New business is the lifeblood of any successful enterprise and construction companies are no exception.
However, the RFP is the most lacking part of the company’s efforts to get new private and government jobs.
To show the value of their RFPs, construction companies need to create a custom-tailored proposal specifically addressing the needs of individual clients. And that requires starting the sales process before working on the proposal. In other words, learning everything about the client and creating a relationship with them before the RFP is crucial.
Considering that, we’ll give you a construction consulting overview of the pre-proposal sales tactics you can use to land new deals!
Making A Powerful Introduction
Getting to know the client is crucial for ultimately closing the sale — and networking is the first step on that road. However, setting a meeting before you’ve got something to present is a mistake. Once you know who your prospective lead is, prepare yourself accordingly.
Asking The Standard Question
If you want your sales process to be consistently better, you need to choose your prospects carefully and efficiently. Develop a system for gathering crucial information on any lead — you’ll also use it to compare your company’s abilities with the client’s needs.
Have you worked with the lead on previous projects? And have those been successful? What kind of resources does the client’s project demand — and can your construction company deliver? What is their schedule, and does it collide with your commitments to other clients?
Demonstrating Competency
Construction projects are huge financial investments — meaning that you need to demonstrate a certain degree of competency to stand out among competitors. A memorable cover letter included in your RFP will assure that you stand out. Use it to demonstrate your understanding of the client’s project and their needs. Also, share your qualifications in the form of success stories with other happy clients.
After this, develop a rapport with the client — staying in constant communication with them until (and after) the deal has been struck.
Opportunity Analysis
If you stay in touch with potential clients and impress them, they might give you a heads up on projects that are coming up and allow you to prepare your RFP proposal thoroughly. Use this opportunity to learn more about the project.
Ask questions related to the scope of the project; your construction company could even provide unique industry insights that the potential client might find useful. This also increases the likelihood of them hiring you for the job down the line. Also, use the information you’ve learned about the client's company to target its crucial decision-makers specifically.
Display Your Value
After ensuring that your leads appreciate your company’s expertise in the construction industry — show them the value that you bring to their particular project. The capital-intensive nature of construction projects means that clients will be approaching every potential partner with all the information they could find.
Do you fully understand their vision and objectives? Can you help them fulfill those? Having similar projects among your previous works would be ideal for showing what your company brings to the table.
Can You Learn Selling?
In a nutshell — yes. While not all businesses sell a specific product, the art of the sale is important for all industries; including construction. Knowing how to sell your company to potential clients can make as much difference as experience and expertise.
