Getting feedback is a vital part of your new business process. If you lose, it can help you understand where you went wrong, and if you win…well it’s good to know what the client really grabbed a hold of, so you can repeat that success in the future.
Some clients will happily provide feedback, others will go so far as to explicitly say they will not provide it. Sometimes, you’ll see a list of all the shortlisted suppliers and where you came in the list, other times you’ll simply be told you lost.
No matter what they say, ALWAYS ask for feedback….and ask for it to be as brutal as possible. The typical “all the submissions where to a high standard” does not help you refine your process.
I encourage clients to call me, rather than email, so they don’t have to worry about a paper trail (and it gives you the opportunity to clarify any points that come up). And trust me, it helps. Being told something was outright terrible, or that you talked too much in a pitch, allows you to consider these things in the future. You might not agree with them, but a client who decided to award a job to someone else is telling you that’s what put them off, so it’s important to know.
And that’s why you should also ask for feedback on your wins – knowing what the client really liked about your proposal and pitch (if you did one) helps you not just repeat those things, but also use them as a yard stick for the things that you know still need more work, so you can copy the successful elements of it.
