7 Tender Writing Tips — Tendering in Australia

Working on a tender application is a time-consuming process, especially if you’re new to the process. Whether you’re writing up a tender or a response, both require attention to detail and often, in a detail-oriented mindset, people tend to make basic mistakes. Hence, here at Bidsmith, we drafted up a few tender writing tips in Australia to keep in mind through the tender writing process.

1. Tailor Your Tender

It’s hard to customise every single tender you write, but if you’re going to be successful, you’re going to have to put the time in. Don’t just focus on yourself and your company’s accomplishments — tell the client WHY you’re such a great fit for them. How does your accomplishment best benefit them? Make your client feel like they are special and that you want to work on the best possible outcome for them. Specify the results you want for the client, and how best your business or service accomplishes that.

2. Answer Direct Questions

Don’t run around the bush, answer their specific questions. If you’re not responding to direct questions about your business or their expectations, it could cost you the tender. When it comes to certain clients (notably Government tenders), they may have a template ready for you to use. One of the prime tender writing tips is to stick to the outlined order or requests and you’ll be one step closer to winning a tender.

3. Brief References

When you put down referees, getting their permission first is essential. References are important sections of your tender and it works best when they completely understand your company and the services you are highlighting. Communicating and keeping them updated is vital to a successful tender.

4. Consistency

As one of the most important tender writing tips, getting a professional to look at your tender application after you’ve finished drafting it is an important step. When multiple people are working on a tender, establishing consistent readability is a key point. This final read will also prevent any typos or grammatical errors thereby establishing a professional approach.

5. Provide Examples

In certain cases, where you can, providing an example can help cinch a deal, more so if it’s related to or in the same field as the tender. If not, look at making yourself look good in the client’s eyes. Giving an example of how a company service helped save a client time and money could be helpful for your case.

6. Tone of Voice

A common mistake one makes is using the wrong tone to address a client. Using an active voice over a passive voice is looked upon as more favourable. Even something as simple as using less of the term ‘we’ and shifting to the term ‘you’ to refer to the client could help shift the tender in your favour.

7. Time

Every tender comes with a time period which could range from a week to three months. Take the time allotted to properly develop your tender and provide enough time for timely delivery of your application. Late tender applications are automatically ignored thereby making all your hard work insignificant.

Keeping these helpful tender writing tips in mind while working through the tender process can help you avoid simple mistakes in the future! If you have doubts, get in touch with Bidsmith for assistance by contacting us here.