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The Art of Winning: connecting the dots in the bid lifecycle

Unlock the secrets of winning bids by mastering the art of connecting every dot in the bid lifecycle.

Winning a deal is an art that requires all of the dots in the lifecycle to be connected. There are clear connections across the lifecycle of all opportunities and those organisations that best understand this end up being the most efficient and winning more. By the way, if you want to test your current capability to win, try our Proposal BenchmarkerTM. Each phase of the bid, from capture to learning reviews, is interconnected, and the strength of one influences the success of the others.

Learning through feedback

You'll have heard of the phrase 'feedback loop'. Sometimes in bidding the loop part doesn't work! Winning starts with the end in mind. By incorporating feedback from previous winning bids, you'll be basing your thinking on solid, results-based information and tactics. You'll also understand the pitfalls to avoid. Note that we're not just talking about customer feedback at award – we're talking about the learnings gathered during the bid lifecycle. Connecting these dots ensures you build on successes and dodge the speed bumps.

Data managment

Capturing opportunities is not just about identifying them; it's about understanding them. The insights gained from data gathering, from research, from customer interactions and so on, are nuggets of information that should be carefully rounded up, filtered, analysed and stored. Why? Often, we don't see how things like the underlying customer needs feed into capability and competitor analysis. And how the outputs there, then feed capture tactics, price to win, value propsition and win themes. Understanding this picture and how those dots connect together is crucial.

Strategy evolution

We all know that having a strategy to win each opportunity is essential, right? Yes, but that strategy needs to evolve during the process. At the initial pursuit decision, we capture the rationale to bid along with the assumptions and actions required to improve our chances of winning. These actions are then delivered upon, and further information is captured and analysed as we move forward. This cycle informs our decisions at every stage and by connecting the dots, we keep focused on the prize whilst being confident in how we'll get there.

In summary

A bid strategy is only as strong as its weakest phase. Like vertebrae in a backbone, each phase must be robust and well-connected to support the overall structure. By focusing on strengthening each 'vertebra,' you ensure the art of winning becomes a science, leading to consistent success in your strategic proposals.

Read more about how to connect the dots in Graham Ablett's BQ article here.


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.

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