I-SIPC BUSINESS

Every RFP (Request for Proposal) and PQQ (Pre Qualification Questionnaire) is different. Business proposal writing is time consuming, complex and expensive. It takes up your staff’s time and your company’s resources. So why do company’s write proposals? Unfortunately for many it is the major method of winning new business. If you are in the recruitment, facilities management and IT environment, you are probably obtaining the majority of your new clients via tendering for work.

So how can a small to medium company keep up with the bigger companies without bankrupting themselves in the process? Well the big companies have dedicated members of staff who do nothing else but write bids and proposals. Smaller companies can hire tender writing companies that will write their proposals for them on an ad hoc or retained basis.

A tender writing company will have one or more experienced bid managers who will either have experience in a prescribed field or will be generalist and able to handle most types of proposals.

When you decide to prepare a proposal, you can contact your chosen tender writing company and discuss your opportunity with them. They will ask to see your RFP or ITT and ask you some detailed questions about your company. They will then wish to know how much of the tender you want them to write and which parts they will be responsible for completing. They will usually leave the financial pricing to you as this is very personal to each company. They will also encourage you come up with your own solution – after all this is your strong point!

Your chosen tender writing company will often interview you and your specialist staff to garner information that can be presented within your bid. They will also gather information from your web site, your brochures and marketing material as well as your product information. A good tender writing consultant will provide you with a project plan as well as a list of information that they require from you. They will also be in contact with you – but do not forget to leave them time to write the tender, so do not expect them to be constantly on the phone or at the end of an email!

A number of reasons exist in the hiring of marketing consultants for your business. Increasing your exposure in the marketplace is one facet that a consultant might tackle. Another is the creation and implementation of a marketing plan. Of course, the primary reason why you would hire an outside consultant for your marketing needs is to increase overall company revenue.

More Money is a No-Brainer

The main goal of marketing is to increase the revenues for your business. Therefore, it is important for you to recognize when a marketing or advertising and promotions plan is not working for your company. If sales have slacked off or new customers are not being attracted to your products or services, it is the perfect time to invest in the services of marketing consultants. A consultant will evaluate your entire company before offering techniques, advice and promotional methods that will benefit your company as a whole.

While there are no guarantees on the amount of new business your consultant will bring in, it is important to recognize that hiring one for your marketing needs is essential. They can help your company with branding and product identification, increasing exposure through advertising and promotions and even website redesign and online marketing services. If your business offers excellent products and services and just needs to get the word out, a consultant is an important addition to your corporate team, even if only temporarily.

Help at Any Marketing Stage

A good consultant in the marketing field should be able to step in at any point in your marketing project. Perhaps you already have a marketing plan in place but implementation is not going as you would have hoped. It is not too late to bring in a marketing consultant. Of course, a marketing plan and implementation would appear more seamless if you hired a consultant from the get go.

Often times, medical professionals that are seeking to relocate, or are simply looking for a new position, are reluctant to seek out the help of a professional medical recruiter. This reluctance may stem from hearing “horror stories”, or stories of others that had very bad experiences working with a professional recruiter. Or, the job seeking medical professional often doesn’t understand how utilizing a recruiter works, so they don’t investigate the possibility of using one.

The truth is, just as not all doctors are alike, or all medical practices are not alike, all recruiters are not alike. Now make no mistake, there are definitely some medical recruiters in the business that are motivated strictly by money, and by a desire to close the deal. Recruiters such as these have questionable people skills, and no real desire to help the job seeker, no matter what it takes. This type of recruiter will talk to candidates as briefly as possibly, only get the information that they absolutely need to attempt to get the candidate placed into a job they are representing, and make little or no attempt to establish a good relationship with the person seeking the job. And quite frequently, when an unscrupulous recruiter obtains the resume of a candidate, they will “shotgun” it all over the country to various clients that they represent, and hope they get lucky. Recruiters with business practices such as these are “a dime a dozen”, and are the reason some job seeking candidates shy away from using the services of a professional recruiter.

