Here’s the ugly truth: most bid strategies in the UK are bloated with assumptions, outdated tactics, and legacy thinking. You’re chasing win rates without questioning why you’re losing. You recycle boilerplate content like it’s still 2018. You say “we’re compliant” instead of proving you’re essential. 

Most bids and business pitches fail not because the team lacks skill or delivery capability; they fail because the message lacks clarity, empathy, and strategic intent. You can’t convince someone to choose you if you’re saying what everyone else is saying. You need to connect the dots between your capabilities and their priorities, and do it with precision.

Bidding isn’t about being the loudest voice, it’s about being the most relevant one. Here are a few real tips from Neil Southwell’s front-line experience that can help you sharpen your approach and bid better or not at all.

Most bid teams live and die by their win rate — but what if that number is hiding the real story? In this post, we explore why your win rate might be misleading, what smarter teams are tracking instead, and how to shift focus from chasing numbers to building real, measurable progress.