24 Jun How to create great bid graphics…
Using graphics to enhance your bid is easier than you think. Not only are graphics a helpful way to break up text and make it more digestible to the reader, they can also be used to convey sometimes complex information in a more memorable way. First check that graphics are allowed in your tender and the file size allowed, since this may affect the clarity of any infographics used.
The key to a great bid graphic is RELEVANCE. Think about the purpose of any image or infographic that you want to use. Is the intent to highlight something, or to convey key complex statistics simply? Thinking about the relevance of any graphics you want to include will also help you to avoid over-use. Graphics should be used to highlight or explain, not to overwhelm the content!
If using graphs then make sure that the information is clearly READABLE – think through what you want to show and try different options such as ‘pie’, ‘line’, or ‘block’ graphs. Are the colours used confusing, too light to read easily, or colour-blind unfriendly (not red and green)? Are the text labels clear and not just a jumble of fonts? Does the size or positioning of the graphic affect your bid content in any negative way?
Does your company suffer from ‘non-identity’ in a crowded market? Using graphics in a consistent style can help support your brand and make your bid more memorable to the buyer. Just because you can use a mix of photos, icons, illustrations, infographics or graphs doesn’t mean that you need to use all styles, colours and fonts. You want your bid to be remembered for the right reasons!
There are plenty of free resources available to help you create the best bid graphics. A quick Google search will show you examples of both ‘good’ or ‘bad’ design and what to avoid.
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- Websites such as Canva.com can save you time with free templates and colour ‘themes’, as well as free access to premium images and a colour wheel.
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- com is another free resource that offers searchable, royalty-free designs, with the option to download different size graphics. You just need to check if the graphics you want are free for commercial use and require any author attribution.
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- Online design tutorials and apps can also be found on LinkedIn, Adobe Creative Cloud, or via offers for Microsoft 365 subscribers.
Remember that the time invested in created great bid graphics can also be used to boost your web traffic, putting your company in front of more potential customers.
If you create graphics that can also be used on your website, then a simple Google image search will show you if other websites have used them. You can then reach out and ask for a link back to your website (driving traffic and boosting your site rankings in any related search). Just make sure that when you add the graphics to your site you use alt text on all images for accessibility and to help the search engines identify how relevant the graphic is.
Enjoyed this post? For more bid tips, tricks, and impact visit: https://www.bidandtendersupport.co.uk/blog/
