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JonWilliams

Jon Williams, CPP APMP Fellow (Class of 2006)

Managing Director
Strategic Proposals


Bio

As the head of Strategic Proposals’ UK business, Jon is proud to lead an award-winning 30-strong team of amazing people.

Jon served as the founding chief executive of APMP’s UK chapter – the association’s first outside North America. Jon’s worked with sales and bid teams in over 35 countries, helping them to benchmark and improve their proposal capabilities and to win major deals. He has a particular passion for training: as an APMP Approved Trainer, he’s coached several thousand people through their APMP exams.

An acclaimed keynote speaker, Jon’s also a successful author inside and outside work; he's particularly proud of the bestselling book “Proposal Essentials” which he wrote with BJ Lownie. One of only ten winners in thirty years of APMP’s William C. McCrae Founder’s Award, Jon’s a Fellow of APMP, the Royal Society of Arts, and the Institute of Sales Professionals.

Jon's passions outside work include theatre, travel, and fine wine. He has a wonderful wife, two amazing children (aged 23 and 4), two beautiful Maine Coon cats, and a ridiculously lively Bombay kitten.

What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?

Everything. Recognition from my peers that I've strived to shape best practices in our profession over nearly a quarter of a century. And a platform and duty to promote the importance of bid and proposal management and to help others to develop rewarding careers.

What's your best memory from attending an APMP event?

"The Fairytale Proposal" - a keynote speech that BJ Lownie and I gave at a Bid & Proposal Con in Arizona. We'd written the story of a team of scribes in a royal palace who were struggling against the odds as they transcribed royal proclamations in dragon's blood - until the magic fairies appeared. And. in parallel, we told the tale of a proposal center experiencing the same pressures - under-resourced and under-valued, until they managed to turn their situation around!

I read the fairy story to my four-year-old daughter recently. I can attest that it works as well at that level as it did for hundreds of bid and proposal people!"

What advice do you have for a proposal professional entering our field?

We are the job protection and creation engine for our organizations! Never be afraid to advocate at the highest levels for anything you need to perform your role brilliantly.

And never allow others to compromise your life/work balance. Every deal is "strategic" and a "must-win" for the sales lead. That's fine, and we often willingly go the extra mile to help. Proposal people are characterized by their warmth, commitment, and generosity. But always remember that your well-being is the most important thing for you, your family, and your friends.

Anything else you would like to share?

#ProudToBeAPMP

I would advise new professionals to take advantage of the resources that APMP offers. Not only do you have access to conferences and seminars through your chapter, but the free webinars and the robust network of professionals are great benefits that can help advance one’s career.
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Valerie Kessie, CP APMP
I never want to be complacent in my career, so it has been beneficial to have this group of peers who are going through similar trials and tribulations in the proposal world on a day-to-day basis.
jill zander
Jill Zander, CF APMP
This topic, Executive Summaries, is way underrated. The Executive Summary is the most eye-catching document, which almost everyone on the customer side reads. Yet, in most bid teams, we don’t dedicate the attention it deserves. I want to learn about something I can immediately put into practice at my workplace, which provides a “quick win” to the team and is a long-term benefit for the company.
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Dénes Máthé, CF ES-M APMP
Being an active APMP certified practitioner allowed me to recognize my hidden potential multifold (40u40, BPC Awards, BPC Speaker) and give back to the profession through the APMP community.
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Karthik Koutharapu, CP APMP
Achieving the Executive Summaries micro-certification will support me in persuading Sales to create a better Executive Summary.
Gerald Stein
Gerald Stein, CF ES-M APMP
Acquiring this micro-certification allows me to expand my aperture regarding the collaboration between capture and proposal management to develop more robust, customer-centric Executive Summaries for future pursuits. It allows me to advance my skill set, evolve my knowledge, and reflect my commitment to continuous learning.
Yuter
Stephen Yuter, ES-M APMP
The Executive Summary is the key element of each proposal, literally the most important part of the response next to the price – this is why my focus was on this micro certification. Understanding the principles of Deal-Strategy, Win-Strategy, Competitor-Analysis, Ghosting, Persuasive Writing, Features/Benefits/Discriminators, and many more is essential and beneficial for so much more than just the Executive Summary.
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Florian Lamisch, CF ES-M APMP
Acquiring the executive summary micro certification has helped to build my confidence in producing best practice Executive Summaries. I also benefit from the social media badge for my LinkedIn profile and certification to add to my resume. Both of these allow me to verify my Executive Summary capabilities.
LauraRispin
Laura Rispin, CP ES-M APMP
APMP is an organization full of hardworking, enthusiastic professionals who are dedicated to promoting their industry and practicing their craft.
HeatherFinch
Heather Finch, CF APMP
APMP has provided an incredible platform for seasoned individuals from the Proposal and Bid Management profession and young professionals who want to start their careers in this field.
Mayura
Mayura Ravishankar, Proposal Associate