Chris SimmonsFounder and Principal Rainmakerz Consulting LLC
March 5, 2020
Telling Your Story: Compliant and compelling proposal themes that win
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What’s a theme?
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�Best value�No risk�We understand you – better than anyone �CMMI Level 3 best practices�Relevant past performance�Superior technical solution
“Don’t worry, I developed the list of win themes over lunch.” – Sammy Sales III
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“The Thesis Statement shows the reader at a glance the essential argument of the theme body…the reader is
relieved of the common vexation: When will this passage end, and what point is the author driving at?”
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Sequential Thematic Organization of Publications (STOP) Manual, -- Hughes Aircraft, 1965
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Themes: What the experts say
�Most effective�Answers “why us?”�Links customer benefits to
your solution features�Contains supporting proof
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Feature or benefit?
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Benefits• Safety• Comfort• Storage• Security
Benefits• Speed• Sex appeal• Power• Handling
Chevy SUV Features10 Air bags
4 Reinforced impact barsOnStar (Safe and Sound)
6 Adjustable seat belts
Corvette Features638 Horsepower0-60 mph (3.6 seconds)Top speed 205 mphAward-winning design
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Proof
� Important to the customer�Quantifiable�Supports feature/benefit�Unique (Differentiator)�Third-party ‘expert’ is best
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+ Feature+ Feature Benefit Benefit
+ Proof+ Proof= THEME= THEME
(Customer stuff)
(Your stuff)
(Third party stuff)
Theme Shortcut
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Basic requirement
Unique feature/proof
Unsubstantiated claim
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Where do themes go?
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Meta Win Themes
Volume Themes
Section Themes
Requirement Themes
Prop
osal
Them
es
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A method to the madness
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THEMES/SUB-THEMES“A central idea (feature and benefit) or claim that is supported or proved.”
• Technical Approach • Management Plan • Past Performance • Transition • Business/Pricing
PROOF (DISCRIMINATORS)“Unique, quantifiable (metric-based ) solutions features that set us apart from the competition.”
• 2-5 proof points for each theme
• Evaluation Criteria (Section M)• Instructions (Section L)• Requirements (Section C)• Customer Hot Buttons• Competitive Intelligence
Proposed Solutions
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Theme development example
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THEMES
“shall provide an automated tool for software development”
Requirement (C)
Instruction (L)
Hot Buttons
“shall describe the tool and HOW it saves time
and reduces cost”
• Proven software is VIP – especially on other State projects
• Intuitive user experience is a must
PROOF
Eval. Criteria (M)• “Ability to meet or exceed
service level agreements”• “Lowest risk scores most
points”
Competitive Intelligence
Previous contractors have failed miserably in training
programmers efficiently
OURSOLUTION
EZ-Code™software
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Themes in practice
�Our technical approach includes auto-coding software. (Basic Requirement)
�Our EZ-Code™ software will reduce time and cost. (Feature/Benefit)
�The intuitive user experience of our EZ-Code™ auto-coding software can reduce staff training time by 75%.(Feature/Benefit/Proof)
�Our EZ-Code™ software reduces staff training time from 4 hours to 1 hour with an intuitive user experience implemented on over 20 State projects. (Benefit/Feature/Proof)
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DON’T BOTHER HO HUM
COMPELLING?
WINNER!
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Dragging themes out of SMEs
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3. PROOF2. FEATURES1. BENEFITS
Saves time and reduces cost
•Proven EZ-Code™ software •10 successful State implementations (“Outstanding” past performance ratings)
Low risk (exceeds Service Level Agreements)
•Reduced staff training time•Successful State and other
implementations
•Average training time reduced from 4 hours to 1 hour
•20 relevant projects in last 3 years
Efficient training promotes user acceptance
• Intuitive user experience•Reduced staff training time
•Rated #1 for Usability (Information Week, 2019)
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Linking themes with proof points
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Proof (Differentiators)
1. EZ-Code™ software rated #1 for best value and usability (Information Week, 2019)2. 75% reduction in staff training time (from 4 hours to 1 hour)3. Intuitive user experience promotes user acceptance4. Successfully implemented in 20 relevant projects in the last 3
years5. Rated “Outstanding” by in all three past performance references
Benefit and High-level Features: We reduce training time and costs with proven auto coding software.
