Your Proposal Was Rejected... But Why?

When a request for proposal (RFP) comes in, you get excited! It's a chance to earn income, develop more business contacts, and expand your client base. You work your little heart out in order to be thorough, compelling, and professional. Everything is in place. Your RFP is geared to show why your product or service will meet or exceed the client's goals. With fingers crossed, you submit.

Whether through non-response, a phone call, or an email, you find out your proposal was rejected. But why? Have you ever wondered? Have you ever asked? You should!

Finding out why proposals are rejected can lead to some valuable insights that - in turn - lead to increased proposal acceptance. But how do you go about asking? Many people find this is an uncomfortable situation to approach. It's really quite easy, if you handle it professionally.

Step One - Create a Form

Create a form or questionnaire that lists a few questions you'd like the answers to. You may want to ask:

? if the proposal itself was clear

? whether all the information the prospect needed to make a decision was included

? if the price was too high based on the services provided

? whether your product/service was flexible enough

? if any element was missing from your proposal

Don't:

? ask to see the winning proposal

? ask which company won

These questions are too probing and will likely make your prospect feel defensive.

Step Two - Ask Permission

Ask your prospects for permission to send the questionnaire. This will give them the opportunity to refuse if they don't care to participate.

Step Three - Send the Form

Email works best in these situations, so, if possible, send your questions via email. Your prospects will have time to think about the answers and what information to provide.

If email is not possible, send the form via postal mail. Be sure to include a postage-paid and addressed envelope.

One note: While follow-up is usually a good thing, in this case it's not advisable. If the prospect is too busy or simply changed his/her mind about responding, let it go.

Step Four - LEARN!

When you get your responses, review them carefully. Don't make radical adjustments based on one or two pieces of feedback. Instead, wait until you've collected several forms then look for trends.

If you see that most prospects are making reference to the same things, you'll know it's time to make some changes.

By asking a few simple questions, you can find out an enormous amount of information that can help to turn losing proposals into winning ones. Simply be professional. While no one will win every project they bid on, with some "inside information" direct from your prospects, you'll have a much better shot at creating winning RFPs in the future.

Copyright 2005 Diane Hughes

Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com

FREE Report: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful) Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your Business Into A Tower of Profits! ==>> http://madmarketer.com/diane

---

Selling Your Way To Success

I wonder when we decided to become a sales person.... Read More

I Don?t Want To Be Sold; I Want To Buy

I went shopping for clothes today.My plan was to buy... Read More

How To Profit From Initial Consultations

"I'd love to work with you, but?"How many times have... Read More

YOUR Future Profits -- Protect Source With CARE

At 21 years, just out of Business College, I went... Read More

Persuading Learners to Buy: 7 Groups

There are seven major reasons why adults continue their pursuit... Read More

Future Business Key Element In Sales

A challenge facing many businesses is how to maintain a... Read More

More Cleaning and Janitorial Customers Using Yahoo

We use this method to find new cleaningcustomers, and it... Read More

Im A Second-Story Man

Can you say who you are and what you do... Read More

Going Global: Communication Across Mental Boundaries

A completed communication consists of a sender and a receiver.... Read More

Buying Mortgage Leads - Three Things to Consider

The time comes for all mortgage brokers and loan officers... Read More

No Regrets

Here's a chilling thought. If you were to die tomorrow,... Read More

Selling Your Business ? Step by Step Process

So it's finally come time to sell the business. After... Read More

Ten Tips for Choosing the Right Direct Sales Company

Direct sales can be your ticket to a profitable home-based... Read More

Another Warm Lead

Saturday morning, I sat in my pajamas, sipping strong, black... Read More

When Selling, Keep It Simple Stupid!

After our first half-hour telephone coaching session, when asked what... Read More

Customer Service Revival

Value is in the Eye of the BeholderSales today is... Read More

Too Much Empathy Will Cost You Money

Ever have a prospect start out your sales call by... Read More

Do Your Customers Buy On Price Alone?

Here are four simple things you can do to take... Read More

Money Does Talk!

When buying something, you can buy in one of two... Read More

Recommending Products Vs. Selling Them

Some of the best sales people I have ever met,... Read More

Throw Out Your Selling Language - Unlock Your Natural Voice

I was sitting at my desk last week when my... Read More

Talking To A Prospect As If To A Friend

While working with a new coaching client, I asked to... Read More

Solution-Sell is a Myth!

Who among us is not already up to here with... Read More

Is Sales Profession an Oxymoron?

If you are in Sales, you have probably heard these... Read More

The Problem With Technology At The Point Of Sale In Financial Services

BackgroundThere's a conundrum that currently exists between the customer and... Read More

If I Wanted To Sell For A Living, I Would Of Majored In It In College

By a show of hands, how many of you grew... Read More

A Look at Store Fixture Parts

Products for sale need to be displayed in a manner... Read More

Quotations Tell... Proposals Sell!

The traditional "Quotation" was originally devised during the Industrial Revolution... Read More

How To Shorten The Selling Cycle And Reduce Buying Stalls

The main reason for buyer resistance and selling stalls boils... Read More

6 Ways To Get More From Your Promotions

1. Settle On The Right Way ForwardThe purpose of your... Read More

The ?Write? Way to More Sales

The sales letter you can't put down?the advertising copy that... Read More

Referrals: Getting Good Business By Doing Good Business

Whether you're a conventional sales person, a professional ? such... Read More

Before You Sell Do The Math

This is an important and potentially profitable piece of advice.... Read More