A frivolous look at the relevance of the movie 'sex, lies and videotape' to proposal management

1. SS
Ten Slides in Ten Minutes:
Sex, Lies and Proposal Management
[Capturing the Hearts and Minds of Prospects & Clients]
Presented by:
Bill Graham APM.APMP
bill.graham@sales-synthesis.co.za
December, 2013
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2. Thanks to the Movie: Sex, Lies and Videotape – 18 Wins & 15 Nominations
One must consider whether this was a monumental success or not…
Well, movies have multiple reviews, assessments and awards…
…BUT proposals have but ONE ! Win or Lose
…thanks also to one of my favourite actors – James Spader
Side Note: Sex, Lies, and Videotape is a 1989 American independent drama film that brought director Steven
Soderbergh to prominence. It tells the story of a man who films women discussing their sexuality and his impact
on the relationships of a troubled married couple and the wife's younger sister.
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3. The Importance of the Movie: Sex, Lies and Videotape
Sex, Lies and Videotape is important in film history for raising the profile of independent film.
In his book Down and Dirty Pictures, Peter Biskind explains that the unprecedented international success of
this low-budget film was instrumental in the beginning of the 1990s independent film boom. The film is also
important for launching the career of Steven Soderbergh, who became a recognized director of both
mainstream and art-house films and for launching or boosting the careers of many actors.
Prior to this picture, leading lady Andie MacDowell was principally known as a fashion model whose entire
performance in Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes had been dubbed over by Glenn Close. The
film was also significant in that it featured James Spader playing the sympathetic protagonist, as in many of his
past films he was best known for playing the role of the villain or the snobby preppie (in particular, Pretty in
Pink and Less Than Zero).
The film is also notable for being the breakout film for the decade-old Miramax independent film studio. With
this film, and My Left Foot (released later in 1989), Miramax became the studio most closely associated with
quality independent filmmaking. By the mid-1990s, Miramax had expanded to distribute the films of many
notable independent-minded filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, and Woody Allen.
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Source: Wikipedia

4. The Relevance to Proposal Management
independent film: There is no need to utilise permanent employees as it sometimes makes more
sense to use contractors… it’s also potentially more economical, as you bring in the services/
skills as, and when, needed. Also, get a fresher view of the capture strategy to adopt
important for launching the career of Steven Soderbergh: Be able to identify the skilled
Proposal/Bid Manager – not just a project manager, that merely produces ‘boring response
content’
launching or boosting the careers of many actors: Be able to identify the skilled proposal team
resources… as you will wish to use them again… and again…
James Spader… he was best known for playing the role of the villain: Be careful not to typecast
your bid team members. They will only perform the role they are allowed to… be open and allow
innovation and creativity
breakout film for the decade-old Miramax independent film studio: And your organisation
could be the latest / emerging company in the business, for which you’re submitting
By the mid-1990s, Miramax had expanded to distribute the films of many notable
independent-minded filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, and Woody Allen : And
success could be waiting in the wings for you and your organisation…
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5. The Relevance to Proposal Management - Synthesising
Client resonating
submission
Skilled Bid/Proposal
Manager
Lessons Learned
Proposal Win
All inhibitors
addressed
Production
team/s
Skilled Bid Team
The Goal:
Award
Winning
Production
Niche Branded entity
Subject Matter
Experts/Masters
Virtual ‘free-thinking’
Bid Team
Fresh capture
plan
Making the competitors’
irrelevant
Marketplace
charisma
Independent
thinking ‘Director’
Creating an
‘employer of choice’
Open-Minded
Organisation
Open door
mentality/culture
The ‘Google’
culture
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6. The Opinion Paradox
The larger a Bid Team, the lower the resultant productivity
The crest of sensibility
Productivity
Opinions and Positional
Power do not a robust Bid
Team make
‘Technical’
Involvement
The trajectory of hopelessness
Number of Resources on the Bid Team
NB: More than the applicable number of players in any team
[including Production Teams] is detrimental to Success !!!
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
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7. The Production Team (in red) should be allocated iro Value to be Derived
Bid Team Resource/s
Global Role
Continental Role
Country Role
BM – Bid Manager [Proposal Manager]
X
X
X
CAM – Client Account Manager
X
X
X
CCO – Chief Commercial Officer
X
X
CDM – Commercial Development Manager
X
CM – Commercial Manager
GAM – Global Account Manager
X
X
LGL – Legal [incl. regulatory]
X
NAM – National Account Manager
X
PDA – Principal Lead Architect
X
PL – Pursuit Lead
X
PR – Partner Relationships
X
X
RAM – Regional Account Manager
X
SA – Solution Architect/s
X
X
SC – Solution Consultant
X
X
SLAM – SLA Management
X
SM – Sales Management
X
SMT – Service Management
X
Note: A CAM may play the role of GAM, RAM or NAM – or a combination thereof
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8. Some ‘Traditional’ Bid Team members are potentially supernumerary
Bid Team Resource/s
CCO – Chief Commercial Officer
CDM – Commercial Development Manager
GAM – Global Account Manager
NAM – National Account Manager
PL – Pursuit Lead
RAM – Regional Account Manager
SC – Solution Consultant
Commentary
Depends on Governance
Supernumerary [If only a global focus]
Depends on Governance / Potentially Supernumerary
Role can be undertaken by the CAM
Supernumerary (basically Account Management)
Role can be undertaken by the CAM
Role can be undertaken by the Principal Lead Architects
Note: In reality, local knowledge and expertise is the major pre-requisite
The larger a Bid Team, the lower the
resultant productivity. Do not be
confused with fancy sounding roles –
their value , as part of the bid team, is
the determining factor.
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
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9. Account Management assists in the Determination of Solutions
Relevant solutions must be mutually agreed between the Service Provider & the Client
The Account Management Team are the Scriptwriters of this Production
Market
Management
Prompts:
• Global trends
• Industry knowledge
• Unfolding
opportunities
• Emerging risks
Account Managers
should be “Thought
Leaders” in specific
industries
Source: www.sales-synthesis.co.za
Client
Abundance
of
Solutions
Relationship
Building
Prompts:
• Pedigree/s
• Preferences
• Requirement/s for
advancement
• Resource alignment
• Communication plan/s
Account Managers
need to be articulate &
be the Single Point of
Contact [SPOC]
Selection
of
Solutions
Opportunity
Scouting
Mutually
Agreed
Solutions
Prompts:
• Wants vs. needs
• Resourcing
requirements
• Solutions vs. Risks
• Ability to deliver
• Competition
Account Managers
need to understand the
clients’ needs and
deliver against this
need
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10. Closing
The Account Management Team are the Scriptwriters of this Production
Movies have multiple reviews, assessments and awards…
…BUT proposals have but ONE ! Win or Lose
How does your proposals stand up against others?
“In 2006, Sex, Lies, and Videotape was selected and preserved by the United States
National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically
significant."
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