BID Solutions - RSA

BID Solutions - RSA We help companies win multi-million rand contracts through compelling and compliant bids. Ethics, authenticity and keeping promises are our values.

If you resonate with these and need to submit a tender or compile a strategic proposal, please contact us.

Boring cover letters and executive summaries make the reader head straight for the pricing section. With the right tools...
10/02/2026

Boring cover letters and executive summaries make the reader head straight for the pricing section. With the right tools and guidelines you will inspire them to read on.
Join Cheryl Goodman and me on 18-19 February for the next Build a Bid Centre of Excellence workshop at the Focus Rooms Conference and Event Venue 😜. It's energetic, interactive and packed with learnings you can take away and implement the very next day.
Learn more here: https://www.bidsolutions.co.za/training
We also offer in-house training tailored to your team.
Let's chat: [email protected]

Isn't it amazing that Dale Carnegie’s principles from his book 'How to Win Friend and Influence People', published in 19...
03/02/2026

Isn't it amazing that Dale Carnegie’s principles from his book 'How to Win Friend and Influence People', published in 1936, still apply today. Here's a tip on how to translate your personal rapport into your sales proposals.

Principle 1: Become genuinely interested in other people.

Building rapport with our clients entails having a genuine empathy for them and putting ourselves out to do things for them; things that require time, energy, unselfishness and thoughtfulness. For most sales professionals, that is the easy (and fun) part. However, communicating that rapport in a written proposal can be quite a challenge, especially when deadlines are tight and templates are tempting.

In his book, Carnegie suggests we ask ourselves these questions:

- Do you genuinely care about your client?
- Are you grateful that they choose to spend time with you and make it possible for you to earn a living?
- Do you consciously put yourself in their shoes when shaping your solution?

The mindset we are in before we start writing influences the tone and words we choose to make sure our message lands as we intended. Use these questions to stimulate your empathetic, client-focused brain and you will find that articulating your proposition flows more easily.

A generic, cut-and-paste or AI-generated proposal may be technically correct but it cannot convey the rapport we have established in person. It is worth the extra effort to write proposals that make our client feel seen and respected and may even be the differentiator before pricing is considered.

Learn the practical tools and frameworks to communicate your rapport and other persuasive proposal essentials at the Build a Bid Centre of Excellence 2-day workshop in Johannesburg, 18-19 February 2026. Click https://www.bidsolutions.co.za/training for all the info.

🚨 You nailed the solution... but missed a form or mandatory document. A minor detail or overlooked detail combined with ...
16/01/2026

🚨 You nailed the solution... but missed a form or mandatory document. A minor detail or overlooked detail combined with a the submission deadline time pressure has robbed many of us a sure win.
📎 Here are a couple of quick fixes:
1. Create a bid document register to make sure you have all the right documents and that they are valid.
2. Use a compliance matrix to track every requirement per bid and make it easy for evaluators to find your responses.
📊 At our training, you get plug-and-play tools and templates to make compliance effortless and consistent.
ℹ️ More info https://www.bidsolutions.co.za/training
✅ Book now for the Build a Bid Centre of Excellence workshop happening 21-22 January in Johannesburg: https://www.bidsolutions.co.za/workshop-booking-form | [email protected]

04/01/2026

A new year always brings talk of resolutions, fresh starts and new cycles.
Whether we see 2026 as year one of the next nine-year cycle, the year of the horse, or simply another chance to do things a little better, it’s a good time to reflect on why we do the work we do.
I find the truth that 'we exist in business to help each other' deeply invigorating. Our ideas, energy, skills and experience take shape as products and services that we exchange as one human community, operating within one ecosystem and one shared economy.
May our primary motive be to offer the right solution to a real problem, rather than simply pushing volume or chasing numbers.
Let us remember that behind every proposal, tender, pitch or strategy session are people. 👥
*People carrying responsibility.
*People working late.
*People whose families and communities are affected by the work won (and lost) and the promises made, kept or broken.
Thank you to our clients for trusting us this past year. It is an honour being part of your team. 🙏
To those we are yet to work with: we look forward to what the future may hold and to helping you shoot the lights out too. ☺️
May we all get the business we want and deserve. 🚀
And may we remember that we are, after all, here for each other - doing work that helps people, communities and families thrive. 🫶
Wishing everyone a positive start to the year ahead, filled with meaningful progress. 🤗🙌

Features don’t win contracts. Impact does.Principle 3: Arouse in the other person an eager want.Dale Carnegie said it be...
18/12/2025

Features don’t win contracts. Impact does.

