Category: Tender writing

technical writing, Tender writing

How to win more tenders

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If you’re tendering for contracts and not getting the win-rate that you’d like, make sure you’re doing the following:

Become known in your market

While the incumbent always has the advantage in the tender process, it’s usually still worth tendering if you’re not the incumbent. The adage ‘you need to be in it to win it’ holds true – and you want to put your firm in front of your ideal clients as much as possible. 

By being known for what you do, building relationships and demonstrating expertise, you could win the contract if not now then down the line. Sometimes the pay-off takes time, so position yourself now for the future. 

Make your offer compelling

The procurement panel wants to see that you know exactly what you’re doing and are ready to hit the ground running. Tender documentation will always ask you for details of past experience. Typically, it will request two or more similar contracts, giving you the opportunity to provide in-depth case studies.

These detailed responses should clearly demonstrate what you’ve achieved for these clients and how you’ve added value. Ideally though, your capability should be evident throughout your proposal. So, while you have to follow the response schedule carefully and provide what’s requested, you may be able to reveal more of your client list in a question that asks you to describe your company.

Make sure you back up your claims with evidence. So rather than saying that you provide excellent customer service, detail how you measure this and what the results are. Put processes in place that not only demonstrate your professionalism but also provide data to benchmark your business.  

Answer every question

Sometimes questions appear repetitive, and it may be tempting to write: ‘See answer X’. In fact, each question is asking for something very specific. For example, words like ‘outputs’ and ‘outcomes’ can be easy to confuse but are alluding to different things. 

Make sure you answer every question following the guidelines provided. Graphics and photographs are generally welcome and enhance your bid by making information easier to understand. If you’re not sure what’s allowed, check with the organisation ahead of time.

Provide your most competitive price

Clearly, your pricing needs to be competitive but also financially worthwhile to your business. So, give your best offer but demonstrate value for money: what the client gets by engaging you, what sets you apart from your competitors, what value add you can offer. Ideally, you want to be the best value for money rather than the cheapest operator!

Get feedback 

If unsuccessful, get feedback on your tender submission. Not only will you stand a better chance when the contract comes up for renewal, but it may be useful advice for future bids. Going through this process also helps to build the relationships that could stand you in good stead down the line.

For tender writing support, contact Caroline Roberts on 0404 960 908 or caroline@luminous-copy.com

Use a tender writer
Copywriting, Tender writing

Why use a tender writer?

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Tendering to government or a corporate is a huge amount of work for any small to medium sized business. Not only is there a lengthy non-price response to submit, but there is also the nitty-gritty of pricing the offer.

Your bid needs to be competitive but also profitable for your business. Arguably the hardest and most important part of the process is deciding whether to tender at all and pricing your proposal.

If you decide to go ahead, a tender writer can help you present your company in the best light. While all tenders are different, there are some areas that always come up. These include questions on your:

  • Prior experience
  • People and equipment
  • WHS management
  • Environmental management
  • Quality assurance

Saving you time

A tender writer will be able to fill in as much of this content as possible, re-purposing information from previous tenders, the company website or other sources. This saves the proprietor a huge amount of time and effort, enabling them to continue running their business while tendering.

Tailoring your response

A professional tender writer understands what the procurement panel is looking for; they will not simply copy and paste blocks of text from one tender to another. Each answer needs to be tailored specifically to that question, so its response delivers what the judging panel is looking for. It’s only with careful customisation that a tender can be truly persuasive and stand the best chance of success.

Ensuring your offer is clear

A tender writer can also challenge the business owner to communicate their offer in plain English. They can point out any areas that are overly technical and require simplification or additional explanation for a lay person to understand. As an outsider who does not know your business like you do, a tender writer can provide valuable perspective.

Providing peace of mind

The tender documentation can often include extensive service specifications and technical requirements, not to mention dates and details to be across. Therefore, it helps to have another party read over this detail to make sure you have everything covered off in your offer and are submitting your tender in a compliant form. With so much information to take onboard, it helps to have somebody else validate that you have everything covered off.

While tendering is always a huge endeavour, a tender writer will save you time and help you to deliver a clear, polished, professional-looking bid. In the meantime, you can continue running your business and doing what you do best.

For help with tenders, contact Caroline Roberts on 0404 960 908 or caroline@luminous-copy.com