Anatomy of a proposal…presenting the solution

When writing a business proposal Executive Summary we suggest the following flow to the structure of this part of your sales document:

– What’s the requirement?
– What’s the ideal solution?
– How does your solution solve the buyer’s problems?

An Executive Summary is like a mini-proposal, so when you respond to an RFP (request for proposal) you will have the opportunity to answer the first two questions in more depth. So in your proposal section “Our understanding of your requirement” you can demonstrate your understanding (the need or problem) of the client’s business issues. Only when this is identified and clarified can you go onto present a solution to the problem. This is the real “sales document” part of your proposal where you set out how you will meet the requirement and solve client problems.

The way you structure this section and write your tender or bid (and it’s sub-sections) depends on the kind of product or service you are providing and also the way that the RFP requires you to respond. However, whatever the specific content, the key to writing winning proposals is to ensure your solution focuses on how you solve the client’s business need.

The aim is to present a solution so compelling that the client believes that you are uniquely capable of delivering the contract. It’s not enough to say ‘we can do it’ – this is the time to say ‘we can do it’, ‘this is how’ we do it and ‘this is what makes our solution different, and better, than the competition’. This is the time to present and expand on your win themes developed in your Bid Capture Plan or Account Management Strategy.

In your win themes always:

– Pick your competitive advantages that are important to the client
– Emphasise the value to the client
– Back them up with evidence
– Use them in your business proposal
– Use win themes to present your differentiators within the context of your solution and back them up with evidence.

In many cases a table of compliance can be included. This useful when there are detailed and specific requirements listed in the RFP and it provides a visual reference to the buyer that they can refer to.
It is important that if you submit a table of compliance that you are compliant! You can be sure that your competitors will be. There are two reasons not to be compliant and submitting:

– You have a superior alternative that doesn’t impact on the remainder of the requirement
– The requirement is not mandatory and the rest of your solution demonstrates your superiority

 However remember that non-compliance can often lead to an early exit from the procurement process.

If you are thinking of submitting a non-compliant bidFree Reprint Articles, then first talk with the client and ask them if they will be happy to accept it.

FINDING HARD ON WHERE TO BEGIN YOUR HOME RENOVATION?

                                                

If you are trying to make your house the best house where you find the comfort you need a professional renovation. Renovation might be a hard decision if you don’t know where to start.

If you don’t know where to start with or if you don’t have any idea about what can fit better for your house, we have our experts that will come to you. They will spend some time with you at your house so they can get to know your lifestyle and personality. By knowing your lifestyle, a design expert knows best about what fits your house and your lifestyle. This is pretty much a gift because not everyone can do it.  After finishing home consultation, the expert will advise you to come to our store and check what he has prepared for you.

It’s your turn to visit our showroom to see what we have prepared for you. You may find your ideal design or just combine it with your imagination and expert advice. In-store is easier to talk about price and choice. We make sure to explain everything even in the smallest details so you can completely understand that we provide not only the best service but also the best quality.

Once you’ve made your choice, we provide our best to make it happen. First, we deal with completing your requirements and making your imagination happen. All you have to do is sit and relax while we do the job without interrupting your daily plans. Once the plan is ready it doesn’t take much to execute it and come to you to provide it as fast as we can.

After reading these three processes we think that you will find it easier to make the decision on how to renovate your house. At usFeature Articles, a hard home renovation decision becomes easier than you thought. Don’t hesitate to call us and begin with this process as soon as possible.

Starting a New Business – Staying Positive

It could be that one reason life presents challenges is that we would be easily bored if it didn’t. Another reason some believe is that overcoming difficulty builds character and makes us stronger. There is probably truth to both those beliefs. So certainly starting a new business, while not ‘rocket science’, is going to present some obstacles.

One major obstacle is mindset – whether it is your own negativity or those who are close to you – your spouse, family and/or friends. For some reason they are going to be the most critical, and where you might expect a supportive and affirming atmosphere, you are likely going to encounter negativity about your new venture.

