Future revenue growth requires planning, process and hard work. In order to be successful, you need to take control of your destiny. Many companies that rely heavily on outside influence for their growth during good times will struggle to survive in a downturn. Two examples of this might be:
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- Responding to Requests for Proposal (RFPs) where the customer may never have been engaged and starting their acquisition process at the point of RFP release.
- Relying on a good proposal to influence the source selection board.
Some companies take a different approach. They focus on working with clients early in their buying process to identify opportunities. As a result, these firms continue to be successful in any environment. They continue to engage customers early to develop a real understanding of their needs and work with them to define the solution. These organizations decide to control their own destiny instead of waiting for the release of a perfect “blue bird” opportunity.
As you confront the “new normal” of business acquisition in any industry, you have the power to master your own destiny by proactively engaging customers, identifying their issues and shaping their thinking as it relates to a solution. The alternative is to wait until the RFP is released, write what you believe is a winning proposal and then put your faith in the hands of the source selection committee. If option #2 is your strategy, be warned … if you have not influenced the solution, your competition probably has!