Principle 3: Arouse in the other person an eager want.
Dale Carnegie said it best: People don’t care what YOU want, they care what THEY want.

Proposals often get stuck in ‘feature land’, e.g. we have 24/7 support, ISO certification, 50 staff in three locations, etc. Yes, that’s informative, but what clients really want is the outcome that impacts their business: e.g. business continuity, less risk, peace of mind.

That’s where win themes come in. They translate your features into benefits and states the outcomes your client actually seeks.

Swap:
❌ We provide 24/7 support.
for
✅ Never be left stranded at 2am, we pick up 24/7.

For every feature you list, ask: So what? What does the client actually want from this? That’s your win theme.
Learn exactly how to create win themes and other persuasive proposal essentials at the Build a Bid Centre of Excellence workshop happening 21-22 January 2026 at Focus Rooms.
More info:https://a4fdb3b7-cde7-4455-bd33-d89b2955f10c.filesusr.com/ugd/c4b067_f0ea26ffca2540b2bd81e72eb95cd39e.pdf | www.bidsolutions.co.za

😥 Tired of chaos every time a tender drops?Late nights. Deadline panic. Team tension. Compliance confusion. Unsure if yo...
04/12/2025

😥 Tired of chaos every time a tender drops?
Late nights. Deadline panic. Team tension. Compliance confusion. Unsure if you're pitching your solution right.

Let’s change that in 2026.
🎯 Our 2-day Build a Bid Centre of Excellence workshop is back this January. It’s the perfect way to fuel your sales and bid teams for a strong start to the year.
* Equip them with the skills to write persuasive, client-focused proposals
* Create pre-approved content libraries that save time and stress
* Qualify better. Bid smarter. Win more.
* Understand B-BBEE and PPPFA requirements in SA tenders

Join Theresa Thom (Bid Specialist) and Cheryl Goodman (Transformation Strategist) for this hands-on, interactive training designed to eliminate the chaos and get your team focused on winning business.
More info: https://www.bidsolutions.co.za/training
Book now: https://www.bidsolutions.co.za/workshop-booking-form

The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to feel important.Dale Carnegie’s second principle is simple but powerful...
13/11/2025

The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to feel important.

Dale Carnegie’s second principle is simple but powerful: Give honest and sincere appreciation.
Charles Schwab, one of America’s first million-dollar executives (and we’re talking 1921 money), put it this way:
“I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among my people to be the greatest asset I possess. The way to develop the best in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.”

When it comes to proposals, your team in the background needs that appreciation:
- The sales support warriors, including marketing, graphic designers, and don't forget the tea lady!
- The subject matter experts.
- The product/ service development and delivery teams.

They’re the ones who turn your promise into something credible. Yet too often, they’re brought in at the last minute, with an “urgent tender due tomorrow” and zero context. Cue chaos, frustration and eye-rolling.

Truthfully, nothing kills enthusiasm faster than being treated like a copy-and-paste machine. Asking your team to rewrite content they already provided for other proposals (because someone can’t be bothered to look for it, polish it up or tailor it properly), does not inspire excellence… it drains goodwill.

Give your people what they want: appreciation, support and time.
* Share your enthusiasm in the new opportunity with your team, keep them in the loop and value their input. After all, it’s in everyone’s best interest that your company wins new business.
* Keep your content library organised and up to date with persuasive and consistent information. Remember to schedule reviews to refresh and realign the approach and features with your latest offerings.
* Orientate new content contributors so your write ups have a unified voice and level of detail.
* Leave space for the team to focus on crafting the solution, developing your win theme and tailoring the executive summary to the client’s goals.

