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Lesson 2: Set up Business Development

Before you get started

One important task that must be completed before you begin working with Ajera's Business Development for the first time is to have security set up. In this way, you ensure that you can access all the windows and fields that Ajera provides for working with Business Development.

Security is important because your firm most likely will need to limit information to only those who need it. For example, your firm may not want employees of a particular security group to see actual cost and rate information.

For an overview of all the security settings that affect Business Development, or to ensure that marketing specialists have the correct access, be sure to review this topic in help: Setting up security for business development. To return to this course, simply click the Back button.

Set up the pieces of Business Development

Before you can begin working with Business Development for the first time, you will want to set up the various components so it reflects the way you plan to work.

Set up marketing stages

Set up marketing stages to identify your unique business development process. You set up marketing stages to reflect the typical steps of the BD process at your firm. For example, you can set up stages to track BD efforts such as RFQ, RFP, Proposal, and so on.

You can also choose to use or change these common industry-standard marketing stages that Ajera sets up automatically:

Marketing stage	Long description	Definition
NBD	New Business Development	A firm's general pursuit of clients so as to be considered in the selection process for future projects.
Lead	Project Lead	A firm's pursuit of a client regarding work on a specific project.
RFQ	Request for Qualifications	Often a first step in a formal selection process where a client requests information about a firm's general qualifications to perform work on a potential project. It typically does not list the scope of work or request a fee proposal, fees, or proposed project team information. Firms often respond to RFQs with standard brochure-type materials. This stage most often has a firm due date associated with it.
RFP	Request for Proposal	Request for firms to supply relevant experience and detailed information (such as a fee proposal, schedule, scope of work, project approach, team member resumes, and consultants) for the delivery of the project. A project owner sends an RFP to a short list of qualified firms. The RFP can be the first step in the selection process, or it can follow the RFQ. This stage most often has a firm due date associated with it.
Proposal	Proposal Submitted - Awaiting Action	Time period when the proposal due date has passed and the firm is waiting to hear a decision about the next step, such as an interview for the selection process.
Interview	Short-listed for Client Interview	The presentation that may be the final stage of a formal selection process. A project owner selects a short list of firms from the proposals received to present their pitch for the project. This stage most often has a firm due date associated with it.
Final Disposition	Won, Lost, or Declined	The outcome of a firm's marketing efforts for a potential project.

You can set up, change, or delete marketing stages to reflect the typical steps of the BD process at your firm.

To set up a marketing stage:

From the Setup menu, click Marketing Stages.
Click the New button.
Leave the status as Active so the marketing stage is available for use.
In the Description field, type the name of the marketing stage.
If you also want to see a long name for the marketing stage when working with marketing stages (on the Project Info > Business Development > Stages tab of the Project Command Center), enter it in the Long Description field.
Click Save. The Marketing Stage List window appears.
Repeat these instructions until you have set up all the marketing stages you need.
Use the Up and Down arrows to move the new marketing stage to the appropriate place in the list.

The order of marketing stages in this list is important because it represents the sequential order of BD efforts at your firm.

Set up marketing final dispositions

Set up a list of marketing final dispositions to reflect the typical reasons your firm wins, loses, or declines a project.

Ajera automatically sets up these common industry-standard final marketing dispositions for you:

Fee
Qualifications/Experience
Project Team
Project Approach/Schedule
Design Concept
Existing Client Relationship
Other - see Notes

You can set up, change, or delete marketing final dispositions to reflect what works for your firm.

To set up a marketing final disposition:

From the Setup menu, click Marketing Final Dispositions.
Click the New button.
Leave the status as Active so the marketing final disposition is available for use.
In the Description field, type the name of the marketing final disposition that reflects a reason why you won, lost, or declined a project.
In the Notes field, type any notes about the marketing final disposition.
Click Save.
Repeat these steps until you have added all the marketing final dispositions you need.

Test your knowledge

Quiz: Set up Business Development

Lesson 3: Set up a BD project