Learning to Read and think Backwards - new MR Skills?
The last few months or so I've noticed that when I'm reading a proposal from a Supplier, I have a tendency to start essentially at the back.
I look at the front cover - who it's from - and then flick (virtually) to the back.
The reason for this is simple - it's where I'll find the core stuff of price and timings. And like the rest of the world, I'm time pressed.
Getting key information up-front helps me to evaluate how I should approach reading the other 15 - 20 pages: if the cost is cheaper than others, then the question is: where or how did they potentially cut corners? If it's more expensive, then I need to understand why exactly. And if it's either much cheaper or much more expensive then I've already got a red light warning light on.
Reading this, you'll probably classify me as a Buyer driven by price, not value.
I'd say not so - just that often the methodological differences in proposals are so marginal, that one is often driven to a cost-per-complete evaluation, which is narrow and not what it should be about.
So what would I suggest to suppliers?
1. Look for a USP to put in your proposal. Underline something that makes you potentially different.
2. Put a Summary sheet up front containing all the cogent but compressed details on sample, methodology approach, timing, costs, etc.
3. Try to enrich your proposal - business insights are always useful. These can potentially gleaned from a telephone conversation and a few pointed questions prior to putting pen to paper.
4. Engage with the Client in as many ways as you can BEFORE you actually pitch your proposal. Client Relationship management is something that we as an industry simply haven't been good at.
5. Try to get the Client to answer what the winning supplier will have to do to win the business. This may not work, but it's worth a shot - direct, and potentially time-saving.
One approach that is clearly easier for qual. agencies is to offer a Menu-driven, unit-cost based approch - so giving the unit cost of say an online IDI versus a Mini-Group. This allows the Client to determine how to best fit the available budget to a range of options, likely mixed-modal.
The questions I have when evaluating proposals often include the following: what is the business goal, what sort of approach does that require, what level of importance does the project have....and it's these that I'm open to discussion on. Debating methodologies is something that to me only makes sense in that context.
So the next time you write a proposal, maybe do an experiment: before you press the Send Button, give it to someone internal to read it, and observe how they flick through it, where they start, where they stop. Do a sort of usability test - and then consider shortening it, making it even more concise. Consider giving it something that stands out - something that reflects you, your company and your brand. Try to influence the reader in more ways than purely factual. Make it enjoyable, if you can.
Clients, after all, are only human.
Curious, as ever, as to others' views.