Tender writing is the process of creating a document that outlines your company’s capabilities, products, or services and outlining why you are the best choice for the job.
It is a competitive process, and as such, you need to ensure that your tender is well-written and makes a strong case for your company.
Here are some tips on how to write a strong tender:
Know your audience
There are many types of tenders, and in order to write a good one, you must know the goal of the tender. Is the document meant to outline what you can do or why you’re the best choice? Your tender should be written with this in mind.
Deliver what is requested.
A tender document should contain every nook and cranny that is requested by your potential client. The more detail you can include, the better. This will ensure they have a clear picture of what they are purchasing.
Have a good design.
When you put together your tender document, it usually looks like a book or an instruction manual, so make sure that the design looks professional and tidy.
Make it readable
This is the most important point to remember when writing your tender. Make sure that your potential client can easily read through it and navigate through it at ease. If your document is too dense, it will be difficult for them to read.
Have a call-to-action
This point is only crucial if you are writing a tender that outlines your company’s products and services. If you are writing a tender that outlines the goals of your company, make sure that there is a clear call to action within the document. Otherwise, it will look like you’re trying to force them to do something.
Avoid jargon and acronyms.
Jargon is writing that is hard to understand. This doesn’t mean you should expound on things in an unfamiliar way; rather, it means that you should be concise and clear when explaining in detail what you can do for your potential clients.
Acronyms are a difficult subject to navigate through; however, avoid using them because they can also be very confusing. You can also use images and diagrams in your tender if need be.
Include a cover page.
Your tender document should have a cover page that will establish the company’s name, your name, and contact information. It should also include what kind of tender you’re submitting, who it is for, the date of submission, and whatever else is required.
Make sure it has the right tone of voice.
This refers to how you describe your company’s products or services. It’s important to use this in the right way. If you’re submitting a tender to a company that your product is (supposedly) compatible with, then it makes sense that you should write your document with that tone of voice.
Make sure the document is free of grammar errors.
It can be a challenge writing a well-written tender, and it can be doubly difficult if you are not sure about how to write good-quality sentences. The best way to ensure it is free of grammar errors is to have a second set of eyes check it first. If you’ve already submitted your tender and realize there is a grammatical error, you can go back and edit it; but make sure that you check the document twice.
Don’t ever exaggerate
Exaggerating your product’s features or how great your service is can often result in a sour taste. If you’re trying to sell a product that is not all that great, don’t make it seem like it’s the next big thing.