case study on bidding and prepare a report

In terms of the interview structure, I recommend categorizing the questions in a way that the answers flow into six specific sections that will mirror a successful case study format. Combined, they'll allow you to gather enough information to put together a rich, comprehensive study.

Open with the customer's business.

The goal of this section is to generate a better understanding of the company's current challenges and goals, plus how they fit into the landscape of their industry. Sample questions might include:

• How long have you been in business?
• How many employees do you have?
• What are some of the objectives of your department at this time?

Cite a problem or pain point.

To tell a compelling story, you need context that helps match the customer's needs with your solution. Sample questions might include:

• What challenges and objectives led you to look for a solution?
• What might have happened if you did not identify a solution?
• Did you explore other solutions before this that did not work out? If so, what happened?

Discuss the decision process.

Exploring how the customer decided to work with you helps to guide potential customers through their own decision-making processes.

Sample questions might include:

• How did you hear about our product or service?
• Who was involved in the selection process?
• What was most important to you when evaluating your options?

Explain how a solution was implemented.

The focus here should be placed on the customer's experience during the onboarding process. Sample questions might include:

• How long did it take to get up and running?
• Did that meet your expectations?
• Who was involved in the process?

Explain how the solution works.

The goal of this section is to better understand how the customer is using your product or service. Sample questions might include:

• Is there a particular aspect of the product or service that you rely on most?
• Who is using the product or service?

End with the results.

In this section, you want to uncover impressive measurable outcomes — the more numbers, the better. Sample questions might include:

• How is the product or service helping you save time and increase productivity?
• In what ways does that enhance your competitive advantage?
• How much have you increased metrics X, Y, and Z?

It’s a smart idea to send a copy of your interview questions to your subject ahead of time so they can prepare strong answers and collect the numerical data you need from them.

10. Lay out your case study format.

When it comes time to take all of the information you‘ve collected and actually turn it into something useful, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. I always do, but I also know that it works out in the end, so I just jump on in and work it through.

So where should you start? What should you include? What's the best way to structure it?

It‘s important to first understand that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to the ways you can present a case study.

They can be very visual, which you’ll see in some of the examples we've included below, and can sometimes be communicated through video or photos with a bit of accompanying text.

Here are the sections I’d suggest, and I'll cover these in more detail after #11 below:

• Title. Keep it short. Develop a succinct but interesting project name you can give the work you did with your subject.
• Subtitle. Use this copy to briefly elaborate on the accomplishment. What was done? The case study itself will explain how you got there.
• Executive Summary . A 2-4 sentence summary of the entire story. You'll want to follow it with 2-3 bullet points that display metrics showcasing success.
• About the Subject. An introduction to the person or company you served, which can be pulled from a LinkedIn Business profile or client website.
• Challenges and Objectives. A 2-3 paragraph description of the customer's challenges, before using your product or service. This section should also include the goals or objectives the customer set out to achieve.
• How Product/Service Helped. A 2-3 paragraph section that describes how your product or service provided a solution to their problem.
• Results. A 2-3 paragraph testimonial that proves how your product or service specifically benefited the person or company and helped achieve its goals. Include numbers to quantify your contributions.
• Supporting Visuals or Quotes. Pick one or two powerful quotes that you would feature at the bottom of the sections above, as well as a visual that supports the story you are telling.
• Future Plans. Everyone likes an epilogue. Comment on what's ahead for your case study subject, whether or not those plans involve you.
• Call-to-Action (CTA). Not every case study needs a CTA, but putting a passive one at the end of your case study can encourage your readers to take an action on your website after learning about the work you've done.

When laying out your case study, focus on conveying the information you've gathered in the most clear and concise way possible.

Make it easy to scan and comprehend, and be sure to provide an attractive call-to-action at the bottom — that should provide readers an opportunity to learn more about your product or service.

11. Publish and promote your case study.

Once you‘ve completed your case study, it’s time to publish and promote it.

Some case study formats have pretty obvious promotional outlets — a video case study can go on YouTube, just as an infographic case study can go on Pinterest.

But there are still other ways to publish and promote your case study. Here are a couple of ideas.

Lead Gen in a Blog Post

As stated earlier, written case studies make terrific lead-generators if you convert them into a downloadable format, like a PDF.

To generate leads from your case study, consider writing a blog post that tells an abbreviated story of your client‘s success and asking readers to fill out a form with their name and email address if they’d like to read the rest in your PDF.

Then, promote this blog post on social media, through a Facebook post or a tweet.

Published as a Page on Your Website

As a growing business, you might need to display your case study out in the open to gain the trust of your target audience.

Rather than gating it behind a landing page, publish your case study to its own page on your website, and direct people to it from your homepage with a “Case Studies” or “Testimonials” button along your homepage's top navigation bar.

The traditional case study format includes the following parts: a title and subtitle, a client profile, a summary of the customer’s challenges and objectives, an account of how your solution helped, and a description of the results. You might also want to include supporting visuals and quotes, future plans, and calls-to-action.

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Writing a Case Study for your Tender Proposal? Make it Work for You.

‘Our Case Studies are letting us down!’ How to make them work for you.

Case studies are a vital part of any bid, whether they are stand-alone elements or incorporated into your answers. Writing a case study can act as a key way in which you can prove your capabilities, experience, expertise and resources.

However, writing case studies can be a real challenge. Just getting them produced can be like pulling teeth and, even then, it is easy for them to fall short. Many case studies are poorly executed, not relevant, too ‘salesy’ or overly technical.

So what should you do?

• Select case study projects that are relevant to the tender. Ensure this relevancy is explained – for example show that a case study project involved the same team, had a similar technical scope or the same stakeholders as the project you’re bidding for.
• Collect information for case studies from people who have had a direct involvement in the project being profiled. Use an information template to ensure you get all the information you need.
• Get professional help to design your case studies so that they look good, read well and reflect your brand. Use someone with good writing skills to draft the copy.
• Include client testimonials – collect these as part of your project management process.
• Use photos. These should include pictures of your team at work and the completed project. Make sure they are of a high enough standard, so that they make you look good.
• Plan ahead and put together a strong bid library of case studies that can be easily adapted to each new tender. Ensure this library is updated each time you do a new project.

How Rothera Group can help you when Writing a Case Study

We run stand-alone workshops on case studies and incorporate the case study challenge into our general training courses.

We’ll help your team develop and produce winning case studies and show them how to use case studies effectively in a bid document.

We can also help you work up a template for collecting case study information and show you how to develop a case study library that will underpin your bid writing process.

Find out more  

Read about our training courses at https://www.rotheragroup.com/our-services/

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Home / How to write a case study for tendering

How to write a case study for tendering

Article details.

Case studies are a common way for buyers and authorities to measure your ability to deliver the requirements of a contract by reviewing your performance on contracts of similar size and scope. This is a great opportunity in tendering to highlight relevant experience in the associated industry, evidence how your company overcomes contract-related challenges and showcase contract successes.

