It’s interesting the way things can be split into categories. When we consider our industry in today’s economy, there are firms that are doing well, firms that are doing just so-so and others that are suffering miserably. Regardless which category firms find themselves in, competition is fierce for everyone—and this makes proposal writing and interviewing so much more critical. Or at least it should be. However, as the deadline approaches for an RFP, firms begin to fall into two categories: those that really want that project and those that really don’t.

It may seem strange to delineate it along these lines, but considering the marketing and business development philosophies firms hold today and the level of effort placed into submitting a proposal, this grouping is about right.

Even the firms that don’t really want the project can be split into two sub-categories. Both make great case studies of how to lose a proposal without really trying, except that the ramifications of such decisions and actions seldom are given the weight and respect they should be given. Here’s who they are and how they do it:

• Don’t really want the project—but submit anyway. I know a firm leader who proposes on any and all requests that come through the door. These often are projects the firm isn’t suited for and even when they are, the team might not have capacity for it. Rather than bow out graciously and tell the client they are taking a pass, they submit something they know will never be accepted, simply to stay in front of the client’s eyes. Your client has several dozen proposals to wade through. You don’t want to be remembered for wasting their valuable time. Whether you have worked with this client in the past or not, they can’t read your mind. What they receive from you is what they will come to expect later—a half hearted, perhaps careless approach to their investment.
  

• Really want the project—but ignore requirements and instructions. Even if you really want the project, your approach to the proposal throws you into the category of those that clearly don’t. I had a conversation with a program manager at a university recently about a large, new construction project with specific requirements. Of the 46 firms submitting, half were immediately disqualified for failing to fulfill requirements or instructions. Their approach was innovative, their design original, and their credentials and brand names impeccable. A lot of time and money was obviously spent putting together these attractive and glossy booklets. What they did not include, however, was a team that included small business and minority entities as requested.  What does this say to the program manager? “It shows either arrogance or ignorance. If you can’t follow instructions now, how can I trust you’ll be listening to me later?”
  

• Really want the project—but bomb in the interview. So you’ve made it through the first rounds of cuts to that very important interview stage. Rather than letting a package of colored pages, pictures, and resumes speak for you, you have the opportunity to prove your point in person, before a live audience. If only it were that simple! This is another area where firms can do so much better, and where their performance and presentation will signal to the client they are legitimately interested or simply wasting their time. This is not the time or place to ask questions that should have been answered through research or to rehash what has already been exhibited in the proposal. It is the moment to enrich the selection process by articulating your value proposition and demonstrating how your team alone can make this project a success. From the client’s perspective, placing their investment in a design professional hand’s poses a certain level of risk. How does your team reduce that uncertainty? Don’t make it this far and then crash and burn.

Everything you submit and showcase in the owner’s selection phase—the wording, the wrapping, the image, and the interview—are all a preview of what the client can expect to see from you later. Being a firm that chooses its projects strategically and approaches the submission professionally and creatively is the category you want to fall into. Isn’t it?