Winning tenders whether it be government tenders, private tenders, online tenders or which ever you want. Having a guideline on how to approach a tender and word it, can be useful and even help you be successful in your bid to win it.

Following the correct procedure for a government tender or private tender can be challenging and stressful. Therefore using information from people who have gone through the tendering process and been successful, are the ones to take advice from.  

Kristina Mills has pioneered many business success stories and is a successful author and speaker. In her article below she gives a concise, practical way of approaching a government tender and other tenders to possibly win them. Use the link to view our various articles on tenders.     

 

23 Secrets To Win More Tenders
By Kristina Mills

When you think about it, sealing that deal is all about salesmanship using print. It is all about addressing the needs that your prospect wants to be fulfilled as well as proving you fulfill those needs in the most results-oriented ways. When preparing your tender document, these are 23 of the most important rules to follow.

1. To find out their needs, always call them.

When you phone your prospect, don’t just ask for a copy of the tender document or a list of specifications. You need to find out why they are calling for tenders, what is important to them and why they want to undertake the project. Have a conversation with them and get to know them a little better, to discover what they are all about.

You would be surprised how much information you can find out — priceless information when going through the process of creating the tender.

2. Follow the salesmanship formula that is already proven.

Instead of just talking about being able to carry out the work, start by identifying their problem, or the core reason that they included that criterion. Then you can talk briefly about the downside of the problem. When you’ve done that, you can talk about the solution — how you’re really going to get their needs fulfilled.

You need to include specifics about the mechanics behind the processes you use. Prove your claims by including case studies, results, guarantees and testimonials.

3. Send them a pre-proposal letter.

When you have made the initial telephone call finding out the facts, always send a quick note thanking them for their time. The letter should also say "thanks you for your information" and should include something that makes them feel good about what they want to have achieved. Finish off the letter by thanking them again and letting them know that you are looking forward to putting together a tender document for them, or some quotes and ideas.

An important factor in your success is to establish a relationship with your prospective clients, a relationship that begins from when you first call them.

4. Do research, research and more research.

Find out everything you can about the company — even if you are only submitting a ‘quote’ for an easy job. Do a search on the Web for a Web site; get them to send you a brochure; know what their competitors are doing; find out what their customer service philosophy is, their mission statement, and what their culture is about — regardless of the job you need to do. By doing this, you get a feel for what is important to the company, as well as some priceless ammunition that you can include when preparing your tender documents.

5. Follow the guidelines so precisely.

When you are tendering for Government contracts, there are always specific guidelines to follow. Structure your documentation around these guidelines, which makes it easy for the prospect to assess your tender. If there are any other sections that you’d like to include, you can place them towards the end of your tender document.

6. Use graphs and tables.

Show figures in a graph, rather than in text format. Include a comparison of your results with other companies’ results.

7. Make a list of your most impressive customers. By listing your customers, it gives prospects an understanding of how you can cope with a business of their size, reputation and type.

8. List results you have achieved.

List any great ‘claims to fame’, if you have any. Doing this proves that your company has ‘runs on the board’ and suggests to them that they can also get results from you. We always list our results, giving a brief description of the project, industry and the results which we have achieved.

9. Include a guarantee.

In the tendering process, people can be very sceptical. They are fearful of being ripped off and of not getting the results that they expect. If you include a powerful money-back guarantee that reverses the risk, it takes away one of their major buying fears. In effect, that lowers their barriers against doing any business with your company.

10. Include some testimonials.

If you say something, they may not believe you, but if someone else says it, then it must be the truth! This is definitely true when you are talking about selling your services to them.

When you tell someone how good you are all the time, it’s not until they can hear it from the ‘horse’s mouth’ that they will believe you. For this reason, you need to include in your documentation as many testimonials as you possibly can.

11. Talk about emotions.

It is true: people buy with their emotions, justifying their buying decision using their logic. It goes without saying that if you appeal to a person’s emotions in your body copy, you’ll get better results.

12. Write as you speak.

When you write effective sales copy you are communicating a sales presentation on paper. To do that you need to…

13. Talk in benefits.

Because people are basically selfish they don’t really care how big you are, or how professional you are, or even how long you have been in business. They just want to know what you’re going to do for them, how you are going to deliver those results and what it will mean for them. You need to tell them. Talk benefits, Instead of talking features. Tell them what’s in it for them.

14. Use the word YOU more frequently.

’You’ is the most powerful word in the English language, because people are so self-absorbed. Use the word ‘you’, instead of ‘we’ and ‘us’ to keep your prospect interested.

15. Present it professionally.

Have you heard the saying: "You never get a second chance at a first impression"? How you present your document directly correlates with what your prospects think of your company. A document which is professionally-presented makes prospects feel that you are professional. If it’s a poor presentation, then they probably think you are inefficient.

16. You should include action plans so your clients know what to expect and when to expect it. It is a bit difficult to know how a project is going to work, what needs to happen, and when it should happen — particularly with large projects. Include a comprehensive action plan which clearly sets out each step. This gives your prospective client a much clearer picture of how you are going to deliver these results.

17. Include some flow charts so your clients know how your business structure is working. Many people are ‘visual’ and they need to see things in a diagram format, so that they can understand how it works.

18. Include a corporate profile that shows your company background, expertise, skills and the qualifications of your key people, your philosophy and your results.

19. You need to use the person’s name frequently throughout the documents. Most people love the sound of their own name and love to see it in print. If you use their name throughout the document, it will give you an instant rapport with your client.

20. Use a serif typeface - not a sans serif typeface.

This may sound odd, but when you use a ‘serif’ typeface (like this one), it actually improves (by up to 300%) your document’s readability. These characters are easier to read as they have rounded ‘feet’.

21. You need to sign your tender in blue ink and make sure your signature is legible.

Blue ink is seen as friendlier than black ink, and it stands out better. And signing your name in a full, easily readable format, projects a more trustworthy, friendlier image than a scrawl that is illegible.

22. Implement a structured follow-up process.

Do not stop when you have submitted the tender. That is only part of your process. You need to develop a structured follow-up system, which includes some nurturing follow-up letters or a series of telephone calls, which are designed to ‘check-up’ and provide them with further information, if it is required. This shows that you’re committed to helping to get results for them.

23. Never give in.

Because you didn’t win a tender, it doesn’t mean that the company will not want to do business with you sometime in the future. Make sure you keep in touch with them, with telephone calls, newsletters, interesting news articles as well as ‘how are things’ letters. These show that you care about them.