Good case studies often comprise:

An overview of the scope of works

A good case study needs to immediately let the evaluator know exactly how and why it is relevant to the opportunity you are tendering for. Providing key information at the beginning of the case study, such as the value, size and scope of the contract, will allow the evaluator to instantly connect the dots and assess whether or not the narrative will be relevant to the opportunity.

The content of your case study can evidence effective processes and your ability to resolve key logistical and operational challenges, but if the contract value or scope is not similar to the opportunity you are tendering for, it may be disregarded as irrelevant.

Evidence of an efficient and effective mobilisation period

Evaluators want assurances that you have effective processes in place for efficiently mobilising upon contract award. Not only will this set their minds at ease that they are doing business with a competent contractor but it will evidence that the transitional period between mobilisation and implementation will be smooth and efficient. Key topics to cover include:

• Outlining exactly how you mobilised the contract, e.g., devising a bespoke communication plan to ensure effective communication from commencement, planning a series of mobilisation update/review meetings so progress can be tracked and assigning a mobilisation-specific team.
• Providing an example mobilisation Gantt chart or implementation plan, which outlines the critical path and task interdependencies to ensure commencement on the stipulated date.
• How you overcame any challenges during mobilisation, e.g., supply chain issues.
• Describing any interactions with the outgoing provider to obtain recommendations, an insight on contract-specific nuances, and important contractual information, such as TUPE transferee details.

  Demonstrating an effective mobilisation plan will highlight to the evaluator that you are experienced in managing and coordinating pre-commencement activities.

Key personnel involved in the delivery of the contract

Providing the names, roles, responsibilities, qualifications and experience of each member of staff involved in the delivery of the contract will show that only competent employees are allocated to contracts. If the contract manager is to be the same for the opportunity you are tendering for, this is a perfect opportunity to evidence their ability and competency, e.g., pointing out correlating responsibilities that will be applicable to both contracts.

Key challenges and how you overcame them

Outlining a key challenge and the measures your company took to mitigate/remedy any issues associated with it will evidence both your understanding of relevant issues that may impact performance and your ability to negate any potential contract disruptions. For example, key challenges could include:

• COVID-19 implications: and how your company reacted during the initial lockdown period and subsequent government measures.
• Supply chain issues stemming from Brexit: and any changes you made to existing processes and procedures to mitigate disruptions, e.g., sourcing exclusively from within the United Kingdom.

  Showing that you met and overcame a key challenge and went on to deliver the contract effectively will provide assurances to the evaluator that your contract team possess the competency to react to unforeseen changes.

Contract successes and improvements

Contract successes, such as consistently meeting and bettering key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements, are a great footer when concluding your case study. Providing a chronological account of how you mobilised, implemented and delivered the contractual requirements, rounded off by tangible evidence of this, will leave a lasting impression on the tender evaluator.

This is also a great opportunity to highlight any measurable improvements your company had on the contract and for the authority. For example, did you introduce any innovative ways of working or procedures that either saved the authority money or maximised efficiency? Are there noticeable improvements in contractual performance when compared to the previous contractor? Have you implemented any continuous improvement targets for the next quarter/year?

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For information on how we can support you to produce a high-quality case study, contact our team today and we will be happy to discuss the tender writing services that we offer.

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Bidding and tendering is the process that allows organizations to solicit bids from service providers or submit bids to win the right to complete a particular project. This process enables businesses seeking external contractors to find the most qualified bidders for a specific job while allowing external contractors and organizations to earn the right to partake in project work. Read on to learn more about external projects and the tendering and bidding process.

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What is the Bidding and Tendering Process? 

The bidding and tendering process is a process by which a business or organization invites third-party contractors to bid for a project through a document called a tender. Once an invitation to bid has been tendered, businesses can submit a proposal in response, indicating their interest in the project. Businesses will then compare the submitted bids and accompanying proposals against specific criteria to identify the best provider or supplier for the project. 

Why is the Bidding Process Important in Project Management?

When organizations lack the expertise or experience to meet a specific requirement of a project, it is more cost- and time-efficient to seek an outside contractor rather than train in-house staff. In cases like this, the bidding process is essential to ensuring that organizations find the best fit for the job. This process is especially common in industries such as game development, construction, and marketing. 

Moreover, the bidding process ensures that specialty project managers with significant experience in a particular area or industry find work that’s appropriate for their interests and skills. For example, if a construction project manager is looking for construction-specific work, reviewing the details of an organization’s tender document can help them decide if the project is a good fit for their skills and background.

Read More: What is Project Management? Definition, Types & Examples

What Types of Bid Processes Exist?

Open tendering .

In an open tendering bid process, also called competitive bidding, an organization opens up the floor for bids from any party, which can come from another organization, business, or even an individual in some cases. This type of bidding is highly competitive and often occurs when an organization wants to review a wide range of candidates for a project across a diverse talent pool at various price points. 

Selective Tendering

In a selective tendering bid process, the organization accepting bids preselects only a few top organizations or applicants to apply. This process makes the bidding pool smaller and typically only involves vendors that have a preexisting relationship with the organization (though this is not always the case).

Negotiated Tendering 

In a negotiated tendering bid process, a single vendor is preselected to complete the project. The selected vendor is typically a business with a notable track record in the industry or has a preexisting relationship with the project owner. In this process, the vendor and the organization accepting bids go back and forth to negotiate the terms of the project and work contract. 

Read More : Project Management Terms & Concepts to Know

The Bidding Process

Step 1: request for proposals.

After an organization has decided to open up the floor for bids on a particular project, it will issue an invitation for bid (IFB), a request for quote (RFQ), or a request for proposal (RFP). While these terms are unique, they all serve the same purpose: to express public interest in receiving bids for a project. From there, a tender manager prepares a more detailed package that fills in any remaining information about the project, issuing organization, and what types of skills and services they’re looking for. 

The package will include details about deadlines, expectations, specifications, supporting documents, and details about what requirements and supplementary information potential bidders should include in their bids. Depending on the type of bid process the organization prefers for the project, the invitation to bid will be extended openly or to a limited number of preferred applicants.

Read more: RFQ, RFP, RFI: What’s the Difference?

Step 2: Bid Preparation and Submission

Once the request for proposal has been issued, it’s up to interested parties to assemble their bid and submit it to the organization accepting bids. During this time period, parties assemble as an organization to fully review the requested document and the project’s terms.

Before drafting a proposal of any kind in response, the team must first make sure that they understand the client’s needs and have the bandwidth and capability to deliver on those terms successfully. If the team determines that the project is a good fit for the deliverables and services they can provide, then they can begin assembling a project proposal.

Once the proposal has been drafted, the team should take one final look at the document as a collective before sending it back to the client for their official review. 

Step 3: Bid Evaluation and Selection

During the bid evaluation and screening process, the organization accepting bids reviews the various bids and project proposal submissions from outside contractors. While this process can take weeks or even months, it’s important to review each proposal thoroughly and carefully. After the organization reviews each proposal, they will select the vendor or vendors that they want to grant the project to. 