Another real true theory that is relevant here is ‘fear of the unknown’, and maybe that is what scares people and makes them so wary of going out on a limb to try something new or different. Even an element of jealousy there perhaps in that they may never have acted on any of their dreams, assuming they were unrealistic; but you are – because you are brave enough and bright enough where maybe they don’t feel that they are.

The other way mindset can be an obstacle to a new business start-up is getting discouraged when you don’t make money right away as you thought you would. Still another related thought is having unrealistic expectations with regard to the amount of time it will take to develop a successful business. If you are not realistic you are going to set yourself up for self-imposed failure because you will end up quitting without giving it a fair chance.

We have to be logical because so much ‘hype’ makes it seem so effortless and as if you will earn a fortune just by joining a program and doing nothing. NOTHING could be further from the truth. In reality we EARN what money we make and in fact with your own business you may need to work TWICE as hard to earn money until you get the ‘well-oiled’ machine running at optimal levels to create your success on ‘autopilot’.

Because there is a learning curve and there are lots of obstacles to overcome, we need to guard against being discouraged at all times. Discouragement is the opposite of motivation. We need to stay motivated at all times and to refuse to be discouraged. We may have to do mental exercises as part of our process on an ongong basis. Even talking to yourself to say how everything is great, how you are fine and doing a good job can really help to strengthen your resolve to succeed. No matter what negative thought or comment may come to mind, we have to counter that with something positive.

Since you are in new territory and have not yet built up your skill or expertise in the field, to give you confidence, you may need to rely on things you have done in the past that made you feel proud or strong. Think about all of your accomplishments no matter how small you think they areScience Articles, and even write them down; Go all the way back to your childhood and remember every thing you can about times where you were feeling good about yourself. Then keep those facts close at hand in your mind so that you can call on them when you start to feel like you are losing the battle against negativity. Believe you can succeed in starting a new business and that you will go far with it.

Increase Your Homes Value With These Home Improvement Ideas

Content   2008 Smoky Mountain Painting

Would you like to increase the market value of your house? There are some home improvement projects will bring a return when you sell your home, but many home improvement projects will not offer much of a return on your investment. Choose your home improvement projects carefully and if you borrow money to complete your home improvement project, do your research first and be sure that you stand a good chance to recover the cost of the project when you decide to sell your home.

Kitchen remodeling is a great way to add value to your home. Upgrading your appliances, replacing door and cabinet handles and painting walls can add new life to your kitchen plus add value to your home. Kitchens sell a home, so remodeling a kitchen should be a first choice for a home improvement project. Sometimes doing it yourself can save money, but consider hiring a professional for the large jobs. The top five kitchen remodeling projects which are recommended by Realtors are painting, cabinet refacing, new counter tops, new floors and a modern cook top range.

A bathroom remodel is second only to kitchen remodeling in terms of getting the most return on your home improvement investment. A bathroom remodel can often mean making the most of your current space, by upgrading fixtures, flooring and lighting. A few inexpensive ways to make your existing bathroom more beautiful and appealing include upgrading your cabinets, counter tops, sinks, tile or your tub and shower. However, if you do decide to add a new bathroom, it is going to increase the value of your home.

Kitchens and bathroom remodeling are both excellent choices when you want to increase the value of your home. Kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects are the best at recouping their cost and adding to the resale value of your house. The average return on a bathroom or kitchen remodel is 100-105%.

Increasing the curb appeal of your home is one of the simplest and inexpensive ways to increase the value of your home. Applying a fresh coat of paint can make the inside of your home appear more appealing to potential buyers, which could mean a quicker sale. Neutral colors are a good choice when you are preparing your house to sell. Neutral colors will blend in good with a variety of other colors and can make a room look more open and appear larger.

Your roof is one of the first impressions people have of a home. With proper maintenance, a high quality roof should last a very long time. A new roof won’t add a lot of value to your home, but it will help prevent the types of repairs that can result from water leaking in from your roof.

