Great bids rarely start when the ITT lands. They start earlier, in the quiet. When others are taking it easy, long before anything’s been written, it’s time to get ready.
Chefs have a name for this: mise en place. Everything in its place before the heat goes on. It isn’t about being tidy for the sake of it. It’s about staying in control when things get messy. And messy is inevitable.
The best bid teams we’ve worked with seem to have their own version of this. No confusion. No last-minute reshuffling. They’ve already put in the hours understanding what really matters to the client – not just what’s written in the brief, but what’s keeping them up at night. Their case studies and proof points aren’t dragged out of a dusty folder marked ‘previous wins’. They are sharpened, relevant, ready.
That’s the bit most teams skip. Because prep time feels unproductive – until you hit the deadline and realise you’re still chopping onions.
Calm bids aren’t lucky. They just look that way because the work was done early, when no one was watching.
Before your next pursuit, ask: have we put everything in its place, or are we planning to find our knives once the pan’s already smoking?
With some serious bids expected in Q1 don’t leave it to the last minute. If you’d like to know more about how we can help you make your own luck in 2026. Book a call in for the New Year.
