What the Kansas City Chiefs taught me about proposals
Angie Wolfe
I can relate almost anything back to proposals. If we think about football and proposals — there is an overlap in how the teams prep for their games and how my team prepares for our proposals. Think about it. They’ve set their playbook ahead of the game. They know exactly who’s doing what, when, where, and how before kick-off, guaranteeing no surprises.
I can relate almost anything back to proposals. If we think about football and proposals — there is an overlap in how the teams prep for their games and how my team prepares for our proposals. Think about it. They’ve set their playbook ahead of the game. They know exactly who’s doing what, when, where, and how before kick-off, guaranteeing no surprises.
The same is true in our industry. We have a kick-off meeting within a week of receiving the solicitation. It requires planning ahead of time. As in football, a good kick-off meeting inspires the team. A poor one demoralizes them. Proposal kick-offs should be three things:
- Motivational
- Informative
- Directive
And a well-planned kick-off should include these eight vital pieces to succeed:
- A prepared agenda that allows the team to focus and get to work.
- Solicitation – to make sure we miss no essential pieces of the puzzle.
- Responsibility matrix – this clarifies who is doing what. It also helps us account for any schedule conflicts among the team.
- Style guide prevents unnecessary back-and-forth edits and is a huge time saver.
- Proposal schedule – everyone should get these critical dates on their calendars ASAP.
- Matrices for relevant projects and personnel.
- Proposal outline.
- SWOT and PSOE – Our message is clear from the get-go.
An executed kick-off meeting should leave you with:
- A team ready to take on their assignments, a proposal manager that can hand them off, and a team that can hit the ground running.
Are you organized in your kick-off meetings? Which piece of the puzzle is your strong suit, and where could you focus more attention? Let me know, and brag about yourself and your team. Or ask for help if you need a suggestion for streamlining.
Click on the link to apply to see if we are a fit for a free 15-minute introduction call, where we’ll determine if we can help you solves your struggles and meet your goals.
Angie “The Chiefs Fan” Wolfe
Are you interested in learning more or working with Ideas at Dawn to win more work without adding on more payroll? Schedule a call here.
Are you a visual learner instead...check out and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Our Links
Latest Post
Sunday, September 24, 2023
Sunday, September 24, 2023
© 2023 Ideas at Dawn. All rights reserved.