolved to focus on quality over quantity when it comes to RFPs. Josh discusses what he did to get buy-in from SMEs and describes Highstreet's strategic process for making the go/no-go decision. Listen in for Josh's insight on making time for the RFP review process and learn how doing less work translates to higher win rates on state contracts for Highstreet IT. Key Takeaways  Why Josh committed to RFPs as a revenue source at Highstreet IT The challenge Josh faced getting buy-in from SMEs to build a strong RFP response team How Highstreet IT incentivizes content contributors to support RFPs Why Highstreet reduced its response rate from 6 to 3 formal RFPs per month Highstreet's process for making the go/no-go decision How Highstreet improved its down-select rate from 25% to 80% and doubled its win rate on RFPs Why Josh's team stopped bidding on blind RFPs Highstreet's ongoing commitment to serve both commercial and higher ed/public sector markets How Highstreet ensures that they have enough time for the review process Josh's insight on how to bid less yet win more business with RFPs Josh's advice for companies struggling with state government RFPs Connect with Josh Highstreet IT Solutions Josh on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Oracle American Rescue Plan Freedom of Information Act Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Bidding on RFPs that aren't a good fit is a waste of time and resources, and it takes a real toll on your win rate—and the morale of your team. But to make better go/no-go decisions, you need a system. So, what does it look like to develop a successful go/no-go decision-making process? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I share five steps to developing an effective go/no-go process, explaining how to determine your go/no-go criteria and create a corresponding checklist or scoring tool. I discuss what it looks like to establish checks and balances in the go/no-go process and describe how to develop a consistent process for using your scoring tool to make a final decision. Listen in for insight on training your team in the go/no-go process and learn to leverage go/no-go data to track trends, refine your criteria and win more business with RFPs! Key Takeaways  My 5 steps to developing an effective go/no-go process Brainstorm criteria Create checklist or scoring tool Develop consistent process Train team on process Use data to track trends Why it's crucial to develop a go/no-go process for bidding on RFPs How to develop go/no-go criteria by asking what makes a good project (and what doesn't) The process of building a scoring tool in Word or Excel What it looks like to establish checks and balances in the go/no-go process The value in developing a consistent process for using your scoring tool Who might serve as the central point of contact for managing the go/no-go process The benefit of a live training to communicate the go/no-go process to your team The power in using go/no-go data to track trends Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources How to Make the Go/No-Go Decision on The RFP Success Show EP103 Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Let's say you have grounds to file a federal bid protest. What does the process look like? Are there steps your company can take to prepare now, before a bid protest comes up? Carissa Siebeneck Anderson serves as Of Counsel at Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot, and her practice focuses on federal bid protests, government contracts, regulatory compliance and corporate law. Carissa has extensive knowledge around SBA 8(a), HUBZone, women- and veteran-owned programs, and before joining Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot in 2011, Carissa worked for Navajo Nation and the US Intelligence Community. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Carissa is back to walk us through the federal bid protest process, weighing in on why you should always ask for a debrief from the agency—even when you win. Carissa discusses what remedies are available to a protestor and how likely it is for an agency to take corrective action when a federal bid protest is filed. Listen in for insight on finding a lawyer with expertise in government contracts and learn what your business can do TODAY to prepare for a future federal bid protest. Key Takeaways  What it means to get a debrief from the federal government Why it's ALWAYS a good idea to ask for a debrief Why Carissa suggests being strategic about when you request your debriefing When a government agency can decline to give you a debriefing What remedies are available to a protestor and how likely it is for a government agency to take 'corrective action' A high-level overview of the bid protest process How the GAO commits to issuing a decision on a bid protest in 100 days What differentiates a size protest from a bid protest How every state has its own bid protest process and why you should reach out to state procurement officials and/or a lawyer with expertise in government contracts for more information How you can file a federal bid protest without a lawyer (but Carissa doesn't recommend it) What companies can do to prepare NOW before a bid protest comes up How Carissa supports small businesses beyond the federal bid protest process Connect with Carissa Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot on LinkedIn Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot on Facebook Email canderson@bhb.com  Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources US Government Accountability Office US Small Business Administration US Court of Federal Claims 8(a) Business Development Program HUBZone Program Regulations Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