Step 4: Contract Negotiation 

Once a vendor has been selected, they will negotiate back and forth with the hiring organization to establish agreed-upon terms and conditions for project satisfaction. During these negotiations, both parties may discuss the project timeline, compensation, access to resources, and more. 

Step 5: Project Delivery

The final step of the bidding and tendering process is project delivery. This phase marks the official beginning of project work and encompasses the entirety of the project lifecycle. At the conclusion of this phase, the client receives all of the key deliverables and project outcomes that were discussed in the initial planning phase. 

What is the Bidding Process for Project Managers?

In the tendering and bidding process, project managers play either of two roles: as a tender manager or a bidding manager. Tender managers are project managers who act as representatives for the organization seeking a vendor. Bidding managers are the project managers who act as representatives for the parties interested in providing the service or product.

Read more: Project Proposal Templates and Examples

Download a FREE Project Proposal Template

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Choosing the appropriate bidding process for your project will vary greatly depending on the project scope, budget, and timeline. For example, suppose you need to get to work quickly on a very tight timeline. In that case, it’s better to go with selective or negotiated tendering in order and examine a smaller pool of applicants who have a proven reputation; this way, decisions can be made faster. 

If you are looking to screen applicants for a longer-term project that requires numerous vendors and subcontractors, an open tendering process makes for a better option as it allows you to pull from the widest and most diverse pool of candidates possible.

While it can be difficult to decide what bidding process is right for your unique project, it’s important to note that you can always open the floor up to an open tendering process if more selective screening methods fail. 

How do I prepare a winning project proposal for the bidding process?

While creating a winning proposal can seem overwhelming, if you hone in on mastering a few key elements, you’ll have an eloquent, thorough proposal in no time. 

Carefully review documentation from the hiring organization

Before you start drafting your proposal, you need to carefully review the information provided by the organization accepting bids. If any special conditions or specific skill sets are indicated, you will want to highlight your ability to satisfy those requirements in your bid, which can help you stand out from the competition.

Highlight impact and not just data

One of the most commonly overlooked elements of drafting a winning project proposal is to go further with your data. Instead of just showing your team’s competency or past successes, go further to explain the impact of that information. For example, let’s say your marketing team has increased client brand awareness by 15% on average in the last year, extrapolate the impact from that data, explaining what that means to the client—whether it’s more sales, a larger social media following, etc. 

Cover all the bases

Ensure that you adequately cover all of the essential elements of a project proposal while answering any specific questions the hiring organization has presented. For example, they might ask for a portfolio of work or references on top of the standard proposal.

Check out our FREE project proposal template above for help structuring your proposal!

How can I remain competitive against other bidders in an open or selective bidding situation?

The best way to remain competitive against other bidders in an open or selective bidding situation, besides following top tips for drafting a strong proposal, is to hone in on what your team does better than anyone else. Providing the client with a differentiator, a metric to weigh your impact and success against other bidders, will help you leave a lasting impression and thus increase your chances of winning the project.

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Procurement Case Studies — 10 Insightful Examples

Table of content

• Amazing vs Wholefoods
• Vaccinate Nationalism
• Golden Donut Chain
• East China Sea
• Apple vs Samsung
• RJR Nabisco Tabacco
• Microsoft vs Nokia
• International Longshore and Warehouse Union
• North Korea vs South Korea
• Largest Ponzi Scheme

Frequently asked questions

Key takeaways

• Procurement case studies are real-word examples that provide valuable insights into the complexities of negotiation.
• Whether in international relations, business disputes, or organizational conflicts, parties must invest time in building trust.
• Cultural differences can significantly impact the negotiation process. Understanding the cultural nuances of the parties involved is crucial.

Negotiation occurs naturally when parties are dealing with one another to form an agreement. It is the first step in developing or creating an agreement that both parties will mutually benefit from. However, not all negotiations end up in a good way. Sometimes, a dispute is created when both parties are invested in the negotiation. 

For this article, we will check ten negotiation and procurement case studies that can give you insight into how to negotiate with the other party. We will explore how they tackled the situations in which parties are in dispute. 

After reading this article, you will have an insight into how to negotiate with someone through these negotiation examples . You will learn how to tackle disputes in a negotiation without harming the other party’s reputation. So without further ado, let us start delving into these ten insightful cases.  

I have created a free-to-download editable procurement strategy template . It’s a PowerPoint file you can use to create your own strategy after being inspired by the case studies below. I even created a video where I’ll explain how you can use this template.

Example 1 — Price negotiation between Amazon and Whole Foods

Actual case:.

The case study is based on a real-life price negotiation between Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market. 

Whole Foods Market has been declining in performance in the market for the last two years. Due to this, the activist hedge fund that owns almost 9% of the common stock is pressuring the former. 

The activist hedge fund is eyeing the reform of the management style of the executive officers as it asserted that they are the ones responsible for the poor results achieved by Whole Foods Market. In other words, the CEO of Whole Foods Market needs help to retain his position.

In light of the pressure that comes from the activist hedge fund, four different equity firms sent separate inquiries to Whole Foods Market. One of the equity firms offered a share cash price of $36.00. This is in line with the historical share price of Whole Foods Market. Private investment in public equity (PIPE) is a shortcut for companies that are in need. 

However, pursuing this will put Whole Foods Market at numerous disadvantages. The result of the buy-out might make shareholders quickly sell their stocks. If a large number of stocks are sold at a lower price, the private equity firm may pressure the company. Additionally, it may claim ownership of the company. 

A few days ago, Amazon’s CEO reached out to Whole Foods Market. It was expected as many news outlets reported that Amazon is interested in acquiring the latter for opportunities in the retail sector. 

The reason why Whole Foods Market is a good candidate for Amazon to acquire is its attractive value and strategic deal. Amazon expects that it can guarantee a substantial premium. The first signal of commitment by Amazon is the face-to-face meeting with Whole Foods Market’s CEO. Moreover, Amazon just launched a new service called AmazonFresh that fits perfectly with what Whole Foods Market has developed which is the local-based fresh-goods delivery system. 

Before the prospect of acquiring Whole Foods Market, Amazon has another candidate which is Silvia’s Market. The strategy of this company is focused on becoming the best supermarket that a middle-class family can trust. However, looking at the collaborative opportunity of the two parties, you will start to have some doubts. This is because Silvia’s Market’s mission is too far away from the core value of Amazon which is innovation. 

That is why the most attractive option is to choose Whole Foods Market rather than Sylvia’s Market because the synergies between Amazon and Whole Foods Market are the best option. 

One core aspect of Amazon is high-velocity decision-making. However, this strategy does not line up with Whole Foods Market. That is why Whole Foods Market suggested the decisional strategy of disagreeing and committing. 

Most negotiators face challenges within themselves thinking about what to offer, what is the reasonable agreement to accept, and the real interest in the negotiation. For this, you would need high-velocity decision-making because time is important in negotiations and the time you will need to decide is crucial.

