Thinking Beyond The Typical Bid Approach - The Craft Consulting

© Copyright The Craft Consulting 2016. All rights reserved.

Thinking beyond…The typical bid approach…Significantly increasing win rate and engineering a win position.


In the past 12 months we have supported clients in their bids to win in excess of £1billionof business.



Whether it’s a must-win contract, extension into a new service area, or expansion into a new market – our bid positioningand support has proven tobe a winning factor enabling:§ Bid teams to focus on

business benefits not simply the IT solution

§ Customers to understand how the bid will align with their strategic challenges and help solve them

§ Differentiation from competitors in a highly-charged and competitive environment

§ Our clients to shift the perception of their capabilities



Technology trends are driving IT decision making out of the hands of the CIO and into the wider business and Executive office; changing the natureof sales engagement.

This requires bid teams to engage with an audience outside of IT and communicate in a way that business leaders will understand the strategic end-value of what the bid will deliver over and above a solution discussion.


40% of buyers say that a vendor’s understanding and solving of their business problems is key to purchase. It is also key that buyers can easily understand and align with the vendor’s organization and proposition.

This requires bid teams to demonstrate they understand a client’s business strategy and can support it with the application of business technology in a way that is low risk and simple.


Securing a position as an innovative strategic advisor and partner rather than supplier can increase account value by up to 30% and protects long-term revenue.

This requires bid teams to re-think how to position their proposition to secure strategic partner status within the client’s business, and stop being perceived as simply an IT supplier.

© Copyright The Craft Consulting 2016. All rights reserved.© Copyright The Craft Consulting 2016. All rights reserved.

Our approach.


Challenges

As the incumbent, the bid is a must-win but as well as knowing the client well, the client has a perception of you based on existing contract SLAs focused on a service delivery rather than the potential of what you could offer to them in the future-state compared to competitors.

1Challenges

In a price sensitive situation the risk is that the lowest bidder willwin whatever the consequences. The risk is that the true value that you offer and differentiators you have aren’t recognized and heard – which only increases the focus on lowest price wins.

2 Price is a key focus and competitionis high.

Challenges

In comparison with competitors you don’t offer the widest or deepest capability set or have local on the ground solutions or the right proof points which weakens your potential argument and ability to win and grow.

3 Not seen as having the strongest capabilities / offer

Challenges

The client has a perception that you deliver a commodity service. They don’t perceive you as a partner working strategically with them to define strategies central to their growth. Placing you out of the picture in future-state discussions and opportunities.

4 Not seen as a strategic partner

Challenges

You are unknown in the region or within the industry sector of the client. Competitors have existing relationships in play, local offices, local people and a high level of knowledge of the client making it hard for you to stand out and creating a perception of you as a unknown and a risk.

5 Low awareness of your organization

Incumbent in must-win contract renewal.

Challenges we see in key accounts.Where bid positioning can make a real difference.


Make the value you offer clear.Align your sales proposition and the value it delivers to the business strategy of your client – to make it easier for them to understand and to buy.

1Talk to the business.Clearly put forward the business benefit to the business leaders, rather than leading with a complex IT proposition they don’t understand.

2Position against competitors.Understand their weaknesses and any client frustrations then play a positive story against them.

3Stand out.Augment a strong, clear, and rational promise with emotionally powerful creative and messaging to drive a central story that will resonate in a personal way with stakeholders.

4

Strategic choices that can be explored.Where bid positioning can make a real difference.

We believe that there are four strategic choices to make:


Customers we’ve helped our clients to win


Contact us today.e: [email protected]: +44 (0)1608 819 420

Do you wantto make the competition irrelevant?

Thinking Beyond The Typical Bid Approach - The Craft Consulting

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