Top tips for business development

A key aspect of any entrepreneur’s success is their (and their company’s) ability to win business. If they operate in a business to business environment, as the value of the contracts they pursue grows, they are increasingly likely to have to participate in formal procurement processes and tenders.

 

Impart Ltd was formed in early 2013 and specialises in helping organisations win business and develop a more proactive, robust and strategic approach to their business development activity.

 

We now have an extensive customer base,  ranging from start-ups to global household names, across multiple sectors including healthcare, professional services, finance, information technology, telecommunications, rail, construction / civil engineering and manufacturing.

​

Top tips

 

Here are our top tips on how to give yourself the best possible chance of winning contracts and delivering sustainable, profitable business growth:

 

1. Build relationships: people buy off people, therefore the closer you are to the decision-makers in an organisation, the more likely they will consider you for future opportunities – remember, not all procurements are objective or fair.

2. Bid / no bid decision: try to make an objective decision about whether to bid on an opportunity - don’t be blinded by the size of it. Always ask yourself: can we do it, can we win it and is it worth winning. If the answer isn’t “yes” to all three, then you probably shouldn’t bid

3. Realise the potential of framework contracts: if you want to sell to the public sector try to get onto a regional / national framework contract (it is similar to a preferred supplier list). Many procurements go through frameworks and are not openly advertised

4. Produce quality content: first and foremost, answer the question – when embroiled in a tender, it’s easy to glance over a pertinent part of a question, which could potentially lose you the opportunity. Also, use simple, everyday language, in a structure that mirrors the question, and ensure you highlight the benefits of your products / services listed. Finally, evidence where you have achieved something similar in the past and why you were successful

5. Understand the rules of the game – procurements often have defined timescales, question weightings, word limits, attachment rules and specific criteria the answers will be evaluated against. Make sure you understand them and consider them when producing your response.

6. Understand your competitors: if you understand what they offer, it will help you to understand how to position your offer in such a way to differentiate yourself and influence customers to choose you. 

7. Continuous improvement: take all client and tender feedback on board – if something isn’t as good as it could be, change it.

 

If you’d like more information about how Impart could support you or require assistance, please click here.