It has been much, much too long since I have posted on my blog. Life has a way of getting in the way of writing. The last few months have been busy, both professionally and personally. However, as the year comes to a close I wanted to look back at 2017 and provide some hints for what’s coming in 2018.
We are proud to be BZ Opportunity Management, a new firm focused on helping small and large businesses maximize their chances to win in the Government marketplace. We look forward to sharing insights and information about the opportunity life cycle and our growth in the weeks and months ahead.
Thank you for visiting, and talk to you soon!
NOTE: This post is the third and final in a series of three posts expanding on ideas in a recent webinar I conducted for the APMP California chapter with the same title.
When you are known for something, you create a better connection with the customer and increase satisfaction. Companies look to build solid reputations based on an area of expertise. Many companies have great reputations based on what they do well. For example, Honda makes a lot of products, including cars, trucks, lawn mowers, and more. But if you ask Honda, they really want to be known for high-quality engines.
NOTE: This post is the second in a series of three posts expanding on ideas in a recent webinar I conducted for the APMP California chapter with the same title.
In today’s fast-paced world, being able to provide high-quality, repeatable processes can be the difference between success and failure. Nowhere has that trend seen greater resonance than in dining. People, especially millennials, are abandoning both ends of the spectrum (fast food and traditional sit-down dining) in favor of “fast casual” establishments. Firms like Roti and Chipotle have benefited from filling this space.
In anticipation of the release of my upcoming book The Well-Rounded Professional: Translating Humanities Skills to Career Success, I am writing blog posts about four of the critical skills developed in a humanities education. This week, I look at what might be the most obvious skill: written and verbal communications.
Continue reading “How Humanities Graduates Excel at Communications”
NOTE: This post is the first in a series of three posts expanding on ideas in a recent webinar I conducted for the APMP California chapter with the same title.
Many people working in proposals think proposal development has little if anything in common with other professions. How often, for example, do you feel at a loss trying to explain your job? I know when people ask me what I do, I always struggle for a simple, easily understood answer. I usually end up saying I help companies try to win business with the Government, which usually generates a response of, “oh, so you’re in sales” (which is another post altogether!).
I know this is a departure from my normal blog content, but I felt I needed to post a review of a book I just finished. George Orwell is my favorite writer. Every year I re-read Animal Farm (usually in a day or so) and 1984 gets re-read every 2 or 3 years. And anyone who attended my Ignite Talk at the 2017 APMP International Bid and Proposal Conference knows about my adoration of Winston Churchill.
As many of you know, I have a non-traditional background for someone engaged in senior management in business. When people find out that I have a PhD in history, they respond with either (or both) of the following reactions:
On 30 August I had the pleasure of delivering a webinar for the APMP California chapter entitled, “Lessons from the Real World: Applying Business Examples to Opportunity Development.” I plan to write a couple of blog posts later in September that detail what I presented. Those posts will build on the main theme – that capture and proposal professionals can learn from a wide range of industries and business leaders to improve how we do our job. Below, I provide some links to things discussed in the presentation.
Continue reading “Lessons from the Real World – Webinar Notes”
Scenario 1: The Government releases an opportunity worth about $5m annually. It aligns directly with Government Contractor ABC’s core work. With annual revenue of $70 million, senior management considers submitting a bid. They have a single proposal manager in the organization, and she is involved in two live bids. Senior management decides to bid, but elects to have a junior PM from the line organization run the opportunity.
Continue reading “Shattering Proposal Myths: Myth 5 – Anyone Can Run a Proposal Effort”