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Focus box
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Summarize the major features of the section that support the theme
Supported by quantifiable metrics to provide the proof
4 bullets maximum (subject matter experts will often add more)
2 lines per bullet maximum (SMEs have a hard time with this one)
Headline Summary of the Theme Statement
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Theme and focus box example
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Our EZ-Code™ auto-coding software reduces staff training with an intuitive user experience implemented on highly relevant projects.
EZ-Code™ software rated #1 for best value and usability (Information Week, 2019)
75% reduction in staff training time (from 4 hours to 1 hour)
Intuitive user experience promotes user acceptance
Successfully implemented in 20 highly relevant projects in the last 3 years
Rated “Outstanding” in all three past performance references
We Reduce Training Time and Costs with Our Proven Auto Coding
Software
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A theme-less proposal
Our Company Name (Acronym) is pleased to respond to this [long project name] (Acronym) for [long customer name] (Acronym). More about us…Blah, blah X,XXX employees and $XX million in revenues in 2018. Aren’t we great and special ……blah blah blah.
Blah blah, blah blah, this is a mission-critical project. Blah blah we are a best-in-class, blah blah. Our technical solutions are leading edge blah blah. Blah blah we have assembled a best-of-breed “A-Team”.
Blah blah blah [your vague or generalized statement here->no HOW]. Blah blab, blah blah, blah, blah, no transition risk.
Our technical approach includes auto-coding software (buried theme) blah blah blah [your unsubstantiated claim here].
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Predictable proposal review debrief
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�Major themes and discriminators missing� Important points are buried�Unsubstantiated claims and clichés throughout�Too much vague and generic boilerplate �Not enough understanding of the customer�Evaluation criteria not explicitly addressed�Past performance proof missing�Not enough “HOW”
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Our EZ-Code™ software reduces staff training time by using an intuitive user experience implemented on highly relevant projects.
Figure 1-1 summarizes how we reduce training costs and exceed your….using our proven EZ-Code™ software.
Figure 1-1. A Proven Technical Approach. Our EZ-Code™ software exceeds your service level agreement and reduces training costs by 75 percent.
• TBD• TBD• TBD
Eval. Criteria
Our proven auto coding software reduces training time and costs
#1 rated EZ-Code™ software for best value and usability (Information Week, 2019)
75% reduction in staff training time (from 4 hours to 1 hour)
Intuitive user experience promotes user acceptance
Successfully implemented in 20 highly relevant projects in the last 3 years
Rated “Outstanding” in all three past performance references
Theme sentence
Focus Box
We understand the importance of reducing staff training time as a key cost reduction component…
EZ-Code™
Service Levels• 75% bullet• TBD• TBD
Action Caption
Overview Graphic
Understanding the need
Graphic call out
Best practice proposal
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It’s not easy
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Open the door!
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Work at it
Follow-up
Start now
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Start Now!
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1. Develop a Content Plan (aka Storyboard) template that includes detailed theme/focus box guidance (a few hours)
2. Incorporate theme/focus box examples and styles in proposal template (a few hours)
3. Conduct a theme audit of existing proposals (1/2 day)4. Review, vet, and institutionalize existing reusable benefits,
features, proof points, and themes (1/2 day)5. Conduct new theme development working session(s) (1/2 day)6. Develop “next proposal” themes (1/2 day)7. Conduct in-house theme development training (1/2 day)
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Contact information
Chris SimmonsFounder and Principal
Rainmakerz Consulting [email protected]
202-255-235524
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