Strategic Tendering for Professional Services

Win More, Lose Less

Matthew Fuller, Tim Nightingale

• Publisher: Kogan Page
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9780749478520
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business Development
• Index: Business

Competitive bidding for work is a long-established aspect of business within the professional services and consulting sector. For many markets, pitching has become a critical element of both attracting and retaining business. Combating clients' demands and intense competition, firms that want to win and retain business need business development and marketing teams that are experts in creating compelling proposals. Strategic Tendering for Professional Services offers a masterclass in improving your pitching skills and processes.

Drawing on insights from current pitch and proposal professionals and client-side procurement teams, Strategic Tendering for Professional Services provides end-to-end best practice guidance. From the crucial decision of which request-for-proposals (RFPs) to respond to, right through to the all-important face-to-face presentation and post-pitch follow-up, this practical handbook leads readers through all stages of the process on best practice and strategies for success.

Packed with practical features to help readers put guidance into practice, Strategic Tendering for Professional Services also supports business-wide improvement with a clear analysis of the processes and systems available to support pitch assembly and reporting. Whether you are a bid and proposal professional looking for extra tools, a business development or marketing manager providing support and expertise to partners, or a professional wanting to improve pitching skills, this book will be key to winning opportunities that will set the firm apart.

Strategic Tendering for Professional Services is the winner of the Selling The Dream category in the Business Book Awards 2018.

INDEX

(italics indicate a figure or table in the text)

Accenture 61

accountancy

approach to tenders 41–42, 43

Big Four 3, 68, 122, 124, 164

global value 1

presentations 124

Allen & Overy 165

Allen Brady & Marsh 119

Apple 1

Bain 1, 148

Banking Legal Technology Group (BLT) group 164

Boston Consulting Group 1

brand 68–69

definition 68

guidelines 162

brief 25–26

Buying Legal Council 58, 65, 73

Chartered Institute of Marketing 26–27

clients 25–40, 177

collaboration with suppliers 164–65

desk research 30, 31–33

expectations of PSF 110

feedback from 30–31

indentifying touchpoints 34–35

listening to 25–26, 41, 84

meeting with 35, 39

questioning about tender 35–39

post-pitch feedback 139–53

pricing and 94–95

purpose of presentations 120–23

RATER model 27, 28

requirements 33–34

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