Why will a client accept your tender, bid or proposal? More key selling arguments
When it comes to key selling arguments for your professional services tenders, bids and proposals it can be hard to distil down precisely the benefits you bring and the value you offer. Here some questions and tips to help you strategically work through what it is exactly you are offering clients in your tenders, bids […]
Continue ReadingUnderstanding buyer perspectives in professional services
While each consumer of expert professional services has a unique set of preferences driving their buying behaviour, various groups or “clusters” of consumers share common characteristics. To forecast likely buying behaviour (and tailor your tender, bid or proposal pitch accordingly) consider these factors. Organisation type and size Public sector, large corporates, private companies, small business, […]
Continue Reading14 tender, bid & proposal trends that are here to stay
JMA has prepared a guide to the top 14 professional services tender, bid and proposal trends we have observed emerging in the last couple of years. Some trends are positive, others more challenging and for the most part, for better or worse, these 14 tender, bid & proposal trends are now firmly here to stay. […]
Continue ReadingFour (more) simple tender writing tips for success
Following on from our popular blog on Three simple tender writing tips for success here are four more to keep in mind: #1 Don’t be indecisive Make early, clear-cut decisions on the scope of your bid – this may include choosing areas or categories you will bid for, as well as nominating team members. Late […]
Continue ReadingSame-same, but different – Best practice for recycling boilerplate tender, bid & proposal content
I once had a client say he wanted to do ‘fresh writing’ for the entirety of content in every single tender, bid and proposal response. That’s right…every time…every bid…100% written from scratch. Unsurprisingly the ‘fresh writing’ diktat put considerable extra pressure on his already frazzled team and didn’t help his firm’s win rate. When it […]
Continue ReadingLost proposals…was your price really too high?
For many prospective clients, the fastest and easiest way to tell you that they’re not proceeding with your proposal, tender or bid is to say “sorry – the price is too high”. Sometimes this is the entire story. Other times, it is simply a quick way to avoid saying what’s really the problem – […]
Continue ReadingSo you’ve been asked to provide a capability statement
The meeting with that prospective client went well, and the signs are pointing to yes for some work to head your way. But, *groan* they’ve just asked you to ‘send over your capability statement’ so they can show a few colleagues before they make a decision. What a capability statement is not Firstly, let’s be […]
Continue ReadingYour favourite blog posts of 2016
It’s a wrap for the JMA BD insights and tips blog for 2016, but before we slide into holiday mode, we wanted to take a look back at our readers’ favourite posts of 2016. These are the top five – have you read them yet? #1 Pricing lessons from a Big Six pricing specialist Our […]
Continue ReadingWhat to do when clients want a price negotiation
Having a price negotiation with a client is not always easy, but it’s an important skill and one that you’ll need to employ more and more. Clients bargaining with their professional services firm is not unusual. It’s perfectly reasonable for clients to care about their money, and it’s smart for you to show that you […]
Continue ReadingWinning tenders, bids and proposals: what matters most?
Clients often ask me what will help them write a winning tender, bid or proposal. Look through the following list of proposal or tender attributes (or key pieces) and pick the three you think will have the most impact on whether you win (or not): content accuracy clarity of writing completeness conciseness persuasive language addressing […]
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Feature article
Closed or invitation only tenders, bids and proposals
Firstly, what are closed or invitation only tenders, bids and proposals? In addition to the generally well-understood terms ‘tender’, ‘bid’ and ‘proposal’, there are ‘open’ and ‘closed’ processes, and then variations within each that can apply to professional services procurement. Open or public tenders, bids and proposals An open tender is just that, open to […]
