| How would you feel when the next time you sit | | | | to do. |
| down to write your management consulting proposal | | | | First, it is important to build a right relationship with |
| that you KNOW for sure it is going to be accepted? | | | | your client's economic buyer, (the CEO, business |
| My guess is you are going to feel pretty good. | | | | owner), where you are seen as the trusted advisor, |
| As a bonus "feel good moment" how might you feel | | | | and obvious expert, with peer level respect. |
| if you know you are going to be receiving higher | | | | Secondly, you have asked lots of good business and |
| fees! Probably even better! | | | | individual questions in a determining the issues and |
| How do you do this on your next proposal? | | | | opportunities with this economic buyer. |
| I know this may sound obvious. So here goes. Simply | | | | Third, you have monetized the value of these issues |
| said, obtain verbal approval before it is submitted! Is | | | | and opportunities, WITH, the economic buyer, |
| this simple to say, but not easy to do? | | | | together. |
| Here is the main issue. The proposal should be a | | | | Fourth, you have actually had the discussion with the |
| formalized written agreement of something already | | | | economic buyer, looked him or her in the eye, and |
| established and agreed upon between the consultant | | | | discussed the fees -- or at least bracketing them -- |
| and economic buyer. It should not be a quote for | | | | you propose and received approval prior to writing |
| work to be done that still needs to be approved. | | | | the proposal. |
| How often do your proposals represent already | | | | Fifth, you write a proposal in the context of the |
| agreed upon concepts, objectives and fees or is | | | | portfolio of solutions and expertise you plan to |
| some of it left open and undetermined, waiting for | | | | deliver, relative to the objectives and goals the client |
| the proposal to close the deal? | | | | wants to be achieved, within the range of fees you |
| Setting this process up right and then following | | | | have already received approval for. |
| through with this process is how you can write | | | | Imagine this final process being similar in some ways |
| proposals that you know are going to be accepted | | | | to purchasing of a large item, such as a house. The |
| 100% of the time. | | | | documents are written up, AFTER the terms and |
| At some point, there comes a time, between every | | | | prices have already been agreed to. Similarly, keep |
| client and consultant to talk about fees. Sadly, many | | | | that concept in mind when going to write your next |
| consultants are afraid and don't do it. | | | | proposal, get all the main aspects already approved |
| Invariably, they skip this step, go to write the | | | | agreed to, including your fees. |
| proposal and then they end up playing a mental game | | | | If you have done your work right, you have set this |
| with themselves, wondering if they are charging | | | | up for success and then the CEO will accept the plan |
| enough, or perhaps too much and then usually end up | | | | and the fees on the basis of the return on |
| undercharging for the value and benefits they | | | | investment that should be perceived as a drop in the |
| provide by setting fees lower than what they should | | | | bucket compared to the value and benefit that he or |
| just to try and get a proposal accepted. Has this | | | | she is looking for. |
| ever happened to you? | | | | And lastly, because you have established yourself as |
| Wouldn't it feel absolutely wonderful to know that | | | | trusted advisor and obvious expert with peer level |
| when you sit down to formally write the proposal, | | | | respect, when you write the proposal, it will be |
| you know that your plan and fees are going to be | | | | accepted because you are the only right choice. |
| accepted? Of course it would. | | | | This is how you get 100% acceptance of your |
| Five steps to 100% approval. Here is what you need | | | | proposals. |