If your carpeting or vinyl flooring is begining to show signs of wear this can adversely affect the appearance of the whole room and detract from the value. So replace the carpeting in rooms where the wear is severe to help increase your homes value. Often, a good carpet cleaning is all that is needed.

NaturallyFeature Articles, you can only make the home improvements that your budget will allow. But many of these suggestions that I have discussed are not very expensive . All of them however will enhance the look and add value to most houses.

Remember that with any home improvement project moderation is the key. Don’t go overboard. Focus on improving two or three areas in your home which need the most work.

Construction Law – Providing Legal Expertise for your Building Construction or Related Issue

 

Construction law fall within an area of law that deals with issues such as lawful regulation, ordinances, legal requirements, labor laws concerning modification, demolition, adjustment or construction that related to a structure or building. There are two primary subsections that exist in this area of law; construction accident law and contractual construction law.Individuals such as contractors, builders and homeowners that have a legal issue concerning a building construction or related area can call on the services of expert lawyers in construction law for help. Because construction law basically focuses on the general methodologies and principles in construction such as regulatory framework, contract selection and methodologies, subcontract issues, performance security and more, having a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer in this area of law is essential to for all your building concerns. If you need a lawyer for issues such as breach of contract, property liens, construction defects and more, find a lawyer that will cater to your legal need.In the area of construction law and contracts, contracts that relate to innate legality, legal parameters, expressed stipulations in regard to a construction effort and site are required. These contracts name and illustrate the parties that are involved in the construction effort or project, the legal restitution when the contract is not upheld, and the responsibilities of all parties mentioned in the contract. Within this area of contractual law, legal requirements and legislation that must be adhered to by all parties may include:- Adhering to industrial, commercial, or residential zoning laws- Adhering to security and safety protocol- Contract agreements delivery of finished product- Contract agreements delivery of fee contingent when services are rendered- Adhering to ethical and fair employment measures In the event you feel that others have not fulfilled their obligation with your contractual agreement, hire a professional and experience lawyer to help protect your rights and interests. Whether your need is the recommendation of a building inspector, evaluation contract provisions, or document defects and more, you can hire a lawyer to build a rock-solid case for you. You can also take a proactive stand to protect your assets and want to prevent cases from being filed against your, and experienced lawyer can help you with that as well. Jurisdiction may fall under construction law in the area of legal restitution when an accident occurs on a construction site. This can include administrative law, personal injury law, labor law, commercial law, employment law and more. A legal review for an accident occurring on an instruction site may involve an investigation into certifications, adherence to inspection regulation, adherence to mandatory security and safety measures and more. If you are having legal trouble or want to prevent legal action from being taken against you or your firm in the future, it is recommended for you to consult with a lawyer. You can schedule an appointment to discuss your law concerns as they relate to construction with an attorney to get legal counsel, find out payment options and also get a case evaluation. If you have a busy schedule, find out if you can set up an appointment after business hours.

Article Tags:
Building Construction

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A Pittsboro construction law expert will make sure you receive the settlement you deserve. Stop waiting on your pay day, go and get it! Just visit: www.staffordandheafner.com.

How Much Should I Charge For My Commercial Cleaning Services?

 

Content   2006 The Janitorial Store

You’ve bought all your cleaning supplies and equipment, told everyone you know that you have started a cleaning business and now you are ready to start bidding on jobs and getting down to work. So your next step is to meet with potential clients and put together a bid for their cleaning services. But how do you know what to charge for cleaning your potential client’s building?

Start off by remembering that you are in business to make a profit and earn a living. Sometimes the tendency is to price our services low in order to get our foot in the door. Pricing your services too low may mean you will end up working for very little per hour. And more importantly, will have little left over to reinvest in the growth of your company. There are cleaning companies that charge more than others and have all the work they can handle and there are companies that have lower fees yet are struggling to find work! Don’t sell yourself short or you will not be able to earn a living off your cleaning business.

