by Sid Jaffe, SJ&A

In the proposal world, be it in the commercial or government marketplace, and either written or oral, experienced managers and writers bolster their presentations with evidence of past success.  “As evidenced by…” forces the presenter to be compelling and bolsters the concept of risk reduction for the potential client or reviewer.  The same “As evidenced by…” approach can be used for your 2016 corporate planning.  Have you identified those factors—qualitative and quantitative—that prove you have been successful, providing compelling evidence that your strategies, activities and tactics are working and minimize risk? The old saying is if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

Identifying what has worked in the past does not guarantee future success, but it is an organizational approach to capitalizing on your teams’ proven success and an assurance that you are not repeating actions that did not create the desired outcomes. We suggest the following simple exercise of responding to the statements about your performance and analyzing the answers in order to base future actions.

1. Revenue: The following is evidence that we have used a proven process to accurately and successfully forecast our 2015 revenue… Based on the evidence what, if any, changes are needed in 2016?
2. Net Profit: The following is evidence that we have used a proven process to accurately and successfully forecast our 2015 net profit… Based on the evidence what, if any, changes are needed in 2016?
3. Opportunity Pipeline: The following is evidence that we have used a proven process to accurately and successfully forecast the firm’s pipeline… Based on the evidence what, if any, changes are needed in 2016?
4. Expenses: The following is evidence that we have used a proven process to accurately and successfully forecast our 2015 expenses. Based on the evidence what, if any, changes are needed for 2016?
5. Attracting and Retaining Staff: The following is evidence that we have used proven processes and systems to successfully attract and retain our people. Based on the evidence what, if any, changes are needed in 2016?

After answering and analyzing these five statements (and other key performance metrics), you can form the basis for implementing an action plan to ensure a strong 2016.  Let us know how we can assist. For more information on organizing, training and measuring the effectiveness of your BD plan and team, contact Sid Jaffe at sid@sidjaffe.com or call him at 703-855-3160.