Bet you didn’t know that Elvis was a master of the tendering process, as well as being a snake-hipped singing god. Well, he sure can help you do better in your approach to tendering – and just looking at his song titles can help you. Here’s how:
1. Almost In Love
Do you know your intended client well enough? Do they know you, do they like you, do they love you even? And, more importantly, can they see and appreciate your strengths: your people, your innovations, what you’re doing about sustainability, safety?
If the answer to the first question is ‘no’: how can you get to know them better? Can you do a perception audit and ask them questions directly about what they are looking to achieve? If not, what can you pick up from their own materials, website, annual reports, media, social media etc that shows you what they are looking to achieve as a company, the values they cherish, the sorts of things they are looking for from their partners and suppliers?
Once you know what they value, you can showcase your own alignment through your regular marketing and communications activity and seek to:
2. Shake, Rattle And Roll
What’s special about you? Do you know how you really stand out? What is truly unique about your offer – and what does that mean for your intended client? I’m not talking about your can-do attitude or your integrity. I’m talking about your special moves, the ones only you have, the ones you know are going to rock your client’s world.
Most importantly, do you know how your moves rock your client’s world? There’s no point in being able to shake and rattle if your client doesn’t roll as a result. So, understand how your attributes will drive your client further towards achieving their objectives: it’s all in how you present how you will apply your attributes…
3. Am I Ready?
Are you ready to bid? Are you in with a genuine shot of winning that bid, or is it going to be a major business distraction? Follow this simple journey to Vegas to see if you’re ready:
Now get out there, go find True Love, and win lots of work.
Uh-huh.