19 Nov Do your research!
We often discuss all the information that we need at the start of a tender, but as we know all to well the smoothness of a tender submission relies on having the information you need to complete it successfully.
Information that is needed can come from a number of sources and be for a number of reasons. From understanding the competition, so you know that you can compete, to information on the buyer so that you can ensure you are meeting their needs.
- The Buyer – you need to know the buyer and what they are looking for in the tender but also as a business, a company website is a great place to start. What are the Company’s priorities? What are their objectives? Can you find data on their previous contracts, are their polices available for you to see? All this information will allow you to tailor your response to the business as well as the specification. It is the same theory as interview preparation, it shows in an interview if someone has done their homework and can show a real interest in the business not just in wanting a job.
- The Competition – Do you know who you will be up against? It is not always possible to ascertain the exact competition, but just having a think about who else might go for this, can provide you with useful bits of information on what others could be offering and help you to address any areas that you may be weaker against the competition. As with any sporting team, understanding the competition is a key aspect of preparation there is no point turning up to play a team with no idea what you could come up against, this would simply lead to failure.
- You – Make sure you understand your business, what is it that you are offering, what can you bring to the table, what makes you different….show your experience. This part of the research may sound simple but often can be overlooked. Make sure that before you start to write your response you know exactly what you are offering and that it sells you as a business.
For those of you who work with subcontractors or partner with other companies, make sure you also know all about their offering and its value
If you are thorough in your research and then plan correctly you should find you have all the information you need to make writing responses as easy as possible and will lead to winning that bid!
