Capture (opportunity) management requires careful and precise execution of a well-developed capture plan. Developing the plan is important. Executing the plan is difficult but essential.
Capture managers are generally made, not born. Most organizations develop capture managers internally as they gain awareness of company strategies for growth or market positioning. The capture manager is generally the primary person responsible for winning or losing opportunities and directs customer contact before, during, and after a proposal is submitted.
Great capture managers have a unique blend of skills and attributes beyond customer knowledge and technical expertise. In many organizations, the person in the capture role is equipped with strong customer knowledge combined with exceptional customer interface and interpersonal skills.
Successful capture managers know how to ask good questions, probe for hidden needs/issues, and listen actively to customers and teaming partners. They know how to uncover key buying criteria and weave those into win strategies throughout the pursuit.
While capture professionals must be excellent communicators and strategic thinkers, the ideal capture professional also demonstrates these skills:
| Leadership – | Builds a common vision with the internal capture team, customer, and teaming partners—knows how to lead |
| Facilitation – | Initiates and encourages collaborative team discussions |
| Strategy Development – | Builds customer-focused win strategies, tactics, and action plans |
| Motivation – | Creates a winning environment |
| Data analysis – | Turns data into useful intelligence (competitor and market) |
| Management – | Keeps the team focused on tasks, schedules, and milestones |
| Persuasion – | Convinces senior management to commit resources needed to win |
Establishing a capture management workflow that holds the team accountable and enables effective communication is one of the most overlooked parts of the business development lifecycle. Capture managers are critical to the success of any organization competing in today’s competitive markets.