In today’s digital world, one thing hasn’t changed. Major bids in response to requests for proposal (RFPs) still require a mass of detailed documentation.

The client’s procurement people, who must scrutinise them, need help. Technical accuracy aside, writing standards can affect the way they view the bid. If it doesn’t scan well the reader gets irritated. Remember, they may have five or ten or more of these tracts to work through. Your bid should therefore be a metaphor for your brand. Poor quality writing can point to lack of care at the outset; and possible communication difficulties later.

Producing such bids conjures up images of sales teams scrambling late into the night, sometimes with the help of bid managers, to pull together responses against pressurised deadlines. Often the RFP has come in late or unexpectedly. Mistakes and typos creep in. Indiscriminate use of boilerplate text becomes boring and careless. Personalisation goes out the window.

Moreover, not every company wants to go to the expense of putting full-time bid managers on the payroll. Aside from costs like salaries upwards of the national average of £32,000, office space, and training, there’s not always enough regular work to keep them busy.

So, if your major tender hit rates aren’t as high as they ought to be, looking at your bid content could be the place to start in putting matters right, while saving the company costs at the same time.

Help is at hand. GoRefCo offers professional bid support, with fixed project-based hourly rates. Several of our people have successful track records in sales and know what works. Many clients use us because they don’t have the resources or skills to produce top quality tender submissions. This doesn’t mean they can’t deliver the contract. They just need help portraying their strengths.

A GoRefCo-led conference call is usually all it takes to gather inputs and create the initial response. As part of that process we can help track down and incorporate detail from the product team. We can assist in crafting a value proposition specific to the individual bid. And, where appropriate, we’re best placed to pull in compelling evidence from case studies and other sources. The draft tender document is then jointly edited online to ensure efficient use of everyone’s time. A final proofread by a GoRefCo professional and your bid’s good to go.

Sound simple? The best ideas often are. Talk to us.