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Life and Business Lessons #7 |
- By Jeanne Doheny (about the author) |
Some lessons stick; they don’t need to be learned more than once. Such was the case with one of the first proposals I
presented to a client. My partner and mentor, Bill, made a practice of using me as an example of what not to do – or at
least what could/should be done more professionally. I admit, sometimes I provided much “fodder” for these “what not to
do” discussions and examples. Each time he broached this particular subject, I would cringe, knowing what was coming and
knowing how inept it would make me appear. How much the story was embellished was directly related to the audience and to
the impact Bill was attempting to make.
The lesson…
We had been asked to develop training for a division of a very large corporation. This was to be my inauguration in
understanding what the client wanted, analyzing the project, projecting the costs, and writing and presenting the proposal.
I was ready; this was exciting!
I carefully analyzed the project, taking into account the situation, the goals and objectives (desired outcomes), the
audience, resources, production factors, budgets, etc. I knew the content of my proposal well. I also knew my client
well, having worked with the corporation and this particular individual for a number of months. We had mutual respect
for each other – but keeping in mind he was the client and I needed to demonstrate my skills and make the sale.
This hinged on how well I presented and supported the content of the proposal.
The proposal looked good! Wording was selected carefully, the content presented logically and completely. Color was
applied selectively to enhance the appearance, and the proposal was bound professionally. The meeting time was confirmed,
I was prompt (even strategically early).
My partner and mentor, Bill, accompanied me to the meeting. He would observe and provide a constructive critique
following the meeting and presentation.
This was the norm for almost all of our meetings.
I clutched the copies of the proposals securely – one for the client with two agreements already signed by me. This was
part of making it easy for the client to say, “Yes”. I also had one bound copy for Bill and one for me. I was ready!
After greeting the client and after the appropriate “small talk”, I launched into my presentation, reviewing why we were
there and how we got to this point. So far, so good. It was time to distribute the documents.
I pushed the client’s copy across the desk, sliding it on its way. As I turned to hand Bill his copy, I got that “laser”
look. That was the look I grew to dread; the look I immediately recognized as the “oh - oh” look. I had obviously
committed a huge blunder and the look distracted me more than a little. This would come back to haunt me. Darn! I did
it again.
I knew not to read the proposal to the client. Knowing the content well, I paraphrased each of the steps, leading to the
in vestment, justification, and the agreement. That went well. It was a good meeting. The sale was made and the
agreement signed. My first sale! As we shook hands at the end of the meeting, ready to depart, I felt good. Mission
accomplished!
I walked to the car with a certain sense of accomplishment. But now, the debriefing would begin. “So, how do you think
the meeting went?”, Bill asked. I shared that since the sale was made, the meeting obviously went well.
I should have known better than to say that. (Another of life and business lessons).
Remember the laser look? That was a result of how I presented the client with his copy of the proposal. I soon learned
that the proposal is a valued and valuable document. You should never, never, never just slide the proposal across the
desk. No sir! When you present a proposal (or any other valued document), you shall present it as you would a gift to the
client, the document laid across your outstretched hands, a thing of beauty and fragility and you, preferably, on your
feet. This lesson was reinforced many different ways, using many different examples. I never forgot that lesson and
never made that mistake again.
I didn’t mind the lesson, especially when it was delivered in private, but when this example of “what not to do” began to
appear in so many other settings, I really began to hate it. Of course, my name was never uttered as the “subject” of
this lesson, but the knowing look in my direction meant that everyone knew who Bill was talking about.
I have the consolation of knowing that many other people have benefited from this lesson. On the other hand, some of
these life lessons stick with me longer than I would like.
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