So, your small business lost out on a federal bid. But you feel like you were unfairly scored or that the contract requirements were biased. Do you file a protest? Carissa Siebeneck Anderson is Of Counsel at the Washington DC Office of Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot. She has expertise in the realm of small business government contracting, SBA 8(a), HUBZone, women- and veteran-owned programs, and she regularly represents clients in bid protests. Prior to joining Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot, Carissa worked as Government & Legislative Affairs Associate for Navajo Nation and served as Management and Program analyst for the US Secret Service. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Carissa joins me to discuss federal bid protests, weighing in on the most common reasons for filing a bid protest and why she recommends filing through the Government Accountability Office or GAO. She explains the role of the protester, the procuring agency and the intervener in a bid protest, exploring when a solicitation or contract can be protested and how much time you have to file. Listen in for Carissa's advice on deciding whether the cost of a protest is worth it for your small business and navigating the process of filing a federal bid protest. Key Takeaways  How Carissa's background in intelligence led to her current focus on government contracts law The most common reasons for filing a pre-award or post-award bid protest The 3 places where you can bring a bid protest and why the Government Accountability Office is the most popular venue The role of an intervener in a bid protest and why the awardee should always file to intervene When it makes sense to intervene if you're not the awardee How to decide whether the cost of filing a bid protest is worth it for your small business How a bid protest impacts a company's relationship with the procuring agency What it means to be an interested party to a bid protest When a company that's been disqualified can file a bid protest How the status of a procuring agency and the nature of the transaction affect whether a solicitation or contract can be protested How much time you have to file a bid protest from the time you knew of the protest grounds How a CICA stay requires a federal agency to suspend the contract award/performance while a protest is pending  Connect with Carissa Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot on LinkedIn Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot on Facebook Email canderson@bhb.com  Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources US Court of Federal Claims US Government Accountability Office Competition in Contracting Act Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

The $1 trillion infrastructure bill provides an opportunity for small businesses to develop a new revenue stream by way of state government contracting.  But if you jump in and start bidding without a game plan, you'll lose 95% of the time.  And while it might feel risky to put significant time and effort into the necessary prep work, you'll be much more likely to win state contracts than your competitors who bid cold.    On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I share our seven-point plan for breaking into state government contracting, explaining why it's important to start with a strategic plan and conduct market research to learn the procurement landscape.  I offer insight on building relationships in a state government setting, challenging you to develop a monthly outreach calendar and sign up for your key target vendor lists and RFP aggregators.  Listen in to understand the RFP Success Company's response capacity framework and learn how these seven steps will help your business secure high win rates on state government contracts.  Key Takeaways  Our 7-point plan for breaking into state government contracting  Strategic plan Market research  Relationship-building strategy  Bid opportunity tracking  Short-term response capacity framework  Long-term response capacity framework  Response management  How to identify your target market, ideal project and high-value clients  Why I suggest developing prospect and competitor profiles as you learn the procurement landscape  The myth that you can't build relationships in state government contracting  How to develop and execute on a monthly outreach calendar  Why it's crucial to sign up for key target vendor lists and RFP aggregators  How to create your assessment criteria, content library and response process  How long-term goals inform the team, tools and resources your business will need   How our 7-point plan secures high win rates on government contracts  Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act  Charles Fred on RFP Success Show EP105 How to Make a FOIA Request  Diverse Business Certifications  Find RFP  BidSync  Onvia  Book a Call with the RFP Success Company  Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek   The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Institute 