The rates for commercial cleaning vary widely depending upon the area you live. Hourly rates are anywhere from $15 to $40 per hour depending on the type of services that you provide, whether or not you’re doing the work yourself, and your company’s overhead and expenses. Monthly square footage rates could run anywhere from $.05 to $.20 per square foot depending on the type of building you are cleaning and the frequency of cleaning. You’ll be able to bid a higher square footage price for medical facilities versus office buildings due to more specialized cleaning needs. You’ll likely bid a lower square footage price for large buildings versus small buildings. For example, you may bid $.08 per square foot for a 50,000 square foot building versus $.12 per square foot for an 8,000 square foot building.

You will most likely be charging your customers a monthly price and you will need to figure that price by estimating how long it will take to perform the services that your client has requested. The more productive you or your employees are, the higher the hourly production rate. If you’re able to clean 3,500 square feet per hour, your profit will be higher than if you’re only able to clean 2,500 square feet per hour, so adjust your price accordingly.

It’s also a good idea to find out what the “going rates” are in your area. A few phone calls to competitors may be necessary to get an idea of the basic charges in your area. Use a script when you call so you can compare apples to apples. So what do you say when you call? Try something like, “Hi, I have a small business office that I would like cleaned once a week. It is 3000 square feet and has two small restrooms. Can you give me a rough estimate of what you what you charge per month?” The person may or may not give you an estimate. Most contractors will insist on walking through the building, but it is worth a few phone calls so you have a ballpark figure on what cleaning companies in the area are charging.

To estimate what you should charge for cleaning a building, start by doing a walk-through with the building owner or manager. Keep track of the following:

* Frequency of cleaning (once a week, three times a week, five times a week). If frequency is one or two times per week, it’s best to estimate your time and multiply by your hourly rate. If cleaning 3 or more times per week you can estimate your time by the square foot.

* Overall square feet

* Types of floor surfaces and square footage of each (carpet, vinyl flooring, ceramic tile)

* Types of rooms – general office, break room, restrooms. Also note the number of toilets/stalls and fixtures in each restroom, as well as the types of restroom supplies used.

* Any special considerations – heavy traffic areas, elevators, unusual requests, etc.

* Make note of the specific services the client is seeking such as emptying trash, dusting, restroom cleaning, mopping and vacuuming.

The following services are specialized services and you should bid them separately, and list a per-service charge on your bid:

* Stripping and Waxing (.25¢ – .50¢ per square foot)

* Buffing/Burnishing (.03¢ – .07¢ per square foot)

* Machine Cleaning of Ceramic Tile floors (.12¢ – .21¢ per square foot)

* Carpet Cleaning (.12¢ – .25¢ per square foot)

* Carpet Spotting ($20 – $40 per hour)

* Cleaning appliances (microwave, refrigerator) – $10 – $35 per appliance

* Window Washing ($1.00 – $5.00 per pane)

Make sure you take enough notes so you can put together a realistic price that is fair to the client and one in which you will make a profit. After your first meeting with the client, go back to your office look through your notes and decide what it will cost you to clean the building. You may have to consult a production cleaning rate chart to determine how long it will take you and your staff to clean the building. Once you have an idea of how long it will take to clean the building you can put your cost estimate together:

* Estimate the time it will take by using a production cleaning rate chart or calculator.

* Determine your labor cost for cleaning the building one time.

* Determine your monthly labor cost to clean the building.

* Estimate a monthly cost for supplies. This will be a fairly low figure, perhaps 1 or 2% of monthly sales.

* Be sure to add in a profit margin!

Add up the figures and you will come up with your monthly cost. If you have access to a bidding calculator you will be able to put in a series of numbers and come up with a price. A bidding calculator will also show what profit you can expect to make. It is also advisable to add a first time cleaning charge. This is usually an hourly rate of perhaps $20 – $25 an hour. The first time you go through a building it will take longer and you may find the previous cleaning service may have left dirt in cracks and crevices that you will have to clean the first time through.

Once you have your price established, put your bid packet together. Your bid packet should specify what you are responsible for and what the client is responsible for (buying their own trash can liners, restrooms supplies, etc.). It should also include the monthly charge for cleaning services, how long the agreement is for, and the procedure to cancel the contract if either party is unhappy.

