Communicate your win strategy
Written by Rana Jabbour.
Updated May 6, 2026.
Images have been generated using AI, unless otherwise stated.
Avoid Proposal Failures: The Critical Role of Team Communication
Wendy, the Capture Manager, held a win strategy meeting with the proposal team. The team defined with win themes and differentiators, and identified capability and personnel gaps. They were off to a good start!
Susan, the Proposal Manager, had her marching orders. Over the next few days, she collaborated with Molly (the Price Lead) and held discussions with the resume and past performance writers. The graphics team knew what they needed to do. Everyone worked toward the first proposal review. Sounds like a great proposal, right?
Wrong.
Proposal mistakes
While Susan was meeting with the proposal team, Wendy added a subcontractor to the team – the addition closed a few gaps, brought additional capabilities, and rounded out the technical solution. Plus, the subs’ pricing was reasonable, and they had worked together successfully before.
But Wendy didn’t communicate any of this to the proposal team.
You can guess what happened next: the proposal draft did not reflect the revised win strategy. The resumes did not include the new subcontractor. The management draft and org chart failed to reflect the team. And the pricing…well, you know.
AVOIDABLE!
Communicate with your team. Hold daily standups, even on days when you feel you have nothing new to report. Engage the subs in reviews. COMMUNICATE.
A proposal is only as strong as the information your team has. Even the best strategy can fall apart if communication breaks down. Keeping everyone informed ensures alignment, accuracy, and confidence in every section of your submission.
Start your daily proposal check-ins today. Make it a habit: brief, consistent, and inclusive. Every team member, every sub, every detail matters—don’t let silence be your biggest risk.
Contact P3 Solutions today to see how we can help you win more business and build stronger, more efficient teams.
Further Reading:
The 10 Most Annoying Passive-Aggressive Behaviors in the Workplace.
Top 5 Time Management Strategies.
Building a Culture of Effective Communication in the Workplace.