Whole Foods Market needs to know that Amazon is not used to long bidding wars. It needs to be interested in Amazon’s proposal exclusively or else Amazon will find another company for opportunities in the retail sector. 

In the negotiation, Amazon has the upper hand as it can inflict damage on Whole Foods Market by not pursuing the negotiation. The threats looming the Whole Foods Market will cease if it collaborates with Amazon.

Additionally, Amazon demands secrecy. Any leakage will force Amazon to terminate the negotiation. In bidding situations, secrecy is important. Any leak of confidentiality will have disastrous outcomes regarding the agreements. A non-disclosure will allow Amazon to have steadiness, speed, and information symmetries in the negotiation.  

Final Deal:

The limits of the offering price for each party are laid out in the agreement which makes them able to compute their reservation price (RP).

When Amazon first bid, it evaluated the historical value per share of Whole Foods Market which is about $35.00 per share. At first glance, the $42.00 per share bidding price of Amazon seems too high. However, the calculations of Amazon were totally inclined toward the prospect of growth of Whole Foods Market in the case of an acquisition. 

The Whole Foods Market’s attempt to counter-offering the bid with $45.00 per share was just to hold onto the financial resources of Amazon. However, we must take note that Whole Foods Market does not expect Amazon to be willing to bid at a higher price. Simultaneously, Amazon expects Whole Foods Market to accept its high offer. The expectations of both parties have coincided with one another which makes the negotiation reasonable and advantageous for both parties. 

Additionally, a profitable outcome depends on how negotiators deal with and discuss during the negotiation process. Being an active listener and discussing issues is pivotal in the negotiation to be successful.  

Finally, after rigorous research and consideration between one another, Whole Foods Market approved the deal with Amazon which acquired the former for $42.00 per share which amounts to $13.7 billion including its debt. 

What can we learn from it?

We learn from this case study that both parties must make an effort to retrieve data from both sides to quantify and evaluate the outcome of every possible solution. 

Another is that a good negotiator can anchor the positioning battle around the other party’s reservation price. It is important to consider the other party’s perspective to take action in their situation rather than our own. 

This will help negotiators to obtain information and interest with the other party while also building trust and a fruitful negotiation process management. 

Lastly, we can learn from their negotiation that a final outcome can be reached once both parties meet on the same ground or terms. Both sides must be convinced that there is no use in retreating when the outcome will be good and that the negotiation is about to end.

Featured Download: Want to get better at negotiation skills? Click here to accelerate your career: Negotiation Preparation Toolkit template to help you prepare for your upcoming negotiation.

Example 2 – “Vaccine Nationalism”: A lose-lose negotiation strategy

The onslaught of the pandemic has made national governments across the world face the challenge of securing enough safe doses of COVID-19 vaccines when it becomes available.

A coordinated global plan is sought to promote fairness and efficiency. However, it may be a little too late, especially for least-developed countries. 

This case study highlights the best and worst practices when negotiating limited resources. 

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many drug manufacturers around the world focused on developing vaccines that can provide immunity to the virus without any harmful side effects. 

The governments of developed countries began negotiating with drug manufacturers to ensure that their citizens would get the vaccine first. The competition was on with developed countries while poorer countries were left on the sidelines. 

Many nations bought more than what they needed because they knew that only a few vaccines would likely be safe and effective; Vaccine hoarding has now begun. 

As wealthy nations begin to outsmart each other through negotiation because of their limited resources, poor countries are left to wonder how they can protect their citizens. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) came up with a plan that aims to ensure that the vulnerable populations in the world will have access to the COVID-19 vaccine. 

On August 24, 2020, WHO announced that 172  nations that comprise over 70% of the world’s population had made commitments to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility. 

COVAX is a global initiative to secure two billion doses of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines from companies such as Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna, etc. for vulnerable populations worldwide. 

At first glance, COVAX seems to be a charitable enterprise founded by wealthy nations. However, this is not the case. Wealthy nations see this opportunity as a win-win situation for them. 

Wealthy nations will be guaranteed access to the world’s largest portfolio of vaccines. Additionally, they will negotiate as part of the 172 nations which will bring the price of the vaccines down. 

A week after the announcement of COVAX, the previous Trump administration said that it would not be joining the global effort. The decision was inclined toward “America First”. 

Kendall Hoyt, a professor from Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine, said that backing out or not joining the global effort of COVAX is like passing an insurance policy. Because if none of the vaccine candidates that the United States has proved to be effective, then the nation will be left unprotected. 

Many nations that cannot afford to purchase the vaccines directly have made creative deals with other countries. For example, Pakistan has allowed China to conduct vaccine trials on its citizens in exchange for enough doses to vaccinate its citizens, especially its most vulnerable population.  

Each country has negotiated with drug manufacturers without thinking of other countries. This is normal, especially when you are procuring scarce resources. However, the problem with the vaccines can be handled better if countries have cooperated instead of negotiating by themselves with drugmakers. 

To encourage coordination when allocating scarce resources, countries must plan, show the benefits of cooperation, and take a broader view of the problem. 

When emotions are running high amidst a crisis, it is difficult to keep in check your behavior. If the perception of your country is that the others will hoard, your country will also hoard. The time to negotiate the outlines of an agreement is before the start of a crisis and not in the middle of it. 

Negotiators usually think that when they lose, the other one wins. However, this is far from the truth. Professor Max H. Bazerman from Harvard Business School explains that to move beyond this mindset, one must show what one can gain from cooperating. 

Organizations always feel the special duty to protect and look out for those they represent. This is true but we should also take time to consider how our actions can affect other people. This includes the most vulnerable population in the world. 

Ingroup bias does not stop solutions that can benefit others. You can expand it by considering what those people outside of your organization can provide that will benefit you too. 

Ecologist Garrett Hardin shares the parable of a group of herdsmen who graze their cattle in the same pasture in his 1968 article.

In the parable, all herdsmen are motivated to increase the size of their respective herds to increase their profits. However, the increase in the number of cattle would mean that the pasture will be destroyed due to overgrazing. 

We can learn from his parable that the best solution to the dilemma of the herdsmen was to negotiate with one another to limit the size of their herds. 

With a finite resource at stake, those who are involved will usually have better long-term outcomes by negotiating to divide the resource equitably rather than trying to claim the biggest piece for themselves. 

If we just imagine that all the leading economies in the world agree to put all their budgets for vaccines in the COVAX or a similar global effort and not sign bilateral deals with pharmaceutical companies, then the efficiency of the coordination will help lower the cost and streamline the production and distribution. 

If countries just broadened their views in negotiating with other countries to strive for coordination, then many lives would have been spared by the pandemic.

Example 3 — Negotiation Case Study: Sincerity’s Power in Negotiation

Actual case:.

The Golden Donut Chain, a Philippine-based company, has faced difficulty in negotiating with its labor union. The donut chain and the labor union have talks regarding their problem. 

