Top Secrets to Great Teaming Relationships

You muscle up for meetings with the CEO’s and other high ranking professionals to let them know you are available for project teaming. You share lunch in the private conference room of the top executive. You exchange pleasantries, shake hands and leave.

Have you overlooked anything?

Sure. For one, you may be surprised to learn that you are not reaching the right people.

Did you know that 9 out of 10 RFP (Request for Proposal) and RFQ (Request for Qualifications) packages are not put together by CEO’s? RFP and RFQ packages are put together by diligent, hardworking and overworked marketing coordinators.

McKerns Development works with a variety of companies including developers, architects and engineers to increase visibility, reach the right customers and build business. Leslie McKerns, firm owner, is an architectural development industry professional, media, marketing and business development specialist. Want to know if your firm will be selected to join the RFP team?

According to McKerns, the answer is in the response to these twenty (20) questions.

1. Do you have the names of the marketing coordinators, marketing and business development staff of all your chosen teaming partners in your database?

2. Do you frequently update that list and make regular contact with them?

3. Do you consistently update your architectural and engineering company information including firm and individual licenses, minority and other certificates?

4. Do you have systems in place to send your RFP data to your teaming partners electronically and instantly? Could files be made to download from your site or can you upload and exchange files on an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) site?

5. Do you have your photographs properly formatted as to size, format and resolution?

6. Do you have your project information, photos, logo and other RFP response material readily available as separate files that can easily be formatted into a consistent team response? Or are your project sheets and resumes ‘locked’ into the format and program your company uses as collateral material?

7. Do you use formatting programs that cannot be easily opened by other firms? If those preparing the proposal do not have your program, they will be unable to open (and therefore include) your work.

8. Do you know if your software programs are compatible with that of your top teaming choices?

9. Have you made a checklist of the typical RFP package response items?

10. Can you add, update or customize this material to fit the requirements of this proposal?

11. Have you shown what your architectural or engineering firm brings to the project that will make your proposal land at the top of the heap?

12. Have you researched the project needs and how your unique abilities can meet that need?

13. Have you demonstrated your relevance to the project with case studies, targeted resumes and verifiable results?

14. Have you customized the RFP response materials to be outstanding at meeting the request?

15. Will the judges see your RFP or RFQ response as ‘canned’ or custom?

16. Do you have a professional writer on your team? Can your writer effectively respond to requests for custom answers?

17. Do you give the writer requested input in a timely manner?

18. Are you growing your list of teaming partners on a regular basis?

19. Has your architectural or engineering firm made the decision as to whether your firm will form an exclusive relationship on projects? Do you know how your teaming partners accept that decision?

20. Do you make it a habit that your business contacts are a two way street? Do you extend a benefit to the other firm on a regular basis?

Answering these twenty questions can be the secret for forming top teaming relationships for architects and engineers.

The CEO relies on the marketing coordinator to put the team together, or at least pull it together. The marketing coordinator assumes that every firm is created equal – some more than others.

The crucial, behind-the-scenes teaming decisions are often based upon previous teaming packages (firms they know); availability of material (do they have it or can they get the teaming response items quickly?); meeting the point criteria (such as minority or other certifications); and previous interactions with your company including how cooperative and responsive your marketing coordinator is to their needs and deadlines.

Marketing Coordinators have critical deadlines and an exact list of the requirements for the RFP response. Leave out one of those items and you risk being dropped from the team. (Yes, the big boss may love you, but the coordinator will not miss a deadline waiting for your teaming packet to arrive.)

Knowing this, will your architectural or engineering firm be on the winning RFP team?

Press Contact: Leslie McKerns, BA, BS, AIA Allied, FL Licensed Designer, Professional Member Gold Coast Public Relations Council (GCPRC) CONTACT: Leslie McKerns Company Name: McKerns Development Phone: 561-305-4264 Website: http://www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment/

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Getting in on the Winning Team - What Architects and Engineers Need to Know (Getting your material in the ‘right’ hands might not be what you think.)

McKerns Development www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

McKerns Development works with developers, architects and engineers, to increase visibility, reach the right customers and build business. Leslie McKerns, owner of McKerns Development, is a graduate of both Tulane University and Florida International University, and a 25 year architectural business, industry and media relations professional, recently announcing a 2007 nomination for the prestigious Bernays Award for Excellence in Public Relations. She is an independent publicist and business development specialist, a well-published professional writer, a member of the Gold Coast Public Relations Council (GCPRC), a consistent contributor to major magazines, trade and newspapers, and the Real Estate Editor of CitySmart magazine. www.citysmartmagazine.com Leslie McKerns, BA, BS, AIA Allied, FL Licensed Designer, Professional Member Gold Coast Public Relations Council, Board Member of American Lung Association. CONTACT: Leslie McKerns Company Name: McKerns Development Phone: 561-305-4264 Website: www.freewebs.com/mckernsdevelopment

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