When it comes to a tender response, what you say is incredibly important. But there are good ways and not-so-good ways to create a convincing submission. The pretty standard approach is to state a whole pile of facts without embellishing or putting them into context. But interesting storytelling about your business is an excellent way to do it.
Now, I’m not talking about War and Peace here, but people (including the team on the tender evaluation panel who will be reviewing your tender submission) usually prefer to read in the same manner that they like to hear — that is, by reading a story written by someone passionate about their business.
So when it comes to writing about your experience, for example, don’t just list the things you’ve done. Write it as if you’re telling a stranger about your business. As a storyteller, tell them all the great things you’ve done for your clients, and if possible, link them back to the tender requirements. Talk about the challenges encountered during each project and how you were able to overcome these. And make sure you explain how and why the project was successful.
The same approach is relevant to just about every aspect of the tender response. So here are a few examples on how to tell a compelling story for your tender submission.
Expertise
Instead of: “Joe is a licensed electrician with 15 years’ experience”, try this: “Joe is a highly skilled electrician with more than 15 years’ on-the-job experience providing a wide range of services including proactive and reactive maintenance, urgent repairs and compliance checks. He has worked for clients in the education, commercial, retail and industrial sectors and specialises in all areas of switchboard maintenance and RCD testing”.
Contribution to local community
Instead of "We support a number of local charities.", use this storytelling approach — "We are a locally based business and proudly support our local community. It includes volunteering at school fundraising events, providing free electrical services at the local Salvation Army store, and sponsoring the local skate park. In addition, our Managing Director coaches the local under-12 football team".
Location
Instead of simply stating your address in your tender response, say something like — “We operate from a 2000-square-metre facility that houses our office, warehouse, and workshop. Our warehouse is fully stocked with a wide range of maintenance spares, and our fleet of late-model vehicles also carries sufficient spare parts to ensure that 95% of our services are completed on the first visit.”
You get the picture — or in this case, the story :)
So yes, storytelling is important in tender response writing. Your goal is to develop a complete picture, showcase the awesomeness of your business and create a compelling proposition for the tender evaluation team.
I live and breathe tender writing, and I absolutely love what I do, so if you need a hand, just call me on 0400 514 579, contact me here or shoot me an email at pauline@tenderwise.com.au.
In the meantime, happy tendering :)
Pauline