The good news is that even though there are some bad recruiters and recruiting firms out there, there are some good ones. Recruiting firms that are operated with integrity are not just concerned with “closing the deal”, and reaping the profits. In fact, the best recruiting firms know that establishing great working relationships with clients and job seeking candidates, is the absolute most important aspect of the recruiting process. When a job seeking candidate calls a medical recruiting company, there are certain key aspects that the candidate should look for. A thorough, extensive interview and “get to know you” session should be conducted. This is a critical part of the recruiting process. It provides the information about the candidate that is necessary to match the candidate with the position that would best suit their needs. During this interview, information such as desired work location, personal interests and outside activities, needs of the candidate’s family, and long term goals and aspirations are obtained. This information will assist the recruiting company in matching the candidate to the best possible career opportunity.

Having a business card, with your company’s own logo design imprinted on it, is very important for marketing and making your company well-known. This is the widely used medium to advertise one’s business. The business card may be small but is effective and easy to distribute.

A very attractive business card can actually be effective in promoting your business by adding your company logo design. The logo is the representation of what your business is all about, so it is best to let people know it through your business card.

The design and total appearance of your business card may say different things about your business. But, sometimes company information cards are so common that they are taken for granted and not given much importance, not even a slight glance. If you wish to make your business stand out, you can try some of the following suggestions.

Size or shape. It is best to have a unique shape of business card that is aligned with the name of your brand and logo. It can come in rectangles, triangles, and so on. Ordinary rectangles are really quite common these days.

Content. The content of your business information card should always include contact numbers and addresses. Providing such information will present a sense of professionalism and availability towards your target clients. You can also add a motivational quote or your company’s vision statement, or perhaps a corporate motto or tag line. Just make sure it does not take up all the space on the card. For example you are in the food industry; you can put your best recipes or show a picture of your best products at the back of the card.

Material. The material of a business info card is usually made of cardboard. But, you can try other materials, too. You can actually make a name card from leather or plastic material. That ought to make your card unique.

This holiday season send a unique corporate gift that will resonate in the minds of those who have helped carry your brand during the past fiscal year.

Leather Business Items, Desk Sets and Accessories

Leather desk sets and accessories like cowhide writing tablets and portfolios, glazed cowhide checkbooks, leather-wrapped journals, magnetic card cases and stylish leather mouse pads are among the top corporate promotional gifts you could send during the holidays.

Executive -leather desk accessories are not only durable but these tasteful selections provide for the ultimate finishing touch on the corporate holiday gift-giving season.

Travel Accessories

Busy executives always on the run appreciate high quality travel accessories during the business holiday gift-giving season. The ultimate travel collection could include a suede drawstring show bag, a fine-brushed microfiber excursion case with leather trim, a traveler’s companion wallet that holds all necessities, a stylish luggage tag or a passport wallet.

Executive Desk Accessories

Safe, reliable and time-tested business gifts, executive desk accessories are universal. Think glass message pad or business card holders, glass frames or leather-wrapped photo cubes for family photos, keepsake boxes, a cowhide drink coaster set or champagne and wine holders trimmed with top grain leather (body of case can be screen printed).

Stylish Corporate Gifts

Do important clients like to relax after a hectic day with a single malt scotch or glass of wine? If you know they do, reward them with a personalized corporate gift they will appreciate. From sturdy leather wine case travelers lined with faux suede to debussed cowhide leather coaster sets, to wine decanters and martini shakers, the options are endless. Even a richly textured leather wrapped thermo for coffee drinkers is a good idea for those that avoid liquor.

Make an Impression with Golf-themed Executive Holiday Gifts

Golf and business meetings go hand-in-hand these days when important figures and deals need to be hammered out in a casual setting. A personalized corporate gift such as a golf scorecard holder with the recipient’s logo or name imprinted on it will surely grab the attention of those present, most likely striking up conversation and triggering a thought leading back to the person who sent it. Elegant golf gift sets can include valuables pouches, golf tees, a scorecard set or shoe carrying case.