To grow a small business, you need more customers. But did you know that too many of the wrong customers is what keeps a lot of companies stuck?  According to Charles Fred, low-value clients are high maintenance, hard on your people, and they take up 75% of your time. That's why it's so important to define your high-value customers and bid only on the RFPs that fit those criteria.  Charles is the Cofounder and CEO of TrueSpace, a research firm founded to support small businesses and help them grow. In his 40-year career as an entrepreneur, Charles has led three companies from the startup phase to the middle market, generating $220M in enterprise value. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Charles joins me to explain why it's crucial for small businesses to define and target our high-value customer, describing how low-value customers are a drain on our time, talent and resources. Charles challenges small business to focus and ‘get boring fast,' finding a place in the market where you stand out and bidding only on business that aligns with your unique value proposition. Listen in for Charles' insight on planning for turnover in your customer base and learn how to define and target the high-value clients who will help your business grow. Key Takeaways  TrueSpace's mission to help small companies grow and create new jobs Why it's crucial for a business to FOCUS to conserve its time, talent and resources How to find a place in the market where your company stands out What differentiates a high-value customer from one that ties you down Why getting rid of low-value customers is a prerequisite for growth How most sales team incentive systems drive the acquisition of low-value customers How the narrative around rapid growth is a roadblock to identifying high-value customers Why high-value targets change over time and how to plan for turnover in high-value relationships Charles' first steps to identifying your high-value customers  The red flags that a company has not identified its high-value targets appropriately  What Charles learned about identifying talent from The Art of Possibility Connect with Charles TrueSpace TrueSpace on LinkedIn  Charles on LinkedIn  Email info@truespace.com  Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources The 5 Conditions Assessment Research by Gallup/TrueSpace  The 24-Hour Rule: Leading in a Frenetic World by Charles Fred  The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander Evel Knievel Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

We'd like to believe that we make purchasing decisions based on logic. But consumer psychology research affirms that, in truth, we buy based on emotion. And we're unconsciously influenced by visual cues and sensory language. So, how might we apply the principles of consumer psychology and behavioral economics to the proposal development process? Marketing Strategy Consultant Sean Stewart has 20 years of service marketing experience, serving as a proposal writer, proposal manager and marketing director for firms large and small. He has a Master of Science degree in Applied Psychology from the University of Southern California with an emphasis in consumer psychology. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Sean joins me to discuss the fundamentals of consumer psychology and explain how to convey a brand identity of competence and warmth in your proposal. Sean describes how visuals unconsciously influence our choices, offering advice on using haptic cues, callout boxes and sensory language to persuade evaluators in an RFP response. Listen in for Sean's insight on using the ‘laddering interview' to build relationships with potential clients and learn how to apply the principles of consumer psychology to win more business with RFPs! Key Takeaways  How Sean defines consumer psychology as the study of how people make purchasing decisions  What differentiates account-based marketing from marketing consumer goods Sean's insight on how to convey both warmth and competence in a proposal response How callout boxes function as preattentive attributes and why that's important Why we're more motivated by a loss than a gain (and how to use that principle in an RFP response) The concept of a haptic cue and how it applies to visual images in a proposal How sensory language helps us be more persuasive in an RFP response How to use the ‘laddering interview' to develop win themes and identify language that resonates with decision makers Sean's take on the value of making digital RFP submissions more interactive  How we might use neuromarketing to understand the biology of making purchasing decisions Connect with Sean Sean on LinkedIn Email seanstewart1979@gmail.com  Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources The Human Brand: How We Relate to People, Products and Companies by Chris Malone and Susan T. Fiske  Daniel Kahneman  Richard Thaler  Immersion Neuroscience Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

How do you decide whether to bid on an RFP? Too many companies make a go/no-go decision solely on their ability to do the work. But when you bid on everything you can do, you water down your resources. And you don't have enough time and energy to put into the opportunities you really do have a chance of winning. So, what criteria should you use to make the go/no-go decision on an RFP? On this episode of the podcast, I discuss the 11 questions to ask before you decide whether to bid on an RFP, challenging you to build relationships with potential clients and make sure you meet ALL of the requirements. I share the overlooked questions to ask before you make a go/no-go decision, explaining how to know whether an RFP has been wired for somebody else and identify any potential deal breakers in the terms and conditions. Listen in for the ‘forgotten' questions to ask before you bid on an RFP and learn how to determine whether a client is a good fit before you say YES to the proposal writing process! Key Takeaways   Why it's crucial to make a go/no-go decision right away The 4 OBVIOUS questions to ask as you decide whether to bid on an RFP Do you meet the requirements? Is this work you can do? Is there an incumbent? Did you know the RFP was coming?  Why it's important to build relationships with potential clients The 3 OVERLOOKED questions to ask as you decide whether to bid on an RFP Does it appear to be wired? Can you stand above the competition? Are there any deal breakers in the terms and conditions? How to know whether an RFP has been wired for somebody else The 4 FORGOTTEN questions to ask as you decide whether to bid on an RFP Can you deliver the services requested at the level you want? Are there requirements beyond what you do for most of your client? Do you know enough about the client and their industry or environment? Is this the right client for you? What factors to consider in deciding if a client is a good fit Why it's demoralizing to bid on an RFP you can't win Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

