Not winning? It’s time to review your applications.

Do you remember the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting the same results. This applies to tender writing too.

If you are not winning your tenders, it’s essential to review your applications to identify areas for improvement.

If you are failing to review previous applications you are limiting the ability to improve the accuracy, compliance, competitiveness and quality of your tender responses.

Don’t we all love a bit of a checklist?

Here are some steps you can take to conduct a Tender Review or Tender Audit:

1.Review your previous tenders: Start by reviewing your previous tenders to identify any patterns or common issues that may be contributing to your lack of success.

2.Look for areas where you may have fallen short, such as not meeting the technical requirements or failing to address all of the evaluation criteria.

3.Seek feedback: Reach out to the client or procurement officer who awarded the tender and request feedback on your submission. This can help you identify areas where you can improve your approach and increase your chances of winning future tenders.

4.Conduct a SWOT analysis: Conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) to evaluate your business’s capabilities and identify areas where you can improve. This can help you focus on areas where you have a competitive advantage and address any weaknesses that may be holding you back.

5.Get expert help: Consider seeking expert help from a tender writer or business coach who can provide guidance on how to improve your tender applications.

6.Improve your marketing and networking: It’s also important to improve your marketing and networking efforts to increase your visibility and reputation in the industry. Attend industry events, network with potential clients, and develop a strong online presence to build your brand and establish yourself as a trusted provider of goods and services.

It’s important to remember before any auditing takes place and you spend your precious time reviewing and analysing, that you ask yourself this question first.

Is my business a perfect fit for this tender?

Are you truly the perfect business for the contract or project, or does your business pose the most candid solution for the agency’s issue at stake?

Conversely, is this position or tender truly and wholeheartedly going to benefit you or your business on a personal and professional scale?

These are questions you (or your business) need to carefully consider before applying for a job or placing a bid on a tender.

Here is a link to my checklist so you can make sure you are pouring your energy in the right direction.

This document helps your business assess if you’re ready for bidding. One right bidding opportunity can change the course of your business!

Remember that winning tenders requires a combination of technical skills, strategic thinking, and effective communication.

Conducting a thorough review of your applications can help you identify areas for improvement and take steps to enhance your tendering process.

Being a successful Tender Writer from Melbourne,  I have created hundreds of templates that will help you freshen up the look of your tenders and make them stand out from the crowd. Check out my tender templates here and find the ones to help get you action the results of your review.

Hopefully these tips will steer you from your feelings of insanity, to winning tender vibes, moving forward.

If you’d like to connect with a tender writing professional with almost two decades’ worth of experience, let’s organise a time to chat.

Or download my free Tender Cheat Sheet, to get you started.

We’re also on social media so we’d love to connect with you via our Facebook or LinkedIn pages.  

And don’t forget about our closed Facebook group The Tender Hub – learn more.

Kristine Daw is the Managing Director of Dawtek, a Melbourne-based company specialising in tenders and proposals, technical writing, business documentation, copywriting, editing and creating business templates. Kristine and her small team have a range of clients including small businesses, multi-national corporations, all levels of government and not-for-profits.

1300 DAWTEK or dawtek.com.au