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 RequirementMarket researchRFPSelection 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