Getting Your Marketing Team Organized for the Year: Tips for RFQ Pursuits, Social Media, and Content Organization – 2 FREE Templates
The end of the year can be a hectic time for those of us in marketing and business development. From attending holiday parties and family gatherings to preparing for end-of-year reviews and strategic planning, it can be challenging to focus on your work (let's not forget about the proposal that's sure to land on your desk in mid-December). If you're struggling to stay focused during this busy time of year, here are a few tips that may help.
RFQ/RFP Pursuit Strategy
A well-defined RFQ pursuit strategy can help you win more business and ensure your marketing team is aligned with your business development and project teams. Here are a few tips for developing a successful RFQ pursuit strategy:
Know your target audience: Understand the industries, companies, and decision-makers you're trying to reach.
Define your Unique Selling Proposition (USP): What sets you apart from your competitors? Use this information to develop messaging that resonates with your target audience.
Create a pursuit team: Assemble a cross-functional team of experts from sales, marketing, and technical departments to work on RFQ responses. Ensure everyone understands their role in the pursuit and communicate key dates for the submittal.
Tip: Send calendar invites to the team with reminders for key milestones (content deadline, 50% draft, 95% draft review, due date, etc.) to keep everyone in the loop on status and expectations
Develop a template: Create a template for RFQ responses that includes key information such as company background, experience, and capabilities. You can tailor this boilerplate information for each qualifications package; however, a standard template will give you a good starting base so you can put more effort into the storytelling and content of your proposal.
Follow up: After submitting an RFQ response, follow up with the decision-makers to reinforce your interest in the opportunity. Also, schedule a follow-up internally with the team to do a post-mortem review of the pursuit.
Sometimes keeping all the proposal deadlines organized can be a challenge. Check out this template for an easy-to-use RFQ Calendar to share with your teams.
Social Media Strategy
Social media is a powerful tool for reaching and engaging with customers, but it can also be time-consuming. By developing a clear strategy, you can ensure your team uses social media effectively. Here are a few tips:
Know your audience: Identify which social media platforms your target audience is using and focus your efforts there.
Set goals: Define what you want to achieve through social media, such as increased brand awareness, lead generation, or customer engagement. Let this lead the kinds of content you create.
Develop a content calendar: Plan out your social media content in advance, including a mix of promotional and informative content. Here’s a simple social media content planning calendar template to keep all of your ideas organized.
A well-defined content strategy is critical for attracting and engaging with your target audience. Content is key for keeping your marketing channels fresh, informative, and engaging. Use a mix of content types, including blog posts, infographics, videos, and photography.
Engage with your audience: Respond to comments and messages in a timely manner, and encourage your team to interact with customers on social media.
Measure your results: Use analytics tools to track your social media performance and make changes as needed. Share these results with your teams.
By focusing on these areas, you can ensure your marketing team is organized and set up for success in the coming year. A clear RFQ pursuit strategy, social media, and content strategy can maximize your marketing efforts and help you achieve your goals as a team.
by Corryn Williams, Method Architecture
