The Proposal Puzzle: What We Learned from Recent Consultant Submissions
Let me begin this with the acknowledgment that there are a lot of really great consultants out there. I’ve had the pleasure of working with and learning from them over 25 years in the HR/Finance consulting space…..and, thankfully, consider many of them friends. AND, consultants these days are being asked to do so much more with fewer resources. As a result, you have time allocation decisions to make……some of which result in the experience I describe below.
So, I recount this as a reminder to myself as I now work in my own company, Docent. Over the past 20 months, I’ve written proposals and also been involved in selecting consultants for a couple of key projects. The most recent experience was eye opening and instructive.
A Fresh Opportunity
We recently put out a RFP for both project and recurring work. This is a known and reputable organization. The incumbent wasn’t invited to propose for various reasons, so a real opportunity. We invited some of the best in the HR space, and I was excited to see what they would bring to the table.
A Missed Connection
It got interesting from the start. Not a single consultant reached out to ask about the organization, challenges, or why we were going through this RFP process. Procurement wasn’t involved, so contact with us was easy to get a clearer picture of what we were looking for.
The “Why Us” Factor
When I dove into the proposals, I noticed a common theme: they all started with a long spiel about the consultants’ own accomplishments. I was hoping for more insight into our industry and their understanding of the specific challenges we face. One proposal even copied the background section of our RFP into their introduction.
Boilerplate
And then there were the boilerplate answers. It felt like I was reading from a proposal library where all they did was swap out a few names. I’ve seen this happen before, and it’s always disappointing.
The Team Connection
With one exception, the bios seemed to be dropped in without any real connection to the work we needed. It left us wondering how these individuals were the best fit for our project. A little more thought into aligning team expertise with our needs would have been differentiating.
The Result?
Really good consulting firms didn’t make the cut. Frankly, they should have, but, it was difficult to make a case that we would be a desired client or a desirable project to work on.
A Final Thought
So, what’s the takeaway? Remember to take just a little more time to do the simple things. Behave like you are really interested in the project.
Engaging with clients, personalizing responses, and aligning team experience with client needs can transform the proposal process from mundane to magnificent. I know you’re busy, but if you’re in the consulting game, a little extra effort can go a long way. We want you to show us your best game and win the ones you deserve.