The RFP Success Show

Bringing you information, strategies, or resources to help you Win more business through Requests for Proposal (RFPs).

The FAQs We Get About RFPs, Part II - EP139 12/13/2023

The FAQs We Get About RFPs, Part I - EP138 11/29/2023

Distinction with Differentiators (The ‘M&M’ Episode) - EP137 11/02/2023

The Power of Certifying Your Company—featuring Heather Cox - EP136 10/18/2023

Using AI in RFP Proposals—featuring Stephanie Nivinskus - EP135 10/04/2023

Using AI in RFP Proposals—featuring Stephanie Nivinskus - EP135 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 , 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 Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/28219601

Elaborating on RFP Response Answers: The ‘Baked Potato’ Episode - EP134 09/20/2023

How to Set Yourself Apart in an RFP Response - EP133 08/09/2023

RFP Response FAQs, Part 2 - EP132 06/14/2023

80%+ Win Rates in State Government RFPs, Part 2—with Steve Schramm - EP131 05/31/2023

80%+ Win Rates in State Government RFPs, Part 2—with Steve Schramm - EP131 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 , 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 Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/26886435

80%+ Win Rates in State Government RFPs, Part 1 — with Steve Schramm - EP130 05/17/2023

80%+ Win Rates in State Government RFPs, Part 1 — with Steve Schramm - EP130 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 , 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 Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/26790603

RFP Response FAQs, Part 1 - EP129 05/03/2023

Shred with Ted: Assessing the RFP - EP128 04/19/2023

Mistakes We Seen Vendors Make When Responding to RFPs—with Cheri Fisher & Kevin Cleary - EP127 04/05/2023

Overcoming RFP Process Delays - EP126 03/22/2023

5 Non-Negotiables to Get the ‘Yes’ - EP125 03/08/2023

Focused Bidding for the Win—with Melissa Emler - EP124 02/15/2023

Focused Bidding for the Win—with Melissa Emler - EP124 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 , 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 Email Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/25815792

Finding the Right RFP Opportunities - EP123 02/01/2023

Overcoming Weaknesses in Your Capabilities - EP122 01/18/2023

Advice from a Government Contracting Officer—with Kevin Jans - EP121 01/04/2023

Advice from a Government Contracting Officer—with Kevin Jans - EP121 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 , 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 . 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 Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/25451418

5 Red Flags to Let You Know You Need an RFP Audit—with Ted Koval & Lisa Rehurek - EP120 12/21/2022

Building Empathy into the Bid Process—with Kevin Switaj - EP119 12/07/2022

Building Empathy into the Bid Process—with Kevin Switaj - EP119 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 , 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, . 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 Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/25243434

3 Ways to Leverage Evaluation Criteria in an RFP Response - EP118 11/23/2022

Opportunities for Negotiation in an RFP Response—with Don Carmichael - EP117 11/09/2022

Opportunities for Negotiation in an RFP Response—with Don Carmichael - EP117 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. is Chief PreSales Evangelist at , 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 , 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 Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/24950388

Writing from a Sales Perspective—with Dave Rynne - EP116 10/26/2022

Writing from a Sales Perspective—with Dave Rynne - EP116 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 . 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 Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/24684057

The Value of Systems and Processes - EP115 10/12/2022

Mastering Editorial Peer Review—with Jana L. Burge - EP114 09/28/2022

Mastering Editorial Peer Review—with Jana L. Burge - EP114 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? 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 Email Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/24498876

Why Bidding Cold Is (Almost Always) a Bad Idea - EP113 09/14/2022

The High Value of Outsourced RFP Support - EP112 06/29/2022

Forecasting the Future of the SLED Market—with Chris Dixon - EP111 06/15/2022

Forecasting the Future of the SLED Market—with Chris Dixon - EP111 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? is Senior Manager of SLED Market Analysis at , 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 Email Connect with Lisa Email Resources /episode/index/show/therfpsuccessshow/id/23392217

Successes & Lessons in State Contracting: Highstreet IT—with Josh Ezring - EP110 06/01/2022

The RFP Success Show

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