Downloadable Resources
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This page includes templates on RFP responses, group-relationship planners, case-study development, content briefs for freelancers and team members, Request for Information documents for prospects, and communications-project postmortems.
Just click on the Download button and you’ll receive it as a PDF you can customize to your heart’s content (including removing references to Friction Free). Enjoy, and I hope it’s helpful. Let me know if I can help you customize it by clicking here.
WINNING THE RFP
RFP Responses often lead to a last-minute flurry of activity and a disappointing final product. But preparation — sometimes long before the RFP even arrives — can simplify the process and give you a big advantage over competitors.
This document will help you organize your response; identify your Guiding Principles; think through the current situation (and assess current relationships); get answers about and from the customer; and differentiate your response.
BUILD STRONG PARTNER RELATIONSHIPS
Building and retaining strong partner relationships is not something you can do just before your next meeting. Sit down with your team — including areas outside your team — and talk through what you’ve done well and not as well, and who are your friends (and who aren’t) so you can use each meeting to strengthen the relationship
This checklist is a good starting point, if you agree that renewal discussions start on Day 1 of the relationship.
I’ve taught hundreds of credit-card executives and other sales teams how to use it. I’d be happy to work with you and your team on it.
WRITE EFFECTIVE CASE STUDIES
Few pieces of sales collateral are more important than a well-written case study. Think of them as short, enticing movie trailers designed to get the prospect to call you to learn more.
You can use this guide yourself, but why not ask an experienced business journalist/sales executive to help you create something that will help move the reader through your sales funnel or protect you from a competitor trying to steal one of your best customers.
WRITE A GREAT CONTENT BRIEF
When you hire a content creator (a writer, videographer, illustrator, or photographer, a well-written content brief will paint a clear picture of what you expect. Be helpful, giving them the who and why without getting too prescriptive about the how.
No creator likes to spend hours on something that turns out to be way off the mark. Help them out.
REQUEST FOR
INFORMATION TEMPLATE
If you need a launch partner for a new product or service, download these tips on finding the right targets. You will need to customize it for your specific purposes, but this should give you a good start.
I have 40+ years of experience asking great questions and knowing what to do with the answers. Like other templates on the page, I’d be happy to work with you to create a document that narrows the field of potential partners.
Communication Project Reviews (Postmortems)
Many corporate communications teams finish a project and move on to the next one without assessing what can be learned for future projects. This can happen because of other pressing deadlines or because they’ve lost the attention of leaders they support.
A formal communications review process can pay dividends in the short term (have you left opportunities on the table?) and in the long term (creating a better plan for next time). The process can open lines of communication that may not have been explored in the heat of battle.
And if the experience has left wounds that are still a bit raw, I’d be happy to facilitate the review.