Tender writing is a unique yet important skill. It is how many organisations register their interest to achieve new funding, or new business. But, with this massive reward, also comes a tough challenge.
This style of writing is not the easiest to perfect whilst many tenders also have very specific structured response documents linked to Pass / Fail or scoring criteria for assessment. Many people try to learn the ropes of tender writing themselves, but fail to realise how time consuming and expensive the trial and error process is. Some may invest in training, while others choose to hire consultants with tender writing experience to gain expert insights and advice.
There are many benefits of doing this, especially as the tender bidding process is so fiercely competitive. Bid writing consultants can offer you a wealth of expert assistance and even help you learn how to win a tender. With this in mind, we have listed some of the key pros of hiring a consultant to write your tender bids, plus what else they can bring to the table.
The Benefits of Tender Writing Consultants
Whether you’re new to tendering or experienced - you will understand that it takes extensive planning and skill to execute efficiently. Tender writing consultants can help bridge that knowledge gap, and supply you with key pointers on how to succeed.
Here’s some specific advantages of hiring a consultant for tender bids:
Proven Track Record
A tender writer will have a proven track record of success. This will not only include a lengthy and impressive roster of wins, but also the skills and experience that can lend a helping hand to beginners.
Most tender writers will have learned from doing previous bids - so they will know all the right and wrong things to do. This is particularly useful if you are brand new to the tender writing process as it saves valuable time and resources.
With this experience, comes tailored strategies and approaches. Upon reading the tender requirements, they will know exactly what the contracting authority is looking for, and will guide you on how to address and meet these. A detailed review of criteria and requirements is a crucial element of the tender writing process, an experienced tender writer will be able to provide clear guidance on the fit of a tender opportunity with your organisation and services and provide a list of key information to focus on / reinforce throughout your bid.
If you are thinking about hiring a consultant, then you should always ask what their previous experience and achievements are. This way, you will feel confident that they can provide you with the help you need.
Professional Writing Experience
The main challenge in tender writing is the writing itself. There are certain tips and tricks that you should know, that only a successful bidder can tell you.
Tender writers have a unique skill set that is tailored to producing successful bids. They can teach you these skills, and help you learn to master their techniques.
Part of the bidding process is proving why you should be chosen out of all the other bidders. This takes great self-assurance and persuasion. A consultant will know exactly how to convey your organisation’s strengths and leverage these to answer specification questions to the highest standard.
Usually, tenders are unsuccessful because bidders have not scoured the requirements and detailed how their company is suitable. Often it can be pass / fail criteria related to company experience, company details, insurance cover or policies that make a bid unsuccessful, meaning that the bid is not actually progressed to the assessment stage! Experienced bid writing consultants have done this countless times, so they know precisely how to present key information pass / fail criteria and hit those points that align to the assessment scoring criteria. They will rely on their craft and understanding of the process, but they can also use their creativity to make you stand out from the rest.
Higher Chance of Success
With expert guidance, you can only refine your craft when it comes to tender writing. As a successful bidder who has perfected their strategy, a consultant can provide you with beneficial top tips and - as a result - vastly increase your success rate.
A consultant can also examine your existing efforts. They may be able to pinpoint where you’re going wrong and recommend ways to improve upon this. It is important to note that consultants are there to consult - meaning part of the job is auditing where the struggles lie and eradicating these.
Knowing you have a stronger chance of winning a tender can improve your confidence in bidding for more contracts. Whether it is you who is doing the bidding or a selected staff member, it is better to invest in advancing the skills of an individual, rather than leave it to a team to put together. This is common in many businesses, as they often think certain sections are better suited to certain staff members to complete. Unless this process is directed and managed by an experienced internal or contracted tender writer, this is a waste of time and resources, and makes the overall tender non-cohesive - something that the marker will see straightaway.
More Cost Effective
Completing a tender takes up a lot of time and resources. As many organisations will know - this costs money. So, you want to be sure you have a good chance of success before you commit so much of your efforts.
By investing in a tender writing consultant, you can get instant access to advice as and when you need it. It might be that they can do a dedicated block training session for you, which will get right to the root of your problem and help you from that day forward. This will save on countless failed bids, trial and error processes and most importantly - money.
A consultant will also be able to advise you on how to make the most of your time when writing a tender. They will have their own professional process which you can emulate, plus they can help out with proofreading - therefore saving you even more time and money so you can focus on what matters most.
Bid writing requires a wide set of skills and experience makes a big difference in terms of reviewing the key information to make a bid and to manage your organisation's resources and time in the bid process. Usually, the best approach is by outsourcing tender writing consultants who have years of education and experience in this field.
At S3 Solutions, we provide quality consulting services to public and not-for-profit sectors. This includes tender writing consulting, tender writing training, research and impact analysis. We can help you identify relevant opportunities for your organisation, identify the most important information and criteria within tenders to reflect in your bids, develop content to project your organisation in the best way possible and ultimately secure tender success!
For more information on our services, contact the team today and we will be more than happy to assist.