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PM Forum - New York

Crafting persuasive pitches to bring in profitable new work

Bringing in new work is always important, but it has never been more so than in the current economic environment. An outstanding panel of specialists helped us to understand how to sell professional services. They each focused on a critical step in the life cycle of business development – from the key decision factors in choosing a vendor to how to craft a winning new business proposal to how to ultimately interpret the final win or loss decision.

Our knowledge group of panelists and their discussion topics were as follows:

What factors influence clients’ decisions in choosing a vendor

TheWellesley Hills Group is a sales and marketing consultancy focused on services firms. Rachel Hayes, Vice President and leader of the Wellesley Hills Group’s law firm practice, shared insights from their new report entitled “How clients buy: 2009 benchmark report on professional services marketing and selling from the client perspective,” which illuminated trends about how buyers choose service providers. Rachel has had in-house and consulting assignments focused on building and executing effective marketing programs, and training and coaching professionals to be great rainmakers.

Among the key insights Rachel shared with the group were:

  • Targets will take your call if you offer value – offering value in the selling process is critical
  • Tell the target something that they don’t know
  • Three of the top six reasons for hiring relate to fees
  • The website is important because it showcases your knowledge and expertise (use case studies, etc.)
  • Why don’t people buy?
    • The vendor doesn’t listen
    • The vendor doesn’t understand needs
    • There is no chemistry

How to write a winning new business proposal

Freelance writer and communications consultant Mari Bernhagen shared her insights from 25 years of working with management consultants as well as a ghostwriter and editor for The Fisherman’s Guide to Selling, which provides tips and strategies for landing major sales.

The tips for proposal writing that Mari shared with the group included:

  • Always have a discussion first with prospect to understand their needs
  • Know the appropriate decision makers and gatekeepers to go through
  • Understand how the buy will help/advance the buyer
  • Offer alternative ways to solve problems/demonstrate industry knowledge (e.g., industry trends)

In the proposal, you should:

  • Differentiate (weave case studies throughout the narrative)
  • Structure (always follow the client’s requested template/RFP)
  • Tell a story (offer solutions)
  • Follow proper language and format (use some industry jargon – to demonstrate knowledge)

Post-proposal: what to interpret from a win or loss

PeopleMetrics helps enable organizations to systematically take the best actions to secure and engage customers and employees. Executive Vice President Kate Feather and Vice President Frank Rowe provided guidance on how to obtain employee and customer feedback and take the best actions in response.

Kate and Frank explained that it is important to know how to look at the customer life cycle and use feedback to win business. They noted that when you don’t invite feedback, you don’t have chance to address the problems. Additionally, as vendors, do we:

  • Go out of our way for the client?
  • Demonstrate a sense of passion?
  • Work to build a real relationship with our customers?

Sharon E. Kaufman
Marks Paneth & Shron LLP

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