Why capture planning matters for every bid
The challenge
Many organisations assume capture planning is only relevant for large, strategic bids. When teams are managing high volumes of proposals — often with short response times and limited resources — capture can feel like a luxury they can't afford. But skipping it entirely can mean missed opportunities, poor bid/no-bid decisions, and lower win rates.For a tech client, we ran two short calls with key team members to prepare for an upcoming ITT — aligning win themes, identifying risks, and shaping the bid strategy in under a day.
Another client now maintains a rolling library of competitor intelligence, reviewed every six months. This avoids the need to start from scratch on every bid.
We've also supported rapid price-to-win analysis — helping clients make informed bid/no-bid decisions in just a few hours.
These examples show that capture can be agile, efficient, and tailored to your environment. It's not about adding complexity — it's about making smarter decisions, faster.
Now that's not to say that there's still a place for your 50 page win plan, but if the proposal's only 20 sides, that seems like overkill. Think playbook, rather than capture encyclopaedia.
Overcoming the challenge
Capture doesn't have to be complex or time-consuming. When scaled appropriately, it can be a powerful accelerator — even in fast-paced environments. The key is to focus on proportionate, pre-prepared tactics that deliver maximum impact with minimal effort.
At Strategic Proposals, we've helped clients embed lightweight capture approaches that work at speed:
How we can help
Rapid capture workshops and coaching on specific deals
Quick-win opportunity assessments
Templated capture and campaign playbooks
Price-to-win support and bid/no-bid frameworks
To find out more about how proportionate capture planning can support your winning work efforts, contact our experts on 0800 009 6800, or email us at