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Continuous improvement: learning from past bids to enhance future success
Learning from past bids to continuously improve future proposals.
The lifeblood of successful bid and proposal management
The challenge for managers is to instil a culture of learning and adaptation, drawing lessons from past bids to refine future strategies. This process of reflection and analysis is crucial for evolving practices and staying ahead in a competitive landscape.
The cost of not doing it…
The risk of not engaging in continuous improvement is stagnation, which can lead to a decline in win rates and missed opportunities for growth. Repeating the same mistakes or failing to capitalise on successful strategies can result in a lack of agility, hindering the ability to respond to changing market conditions and client expectations. Without continuous evolution, teams may find themselves falling behind competitors who adapt and innovate. Therefore, it is imperative to embed a culture of learning and adaptation in bid and proposal management to ensure sustained success and competitiveness.
Key components
1. Incorporating regular proposal reviews
For instance, the content design or pink team review is an excellent opportunity for colleagues to provide feedback on storyboards and content. This ensures a second opinion, assurance, and potentially good ideas. Developing storyboards over the course of a session and applying writing tips and examples of good practice from previous bids can significantly enhance the quality of your proposals.
2. Active qualification
Active qualification is another essential aspect of winning work. This involves constantly testing your approach and strategy through multiple engagements with the customer and adjusting your course as needed. Learning from the decisions made on the way to winning is crucial to continuous improvement. More on active qualification here.
3. Crafting winning strategies
Establishing clear guidelines and expectations for contributors is vital. What's working and what's not, and when things should be done, and not. Documenting the tasks required by everyone involved in bids, and keeping this up-to-date with the latest learnings is key. Encouraging open communication and providing constructive feedback helps contributors align their work with the proposal's overall strategy. Recognising and rewarding high-quality contributions can motivate contributors and foster a culture of excellence.
4. Training programmes
Developing a learning programme that includes horizontal learning outcomes, such as understanding the commercial context and the importance of winning work, is essential. Focus on key phases in the bid process, such as capture, pre-proposal planning, qualification, win strategy, storyboarding, content writing, and review. Promoting a positive bid culture by highlighting key behaviours that enhance bidding success and drive sustainable growth is also crucial.
5. Learning reviews
Learning reviews post-submission and following customer debriefs are pivotal in fostering a culture of continuous improvement. These reviews offer a crucial opportunity to reflect on the entire proposal process, identifying strengths and areas for enhancement. This reflective practice not only aids in refining future proposals but also promotes accountability and transparency within your organisation.
Engaging in thorough learning reviews ensures that lessons learned are effectively communicated and applied, thereby driving sustained success and fostering a mindset geared towards continuous growth and adaptation.
6. Continuous improvement
Promoting organisational learning and improvement involves fostering a culture of collaboration, reflection, inquiry, problem-solving, and improvement towards equitable outcomes. Using tools and resources to build capacity for continuous improvement is required. As is not paying lip service to it. For example, does your learning review output sit in a folder in SharePoint that no-one reads or takes action on? Or does it land on your CEOs desk?
To instill effective continuous improvement, it is crucial to foster a culture that encourages learning and growth rather than blame. Here are some key behaviours and cultural elements to consider:
Encourage open communication: create an environment on each bid and within the bid/proposal team where team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas, feedback, and concerns without fear of retribution. This openness fosters collaboration and innovation.
Promote a growth mindset: encourage team members to view challenges and setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth. This mindset helps individuals and teams continuously improve and adapt to changing circumstances.
Recognise and reward efforts: acknowledge and celebrate the efforts and achievements of team members. Recognise contributions, even small ones, will motivate individuals and reinforce a culture of continuous improvement.
Provide constructive feedback: offer feedback that is specific, actionable, and focused on improvement rather than criticism. Constructive feedback helps individuals understand areas for growth and develop their skills.
Foster collaboration: encourage teamwork and collaboration across departments and teams. Collaborative efforts often lead to innovative solutions and a more cohesive approach to continuous improvement. Everyone needs your organisation to win. That should be the starter for teams that won't collaborate!
Lead by example: leaders from sales, technical, finance and bidding departments should model the behaviours and attitudes they wish to see in their teams. Demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement and a positive, supportive attitude can inspire others to follow suit.
By integrating these strategies and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, you will enhance your chances of winning work and achieving long-term success. Remember, the key is to focus on learning and growth, rather than blame, to create an environment where everyone can thrive.
If you're looking to test your organisation's approach to winning work, consider using the ProposalBenchmarkerTM. It's a free tool that can help you evaluate and improve your strategies, ensuring you're always on the path to success. Give it a try here and see how it can benefit your team!
For bid and proposal managers seeking to embrace continuous improvement, Strategic Proposals offers consulting, training and coaching services that provide the frameworks and tools for effective learning and improvement. Our experts can help you turn past bid experiences into future successes, ensuring that your team is always advancing and improving.
Visit our training area here for more information and to elevate your communication prowess. Or give us a call on 0800 009 6800 or drop us a line on
To find out more about the key skills and tools necessary to develop powerful, compelling proposals contact our experts on 0800 009 6800 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