We process visuals 60,000 times faster than we do text. And yet, most proposal teams see graphics as a nice-to-have. Something you add in at the last minute to make a response more visually appealing. But what if you leveraged the visuals to support the story you're telling in an RFP? What if you were just as strategic in planning the graphics as you are in crafting the text of a proposal response? Ama Cobbina is the Cofounder and Marketing Director at mAt, a strategic visualization and marketing group. As a Creative Strategist and Business Development Professional, Ama has 13 years of experience in go-to-market strategy, acquisition response and solution designing.  Megan Skuller serves as a Senior Graphic Designer and Project Lead at 24 Hour Company, the nation's premiere visual communications firm. After 17 years in the business, Megan has developed an expertise in solution-driven design for the proposal industry. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Ama and Megan join me to discuss the art of telling your story through visuals and describe the purpose graphics serve in a proposal response. They explain the benefit of developing a design template as part of your content strategy and discuss when it's okay to use SmartArt or stock visuals—and when it's not. Listen in to understand why it's crucial to involve your designers early in the RFP process and learn how to partner with a visual strategist to plan the text and graphics for your proposal response.  Key Takeaways  The role of a visual strategist and the value they bring to the proposal process How Megan defines solution-driven design and its role in the RFP world How graphics demonstrate an understanding of the client's needs and create cohesion and meaning in an RFP response Why every graphic in a proposal should have a clear purpose The benefit of developing a design template as part of your content strategy  When Megan & Ama suggest using SmartArt or stock images  The best online tools for developing your visual language in the proposal process Examples of graphics Megan & Ama have created that made a big impact Why it's crucial to involve your designers early in the RFP process  Why you should plan both the text and graphics for a proposal response Connect with Ama Ama on LinkedIn Connect with Megan 24 Hour Company Megan on LinkedIn  Email megan.skuller@24hrco.com  Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources Ama on The RFP Success Show EP052  Ama on The RFP Success Show EP056 Miro MURAL  Figma  Black to School Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

When you write an RFP, you're not just competing on qualifications and capabilities. In fact, everyone who's bidding can answer the questions from a technical perspective.  But you can differentiate yourself with a strong brand and tell the story of what sets your business apart throughout a proposal document. Michael Zipursky is the Cofounder and CEO of Consulting Success, a firm that specializes in helping consultants grow profitable, scalable and strategic businesses.  Michael has more than two decades of experience as a serial entrepreneur and consultant, advising global organizations such as the Financial Times, Dow Jones and the Royal Bank of Canada. Over 35,000 consultants read his weekly newsletter, and he's coached 500 consultants from around the world in building six- and seven-figure businesses. On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Michael explains how to think about branding as consistent messaging that speaks to your ideal clients, describing what it looks like to weave your brand story into the text of an RFP. Michael offers advice on building authority when you're first starting out and reflecting authenticity in an RFP—even if you're on the proposal team for a large, established company. Listen in for Michael's top three signs that your branding needs work and learn how to leverage your brand authority to win more sales with RFPs! Key Takeaways  How Michael thinks about branding as the way you tell your story What it looks like to weave your story into the text of an RFP  Why it's crucial to illustrate your strengths through case studies and use language that conveys confidence in an RFP Why Michael suggests focusing on the value you provide rather than price How to build credibility in the marketplace when you're just starting out What it means to build authority by sharing your knowledge and expertise with ideal clients on a consistent basis What Michael has learned about connecting through vulnerability and building a business around what your community needs Michael's response to business owners who ‘don't have time to market' How to reflect authenticity in an RFP if you're on the proposal team for a large, established company Michael's top 3 signs that your brand needs work It's not specific enough Your message isn't clear It isn't memorable Connect with Michael Consulting Success  Consulting Success Podcast  Consulting Success on Instagram Consulting Success on YouTube Michael on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy Consulting Success Mini-Documentary  Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

