Critiquing a Consulting Proposal

1
Critiquing a Consulting Proposal

• First, think the way the client does
• Then, make sure you produce what the client
  expects, only better.

2
Is it clear what the client will receive?

• Think about what you will do
• Think about how the client will benefit
• Think about what the client will actually receive
• Then make sure all of these are described as
  fully as possible.

3
Is it clear what the client has to provide?

• Time of managers and/or other employees
• Expertise, lists, past reports, past records.
• Money
• Patience how long do they have to wait for an
  interim report? Final report?

4
You need familiarity with their marketing
environment

• Thats one reason for the background section
  it lets you speak in their language.
• If you have never worked on a problem of this
  kind, how is it like problems on which you HAVE
  worked?

5
You need to appear careful

• Sloppiness with numbers is usually fatal.
  Proofread everything, of course, but proofread
  numbers even more carefully did you mean
  million or billion? Did you mean 2006 or 2007?
  Its not just math errors, in other words.
• And your grammar, spelling, etc. need to reflect
  care as well. The standard is perfection.

6
You need to diagnose before you prescribe

• What does this organization need? Why do you say
  that?
• THEN how are you proposing to improve things in
  a way that meets that need?

7
Dont cheerlead -- please

• Overstating the benefits of results is a big
  mistake
• Saying, in effect, we will make you successful
  kills your credibility
• Your basic stance is conservative Here is what
  we can do here is how we expect it to help.

8
You need to state the breakeven scenario
justifying your project

• This project will cost 500,000. If a new
  business buyer buys 50 units per year on
  average for two years.
• and if you sell a unit for about 10,000 with an
  estimated gross margin of 20, a new customer is
  worth roughly 200,000, and gaining three
  justifies this project.

9
Presenting the Proposal

• Same issue as the written version What is the
  client seeking in this proposal?
• What makes individuals in this class say Yes,
  buy it?

10
Your task is to reduce perceived risk

• Risk of taking on a huge time commitment
• Risk of taking on a financial commitment with
  little or no payoff
• Risk of having the interaction with unknown
  people turn out to be unpleasant
• Risk of the buyers looking bad for any of
  these reasons