It is important to learn how to price your cleaning services so your customers know you are providing a professional service at a realistic price and so that you make a profit. After all, if you do not make a profit you won’t stay in business very long!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Steve Hanson is co-founding member of The Janitorial Store (TM), an online community that offers weekly tips, articles, downloads, discussion forums, and more for anyone who would like to learn how to start a cleaning business. Visit The Janitorial Store’s blog and get inspired by reading cleaning success stories from owners of cleaning companies.

Google vs Microsoft – The fight for the word processor

There seems to be growing speculation about Google’s ability to cause business users the world-over to migrate to using Google’s own cut-down versions of Microsoft’s infamous Office Suit of applications. But let’s take a closer look at how business decisions are made to determine the likelihood of this occurring.

But on-line office solutions are great, great for small start-ups and home-users, who will probably continue using them initially as they grow due to historical reliance and stored data.  But unfortunately start-up businesses are in the high-risk category and most don’t make it past a few yearsArticle Submission, so this change will probably be negligible to Microsoft’s current dominance.

I guess time will tell.

Dry Cleaner Secrets Exposed: Professional Home Dry Cleaning Alternatives

Many people have an issue with the price of professional dry cleaning. This fact alone has led many to seek out different, less expensive methods such as home dry cleaning treatments. While they provide a cheaper alternative to professional dry cleaning, many remain skeptical as to how effective they really are.

The Process

Regardless of its name, dry cleaning uses perchloroethylene to remove soil and stains from fabric. It is able to dissolve greases and oils and prevents shrinkage, loss of color, and fabric distortion. The process begins with the pretreatment of spots and stains using special cleaning agents. The garments are then loaded into a machine and washed with perchloroethylene, then pressed and packaged.

Two types of home dry cleaning products exist: with a dryer bag (i.e. Dryel) and without a dryer bag (i.e. Dry Cleaner’s Secret). Both processes begin with removing spots with the provided spot remover before either placing the garments into either the dryer bag or directly into the dryer along with the cleaning cloth, depending on the product. When the garments come out of the dryer they are wrinkle-free and typically require no other treatment.

Benefits and Drawbacks

Professional dry cleaning has obvious benefits, obvious drawbacks, and less obvious drawbacks that need to be brought to light.

When you bring your clothes to a professional dry cleaner, you can typically expect nothing less than perfect. Your clothes will most likely be clean and stain-free, and all the wrinkles pressed out. The entire process is more precise and thorough than the alternative at-home dry cleaning methods. You get what you pay for. Speaking of which, the cost of professional dry cleaning is a major drawback. It’s expensive, with prices ranging from nearly four dollars to over twenty dollars, depending on the size of the garment, the fabric and the amount of treatment needed.

A little known fact about the process of professional dry cleaning is that the chemical perchloroethylene poses health risks to both the people handling the garments while they are being cleaned, and the customers who wear the clothes afterward.

Home dry-cleaning is a cheaper alternative. It costs less than fifty cents per garment to dry clean at home if everything is done correctly. It also freshens and removes wrinkles in one simple process without the use of harmful chemicals. The biggest drawback is that home dry cleaning kits cannot remove stains that are larger than a dime and sometimes need to be touched-up after the first cycle.

The Verdict

The truth of the matter is that deciding between professional dry cleaning and home dry cleaning is a matter preference, budget, and necessity. If you have heavy or large stains, professionals can do the best job, but if you know that your local dry cleaner uses chemicals that may be harmful to your health then you might want to avoid using their service. If you have smaller stains or simply need to refresh a piece of clothingFree Web Content, then home dry cleaning is your best bet.

