In the business of generating returns for stakeholders?

Yes, even as a nonprofit organization!

Well, you better make it central to your thinking then.

BEFORE you (perhaps apprehensively) share with the client …

What they will have to spend on YOU.

And it would help if you did your homework here.

And stop being embarrassed that you’re asking for money.

Here are some ideas to trigger your thinking.

Your clients don’t get what the return on you is.

Yes, you heard me. Your clients don’t get the return, and it will lead to you losing the project.

This is one of the great proposal sins. 

I know, it’s tough. Large projects are hard to price.

And in the end, there will be a big number to share with your client.

You’re actually a bit apprehensive about it. I get it. I was too.

In your partner team, there’s been a discussion about not sharing the number openly as a part of the presentation.

“All those people in the room, not sure it’s serving any purpose all of them to know, right?”

One of your partners suggested having a separate letter … the letter of defence?

But look, that’s not the way to go about it.

Frame the price as an investment

You need to start framing the price as an investment and not a spend. And you need to present it assertively and upbeat.

We’re in business here. What matters is results, the return on the client’s investment.

So what is it for your project?

You don’t know, you say, it’s really hard to gauge?

Because there is no direct relationship to any return?

You got to get more creative than that — by hook or by crook!

For example, think about what the client may lose, what is at risk!

Think about the client’s future opportunity!

And you need to present a number that surpasses the spend at least 10 times.

For starters!

Are you also committing proposal sins number #2 or number #4 ?