Telling your story well and standing out from your competitors is key to successful bidding.
Most of us make decisions primarily based on emotion and instincts rather than making a cold, logical decision every time we do something. The best way to make this emotional connection is through telling your stories well, and this is also true when it comes to business.
Competitive tendering processes require high scoring and telling an effective story can help you achieve this.
If we think about most brands, we think about the way they project themselves and their personality rather than just what they can do. It is your story that sets your apart from your competitors. They may be able to deliver a similar offering but the why, how, who, where and when are all unique to your business.
Case studies are a fantastic way to get your story out there. Your customers are your ambassadors, telling your story for you. They provide an independent viewpoint delivering important messages on your behalf, reinforcing who you are, what you are like to work with, what you stand for and what you can deliver. Thinking about your business and looking for these stories is something you can work on now, to develop a range of relevant case studies to add to your bid library, so they are ready to use in your future bids.
With the increasing importance of Social Value and Community Benefit delivery, your story needs to encapsulate what you are doing for staff development, employment generation, investing time and resources into good causes, community engagement and the support of charities, volunteer projects, etc.
This is more than a tick box exercise; it needs to be embedded in your business plan and your bids to demonstrate your focus on delivering positive impacts in the communities that you work in and the people you work with.
Moral leadership is also key. It is important to demonstrate how you make a better world, rather than just making profits, and this should naturally fit into to the way you market yourself and how you build your brand.
Your story also needs to be adaptable. There have been major shifts recently; an increased focus on hybrid working and work-life balance, changes in customer behaviour, and an increase in the importance of economic and environmental sustainability, for example. Your business needs to show how it is agile, can identify new opportunities and adapt accordingly.
Lastly, consider how your brand story can be brought to life by your people and what they do. This will help you tell an authentic story, that is more than just words on a page, which builds customer trust and confidence in your brand reputation.
Be who you are, tell your story effectively and win more business.