How to Succeed as an Agency on Prosal in Your First 30 Days

Launch your agency's success on Prosal in just 30 days. Follow our step-by-step guide to effectively navigate RFPs, optimize your profile, and fully utilize your Prosal experience.

Settling into a new platform can be daunting, but when that platform can transform the trajectory of your agency, it's worth taking the plunge. Welcome to Prosal, where business development meets potential, and your agency is poised for exponential growth.

What is Prosal?

Think of Prosal not just as another platform, but as your business development ace in the hole. By simplifying the process of discovering and securing Requests for Proposals (RFPs), it offers businesses a tangible route to expansion.

Our core mission is to help agencies and consultants seamlessly discover and secure requests for proposals (RFPs). We source RFPs from an impressive range of sectors: nonprofits, philanthropy, higher education, local governments, and private enterprises.

One of the game-changing features of Prosal is the exclusivity it offers. Not all RFPs are openly accessible. Prosal's unique sourcing mechanism ensures you gain access to the best RFPs, some directly from organizations, some through our specialized concierge services, and others from public domains with the necessary permissions.

Transparency is another cornerstone of Prosal. With our premium RFPs, the budget clarity you get is unparalleled. While the free RFPs are based on meticulous data analysis and past trends, they maintain a commendable accuracy level, 80% on average, which is pivotal for strategic decision-making.

Optimize Your Presence on Prosal

To further elevate your Prosal presence, badges, certifications, and portfolios are invaluable. Each badge or certificate narrates a story of your agency's prowess and diversity. Moreover, with Prosal's marketplace feature, you can meticulously organize RFPs based on your strategic interests, submissions, and more. This categorization aids in streamlining your proposal process, which can be instrumental, especially when dealing with multiple RFPs simultaneously.

Starting with Prosal entails more than just signing up. It's about strategically positioning your agency or consultancy in a competitive marketplace. After creating and verifying your respondent account, the next pivotal step is a compelling profile. This profile, often the first point of contact with potential clients, must encompass vital details, from contact information to sectors of expertise. Your profiles are shared with clients any time you engage with an RFP, such as when you ask questions or indicate your interest in an RFP

To capitalize on Prosal's capabilities, consider structuring your RFPs using the 'Create Your Groups' feature in the marketplace. At its core, this function is designed to bring method to the vastness of opportunities. The platform has standard groups like "I'm Interested," which houses RFPs that have piqued your interest, and "Submitted," where RFPs you've officially responded to reside.

Yet, Prosal appreciates the diversity of its clientele. Understandably, the workflows, team sizes, and proposal preparation durations vary across agencies. To address these nuances, you can create custom groups that mirror your unique proposal process. Some agencies, for instance, have groups such as "Opportunities to Review," "Applying," "Did Not Apply," "Wins," and "No Wins." These classifications can be instrumental in providing a panoramic view of your RFP endeavors and maintaining agility.

In addition to optimizing your profile, connecting with the Prosal community is invaluable. To foster this sense of camaraderie and shared wisdom, make it a point to join our community Slack. Engaging with this dynamic community can offer insights, tips, and collaborative opportunities that can be transformative for your business.

Refining Strategy Outside Prosal

Venturing into Prosal is not about casting a wide net; it's about fishing with precision. The key is leveraging Prosal to amplify the strengths of your existing processes. If you're starting without a foundational method, focus on understanding your agency's distinct value proposition. Ask yourself: Why do clients gravitate toward us? Perhaps you have an impeccable track record in a specific geography, or your expertise lies in a particular technology stack. It could also be the type or size of projects your company typically handles. Recognizing these distinguishing traits is crucial. They act as beacons, guiding you to RFP opportunities that resonate with your agency's strengths.

Set tangible goals for yourself and your journey. Before plunging into the RFP pool, crystallize your aspirations for the month, quarter, or year. Define your revenue goals, the number of clients you aim to onboard, and the bandwidth you're willing to allocate. By reverse engineering your goals, you can gauge the level of business development efforts required. For instance, if you aim to harness $100,000 from RFPs this year, with a 25% success rate on an average project value of $50,000, you're looking at clinching at least two RFPs. This means applying for at least two RFPs every quarter, assuming all other variables remain constant.

With your goals in perspective, sculpt a process to achieve them. Extend the earlier example: Outline a strategy to identify those two pivotal RFPs each quarter. Decipher the nature of RFPs that align with your capabilities, and decide on the team members involved, the materials to dispatch, and the mechanism to track progress. To bolster this endeavor, consider leveraging this internal leads-tracking dashboard. The versatility of this tool also means you can mold it according to your preferred project management software.

Stay vigilant. Constantly screen RFPs to discern those that harmonize with your criteria. Gauge the typical response times and familiarize yourself with application prerequisites. If a recurring requirement emerges, like business insurance, strategize to procure it. To assist you, Prosal has curated a plethora of partner resources. Beyond the logistical aspects, immerse in relationship building. Cultivate ties with potential clients, leverage your existing network, and position your agency as a front-runner. For a comprehensive guide, delve into Prosal's resource on winning RFPs and fostering business relationships.

Remember, Prosal is a tool; like any tool, its efficacy hinges on the strategy that wields it.

Once You're Ready

Engage Proactively with RFPs. Responding to an RFP on Prosal is a dynamic process. Once submitted, issuers can review your proposal instantaneously. This immediate feedback loop ensures you stay agile, making revisions when needed and always keeping the communication channels open. It's not merely about submitting a proposal but about nurturing it, answering questions, providing clarifications, and standing out.

Consider Prosal Pro. For CEOs and business development directors looking for an edge, Prosal's Pro offering is worth considering. At a starting price of $69/mo, Prosal Pro gives you unfettered access to premium RFPs with vetted budgets. The PuffinAI, our proprietary in-platform assistant, further enhances the RFP navigation experience by providing summaries.

The Road Ahead

As with all strategic initiatives, give Prosal a solid quarter to measure its impact. Continuously monitor, adjust, and refine your strategies to align with the platform's offerings. Our comprehensive FAQ section is always available if you need insights or clarifications.

Remember, Prosal evolves with your feedback. Share your insights, ideas, and suggestions. Together, we can sculpt a platform that meets and anticipates the needs of visionary business leaders like you. Welcome to the future of strategic growth.