Today I finished a request for proposal (RFP) for a prospective Lifeline Data Centers client.
The RFP was unusually concise and simply written, and Lifeline’s response was in the same style. I checked to make sure we hit all of the specific points that the company requested. Then I finished the RFP by adding what we believe to be Lifeline’s differentiators; how Lifeline is different, and the reasons why companies choose Lifeline. I attempted to answer the question that all potential clients have in the back of their mind: “What’s so special about you?”
If you’re in business development, or if you represent your organization, you should have answers to that question. Don’t forget that the answers need to be framed from the prospective client’s point of view. Companies don’t care if you try and maintain high margins. They may not care about how you’ve grown and changed. Be careful with words like I, me, mine, our, and us. If it doesn’t help the potential client, and if it’s something others offer, you may not be that special.
The same is true for your personal life. What’s special about you? How do you introduce yourself in a way that makes you memorable?
In your business and personal lives, do you have good answers to the question “What’s so special about you?”
