Proposal Strategy

Win Themes

At the heart of every strong proposal is a compelling win theme—an idea that ties everything together and reinforces why your team is the right choice.

A win theme isn’t just a catchy message. It’s a clearly expressed value proposition, supported consistently across the proposal—through writing, visuals, and tone. It reflects your understanding of the client, the project, and the outcomes that matter most.

Done well, a win theme doesn’t just repeat your message. It makes it stick—by making it matter.

Show That You're Paying Attention

Clients want to know you’ve truly listened, that you understand their project, their priorities, and what success means to them. That means going beyond general qualifications. It means tailoring your message, aligning it with their goals, and responding with specifics that demonstrate thoughtful attention. Twennie supports proposal writers in creating documents that feel personal, relevant, and clearly focused on the client’s needs.

Define Success on Their Terms

Before highlighting your strengths, take the time to define success the way the client sees it. When your proposal reflects their language, goals, and vision, your firm becomes easier to imagine as a trusted partner.

The closer your understanding aligns with theirs, the stronger your case. And when it doesn’t? Knowing when to step back can be just as strategic as leaning in.

Twennie helps teams build this kind of judgment into their proposal strategy—so every pursuit is guided by fit, clarity, and purpose.

suggested KPIs for this topic

These KPIs help you build a disciplined win strategy process using the 10 Steps to a Win Theme. They focus on understanding the client and project, uncovering emotional drivers, structuring your argument, and embedding the win theme throughout the proposal.

understand the client, project & issues (steps 1–4)

For every strategic pursuit, complete Steps 1–4 (client, project, issues, success factors) before discussing your firm.
Document how the client currently perceives your brand (qualified vs. credible) for each key pursuit.
Capture a “future success story” or headline that describes what the client hopes to celebrate when the project is complete.
List the project’s key issues (technical, political, environmental, financial) and the emotions tied to them.
Define at least three critical success factors in the client’s own terms, not generic boilerplate.

clarify unknowns & pre-rfp intel (step 5)

Create a list of “what we don’t know” for each major pursuit and update it as you learn more.
Identify at least five pre-RFP questions to ask the client about hidden drivers, fears, and success criteria.
Record whether the team had real client conversations before the RFP was posted.
Capture emotional drivers (fears, anxieties, hopes) beneath the RFP’s formal criteria.
Do not move to solution features (Step 6) until unknowns and emotional drivers have been discussed.

features, benefits & differentiation (steps 6–7)

List the specific features of your offer (methods, tools, processes, team strengths) that are unique for this client.
Translate every key feature into a clear client-facing benefit tied to the critical success factors from Step 4.
Test each feature for true differentiation: if you swap in a competitor’s name and it’s still true, refine it.
Link features and benefits back to the emotional drivers identified earlier (e.g., “reduces anxiety about X”).
Ensure the draft win theme clearly answers: “Why you, for this client, on this project, right now?”

evidence, growth & quantification (steps 8–9)

Select only past projects that clearly align with this client, this project, and these issues.
Show a trajectory of growth between past projects (A → B → C) and how lessons learned improved results.
Quantify outcomes wherever possible (reductions, improvements, savings, time, capacity, satisfaction).
Explain honestly when a pursuit is larger or more complex than past work — and show how growth prepares you for it.
Ensure each core claim in the win theme is backed by at least one specific, credible piece of evidence.

visual & narrative integration of the win theme (step 10)

Express the win theme consistently in headings, subheadings, callouts, captions, and graphics.
Check that every major section reinforces the same core argument, not a new one each time.
Open with the client’s risks and fears, then move into a clear vision of success and your role in achieving it.
Verify that no key client concern or success factor is left unanswered anywhere in the document.
Test a sample paragraph: can someone unfamiliar with the pursuit explain “why us?” after reading it?

structured sessions, timing & blue team reviews

Run a full 10 Steps to a Win Theme session (Steps 1–10) in 90 minutes or less for each strategic pursuit.
Keep to roughly nine minutes per step to maintain momentum and avoid fatigue.
Use a designated facilitator who focuses on guiding the process while someone else records notes.
Conduct a Blue Team Review (with impartial reviewers) to stress-test the win theme before writing.
Record and reuse outputs (templates, notes, Mural boards) as structured checklists for future pursuits.