When the donut chain’s management team arrived late with the said talks, the labor union stormed out in protest to show great dismay over their delay in the negotiation. 

In order to continue their talks with the labor union, the management team of the donut chain has sent a letter that includes an apology.

However, from the perspective of the labor union, the apology is insufficient to forgive the inconvenience that the donut chain has caused. The labor union refused to meet for talks and continued with their strikes. 

This case study has focused on how to convey your sincerity when apologizing in a negotiation. How can one deliver their sincerest apology that the other party will accept? 

The case with the Golden Donut Chain and the labor union has ended in a bad way. Due to the lack of concession due to the insufficient apology from the donut chain, the labor Union has brought it to court. 

When both parties brought it to the courts, it took years before a party was compensated. In this case, the labor union has won the case against the donut chain. 

Professor Edward Tomlinson and Professor Roy Lewicki from Carroll and Ohio University have found out that people view apologies to be sincere when they include internal attributions of harm. This simply means that people will see your apologies as sincere when you own up to your mistakes. 

The credibility of a person is a significant factor in making apologies sincere from the perspective of the other party. 

A study showed that unfulfilled promises, deception, and breaking the trust of the other party are some factors that a negotiator cannot work out in giving their sincerest apology. Moreover, giving assurance even if you cannot attain or fulfill it is counterproductive in a negotiation. 

Many negotiators advance their case by persuading the other party or listening to their side. But sometimes, the greatest thing you can do in a negotiation is to straightforwardly admit your mistake.

Many apologies have failed to achieve their aim—to be forgiven. The delivery of some people is usually the culprit as to why apologies are not accepted. 

The importance of an apology in a heated argument or negotiation cannot be overstated enough. When the other party thinks that your apology is not sincere enough to make amends, the heat in the negotiation will rise further—leaving both disliking each other. 

The power of apology in negotiation and dispute resolution is significant to fixing relations between parties. It is important to apologize and own up to your mistakes to make the other party feel that you are sincere. 

We must remember that if we cannot fulfill or attain our promise, we must not push it further to the other party. Doing so will only aggravate the emotions of the other party. Because we all know that no one wants to be left hanging—so do not promise during a negotiation that you cannot follow through.

Example 4 — The East China Sea Dispute

Actual case:  .

In November 2013, China established an air defense zone over the disputed Islands in the East China Sea. This has been seen as an act of aggression in an escalating international dispute.

Japan and China are both claiming the islands. It is known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. According to CNN, the islands are believed to be rich in oil. Additionally, the islands are said to be an advantage for military defense strategically which is why the dispute on the islands is hard to resolve. 

China began patrolling the islands and its plane has come near the international airspace of Japan several times. When this happens, Japan launches its fighter jets in response to the tactics of China. Additionally, Vietnam and the Philippines had made claims to the islands as well. 

The conflict over scarce resources can be tricky and difficult to resolve. In the business field, negotiators who face this conflict are able to avoid the conflict by considering and thinking about every party’s contributions and claims with the resources. However, in our own business negotiation, how can you convince the other parties that concession is possible?

Japan has bought the disputed islands which have enraged China. Today, the tension has increased and no negotiation has been settled. In 2019, Japan built military bases to keep China from further developing its military capabilities in the region. 

All negotiators must keep in mind that the first thing they need to work out is building trust with the other party.

First, when you are negotiating with a new party or the negotiation with them in the past has not gone as planned, you cannot expect them to trust you right away. 

You must give them time to adjust. Additionally, you must let them tell their concerns and past grievances, and apologize for any actions that have created mistrust from the other party. 

Second, when negotiators discuss agreements, they must devote a lot of time to asking questions to tackle all the issues circulating the agreement. 

By asking the other party questions regarding their positions in the negotiation, you will know their underlying interest. 

Also, you can share your information to show your own interest in the negotiation. This will allow you to unfold potential tradeoffs that are tolerable to both of you.

Lastly, negotiators must look for solutions that can make the other party whole. This means that you must let the other party know that they can benefit greatly from the negotiation. 

Demanding a unilateral concession with a corresponding benefit to the other party will make the negotiation fail. You cannot expect anyone to compromise without them gaining any benefit from the negotiation. 

What can we learn from it? 

From this case study, we can learn how to negotiate without making the outcome self-serving for any of the parties. 

We all know that during an international negotiation, even if negotiators believe that they sincerely want a fair outcome, their perspective of a fair outcome is likely to be self-serving. This kind of perspective will make the negotiator believe that they must have a greater share of the resource—making them biased on their own terms.

We can learn from here that trust is the foundation of every negotiation. Without trust, it will not be possible to produce a fruitful outcome of the negotiation. 

We must also consider the interest of the other party to make concessions that both of you will benefit from the negotiation. 

If you cannot make the other party realize that they can gain from your negotiation, the outcome of the negotiation will always fail. 

Example 5 — Negotiation in Business: Apple and Samsung’s Dispute Resolution Case Study

In April 2011, Apple accused Samsung of copying the look and feel of its products when it launched its Galaxy line of phones. The situation has made Apple file a lawsuit against Samsung. 

However, Samsung has countersued Apple stating that it has not paid royalties for using its wireless transmission technology. After this, the number of disputed patents has gone up to the sky. 

Since then, the two giant tech companies have repeatedly accused one another of copying the appearance and functions of their respective products. 

Both companies have shown willingness for mediation in an effort to avoid going to court. Due to this, they have cut the number of disputed patents by half. However, even if the CEOs of both companies had sat down at a table for mediation, Apple started striking Samsung again.

Apple has filed a motion to bar the sale of one of Samsung’s products on the grounds that the tablet is created to replicate its second-generation iPad. 

Both companies have hoped to avoid legal battles. However, the mediation of both companies has ended in an impasse. Neither one wants to back down from their arguments. The lawsuit has been pursued and went to trial twice and Apple has ultimately won more than $409 million. 

We must take note that both parties need to negotiate or mediate a solution before escalating it to the courts. Additionally, both parties must be willing to work together to resolve the problem or deal with the situation. 

In many situations, mediation is viewed as the last step of adjudication rather than the first step in a collaborative effort to work on a solution. 

From the standpoint of preserving the image of the organization, mediation is preferable. Mediation that leads to voluntary agreements will always ensure compliance with whatever the parties have agreed upon.

For this case study, we have seen that mediation as a dispute resolution technique is not possible when both parties are grudging participants. In order for mediation to succeed, both must be actively engaged in finding a solution. 

Additionally, Both companies have already invested too much time and resources with all the lawsuits that they have bombarded one another. Due to this, they will feel that it is too late to back down as they have invested too much in it. 

The talks for concession will fail and the aggressiveness from both parties will increase the longer they spend fighting rather than finding a solution.

We can learn that when a business dispute arises, both parties must be willing to negotiate to find a solution before they take the matter to the courts. Taking it to the courts will end any negotiation for meeting halfway.