If your company makes it to orals, take a moment to celebrate. But remember, you haven't won the bid yet! So, how do you prepare for the RFP oral presentation? How can your team leverage orals to build rapport with the evaluators and make them want to work with you? Andy McGowan is Senior Vice President and Director of Strategic Initiatives at CommCore Consulting, a specialty public relations firm that helps organizations achieve their communication goals. Andy has 30 years of experience as a senior-level strategic PR and marketing executive working across several high-profile brands and industries.  Ted Koval serves as Proposal Manager and Writer here at the RFP Success Company. In his 25-year career, Ted has been responsible for policy, change management, communications and proposal processes at all levels of state and county government as well as the private sector.  On this episode of the RFP Success Show, Andy and Ted explain why it's beneficial to treat orals like a job interview, describing how to showcase your team's talents and demonstrate the benefits of working with you in the presentation. Andy and Ted discuss why it's crucial to practice your RFP orals, who is best suited to deliver the presentation and how to make your slide deck sing. Listen in for Andy and Ted's insight on questions that might catch your team off guard and get their top tips for first-time RFP oral presenters! Key Takeaways  Why Ted suggests treating your oral presentation like a job interview How orals provide an opportunity to showcase your team's talents and demonstrate the benefits of working with you Why it's crucial to practice your RFP oral presentation Why Andy recommends having your best presenter do the intro and closing When to seek out coaching for your presentation skills How to break down your oral presentation among the sales team, project manager, executives and subject-matter experts Andy's advice on leveraging simplicity and flow to make your slide deck sing Tim's insight on preparing for questions that might catch your orals team off guard Why it's a good idea to know the RFP requirements cold and understand the numbers in your cost proposal Andy and Tim's top tips for first-time oral presenters The benefit of getting your RFP team to participate in orals training Connect with Andy CommCore Consulting CommCore Consulting on Twitter Andy on Twitter Watkins McGowan on Twitter Connect with Ted  Email ted@rfpsuccess.com  Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  The Art of the Pitch: Persuasion and Presentation Skills That Win Business by Peter Coughter Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

So, you have nearly all the qualifications necessary to bid on an RFP, but you need to partner with another business to fill in the gaps. How do you choose the right company as a partner? What makes for a successful partnership in the proposal development process—and beyond? Anne Tarantino is the VP of Corporate Sales at Velocity Tech Solutions, an IT support company out of Roseville, Minnesota. Hannah Johannsen is the Director of Strategic Business Development at Impact Group, Inc., an IT consulting firm based in Oakdale, Minnesota. Together, Anne and Hannah call their combined teams the Notorious VIG, and they recently partnered to bid on a state government contract. On this episode of the podcast, Hannah and Anne discuss what makes their partnership successful, describing the importance of complementary services and shared values in the RFP development process.  Hannah and Anne explain why scheduling was the most challenging aspect of working together on a bid and how their teams developed a cadence for communication around the RFP. Listen in for advice on choosing a partner you can trust and find out how the teams at Velocity and Impact Group built the professional respect to form a partnership that works! Key Takeaways  The role of complementary services and shared values in creating a successful partnership  Anne's insight on getting honest about what your company is good at and what's not in your wheelhouse The professional respect shared by the teams at Velocity and Impact Group How Hannah and Anne's teams developed a cadence for communication around the RFP Why Hannah and Anne didn't want to let each other down in the proposal process How both Velocity and Impact Group navigated COVID to come out stronger in the end The business applications Hannah and Anne use to stay organized and collaborate with their teams What made scheduling the most challenging aspect of the Velocity-Impact Group partnership Why trust and respect are more important in a partner than technical acumen Hannah 's insight on how to handle it when your services overlap with that of a partner Connect with Hannah  Impact Group Hannah on LinkedIn Connect with Anne Velocity Tech Solutions Anne on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Salesforce  Microsoft Teams  SharePoint Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Everybody assumes that the majority of an RFP response timeline should be devoted to the writing. And yes, of course, the writing is very important. But there are many other pieces of the puzzle that contribute to a win. Pieces that take more time than we realize. So, what does an effective response timeline look like? How much time does the proposal team need AFTER the first pass of technical writing is done? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I share my best practices for planning a successful response timeline, explaining why it's crucial to get started right away—even if you decide not to bid. I describe the challenge of compiling a response with multiple contributors, discussing how many days to build into a response timeline for strategy reviews, editing and formatting, final look and submittal. Listen in for insight on building weekends, holidays and vacations into a response calendar and learn how to position yourself for a win by making sufficient time on the back end to finalize an RFP response.  