Winning tenders is not about filling in templates or repeating polished marketing statements. It’s about clearly demonstrating that you understand the customer’s problem, that your solution directly addresses it, and that you can prove you will deliver the outcome they care about.
Weak tender responses are usually generic, internally focused, and full of unsubstantiated claims. Strong responses are clear, structured, customer-focused, and credible.
The most common mistake in tender writing is starting with your company, your services, or your technology. That’s not what evaluators are looking for.
They went to market because they have a problem. Your first job is to show that you understand it.
If you start by talking about yourself, you’re trying to sell your company instead of solving their problem.
Every significant response in your tender should clearly answer four questions, in this order:
Demonstrate a clear understanding of the customer’s issues, constraints, and objectives.
- Use the language from their tender documents
- Reflect their industry, environment, and operating context
- Show that this response was written specifically for them
This reassures the evaluator that you “get it”.
Describe your approach in direct relation to the customer’s needs.
- Explain what you will do
- Explain how you will do it
- Explain why this approach fits their organisation
Avoid generic solution descriptions that could apply to any customer.
Explicitly link your solution to outcomes the customer values.
Examples include:
- Reduced delivery or operational risk
- Improved efficiency or governance
- Faster time to value
- Better user experience
- Lower total cost of ownership
Never assume the benefit is obvious. Spell it out.
Claims without proof weaken credibility. Evaluators are trained to look for evidence.
Back up your statements with:
- Relevant case studies (named or anonymised)
- Quantified results
- Client references or testimonials
- Experience delivering similar scope or complexity
- Demonstrated success in comparable environments
Proof builds trust — and trust scores.
Using this structure consistently delivers three major benefits:
- Easier to score – Evaluators can clearly see understanding, solution, benefit, and proof
- Easier to read – Responses are focused and don’t waffle
- More persuasive – Evidence-backed arguments are far more compelling
Evaluators can immediately spot content copied from a master document and lightly edited.
Strong tender responses are tailored by:
- Referencing the customer’s industry and challenges
- Reflecting the language and priorities used in their tender
- Addressing known risks or sensitivities
- Demonstrating familiarity with their environment where appropriate
Generic language signals low effort and low relevance.
Winning tenders reinforce a small number of consistent messages throughout the document.
These are your Win Themes — the clear reasons why this customer should choose you over every other bidder.
Strong Win Themes are:
- Relevant to the customer’s needs
- Supported by evidence
- Repeated consistently across sections
Avoid vague claims like “We are best in class”, “industry leading”, or “innovative” unless you clearly explain what that means in practice.
Value propositions should always link directly to customer outcomes, not internal capabilities.
Whenever you make a claim, ask yourself:
- Can we prove this?
- Have we done this before?
- Can we reference a client?