Example 6 — Overconfidence In Negotiation

RJR Nabisco, a tobacco company, is having a bad year with its stock performance. Ross Johnson, the CEO of RJR Nabisco, has thought that it is the best time to negotiate a buyout to increase the shareholder’s value of the stock. 

As a reference, a buyout is a transaction where another party has acquired control of the company. Going back, Ross John and his management group have entered into negotiation with the special committee of the board of directors. 

Since he is the CEO of RJR Nabisco, Ross John is confident that his buyout attempt would be a successful pitch for the board of directors. Unbeknownst to him, his overconfidence has led him to fall into making bad decisions and jumping to the wrong conclusions. 

His first mistake is assuming that due to his position and connection in the company, his buyout pitch will be approved easily. 

His second mistake is assuming that his investment bankers will just simply put the financing in place. Lastly, he expected the board of directors to give him the entire power to manage the buyout. 

Along with Shearson Hutton, his main financial partner, they offered an initial buyout price of $75 per share. 

Ross Johnson’s overconfidence in closing the buyout has led him to his impending downfall. He was not paying attention to numerous occurrences that were happening at that time. Instead, he had gone on in his self-interest. 

The board of directors has never discussed or met halfway with Ross Johnson regarding the buyout. Additionally, it never occurred to him that there were other companies who wanted to buy Nabisco. 

Following the series of events, his attitude has led the board of directors to award the buyout bid to an investment bank firm, Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts (KRR), for $109 million. 

In actuality, the bid of Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts (KRR) is lower than Johnson’s Bid. The board just wants to get off Ross Johnson from their shoulders even if it means that they would take a loss. Although it is lower, they appreciated the KRR’s negotiation flexibility.  

The solution here in this negotiation case study is to avoid overconfidence in negotiation. It is okay to have confidence, but overconfidence will make your judgment hazy.

There is a thin line between confidence and egotism. Unfortunately, in the case study, he becomes so full of himself that he does not consider the factors and the events that are transpiring at that time. 

Being confident is knowing that you have prepared for the negotiation. Additionally, you will know your limit and the do’s and don’ts when negotiating even if you know the other party all too well. 

To reduce your overconfidence, you must first collect information. When the stakes are high, you must put down the mirror to stop admiring yourself. Instead, you must know the information about the other players in the game. The collected information will allow you to use it to your advantage when negotiating. 

Second, you must consider the other party. One of the best ways to correct biases such as overconfidence is to think of reasons why your assumptions are wrong. This will allow you to keep your attitude and your assumptions in check. 

Third, you must ask other people in your organization about your assumptions. Good negotiators base their decisions on the data or information available and not on the information that will just make them feel good. 

Lastly, you must not be afraid to ask. Many people avoid negotiation because it is stressful. In the part of the case study, Ross did not ask questions to the board. Rather, he has carelessly gone on with the buyout. His attitude and assumption about the buyout have failed him ultimately.  

Negotiation courses usually suggest that business managers should possess a high level of confidence to succeed. 

This is correct as confidence will allow managers to face any challenges in the fast-paced environment that they are in. However, there is a thin line between being confident and overconfident. 

Overconfidence is a cognitive bias that lurks in the background. It is like a trap waiting for you to get caught as you innocently walk. 

Overconfidence can cause you to become indifferent to the available information. Additionally, it will always cause you to miscalculate things by making assumptions. 

We must always assess ourselves if we are already overconfident because it will always lead us to make wrong decisions and baseless assumptions. 

Example 7 — The Microsoft-Nokia Deal

According to the New York Times, on September 03, 2013, Microsoft announced a deal to acquire Nokia’s handset and services business for $7.3 billion. 

The agreement has marked a bold move to the side of Microsoft to upgrade its game in the handset competition. Additionally, it ends the struggle for Nokia to re-enter the phone market where it once ruled. 

The deal explores the dynamics behind the negotiation that has made Nokia join forces with Microsoft. Both sides had a strong urge to join forces. 

Through the years, the struggle of Nokia to re-enter the phone market has lost significant ground to smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung and Apple. It has failed to keep up with the latest innovation in the market which has severely impacted its profitability. 

Nokia’s underperforming handset business has made its focus on telecommunications equipment, mapping business, and patent portfolio. 

Steve Ballmer, the previous CEO of Microsoft, first approached Nokia’s CEO, Stephen Elop, for a possible acquisition during the Mobile World Congress industry conference in Barcelona. 

Their first meeting started the discreet negotiation between Nokia and Microsoft.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia means that it has to know its cultural background before negotiating. 

According to a report from the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, there are four simple rules to handle cultural differences in international negotiations. 

First, you must research your supplier’s culture. In the case of Microsoft, it must know the culture of Nokia to know what are the dos and don’ts in their negotiation. 

Second, you must show respect for cultural differences. Microsoft has to understand the value system of Nokia. 

Third, you must be aware of how others may perceive your culture. Microsoft needs to carefully analyze how its gestures in the negotiation may affect the deal. Being aware of their culture will allow you to be able to adjust your negotiation in order to close the deal. 

Lastly, you must always find ways to bridge the cultural gap. The cultural differences create division between Microsoft and Nokia. If Microsoft knows how to come to terms with Nokia, then the negotiation process will be much easier than being insensitive to each other’s perspectives. 

Acquiring another company is not an easy process. It entails overcoming its greatest challenge —  cultural barriers in negotiation. 

Merging different cultures can be confusing and a lengthy process. Merging two of the largest companies in the world is difficult as both will have embedded roots in their respective country. 

It makes sense to keep the identity of the organization and borrow from the best of both. It never hurts to create strategies that are based on the expected cultural norms of the acquired company as long as it is a part of the bargaining process which creates valuable, workable, and sustainable agreements. 

Example 8 — After the West Coast Ports Conflict, Damage Remained

In a crisis negotiation, parties may believe that they face an impossible choice between giving in to the other side’s demands or standing firm with their decision resulting in the worst-case scenario to happen.

This is the case with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA). The lack of agreement between the two parties quickly became a problem. 

The ILWU-PMA contract expired on July 01, 2014. Since the month of May, the parties have met to negotiate a new agreement regularly. During this period, the ILWU claims that it has consistently come to discuss the agreement in good faith despite the other party’s pressure tactics. 

The spokesperson from the PMA has said that both parties agreed that normal operations at West Coast ports would continue even if no agreements have been reached but the ILWU has backed out of the agreement.

However, after a few months, PMA has accused the ILWU of orchestrating slowdowns at the Pacific Northwest ports of Seattle. It alleges that the slowdown at the port has resulted in the reduction of terminal productivity by 40 to 60%. 

Following these events, the ILWU has issued a statement that according to experts, the cause of the congestion is the result of three factors that are deeply rooted in employer management. 

In the case of LIWU and PMA, both have already plunged themselves into crisis negotiations. Fortunately, both parties have already reached a deal in 2015 but still, we cannot change the fact that there are ways that can help the parties avoid the need for crisis negotiation. 

