1. How to win the bidding war View this email in your
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In the first of a short series of articles about components of marketing and business
development strategy, CHRIS WHITE looks at...
How to win the bidding war
Research indicates that some 60% of a B2B purchase decision is made before the client
even contacts you. So it’s critical that you put your best possible foot forward during the
remaining 40% of the process.
This means:
Recognising that this is the sharp end of the journey and is highly competitive, highly
commercial, very tactical and where relationships count and details really matter. Your
marketing investment has brought you to this point so it’s no time to take your eye off the
ball or skimp on production budget.
Large service businesses realize the importance of discipline in this area and have internal
bid processes that map out their particular formula. ‘Bid to Win’, ‘N2C’ (no second chance)
or ‘Refuse to lose’ are just some.
It’s true that some large clients have moved towards automated online bid portals run by
arm’s length procurement functions, but where possible the central objective of your bid
process should be to…well… avoid the bid process.
The basic components of these bid-winning ‘systems’ are similar and there are some critical
golden rules to follow.
1. Bid or no bid? - Think about the margin you can make, who the competition are and what
the risks are? Make a cold, hard assessment of your ability to win and deliver the
commission. Sometimes it’s prudent to pull out at the beginning.

2. 2. How big a deal is this? - Bids for major contracts generally require a more
comprehensive response. What’s the value of the deal? The strategic importance of the
client to you? And the scale and complexity of the project?
3. Whose responsibility is it to win it? - Nominate a senior person to own the bid and be
given responsibility to win it. The bid director will have the best knowledge, experience and
skill-sets to generate a world-class response and must have sufficient time from the start to
focus on the submission.
4. Who’s on the team? - The bid team should include a bid manager. Other team roles
include a ‘non exec’ who maintains a tangential relationship with the client, the ‘enforcer’
who keeps everyone to the task in hand, a researcher and a writer.
5. Define your win themes
1. Key messages you want to get across and the client outcomes that you will deliver.
2. How you will differentiate your proposal – can you go the extra mile through
research or proposal design?
3. What is the client looking for and does the RFP actually ask the right questions?
Can you raise important relevant issues?
4. What are the client’s real issues? These may not be in the RFP. Think bigger.
5. How do you articulate your added value? Always ensure that your projected results
are quantifiable and measurable.
There are many tricks and tips around the writing of the actual document such as the avoidance
of ‘fluff, guff and weasel’ words; the awareness of prevailing social media coverage about your
business; and following your N.O.S.E – Needs, Outcomes, Solutions and Evidence. Laying
‘landmines’ for your competition is another.
The bid is an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment and innovation. I have been involved
in situations where bids documents have been made from complex origami, where the content
included a poll of staff about the client’s products…and the now more hackneyed personal iPad
video.
But in the end the best way to improve your chances of winning work when presented with the
hint of a bidding war is to develop strong personal relationships with the client to avoid the bid
process in the first place!
To contact Chris White directly email chris.white@emcltd.co.uk or call 01273 945984
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