Avoid these bid presentation fopars to ensure your proposal doesn't fall at the last.
Tips for managing a bid presentation by APMP expert, Andrew Haigh
Your bid is in and, as the Bid Manager, you are really happy with it. The client makes contact and gives you a presentation date and time. They send out a short agenda which is basically “You present and we ask questions”. Plus, they have added a couple of specific points they want you to address.
Because you are the in-house specialist for the bidding activities, you identify a presentation team made up of the sales lead, yourself and a technical guru (in case they ask any difficult questions). You put together a quick presentation covering the key points of the proposal and responding to the questions they asked.
As a precaution, you work with sales and financial teams to see what more “wriggle room” you have with the pricing. Then you are good to go.
On the day of the presentation, it all goes OK. Once you have connected the laptop to their projector you lead the presentation and at the end, they ask a couple of questions. They don’t ask about the price. As you leave, you see a competitor’s team assembling in reception, ready to do their bit next.
Two weeks later you are told you have come second!
Can you spot what went wrong?
Here are ten things that you could have done to increase your chances:
Bid Presentation Order
The worst position in a series of bid presentations is to be in the middle. Research has shown that the best spot is the last. This is so that your information is the freshest when the client’s team discusses its findings. If you cannot manage that, make sure that you get the first slot.
As soon as you are given a date and time, go back and say your key people cannot attend on that date. Then ask, what is the last acceptable date and time for your team to present? Then negotiate the best slot you can.
If you present in the middle slot, your presentation is more likely to be forgotten and you may lose the bid!
The Presentation Lead
Like the bid, the presentation is just another way in which your business will communicate with the client. The Bid Manager is not the right person to control this; it should be the sales lead!
To be successful, you must have one person who coordinates all communications with the client and makes sure that the client gets the agreed, consistent and clear message before, during and after the bid. The Bid Manager can help, but not take the lead role.
If you mix your messages you may lose the bid!
Unspoken Question
The most important unwritten and unspoken question that the client’s team is asking itself is “Can I/we work with these people”?
So, your team should be comprised of the actual people they will be working with. Your job is to make sure that the right people attend and that they are motivated, well-rehearsed, and on message from the moment you arrive at the client’s site.
If you hide the delivery team you may lose the bid!
Client Questions
Client questions are red flags. They signify something which may cause you to lose because you have not made a convincing argument.
If you are asked a question, you are in with a chance; the client team will not ask significant questions if they know that you cannot win. You must brainstorm the reasons behind the questions with your best people and use the opportunity to improve your evaluation chances. Just answering the question will only confirm your original poor response. Prepare a full written response and hand copies out at the presentation, so there is no doubt about your superior proposals.
If you ignore the underlying reasons behind the client's questions you may lose the bid!
First Impressions
You make your most important impression on the client’s team as you enter the room. Do not spend the first few critical seconds with your head down, connecting the Laptop.
Practice entering the room with a bounce and introduce everyone before you do anything else. Show them that you are an enthusiastic group that will be a delight to work with. Show them you are a connected team who are excited by the prospect of working on this project. And do all this from the moment the door opens!
If you make the wrong first impression you may lose the bid!
Organisation
Don’t connect the Laptop. Get someone else to do it and practice covering the moments whilst you wait for it to happen. Be ready to handle any embarrassing moments while technical issues are resolved.
If you give the impression you are disorganised you may lose the bid!
Presenting the Bid
Don’t present the bid contents. Assume that they have read it all. Deal with all the benefits they will get if they select you, illustrated with those parts of the bid that will make a difference. Then give them the benefits of those benefits to them in the short, medium and long term.
If you bore the evaluation team or miss the opportunity to excite them, you may lose the bid
Answers
Control the questions. Have the lead on your team respond to all the questions with a summary of what has been asked. Then, he or she should pass the question to the best person on your team to answer. This gives your team members time to think before speaking.
End every answer with a benefits statement. If the client’s resident technical experts try to display their depth of expertise by asking increasingly detailed and complex questions (generally to expose a weakness in your solution), cut them off. Offer to give them a full written response later.
If you are side-tracked by questions covering a hidden (hostile) agenda, you may lose the bid!
Following Up
You cannot leave the client with just the impression they had from the presentation. As soon as you get back to the office, get the team together and compile an email covering all the key points in the presentation and add any information you think may help your evaluation chances.
Provide the summary of the meeting for them. It is easier for their team to copy your summary than to write their own, and they may just pass it on unedited to the final decision-maker. Make sure all the main benefits are listed.
If you allow the evaluators to forget your best-selling points you may lose the bid!
Mindset
Going into the presentation expecting the client to haggle on price will give your team the wrong mindset. Go to the presentation ready to explain why your price is justified and how it represents the best value to the client. Be ready to show them how they cannot afford to take any other (cheaper) solutions.
If you focus on price rather than quality, you may lose the bid!
Bid Presentation Rehearsal
Have an objective observer critique your presentation rehearsal. Don’t let this first critique come from the client’s team. Use someone who knows how all this works to give the best chance of securing the contract.
Please give us a call on 01227 860375 or send an email to andrew.haigh@sixfoldinternational.co.uk if you would like more information.
Article by Andrew Haigh of Sixfold International.
If you need to improve your bid presentation or public speaking skills, we can help. Telephone +44 (0)1392 851500. We will be pleased to learn about your needs or talk through some options. Alternatively, Send an email to custserv@salessense.co.uk for a prompt reply or use the contact form here.
