In the competitive world of sales and procurement, developing a successful bid strategy is crucial if you want to win bids. Here, Phil Norman, Managing Director of Winning Tenders, shares his expertise and experiences as a former Government and NHS buyer, providing invaluable advice for SMEs looking to navigate the bidding process and secure contracts:
The Most Important Part of Your Bid Strategy?
“The most important part of any successful bid strategy is simply ensuring that you have one,” says Phil. He focuses on the fact that many businesses neglect putting together any sort of plan for their bidding, which can make a huge difference. He states how important it is for a bid strategy to align with the buyer’s needs and this should be tailored for each project. Phil highlights the importance of:
● Answering the buyer’s questions within the bid: Bidders often focus on what they want to tell the buyer, when in fact answering the buyer’s questions exactly as they are asked within the bid should be the main focus.
● Tweaking your strategy: While the core of your strategy will stay the same, tweaking your approach depending on the buyer and project is vital.
Finding a Supplier for the Postal Services Market
When asked about his most significant framework tender as a Buyer for the Scottish Government, Phil talks about the £Multimillion tender which he set up for the Postal Services Market. Traditionally dominated by Royal Mail, this market was liberalised to allow competition. Phil’s team awarded the contract to a now well-known brand, which then transformed from having minimal business in Scotland to becoming a major player.
“The key was the suppliers’ early and meaningful engagement with us as buyers,” Phil explains. They introduced their unique service offering and helped Phil understand what they had to offer, thus demonstrating their capability and ambition. This proactive approach helped lead to their success.
Phil emphasises the importance of engagement, especially for SMEs. As a former buyer, he highlights the human element of bidding and how it can mean the difference between winning and losing, particularly when two similar offers are being compared.
Advice for SMEs Venturing into Bidding
Phil strongly encourages SMEs to start bidding for contracts but advises them to be strategic about it, specifically choosing quality over quantity, he says the method of going for many projects “half-heartedly” will not likely yield results. Instead, he advises “devising a really effective bid strategy” for just one or two bids.
Focusing on quality enables SMEs to utilise their limited resources too, something Phil mentions is often a pain point for many businesses. For this reason, working with a bid-writing company such as Winning Tenders, can make a real difference. “Outsourcing means that putting together a response is prioritised without a business’ team members having to put their day-to-day roles on pause.”
Building Winning Relationships: Working with Karl
Phil’s relationship with some of the businesses supplying the Government whilst he was a buyer underscores the power of strategic relationship-building. For example, his engagement with Karl Wellstead, a successful Sales Director who won a place on the Office Supplies framework Phil set up, highlights how early and continuous engagement with decision-makers can make a significant difference.
“Karl’s team was proactive, engaging with my team 12 months before the tender process started” says Phil. He points out that they had a well-defined strategy and communicated effectively, which ultimately led to their success. Years later, Phil and Karl work regularly together to provide insightful training sessions for businesses who want to learn more about Bid Strategy and learn from the perspectives of both the Buyer and the Bidder.
What Do You Enjoy Most About the Winning Tenders Training Sessions?
When asked what he enjoys most about the bid strategy training sessions he runs with Karl, Phil states, “The variety of challenges each client presents and tailoring the training to meet their exact needs.” The dynamic nature of these sessions, where participants can discuss real situations and receive specific advice, makes the learning experience both enjoyable and highly effective.
Phil and Karl bring complementary perspectives from procurement and sales, offering a unique and balanced view which benefits participants. This dual expertise makes for a unique and extremely useful training session.
Final Thoughts
For any business who bids, Phil’s advice is simple, yet effective: “Create a plan, ask yourself what the buyer is asking and don’t stretch yourself too thin.” With these thoughts in mind, businesses can enter the world of bidding and be in for a good chance of success.
If your business needs support, Winning Tenders now offers tailored, face-to-face training and consultancy for bid teams (run by Philip Norman, ex Buyer, and Karl Wellstead, ex winning Sales Director) on exactly this topic. Call us on 01392 247997 or email info@winningtenders.com if you would like further information or need any other help with your bidding.