Key Takeaways   Why it's crucial to start on a proposal ASAP (even if you decide not to bid) The challenge of compiling a response with multiple contributors and what to do about it How many days to build into a response timeline for strategy review My rule of thumb around how long to devote to editing and formatting an RFP response Why I recommend building in an extra day for a final look and submittal Why you need 10 to 14 days after the first pass of technical writing is done to position yourself for a win How to work weekends, holidays and vacations into your response calendar The importance of assigning a backup for every key person on the response team What leaders can do to hold people accountable for meeting deadlines on a proposal response Why we underestimate how much time it takes to finalize an RFP response Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

As proposal professionals, we know that the work of winning an RFP begins long before the request for proposal is released.  And if your team has developed a strong capture planning process, you will already know what issues the potential client is up against and have a solution that addresses their specific needs. Lisa Ehrlich and Tom Gillin are the Vice President of Proposals and Vice President of State Partnerships, respectively, at Cognia, a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to continuous improvement in schools.  The Cognia team also happens to be a capture powerhouse with an expertise in building trust with prospective clients and influencing the RFP before it is released. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Lisa and Tom explain why relationship-building is key to Cognia's capture planning process and discuss the criteria they use to decide which potential client relationships to pursue. Tom introduces us to the opportunity summary, the first step in Cognia's capture process, and Lisa describes why it's crucial to customize your solution to the client's top challenges. Listen in to understand how Cognia benefits from developing cohesion among its sales, proposal and operational teams and learn how Lisa and Tom ensure that an RFP is built around the information gathered in the capture planning process. Key Takeaways  How Cognia set the foundation for its powerhouse capture planning process The criteria Cognia uses to decide which potential client relationships to pursue Cognia's approach to building relationships with state government agencies The pros and cons of Cognia's long 18- to 24-month business cycle  Why an opportunity summary is the first step in Cognia's capture process Why it's crucial to build your solution around a potential client's top challenges Tom's take on what differentiates an RFP sale from a non-RFP sale The cohesion among Cognia's sales, proposal and operational teams How Cognia's review process ensures that the capture info gets into the RFP Why staying on top of your industry is an important part of capture planning Connect with Lisa Ehrlich & Tom Gillin Cognia Lisa on LinkedIn Tom on LinkedIn Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Book a Call with the RFP Success Company Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Is there a place for storytelling in business?  According to Paul Furiga, story plays a crucial role in differentiating a company from its competitors and attracting customers, employees, partners and investors to the brand.  But how do you figure out what your business' story is and then tell it effectively in an RFP response? Paul is the President and Chief Storyteller at WordWrite, a top-ranked independent PR agency dedicated to helping clients in healthcare, manufacturing and professional services uncover, develop and share their stories. He is also the author of Finding Your Capital S Story: Why Your Story Drives Your Brand.  On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Paul explores the biology behind how storytelling bonds a writer with their audience and explains how a business can live their brand by having a great story. Paul describes how to build likability and trust through storytelling, offering advice on how to uncover the story archetype of your company and weave that narrative throughout a proposal. Listen in for Paul's insight around what a good storytelling looks like and learn how to uncover the many chapters of your company's story and tell it in a way that resonates with evaluators in an RFP response. Key Takeaways  Paul's journey from journalism to building an agency around storytelling for business The science of how storytelling bonds a speaker/writer with their audience Paul's top examples of companies who live their brand by having a great story What four questions a company's brand story should address How a business can build likability and trust through storytelling in a proposal response Paul's advice on how to determine the story archetype of your company How to weave the narrative of your brand story throughout an RFP response Paul's top examples of the different chapters of a business' story Why it's crucial for your company's leaders to agree on the brand story What a good story looks like and how to compel RFP evaluators to care about yours Connect with Paul WordWrite  WordWrite on Facebook  WordWrite on LinkedIn  Paul on LinkedIn  Paul on Twitter  Email paul.furiga@wordwritepr.com  Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Finding Your Capital S Story: Why Your Story Drives Your Brand by Paul Furiga Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

