7 Quick Tips to Find the Best Proposal Management Tool

Every single seller will tell you that their proposal management tool is undisputed, unequivocally, unmistakably the best proposal management software in the whole wide world. While some specialize in a particular area, others perform multiple functions.

In a world where there are so many proposal management tools, how do you select something that would really solve your problem instead of ending up in the valley of despair, where other procured enterprise tool has been condemned?

#1. Relevance over Aesthetics: We’ve been given this advice since childhood, and yet, the human brain falls prey to how things look. Often, a fancy ppt and a colorful sales pitch, and even a choreographed demo presented to a senior manager end up winning the votes. Beware of tools in the market that look great but don’t serve the purposes that matter. Remember those aesthetics come only second to the effectiveness

#2. What exactly are your requirements? We’ve noticed that quite often, organizations do not have a good set of requirements when they are procuring a proposal management tool. It is a good practice to have a well-articulated and realistic set of requirements when seeking a proposal management software. If you have a tool that performs multiple functions, focus on your key needs and priorities and seek a tool that solves the biggest problems best.

#3. The best vendors let you use it for free: For a while at-least, test and use the free version of the tool. Ask the vendor and see if you can get to use the full version for a month at no cost. See if you are comfortable using the tool. Make notes on the response time once you have clicked a few buttons.

#4. Does it save time and effort? We use chainsaws instead of axes because it takes less time to chop a tree with a chain saw than an ax. It also reduces the effort taken to chop a tree. The same goes for tools. Ask the following questions:

• Does it save time and effort in proposal development?
• Can you quantify the time and effort saved by using the tool in your environment?
• Do you lose money or an equivalent amount of time by not using this tool?

Answering yes to all the above questions is a good justification for purchasing the tool, but there are more questions to be asked.

#5. Can it help you win? While all proposal management tool saves time and effort in some way or the other, the more important question that you must ask is if it will increase your likelihood of winning deals. It will not matter if you save all the time and effort in the world and end up on the losing side. Ask the following questions to

• What strategic output will the tool generate that will enhance your likelihood of winning?
• Will you be able to generate a better proposal by using this tool?
• Will you be able to develop a competitive edge by using this tool?

#6. Can potential risks be mitigated?

Winning and losing a deal are pretty much two sides of the same coin. Hence, you must ask if the proposal management tool reduces your likelihood of losing the deal. To begin with, ask the following questions:

• Will the tool mitigate your risk of non-compliance?
• Will the tool reduce your likelihood of losing?
• Does the tool track deals that you’ve lost and provide analysis on the same?

#7. What are the perks?

In addition to the above questions, it would be good to ask a few more which are as mentioned below:

• Are there features in the tool not necessary now, but which you may need in the future?
• Does the vendor offer after-sales support?
• What are additional features for the tool available in the pipeline?
• Do the price and functionality justify the purchase?
• Is there are price hike that is expected over the years?
• What are the future plans for the tool?
• Do they take your suggestions for improvements?

Zbizlink was literally built by proposal managers for proposal managers. We built it because we could not find a single product in the entire market which could sufficiently help us with our needs for proposal management. We wanted a tool that could increase our win rates. We wanted a tool that could save time and help us manage the time we had before submission deadlines. We wanted a tool that can help us parse resumes for Request for resumes RFR, autofill documents and make the entire approval process very clear.

Moreover, hence, Zbizlink was born- out of a need that the market could not meet. Curious to know more about what Zbizlink can do for your business? Get in touch with us now!