Virtual Workshop: Proposals 101 (February 13, 20, 28)
- Registration Closed
You can’t just keep your fingers crossed and hope for the best when it comes to winning work. There are insider tips and strategies all about putting together the best-possible proposal for your project pursuits. This three, 90-minutes each, module series, taught by industry experts, provides the essential basics of Capture Planning, Proposal Writing, and Graphics for the A/E/C professional.
-
Contains 4 Component(s), Includes Credits
From developing tag lines and infographics, to using photos and charts effectively you’ll examine the many graphic tools we can use to create better marketing materials. Using real-world examples from proposals and presentations, this 90-minute session will explore creative alternatives to traditional text and bullet points. We’ll even cover tips and tricks for those with no graphic design help.
Your audience has a limited attention span. In this social media-heavy world where information is distributed in bite-sized pieces, A/E/C marketers are challenged to find ways to deliver information in clear, concise ways.
Let’s face it, nobody looks at a proposal or presentation slide and says “Yay, it’s all words!” Yet most of the time we use pages and pages of text or wordy bullets and wonder why our message gets lost. Visuals resonate with people, and using graphics as well-thought-out ways to convey or enhance your message is key to keeping your audience engaged.
You don’t have to be a graphic designer to use graphics effectively in proposals or presentations. There are many simple, yet effective ways to visually enhance your marketing materials. All you need is a little creativity.
From developing tag lines and infographics, to using photos and charts effectively you’ll examine the many graphic tools we can use to create better marketing materials. Using real-world examples from proposals and presentations, this session will explore creative alternatives to traditional text and bullet points. We’ll even cover tips and tricks for those with no graphic design help.
Learning Outcomes
During the session, participants will learn:
- Why visual communication is so effective
- The types of graphics that are most effective and how to use them to support your message
- How to differentiate methods of conveying information in proposals and presentations
- How to easily build simple graphics
- Resources and tips and tricks for using inexpensive stock fonts and graphics
Karen Kurta, CPSM
Senior Graphic Designer, Cushman & Wakefield
A three-time marketing excellence award winner, Karen Kurta excels in graphic design, photography, and proposal writing. Specializing in assembling complex pieces into concise and cohesive marketing materials, she’s known for efficiency and creativity.
Her career spans various industries including construction and commercial real estate. For eight years, she managed complex proposals and developed presentations, graphics, collateral, advertising, and project photography for two global construction firms. She’s currently a senior graphic designer for Cushman & Wakefield—a global commercial real estate firm—where she provides graphic design, photography, and marketing support for over 40 brokers in two markets.
In addition to SMPS, Kurta is a member of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) and the Professional Photographers of America (PPA). She’s also the owner of a Central Florida-based photography business specializing in real estate, portraits, and fine art.
-
Contains 3 Component(s)
Rather than focusing on the little things like capitalization and comma placement, this 90-minute session zeroes in on the big wins. By the end, you'll know how to easily craft compelling copy that your clients' eyes will be glued to.
Do you wake up early in the morning with a smile on your face because today is the day you get to write a proposal? If you answered, “no," that's because you are normal.
Many people find proposal writing difficult, tiresome, frustrating, or even annoying. But is doesn't have to be that way. Matt Handal, author of Proposal Development Secrets, will teach you the tricks, formulas, and tactics that will make crafting a winning proposal far easier and less time consuming.
Rather than focusing on the little things like capitalization and comma placement, this session zeroes in on the big wins. By the end, you'll know how to easily craft compelling copy that your clients' eyes will be glued to.
Learning Outcomes
During the session, participants will learn:
- Get the right message across in cover letters
- Write a technical approach that actually contains an approach
- Craft narratives for your project experience and résumés
- Supercharge your proposal’s readability with five simple rules
- Use storyboards to speed up your proposal writing efforts
Matt Handal
Manager – Business Development, Trauner Consulting Services, Inc.
Matt Handal was a marketer submitting boilerplate proposals and materials that were indistinguishable from his competitors'. He had no idea how to convince new clients to buy his firm's services. And worst of all, nobody would listen to him. One day, he stumbled upon some academic research on how people really make decisions. Since then, he's helped his firm win new assignments, convinced government clients to give his firm sole source contracts, written one of the most popular books about proposal writing, and flown across the country to teach professionals how to apply mind marketing to their business.
-
Contains 5 Component(s)
In this 90-minute session, the instructor will introduce the key elements of capture planning. Participants will discuss ways to develop customer-specific strategies to help foster relationships and create compelling and compliant submissions that win.
Capture planning is an essential element in winning pursuits. It’s a methodical process in understanding the client and decision-makers, the potential project and opportunities, and the competitive landscape—then turning that into a winning proposal. It often requires a full team of business development, marketing, and technical professionals.
As you can imagine, much of the capture planning effort happens before the RFP is released. An effective capture plan ensures that your business and marketing efforts align with your proposal strategy and the way you want to position your firm.
In this session, the instructor will introduce the key elements of capture planning. Participants will discuss ways to develop customer-specific strategies to help foster relationships and create compelling and compliant submissions that win.
Learning Outcomes
During the session, participants will learn:
- How to define capture planning and understand why it is important
- Key elements of a capture plan
- How to figure out customer’s hot buttons
- How to utilize capture planning to differentiate your firm
- How to leverage your capture team’s feedback to create successful proposals
Lindsay Diven, CPSM
Senior Consultant, Full Sail Partners
Lindsay Diven has more than a dozen years of hands-on experience in professional services marketing and business development for the A/E/C industries. Currently, she is a senior consultant for Full Sail Partners specializing in CRM implementation, training, and strategy for A/E/C firms nationwide. She also manages Marketers Take Flight, an A/E/C-industry specific marketing and business development training website. She has extensive capture planning and proposal management involvement, in responding to government municipalities and private sector clients domestic and internationally. Diven has served as the education and membership directors for SMPS Central Florida and is currently serving as the co-chair of communications for the SMPS Southeastern Regional Conference.
Each virtual workshop is approved for 4.5 continuing education units for the Certified Professional Services Marketer program and 4.5 learning units from the American Institute of Architects.