First, to avoid crisis negotiation, you must build trust in its early phase. You should not wait for an urgent deadline to come before you do something. Take advantage of launching negotiations early to establish trust. Furthermore, check on the other party periodically to ensure that you can mutually address any issue before it is too late to be fixed. 

Second, you must be aware of overconfidence. Crisis negotiation often arises because of the overconfidence of one party in the negotiation. To prevent this, you must think of possible scenarios and prepare for each of them accordingly. 

Third, you must avoid extreme demands. A demand increases the tendency to escalate commitment to tough positions. You must resist drawing a line in the sand. 

Lastly, you must seek an outside opinion. Third parties can give a dose of rationality in crisis negotiations. This allows you to have an objective critique of your plans that will result in meeting all the parties’ interests in the negotiation. 

We can learn from here the adage,” Prevention is better than cure.” If the parties have discussed their interests early, the congestion will never happen. Partnered with the contentious history of both parties, the crisis negotiation is bound to happen. 

In addition, it is important to build trust in its early phase. This will build a foundation that will allow both parties to resolve any issues that will arise together. 

If there ever have been any heated arguments in the past, it is important to take note that the party who has delayed on their promise apologizes sincerely. 

Also, we must take note that in a negotiation, both parties must see that their interest will be met. There can never be any negotiation if the other one feels that it has the short end of the stick. 

Example 9 — International Negotiations: North and South Korea Talks Collapse

In June of 2013, North Korea and South Korea were supposed to meet in Seoul to negotiate how they could forge a rapprochement due to their decades of division. 

If this happened, it would be the highest government dialogue between the divided nation in years. 

After this, news came out that South Korea had appointed its vice unification minister as the chief delegate to the negotiation that would occur.

North Korea was offended by this move made by South Korea. It demanded that South Korea send its more senior officials. South Korea defends itself and has responded on the issue that the proposed delegate of North Korea is lower in status than what it has delegated. 

The night before the scheduled talks began, North Korea accused the South’s response of being an insult to them. South Korea is still open to dialogue but it will not back down with its delegation. 

When South Korea criticizes North Korea’s argument, it has risked the latter in embarrassment. According to a study by experts, direct threats to self-esteem can trigger anger, embarrassment, and competitive behavior toward the other party. 

We know that some people are slightly more sensitive than others. When slightly sensitive people negotiate with others, they are twice as likely to declare an impasse even if the agreement will benefit both sides. 

Research has concluded that when slightly sensitive people are personally invested in the issue that is being negotiated, they are more susceptible to feeling threatened and acting competitively.

In the case of South Korea, it has neglected the value of helping North Korea to save face or to protect its image. It is the mistake of South Korea that made the negotiation meet its dead end. 

Many experts have criticized the government of South Korea for ruining the chance to engage with the North. 

In this case study, we can learn that protecting the image of the other party in the negotiation is important to reach a fruitful discussion. 

Of course, no one wants to be put in a situation where you will be a laughingstock in the eyes of the public, more so when it comes to international negotiation .

Example 10 — Why Ethical People Become Unethical Negotiators

Bernie Madoff, the person who ran the largest Ponzi scheme in history that is worth about 64.8 Billion dollars, did not pull off the scam by himself. 

To give a brief review of his infamous scheme, we will go back to how he attracted investors by claiming to generate large returns through an investing strategy that is called split-strike conversion which is a legitimate trading strategy. 

However, he deposited the client funds into a single account which he used to pay existing clients who wanted to cash out. The 2008 financial crisis has made him unable to maintain his fraud. On December 10, 2008, he confessed his fraudulent act to his son who has worked in his firm. 

Long story short—a lot of investors put their trust in him due to his facade as a respectable financier in the industry.  

According to Professor Max H. Bazerman, good people who have strong ethical values can trick people without realizing that they are doing it. 

He draws on the psychological study of ethical decision-making and applies it to negotiation. He tells us that negotiators usually act unethically due to the desire to gain high profits and greed. 

Negotiators may exaggerate things that are far from the real thing which falls into the category that Bazerman calls bounded ethicality. You may ask why it happens. Well, it happens once the negotiation progresses. In the heat of the negotiation, it is where ethical fading begins. 

Negotiators fail to see what they are doing as they are only focused on one thing—high profit. Many people interpret situations that will favor them.

According to Bazerman, deception occurs at the negotiation table, especially during the preparation, participation, and recalling of the negotiation phase . Participation in negotiation is the most susceptible phase where ethics fall. This is due to the fact that negotiators will only want to negotiate what makes sense for them. 

In recollecting or remembering the negotiation that transpired, the negotiator fails to see the other party’s perspective. 

We can promote ethics at the negotiation table by encouraging negotiators to slow down and consider important decisions. They should mask the gender and the picture of the applicant to lessen the bias in the process.

Negotiators should also know that language matters. Using words like Ultimatum and winning can unintentionally set the negotiation for deception. 

What Can We Learn From It?

We can learn that negotiators that become aware of their susceptibility to deception, will be lessened at the negotiation table. 

Negotiators must be able to reflect and deliberate on all the important decisions before dealing with someone at the negotiation table. 

Once you see that something is wrong but you fail to notice due to your focus on the high returns, that is when ethics fade. 

Example 11 — The Added Value of E-Auctions

As the Procurement Manager of the largest retailer in the Netherlands and Belgium, I have personally experienced the power of online auctions.

Actual Case: 

In this case, I would like to explain when we used e-auctions and what the outcome was of the different auctions.

When did we use an e-auction ? In many cases, you can use e-auctions. However, I also realize that using them is complex and time-consuming. For that reason, I used this method very sparingly. The only times I used it were for purchasing Private Label Commodity products. The definition of commodity products is that they are homogeneous, meaning there is little difference between the products from different producers. Within FMCG, you can think of items like rice, pasta, olive oil, milk, or toilet paper.

To conduct an e-auction, you need several suppliers who are willing to participate and with whom you are prepared to purchase if they offer the best bid. This means that before the auction, you must have conducted the necessary checks with these suppliers to ensure they can actually deliver the desired quality, handle the volume, are financially reliable, have the necessary certifications, and other relevant factors.

I clearly remember a negotiation for a commodity product involving a very large contract (around 50 million euros). Given the importance of this contract and the potential savings that could be achieved, I invested a lot of time into it. I negotiated hard and long with four different suppliers. I did this not only with my counterpart but also by visiting the various management teams or having them visit me at the office. After six or seven meetings with a particular supplier who had been supplying the company I worked for many years, I was convinced that I had negotiated an extremely good price. Proudly, I returned to the office with the news that I had saved two million euros in the negotiation.

Nevertheless, I had already decided in advance that I definitely wanted to conduct an e-auction. Since I had already achieved a considerable saving, I had little confidence that much more would come out of it. Still, I made all the necessary preparations and asked four suppliers to participate in the auction. The great thing about an e-auction is that you can watch online what the different suppliers are doing. 

