We get this a lot, particularly from smaller businesses who are not accustomed to putting together bids on a regular basis. The best way to illustrate value is to help your audience understand your experience, through evidence. While you can tell the audience about your expertise and qualifications, it’s much better to show and tell. When it comes to choosing what evidence to include in your tender response, there are lots of options to choose from. While most people’s first thought is figures and statistics, there’s a lot more to illustrating value than just quoting a set of numbers. There are eight main types of evidence useful for bidding, which I’ve summarised below: Case Study: Use a case study to show that you have experience successfully providing similar services to similar companies. Quote or Testimonial: Quotes prove that clients were not only satisfied with the service you provided, but pleased enough to go on record to talk about the quality of your service. Referrals: Regardless of whether the company contacts your referees, offering the contact details of clients gives your prospect confidence by showing that you have a good relationship with your clients. Initial consultation: Free advice and consultations can give you an opportunity to prove your value to the prospective client. Use this method with caution, and be careful not to give away too much for free. Client list: In addition to referees, providing a list of clients and the services your company provides can prove that you have a range of experience and that your business is well-established. CVs: CVs for the key personnel that would be involved with the project adds a personal touch and assures the prospective client that your staff are experienced and qualified to provide the services required. Awards: A well-placed and relevant award can back up your statements and prove that third parties recognise the quality of your company’s work. Don’t be a bragger, but do use awards when appropriate. Statistics & Data: While statistics aren’t the be all and end all of evidence, including percentages of satisfied clients, number of successful implementations or attention/retention rates, to name a few examples, can be persuasive ways to demonstrate what you are saying.