Your Win Themes Aren’t Winning

(And No, Adding “Proven” in Front Doesn’t Fix It)

Let’s just say it: Most “win themes” aren’t winning a damn thing.

They’re self-centered, vague, and read like a sad resume.

And let’s be real… most of the time, they’re not even themes. They’re bullet points. Features. Capabilities. Some Frankenstein list of adjectives that scream “look how great we are!” and forget the one thing that actually matters:

🗣️ Your customer.

Let’s Back Up. What is a Win Theme?

If you’re asking that question… you’re already ahead of half the market.

Because here’s what most people think a win theme is:

“We have 20 years of experience.”
“We offer innovative, scalable, integrated solutions.”
“We are committed to quality and customer satisfaction.”

Congratulations. So does everyone else.

A real win theme is a succinct, customer-focused argument for why your company is the only logical choice. It connects the dots between what your customer cares about and what you uniquely offer… with a little proof to back it up.

If your “win theme” could be dropped into your competitor’s proposal and still make sense, it’s not a win theme. It’s wallpaper.

Here’s Why Your Win Themes Aren’t Winning

1. They’re all about you.

You wrote a love letter to your own capabilities. The customer is nowhere to be found. Spoiler: the proposal isn’t about you. It’s about them.

2. They’re not tied to the actual evaluation criteria.

Win themes should be laser-locked to what the customer said they’re evaluating. If your theme doesn’t clearly align with those boxes? It’s not helping you win.

3. They’re copy-pasted from your boilerplate.

Lazy writing = lost contracts. Ctrl+C isn’t a strategy.

4. They’re soft.

Words like “innovative,” “proven,” and “cutting-edge” mean nothing without receipts. Give the evaluator something they can actually score you on. Numbers. Outcomes. Results.

Not “We’re a trusted partner.”
Try: “Reduced IT ticket volumes by 35% in the first year of managed services – freeing up your team to focus on strategy, not service requests.”

Bad vs. Better: Win Theme Makeovers

Alright, let’s stop talking in abstracts. Here are some examples of what bad win themes look like – and how to fix them so they actually work.

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🚫 BAD:

We provide scalable, innovative, and secure IT solutions tailored to mission needs.

✅ BETTER:

You get systems that stay secure, compliant, and fully operational – backed by a proven record of zero ATO delays across 17 federal programs.

Why it wins:
It focuses on what they get: continuity, compliance, and peace of mind. Not what you provide. ‍

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🚫 BAD:

Our experienced team delivers high-quality engineering support on time and within budget.

✅ BETTER:

Your mission stays on track with engineering solutions delivered faster and more cost-effectively – 95% of our projects come in early and under budget.

Why it wins:
It speaks the government’s love language: cost savings + low risk. And it doesn’t just say “quality” – it quantifies it.

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🚫 BAD:

We are a trusted partner in providing full lifecycle program management.

✅ BETTER:

You get proactive, low-risk program execution – backed by a PMO with a 97% on-time delivery rate and 'Exceptional' CPARS on 90% of contracts – so your programs stay on track and your stakeholders stay confident.

Why it wins:
This tells the evaluator exactly what they’ll experience: smooth execution, low risk, and no fires to put out.

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Want the cheat code? Put yourself in the evaluator’s shoes.

They don’t care how “collaborative” or “solution-oriented” you are. They care if you’re going to make them look good by not screwing it up and actually delivering results.

How to Fix Your Win Themes (Before the Next RFP Drops)

1. Start with what the customer wants to achieve.

Not what you offer. Not what you love doing. What they need. What’s at stake if they get it wrong. What their world looks like if they get it right.

2. Build the bridge.

Now show – clearly + briefly – how your solution helps them get there better than anyone else. That’s your win theme.

3. Layer in proof.

Metrics, client outcomes, past performance… something they can grab onto. A win theme without evidence is just a marketing tagline.

4. Make it evaluator-proof.

Your evaluator is tired, overworked, and has 22 proposals to read before lunch. Make your win themes unmistakable, memorable, and easy to find. Use callouts. Headers. Icons. Whatever it takes.

Quick Gut Check:

Ask yourself:

• Does this win theme make the evaluator feel like we understand their problem?

• Does it speak to what’s at stake for them – not just what we do?

• Could it go in your competitor’s proposal without changing a word? (If yes, kill it.)

TL;DR:

✅ A win theme is not a feature.
✅ It’s not about you.
✅ It’s not a list of adjectives.
✅ It’s a crystal-clear reason why the customer should pick you.

So next time you’re building a proposal and someone says, “Let’s just reuse the win themes from last time”...

Say it with me: “Absolutely not. Our win themes deserve better.”

Now go forth and write win themes that actually win.

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Want us to tear apart your current win themes and help you build ones that work?

We live for this stuff. Let's chat.

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