A team that feels appreciated performs like one that’s already won.
Proposals don’t win deals. People do. And people who feel valued, trusted and prepared will always give you their best honey.

So as the year winds down, use the quieter moments wisely.
* Get your ducks in a row.
* Set your team up for success.
* Be bid-ready when the new year kicks off.

Last week I had the joy of facilitating a group of young professionals who were eager to learn about bidding right at ou...
07/10/2025

Last week I had the joy of facilitating a group of young professionals who were eager to learn about bidding right at our Build a Bid Centre of Excellence workshop. There was such a great energy in the room, we empathised over shared stories of late-night deadlines, close calls and tender triumphs that only fellow bid warriors truly understand. These bid unicorns are ready to turn chaos into clarity and proposals into wins 🦄💫✨
I'm so excited to see how your win rates rocket!

Stop letting tenders steal your time and sanity.Build a Bid Centre of Excellence capability in your business. Give your ...
01/09/2025

Stop letting tenders steal your time and sanity.
Build a Bid Centre of Excellence capability in your business. Give your team the skills, tools and confidence to create persuasive, compliant proposals that win.
Book your seat for this 2-day public workshop on 1-2 October 2025 at Focus Rooms, Sandton.
Details here: https://www.bidsolutions.co.za/training

‼️ATTENTION - A special heads up to all my South African and African sales peeps and business owners who tender for gove...
18/07/2025

‼️ATTENTION - A special heads up to all my South African and African sales peeps and business owners who tender for government business!
Do you know about the UK government's Procurement Policy Note: PPN 02/24 - Improving Transparency of AI Use in Procurement?
It's fascinating! Essentially, the bidder must disclose their use of AI in the preparation of their bid for UK government contracts.
The purpose of this policy is to:
* Promote transparency: It requires suppliers to disclose if they used AI to prepare their bids or deliver services, so public buyers can understand how proposals are developed.
* Protect data and trust: It safeguards sensitive information by preventing suppliers from using confidential tender content to train AI models.
* Improve due diligence: It helps contracting authorities assess the accuracy and reliability of AI-assisted bids, ensuring decisions are based on credible, deliverable solutions.

There is nothing like this in place yet in South Africa or Africa but it is coming... Watch this space👀
(Here's the link to the detail about PPN 02/24 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ppn-0224-improving-transparency-of-ai-use-in-procurement/ppn-0224-improving-transparency-of-ai-use-in-procurement-html )
hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

You’ve finally cracked the client, navigated objections and sparked excitement. Then someone says, ‘Cool, send us a prop...
02/07/2025

You’ve finally cracked the client, navigated objections and sparked excitement. Then someone says, ‘Cool, send us a proposal.’
Cue the disappointment/ panic...
Why? Because most sales training doesn’t include how to sell in writing. It treats proposals like a footnote… a ‘just write it up and send it’ task.
But that ‘write-up’ is what sits on the client’s desk when you’re not in the room. It's your pitch, your differentiator, your closer.
BID Solutions teaches sales teams how to seal the deal with persuasive proposals.
www.bidsolutions.co.za

Yes, it can draft, summarise and even spellcheck better than a room full of engineers. But it doesn’t know that this cli...
27/06/2025

Yes, it can draft, summarise and even spellcheck better than a room full of engineers. But it doesn’t know that this client hates the word ‘synergy’ and wants all pricing in ZAR with VAT excluded. It can’t read the political innuendo of the RFP or discern the unspoken KPIs. Real proposals need human judgment, nuance and sometimes a bit of negotiation gymnastics. That’s your job. AI is just here to help, not lead.

Address

Sandton
2191

Opening Hours

Monday 08:00 - 17:00
Tuesday 08:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 08:00 - 17:00
Thursday 08:00 - 17:00
Friday 08:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+27724972487

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when BID Solutions - RSA posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to BID Solutions - RSA:

Shortcuts

Share

Category