One of the biggest mistakes that contractors make is chasing the wrong deals. Here are some top tips on winning proposals.
When you provide a service, you will need to supply a written proposal in order to secure the work.
Below, we provide some top tips on winning proposals, ensuring that you don’t come second!
One of the biggest mistakes that contractors make before they even put pen to paper is chasing the wrong deals. Ask yourself: Can you do the job? Can you win it? And, do you want it? You should only submit a bid if you answer ‘yes’ to all three questions. Make sure you conduct due diligence on the company or buyer so you can be sure they’re credible. A lot of businesses have needed debt recovery because they’ve not been paid out for work.
Preparation is of critical importance. You need to have a robust pre-proposal planning process in place. An effective proposal is one that excellently articulates a compelling story, convincing the buyer that you are the only option for the job. You need to demonstrate your strategy, and this needs to take into account the competition (why you are different), your capability, and, of course, the customer.
You also need to write professionally and persuasively. You can hire an experienced writer to put the tender document together if you are not confident with your writing capabilities. Make life easy for quantity surveyors and project managers by ensuring your proposal has a good structure and layout, as well as informative graphics. And, most importantly, learn and improve with every proposal you send.
The Biggest Mistake Contractors Make On Their Proposals
All construction professionals tend to spend a lot of their working life putting together proposals for different projects. It is actually the thing that most contractors hate doing! Below, we are going to reveal the biggest mistake contractors make on their proposals so that you can avoid doing the same thing.
You may think that the biggest mistake is something in small detail, such as typos and misspellings. However, while typos don’t look professional, this is not one of the biggest errors. In fact, the biggest blunder tends to be in regards to experience and qualifications. When writing a proposal, the vast majority of building contractors tend to assume that noting their qualifications as a business is sufficient. However, showing that you are qualified and competent narrows down the prospective buyer’s decision to you and virtually all other businesses.
Competency and qualifications are not enough – you need to explicitly explain why you are the company the buyer NEEDs for that project. You need to find a way to differentiate yourself from the pack. You want the procurement professional to read the proposal and think ‘wow, that’s the company we need on our project.’ Project managers don’t want the cheapest or the most qualified – they want the best. Show potential clients the value in choosing you, whether it is similar projects you have worked on in the past, the equipment you have available, or the timescale you can work too.
