Million Dollar Consulting Proposals

Bestselling author of Million Dollar Consulting shares the secrets of writing winning proposals Intended for consultants, speakers, and other professional services providers, Million Dollar Consulting Proposals ends forever the time-consuming and often frustrating process of writing a consulting proposal. It begins with the basics defining these proposals and why they are necessary and coaches you through the entire proposal process. In this book, you'll learn how to establish outcome-based business objectives and maximize your success and commensurate fees. From bestselling author Alan Weiss, Million Dollar Consulting Proposals delivers step-by-step guidance on the essential element in creating a million dollar consultancy. Outlines the nine key components to a Million Dollar Consulting proposal structure Presents a dozen Golden Rules for presenting proposals Offers online samples, forms, and templates to maximize the effectiveness of these tools The New York Post calls bestselling author Alan Weiss "e;one of the most highly regarded independent consultants in America."e; Alan Weiss's expert guidance can lead your consulting business to unprecedented success, and it all starts with a million dollar proposal.

Bestselling author of Million Dollar Consulting sharesthe secrets of writing winning proposalsIntended for consultants, speakers, and other professionalservices providers, Million Dollar Consulting®Proposals ends forever the time-consuming and often frustratingprocess of writing a consulting proposal. It begins with thebasics--defining these proposals and why they arenecessary--and coaches you through the entire proposalprocess. In this book, you'll learn how to establish outcome-basedbusiness objectives and maximize your success and commensuratefees.From bestselling author Alan Weiss, Million Dollar ConsultingProposals delivers step-by-step guidance on the essentialelement in creating a million dollar consultancy.* Outlines the nine key components to a Million Dollar Consultingproposal structure* Presents a dozen Golden Rules for presenting proposals* Offers online samples, forms, and templates to maximize theeffectiveness of these tools* The New York Post calls bestselling author Alan Weiss"one of the most highly regarded independent consultants inAmerica."Alan Weiss's expert guidance can lead your consulting businessto unprecedented success, and it all starts with a million dollarproposal.

Acknowledgments ixIntroduction xiChapter 1 Business Vows: What Is a Proposal and Why It Is Necessary 1What They Can Do and What They Can't Do 1Their Place in Your Business Model 5Why You Don't Provide Proposals for Just Anyone 9The Role of Conceptual Agreement 12The Concept of Value (Not Time and Materials) 14Notes 18Chapter 2 Five Steps Toward Great Leaps: How to Prepare Yourself and the Client 19Determining the Economic Buyer 19Developing Trusting Relationships 23Establishing Outcome-Based Business Objectives 27Establishing Metrics for Progress and Success 30Establishing Value and Impact 33Notes 37Chapter 3 Avoiding Gatekeepers, Intermediaries, and Goblins: Accepting Rejection and Rejecting Acceptance 39Utilizing Mutual, Enlightened Self-Interest 39Using Guile and Other Art Forms 43Using Explosives 46Avoiding Delegation 50Ensuring Support 54Note 56Chapter 4 The Architecture of Successful Proposals: The Million Dollar Consulting¯® Proposal Structure 57The Nine Key Components 57Notes 75Chapter 5 One Dozen Golden Rules for Presenting Proposals: Steak and Sizzle Are Hard to Beat 77Speed and Responsiveness 77Accurate Re-creations 81Counterintuitive: No Pitch or Promotion 85To Be or Not to Be (In Person) 89Definitive Dates and Times 93Notes 96Chapter 6 Why Bad Things Happen to Good People Who Wait: Moving Mountains 97How and When to Follow Up 97What to Anticipate and How to Cope 100Overcoming Last-Minute Objections 104Overcoming Legitimate Obstacles 108Creating a Signature (or Something Else) 111Notes 114Chapter 7 First, Let's Kill All the Lawyers: Shakespeare Really Meant That We Needed Them 115Dealing With the Legal Department 115How to Avoid the Legal Department 118Utilizing Your Own Attorney 122Effective and Ineffective Compromise 125The Golden Handshake 129Notes 133Chapter 8 The Dreaded RFP (Request for Proposals): Why Fill Out the Truly Boring in Triplicate? 135The Beauties of Being a Sole-Source Provider 135How to Massage RFPs so That They Look Like You 139How to Offer Additional Value 142How to Use Public Meetings for Leverage 145When to Run for the Hills 149Notes 152Chapter 9 Retainers Are to Projects as Montrachet Is to Thunderbird: The Wonder of Access to Your Smarts 153The Three Variables of a Retainer 153The Need to Control Scope Creep and Scope Seep 157How to Assertively Pursue Renewals 160How to Stimulate More Retainers 164Chapter 10 In the Unlikely Event You Need Oxygen: We Don't Anticipate a Crash, But There are Some Things You Ought to Know 171What to Do With Requests for Delays Based on Time and Money 171What to Do If Rejected 175How to Improve Your Proposals Constantly 178How to Maximize Your Successes and Fees 181When to Stop Writing Proposals 185Note 187Virtual Appendix 188Sample Proposals 189Index 203