03 Dec The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Business & Bid Writing Edition!
We all know the popular carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas.
But did you know that the original Twelve Days of Christmas was also a time to prepare for the season ahead? Those observing the twelve days were not only celebrating and making merry. They were also reflecting on the year just gone and preparing for the future.
That’s why we have produced a special Twelve Days of Christmas: Bid Writing Edition!
At the close of a year, there has never been a better time to reflect on your business and set your goals for the future. Read on to discover our festive tips!
On the first day of Christmas: Set Your Goals
Now is the time to set your goals for the year ahead. Decide what matters to you and what would be most meaningful for you to achieve, then set actionable goals to get there — preferably with additional small and supportive steps to help you along the way.
On the second day of Christmas: Update Your Credentials
Keeping your credentials and certifications up to date will ensure that you’re eligible for as many opportunities as possible. That’s why regularly dedicating time to remaining up to code is crucial.
On the third day of Christmas: Identify Opportunities
Once you’ve got your goals in place, it’s time to identify the opportunities that best suit you and your business. Bid and tender professionals are especially skilled at this and can save you countless hours of research.
On the fourth day of Christmas: Prepare Your Materials
Having identified the best opportunities, ensure that you have all the necessary materials to hand. This includes relevant case studies, successful past bids to use as a template, and engaging graphics that bring to life the value that your bid will bring.
On the fifth day of Christmas: Train Your Team
Having some bid writing skills in-house can give your business a real boost! If you won’t be able to consistently outsource your bid creation to professionals, then ensuring you have some capacity to create high-quality bids yourself will be very helpful. So perhaps consider investing in professional bid training for your workforce?
On the sixth day of Christmas: Assess Your Budget
Christmas can be an expensive time — both at home and in business. Before the festivities begin, check your business budgets to ensure that everything is on track and (especially) that you are ready to submit your tax return, if you have not already done so.
On the seventh day of Christmas: Complete An Audit
Undertaking a thorough audit may seem overwhelming, but it is a vital end of year activity that can inform your New Year goals. If this is a task you’d struggle to complete yourself, an auditing professional can make the process both simple and effective.
On the eighth day of Christmas: Update Your Web Presence
These days, more is done online than ever before — especially when it comes to business.
Now is a great time to make sure that your web presence is up to date and eye-catching. In particular, ensure that you are easy to contact for further information.
On the ninth day of Christmas: Delegate Key Tasks
Do you spend lots of time or energy on key business tasks that could be completed by another member of your team, who may be able to do them even better than you can? Now is the time to consider which jobs to delegate!
On the tenth day of Christmas: Hire A Professional
In business, it can be tempting to do everything yourself, but New Year is a great time to hire a professional. Specialists are an investment that can save you countless hours with their expertise.
Whether you need a professional bid writer to help win you more work, an accountant, an SEO specialist to boost your internet traffic, or anyone else, now is a great time to consider hiring in the New Year.
On the eleventh day of Christmas: Check In With Your Team
Whether you have enjoyed a successful year, faced challenges, or anything in between, it’s likely you’ve had the support of a hardworking team around you. Be sure to check in with them in advance of the New Year to ask for their honest feedback and insights.
The wellbeing of your team can have a huge impact on the success of your business overall, so be sure to emphasise their opportunities to be heard.
On the twelfth day of Christmas: Review Your Year
As one year ends and another begins, try getting an overview of your business in full. Consider what is working well and should be continued, as well as what underperformed and could be improved.
Now is also a great time to check the original goals you set at the start of the present year and assess whether you feel you met them.
