Are you wasting money on proposals? Did you know you may be wasting money on proposals? Many things can be draining your proposals of value and earnings.

Here are common ways we waste money on proposals:

Thinking it’s wired! We have this one in the bag

Are you the incumbent or the best candidate? Maybe. But, if you truly want to waste money, then you better start thinking you’re the best. If you’re the best and you know you’re going to win, then there’s no need to spend so much time fretting on planning or writing well. But if you want to win instead of waste money, bid like you’re the underdog. Never assume anything.

Expecting superior proposal content from non-writers

Are you wasting your proposal budget by expecting polished content from those who rarely write? Maybe you don’t have dedicated writers. No worries! Adjust your expectations. Coach contributors to focus on benefits to the customers when drafting content. Don’t expect finished content from non-writers.

Poor or incomplete bid decisions

To effectively waste money be sure to bid on everything. Or better yet, just make the decisions as you go. Not a good idea. Focus time, money, and resources on opportunities that give you the best chance to win.

 Lack of quality proposal reviews

Proposal reviews are only for those who want or need their proposal to be perfect. Reviews are not only for those proposal teams who make a lot of mistakes. Just glancing over the proposal and making sure nothing sticks out is a bad idea. Schedule formal proposal reviews to get input and be more customer focused and responsive.

Falling into any of these traps is expensive and inefficient.

Stepping back to assess your proposal process and the quality of your message is important—a good new year’s resolution. Be honest in your assessment and ask yourself these questions:

• Are your proposals compliant?
• Do they respond to customer needs and underlying issues?
• Is your win strategy compelling in your themes, headings, and callouts?
• Have you differentiated your solution with proof statements and evidence?
• Do your graphics add value and support your sales message?
• Is your writing customer focused?

We recently held a Webinar on this topic, select the link below to learn how to be more efficient throughout the proposal process.