With the end of the government fiscal year looming, the contracting pace has picked up even more than in the previous few weeks. Many people/companies are working on multiple proposals, and in doing so are burning the midnight oil pretty much every night. Here are two more proposal tips to consider.
Give your staff a break. While it may seem like a good idea to go after as many contracts as possible, in reality there is only so much a human being can accomplish in one day. Ensure your staff is taking time for meal breaks and mental breaks. The constant onslaught of proposal preparation is exhausting and this can lead to errors or oversights. Fresh minds often find mistakes that were previously missed.
Make sure your customers aren't suffering. Pay attention to the level of your customer service. If the same people supporting customers are writing proposals, then quality may be negatively impacted--customer quality, proposal quality, or both. It is important that you keep your customers happy. They may be the same people you're using as references. It's not a good idea to fall down on the job when you need their positive recommendations.
If either of these two situations apply to your company, then assign additional people or hire outside resources to help you get back on track.
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