EP015: Creative Pricing Strategy for RFPs – with Marsha Lindquist
You may think that numbers are pretty straightforward and view pricing your services for an RFP as a clear-cut process. But Marsha Lindquist argues that crafting a winning pricing strategy is a creative endeavor, and with the right preparation, you can get to the numbers you’re aiming for and convey a business proposition that aligns with the customer’s values.
Marsha has 30-plus years of experience in consulting with government contractors. Her firm, Granite Leadership Strategies, is known for supporting companies in pricing strategy development, federal compliance, contracts management, cost accounting and creative cost strategy. Marsha’s client list includes Massachusetts Institute of Technology, DynCorp International and Dow Kokam, among many others, and she has worked with the Departments of Defense, Energy and Agriculture as well as NASA and the National Institutes of Health.
Today, Marsha joins us to discuss the creativity involved in developing a winning pricing strategy for your RFP. She explains how to determine whether a customer is looking for low price or best value and how to align your business proposition with the client’s values. Marsha offers insight around the benefit of doing your homework in advance to determine customer pain points and the advantages of including an executive summary in your pricing proposal. Listen in for Marsha’s top tips on making your cost volume sing and learn how to avoid the most common mistake people make in pricing proposals!
Key Takeaways
Marsha’s role in developing pricing strategy and cost accounting
The creativity that goes into crafting a winning pricing strategy
How to determine if the customer wants low price or best value
The tools Marsha uses to get to the numbers she’s aiming for
How to align what the customer values with your business prop
Why Marsha includes an executive summary in the pricing proposal
How to put a dollar value on what the customer needs and wants
The value in doing your homework to determine client pain points
How to make your pricing proposal SING
Give it a story, make descriptions mean something
Include visuals, graphics, captions and callout boxes
How Marsha’s work goes beyond pricing to envision the big picture
Why Marsha forges a partnership with the technical volume lead
Marsha’s take on the biggest mistake people make in pricing proposals
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