The Winning Line - Analysing the Question - Issue 23

Welcome to this week’s edition of our newsletter – your go-to for tips, advice, and the latest news to help you win more work-through tenders!

What a week it's been! On Tuesday we held our third free webinar of the year. We covered "How to Write a High-Scoring Answer," and I'm thrilled by the fantastic turnout and feedback we received. If you joined us, thank you! And if you missed it, here’s a quick recap of what we covered because there were some really great takeaways you can use straight away:

·???????? Using the Mark Scheme and Question to Plan: We looked at how both the mark scheme and question should provide you with a checklist for your content to keep things focused to ensure you score high marks.

·???????? Tailoring Your Writing to the Client: Crafting responses that speak directly to the client’s needs in a personalised way to avoid generic/cold content.

·???????? Creating Clear, Well-Structured Documents: A great response can fall flat if it’s hard to follow, so we talked about structuring your answers to be easy to read and understand. We also shared some different ways to use page layout to create interest and space.

·???????? Using Evidence to Support Your Statements: We discussed the importance of backing up your claims with different types of evidence that really stand out. In total we provided 17 different ideas for types of evidence.

My Key Takeaway: Analysing the Question

One of the most valuable points we discussed was the importance of analysing the question before you start writing. We spent some time breaking down this process, and the graphic below gives a quick snapshot of the three main questions to ask yourself:

When you take a moment to think about these three things, it can transform the way you approach your answer and really boost your score.

It is also ensures you answer the question for the client, not just generically or in a way you want to. Analysing the question might sound basic, but I can’t stress enough how critical it is—it’s the foundation for writing a response that really resonates with the client and ultimately achieves a high score.

Announcing: The Bid Club Launch!

I’m also really excited to share some news we announced during the webinar: The Bid Club is officially live! ??

The Bid Club is here to support those of you who work on your own bids but could use a little extra guidance along the way. Our goal is to give you access to expert advice without needing to outsource your tendering process.

Membership is open now, and our first member-only event is coming up next Tuesday, 12th November at 10am. This will be an Online Drop-In Q&A Session and I think it’ll be incredibly helpful for anyone wanting to check in on specific bid questions.

So, what’s the Drop-In Session for? It’s a place where you can:

·???????? Ask for advice on tackling a tricky bid question.

·???????? Clarify client instructions that may need a bit of deciphering.

·???????? Get feedback on your ideas or approaches to make sure you’re on the right track.

We’re here to support you in managing your own bids while also giving you access to expert guidance. And that’s not all—every month, The Bid Club will also host one training session led by industry experts. We’ll cover everything from Carbon Reduction Plan Writing to Social Value, Due Diligence, and more.

Upcoming Events in The Bid Club

We’ve already lined up a great programme for November, and I can’t wait to share more details soon. These events are designed to build your skills, provide fresh insights, and keep you updated on best practices in bidding.

Interested in joining? Membership to The Bid Club is ￡120 + VAT per month (or ￡1,200 + VAT annually), which breaks down to just ￡25 + VAT per week. For the level of support and access you’ll get, it’s amazing value!

If you’d like to learn more, or if you’re ready to sign up, just let me know—I’d love to welcome you to The Bid Club!

The Bid Club Membership - ￡144.00 / month

Are you looking to elevate your bidding skills, gain confidence in supporting your organisation, and access world-class... Read more

Sign up here

I hope you have a productive and successful end to your week.

Best regards,

Katy