Construction Loan Rates: The Costs Of Financing Construction

 

Building a property from the beginning may sound tempting to most people because it provides you with the opportunity to design your own home. It also gives you the opportunity to posses your own property without paying high amounts. However, financing the construction of a property by means of a construction loan is not for free and the interest rates on these loans are not identical to the rates charged on mortgage loans.Why Is The Rate So Important?Just like with mortgage loans, since construction loans deal with high loan amounts, the interest rate is extremely important. The rate applied to the loan amount along the loan’s repayment program will give you the overall cost of the loan. That figure can tell you exactly how much more money you are spending on the property and how much money you would be saving if you had the funds to pay it off without resorting to a loan or line of credit.Therefore, when shopping for this type of loan, though the rest of the loan terms are important too, you should focus on the APR if you want to compare costs to decide which lender and loan best suit your needs and budget. The APR will provide you with a thorough idea of the costs of the loan including any additional fees or charges to the interest rate.A Greater Risk, A Higher RateCompared to mortgage loans, construction loans imply a higher risk. The reason is fairly simple: since the property guaranteeing the loan is not yet finished, its value is not enough to provide security to the loan. Therefore, the lender has to cover the risk of default and non conclusion of the construction project by charging a higher interest rate.However, truth is that the property will advance along time till it is fully finished. That is why most lenders offer a descending interest rate that varies as the property’s percentage of construction increases. Moreover, once the property is completed, the loan can be converted into a regular home mortgage loan with more advantageous terms and a longer repayment schedule (construction loans need to be repaid in a year or two depending on the magnitude of the project).Credit Score, Repayment Capacity and External FactorsThere are mainly two variables that affect the loan’s interest rate and are connected with the borrower: Credit score and repayment capacity (income). There are also external factors like the market situation, reference rates, major political events, etc. that can also affect the interest rate charged on construction loans. However, the most important variables and the only ones relatively under your control are your credit score and income.As usual a lower credit score implies a higher rate. There are also higher difficulties in terms of approval for those with bad credit, especially if they cannot provide a down payment or co-signer to aid the approval process. But, as with any other financial product, you should shop around for a lender and ask for loan quotes to compare what the different financial institutions have to offer you. It is the only way to get a good deal and you can do so, even if you have bad credit.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Donna Hammond is the author of this article. For more information about Bad Credit Unsecured Loan and Mortgage Loan for Bad Credit please visit her website at http://www.quickbadcreditloans.com/

How To Set Up Google Plus Business Profile?

Know how to you can create business page with Google plus because its a great way to promote your business at Google. Know what are the steps to promote.

Gmail business profile offers a variety of features to customers which are useful for dealing with different types of business requirements. Customers may need to store a lot of information and emails in case they use Gmail or business. Keeping this in mind Gmail offers greater storage space and more features so that users can make the best use of the Gmail account. It is also easier to manage a large number of emails with added features. In order to receive a large number of information users can also make use of Google vault which is a paid feature available to customers who want to save huge information in cloud storage. This feature is usually used by companies.

Apart from this if you use Google does business profile you will be able to make bulk mails through Gmail which is otherwise not possible through ordinary e-mail accounts. However, you have to ensure that your mails are being viewed by the recipients in order to avoid blacklisting. If you use Google plus business profile, Gmail will promote your business and you will be able to attract more leads and increase sales. If you want to establish a Google plus business provides you have to open a Gmail com for business. Once you open a Gmail account for business you will be able to access Google plus business profile.

There are plenty of paid features with heightened utilities. Customers can make use of these features in order to increase the reach of their business. They can make interactions with their clients through voice calls and video calls at know extract cost at all. This is a very fast and convenient way of communicating with business associates as one doesn’t need to pay any extra money apart from the Internet charges. More and more companies are now using Google plus business profile to promote their business throughout the globe.

If you find any problem in creating over because business profile you can contact Gmail Techncial Support Customer Service Phone Number. With their help and assistance you will be able to understand the process and complete the procedure of opening the Google plus business profile. In case of any confusion you can dial the toll free help line number and speak to the technical associatesPsychology Articles, and they will provide quality remedies in the shortest turnaround time. The tech support team of Gmail has quality solutions which are focused around the needs of the customers.