Breaking Down Business Writing and Proposal Writing

We all know what good writing is. It’s the novel we can’t put down, the poem we never forget, and the speech that stays with us forever. Good business writing is the memo that gets action. It’s also the report summarizing new knowledge and the company presentation that inspires a new policy. In this article,…

Tips to Unseat the Incumbent and Win the Bid

Great news! You found a public sector bidding opportunity that aligns perfectly with your business strategy. However, there’s an obstacle between you and that award — the incumbent. Given that incumbent win rates range from 60% to 90%, it can feel like your chances of winning the RFP are as good as finding a pearl…

Build a Better Bid Management Team

Even the most efficient business leaders can’t respond to every targeted bid themselves. There’s too much work for one person to do alone. From finding strategic bids to helping grow their business to writing, editing and designing winning proposals — plus everything in between — teamwork is key to building a winning bid. It’s time to build…

How Small Businesses Benefit From Federal Procurement Reforms

Competing for public sector contracts is no easy game. While it’s typically simple enough to start locally, the fact is that the higher the agency level, the harder the barriers to entry become. And, frankly, participating in federal procurement has historically been based on being a difficult endeavor. This is especially true for small to…

Creating A Keyword List That Returns Your Best RFP Matches

Keywords play an essential role in growing your business. They impact your visibility, discoverability and even your bottom line. It’s common knowledge from a marketing perspective that keywords affect how customers find your business. So, if you want customers to find your business, you’ll need to think like a buyer to find the right keywords….

How to Win RFPs: 5 Steps to Winning Bids in Business

If you’re currently focusing on the growth stage of your business life cycle, now’s the right time to explore the world of Requests for Proposals (RFPs). RFP opportunities can literally transform your company’s growth trajectory. But, you may be intimidated because they can also seem demanding, technical and competitive. Never fear! With the right preparation, there…

RFP Review: Overcome Your Love-Hate Relationship with RFPs

We get it. RFPs can be a pain in the neck to review! They vary in length from a few to sometimes over 100 pages. They can also include legal jargon, onerous technical and formatting requirements, and specific submission instructions. Another stressful aspect is that overlooking even a minor detail can cost you the bid. …

RFP Business Strategy: 4 Steps to the Right RFP Response

Responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) can offer exciting new possibilities for growing businesses. Opportunities include expanding the scope of work (or SOW) into different industries or landing multi-year contracts with government agencies. Yet, many businesses refrain from responding to RFPs because they can be intimidating to an untrained eye.  When you find a seemingly…

Tips to Win After Losing an RFP

We’re here to tell you not to lose hope after losing an RFP. Most organizations lose more bids than they win. Loopio published a survey in early 2021 that found that the average win rate for RFPs is below 50%. When they dissected the information further, they found that most respondents only won between 20%…

What Is an RFP?

How do you begin to understand a complex document like a Request for Proposal (RFP)? Do you immediately jump online and search the term? Do you ask colleagues if they have any past experience working with RFPs? Or, do you break down at your desk, move the RFP to the side, and quickly move on…