You know it's important to distinguish yourself from the competition in an RFP response. And one surefire way to set yourself apart is by demonstrating industry authority. But few companies do this well.  It's not enough to say you have multiple years of experience or advertise how many hundreds of clients you've helped. So, what is the best way to communicate industry authority in a proposal response? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I share some of the generic, blanket statements to avoid in a proposal response and explain how to reposition those statements in a way that showcases true industry authority. I describe how quoting industry statistics in a proposal builds your credibility and offer insight on leveraging published articles, awards and examples of industry leadership to demonstrate your authority. Listen in for advice on talking TO prospective clients rather than AT them and learn how to build out a collection of authority statements that distinguish your RFP response from the rest of the pack! Key Takeaways  How industry authority distinguishes you from the competition in an RFP response Why it's not enough to simply say that you have industry authority The generic, blanket statements to avoid in a proposal response How to reframe generic statements in a way that showcases your authority What it looks like to talk TO prospective clients vs. AT them in an RFP How quoting industry statistics in a proposal builds your credibility  How to leverage published articles, awards and industry leadership to build authority Examples of weak statements that undermine your credibility Why I suggest building out 5 to 10 authority statements for your content library Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  APMP Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Are you making the time to do a strategic review before you submit a proposal response? If not, you're missing an opportunity to elevate the level of your RFP and stand out from the crowd. So, what does a strategic review look like? And how can you make it a regular part of your RFP process? On this episode of The RFP Success Show, I share the three steps to completing a successful strategic review, explaining who should be involved in conducting the review and why it's so important. I walk you through the focus questions to ask on each pass, challenging you to engage the reader with the things they care about and make your value proposition clear. Listen in for insight on building time for a review into your response calendar and learn how to implement the strategic review process in YOUR business and win more RFPs! Key Takeaways  Who should conduct a strategic review of your RFP (and who should NOT) Why you've got to capture the reader's attention and build trust through a proposal response How a strategic review raises the level of your proposal The 3 steps to a successful RFP strategic review Have we answered all the questions as they were asked? Are we engaging the reader with the things they really care about? Is the proposal easy to read? How to ensure you're addressing what the reader really cares about Is the proposal geared toward the solution vs. all about us? Is the theme/value prop clear throughout? Are we differentiating ourselves throughout the response? How to build time for a strategic review into your response calendar Why a strategic review is crucial to the success of your RFP Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Color Team Reviews Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute

Only focusing on getting things done faster is NOT a sustainable solution for your RFP process. That's why Kathryn Bennett encourages using Lean principles over Agile ones to get work done right the first time. Kathryn is the Director of RFP Excellence at Loopio, a Toronto-based software company that streamlines the RFP response process for more than 1,000 leading organizations, including IBM and DocuSign. Loopio has twice earned a spot on the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 and was selected as one of LinkedIn's Top Startups in Canada two years in a row. On this episode of The RFP Success Show, Kathryn explains how to optimize the proposal process from start to finish, challenging us to test our assumptions about how work is getting done and leverage process mapping to identify inefficiencies. Kathryn offers insight on data analysis for RFP teams, describing what the winningest proposal shops measure and how to present that data in a way that's accessible and relevant. Listen in to understand how Loopio technology helps proposal managers access data more quickly and find out how you can benefit from attending their upcoming FREE virtual conference, Loopicon. Key Takeaways  How Kathryn's background as a chemist informs her approach to proposals How the Lean framework forces us to test our assumptions about how work is getting done Kathryn's insight on presenting data in a way that's accessible and relevant  The foundational, intermediate and top-tier metrics for RFP teams What proposal managers can do to communicate value in an RFP How to identify and eliminate waste to make your proposal process more efficient What basic process mapping looks like for a proposal team The increasing demand for rapid turnaround times in the RFP space How Loopio technology helps proposal teams quickly access their own data and collaborate on RFPs What attendees can expect from Loopio's upcoming FREE virtual conference  Connect with Kathryn Loopio Email kathryn.bennett@loopio.com  Kathryn on LinkedIn Kathryn on TikTok Connect with Lisa  Lisa's Website Lisa on Twitter Lisa on Facebook Lisa on LinkedIn The RFP Success Company on YouTube The RFP Success Company on LinkedIn Subscribe on iTunes Email podcast@rfpsuccess.com  Resources  Loopicon Loopio's 2021 Survey on RFP Response Trends & Benchmarks APMP Seismic Dare to Be Influential: Maximizing Your Positive Influence While Still Being True to You by Lisa Rehurek  The RFP Success Book by Lisa Rehurek The RFP Success Institute