In this case, we chose a Dutch auction where the price starts high and gradually decreases until all parties drop out and the one who offers the lowest purchase price wins the auction. The first two parties quickly dropped out, and we reached the price I had negotiated myself. I expected the e-auction to end at this point, but it didn’t. The auction continued for more than an hour, and in the end, I realized an additional saving of three million euros on top of the two million I had already negotiated.

What can we learn from this? 

My most important lesson was that I thought I was good at negotiating, but I found that using an e-auction resulted in an even better outcome. In hindsight, I was very proud that I had used this method and extremely pleased with the result. I also learned that after an auction, you really need to work on the relationship. 

Both the winning party, which went much lower in price than desired, and all the losing parties were not amused by this form of negotiation. Given the achieved result, I still stand by the process, but if you want to ensure they will continue to do business with you in the future, it is important to handle this carefully.

In conclusion, the provided case studies offer valuable insights into the complexities of negotiation across various scenarios. Negotiation is a skill that extends beyond business transactions, encompassing international relations, legal disputes, and even internal organizational dynamics.

These examples underscore the importance of preparation, cultural awareness, trust-building, and ethical considerations in successful negotiations.

How important is trust in negotiation?

Trust is fundamental in negotiation. It fosters open communication, collaboration, and a willingness to find common ground. Without trust, negotiations become challenging, and parties may struggle to reach mutually beneficial agreements.

How can cultural awareness impact negotiations?

Cultural awareness is crucial in negotiations. It influences communication styles, decision-making processes, and the perception of gestures and actions. Ignoring cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings and hinder the negotiation process.

Why is ethics essential in negotiations?

Ethics are vital in negotiations to maintain integrity and build sustainable relationships. Even well-intentioned individuals can engage in unethical practices, especially when driven by financial gains. Prioritizing ethical considerations ensures fair and honest negotiations.

About the author

My name is Marijn Overvest, I’m the founder of Procurement Tactics. I have a deep passion for procurement, and I’ve upskilled over 200 procurement teams from all over the world. When I’m not working, I love running and cycling.

• Jul 14, 2020
• 12 min read

The 12 steps to writing a winning bid. Proposal success made easy.

Writing RFP responses isn’t easy. Turning an adequate response into a winning bid, takes time, effort and a great deal of considered thought. It’s no surprise that the last few years have seen an increase in roles for bid writers, bid managers and even bids and pursuits managers. There’s even a global association APMP , that provides training and accreditation for these professionals. This is all aimed to create processes to help you respond effectively. In the article below, we have proved 12 steps to writing a winning bid, to give you all the information you need, in one place.

However, not every firm, business or organisation has access to these experts. But most companies will have to respond to RFPs at some point, and with the likelihood of government money funding much of our current economic revival, the need to write winning bids is in higher demand than ever.

The 12 steps to follow to write a winning bid response.

To assist with this, below are 12 steps for you to follow. Whether you are part of a team managing a large bid response or if you are a small business tasked with doing the RFP on your own, the below steps will help you. As an example, a bid response plan for a 6-month tender response will most likely be heavy in detail, with tasks allocated to multiple individuals and may go on for several pages. For a one week turn around and for a smaller firm responding, it may just be bullet points in excel or even in an email to the team, to keep everything in order.

With that in mind, below are the 12 steps to help you in writing a winning bid.

1. Read and analyse the RFP thoroughly

It is pretty obvious that you have to do this. However, it can be overlooked. The first task that everyone involved in the bid response should do is download all the instructions and read the RFP thoroughly.  It also pays to have the person responsible for managing the bid to prepare a short summary document. This will vary from RFP to RFP, but it will typically include information such as: who the key decision makers are; when the response is due; how the bid will be scored; any restrictions e.g. page length; and finally which of your competitors are responding or likely to be responding.

2. Run your wining Bid/No Bid Process

That’s right, you shouldn’t as a rule respond to every RFP you come across. That’s a recipe for wasting both time and money. It really is important to know from the outset what your chances of success are. It is also vitally important to understand what your areas of weakness are, as this gives you a chance to address them in your response and any interactions with the issuer, if allowed. If you don’t have a go/no go process in place, then download our Bid/No Bid Tool , which will give you what you need to get started.

As an added bonus, recording your bid/no bid results alongside your bid win/rate will help you analyse which RFPs going forward you are likely to win, and which ones you won’t. If you keep losing tenders that are an important part of your business strategy, then you’ll need to understand why and then start to address those areas of weakness.

Should you decide not to respond and if you’ve been formally invited by the issuer, then you’ll need to let them know you are not responding. Doing this in the correct way is vitally important and takes a lot of thought. If this is an option you pick then I’d recommend you read this article, “How to say no to an RFP without annoying your prospective client.”

3. Bring the winningbid/response team together

If this is just you, then it’s quite simple, but you still need to book in some time early on to plan your response. You’re having to take on the role of bid manager, bid lead, pricing strategist and proof-reader! That’s a lot to take on so plan your time well.

For those with a bid team, you’ll need to meet and agree and allocate your tasks and deadlines. However, that’s your housekeeping. Important to get right of course, but there needs to be another clear purpose in your meeting. That is to workshop your winning bid messages. This means the team will have to share their understanding of the issuer’s goals and objectives (assuming you’ve met with them ahead of the RFP). It is also a good idea to understand who else is potentially responding and where you sit against them. In short, a simple Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis will really help you. You can also run a PEST analysis (Political, Economic, Social and Technology) to understand the issuer’s drivers and how they fit in with their organisation’s wider goals.

From this analysis, you can understand what the client’s needs are and then how you will address them. In a nutshell, this will give you your winning bid strategy. It should help you be able to clearly articulate your client value proposition.

4. Know your deadlines and write a draft bid response plan.

A late response is very rarely accepted and, even if it is, it isn’t looked on favourably. For service providers, your formal response document is a prelude to the issuer of what it will be like to work with you. If the response is late, they will assume that any work you deliver is also likely to be.

A good way to simply plan a bid is to start from the end and work back. If it is due at 5pm on a Friday, then set yourself a deadline of completion either the day before or at least 1pm on the Friday. It pays to have some spare time.

Then work from there making sure that all the inputs and stages have enough time to be completed. Allow time for any external tasks, should they be required. Be fair to your graphic designers, however fast they are, it is likely to take them longer than you anticipate. So, build this time in and talk to them early. Same with your colleagues, a plan on paper which you haven’t consulted with anyone in the process might look fantastic, but will have no buy-in and will most likely crumble all around you.

Once you have this all planned and everyone on board, manage your bid in accordance with the stages and you should deliver ahead of time.

A bonus tip

One final tip here, the key decision makers for an RFP are most likely to read two pages first. The first one is obvious, they’ll read your fees page. Everyone wants to know how much something will cost them. The second one is your Executive Summary. This needs to explain clearly how you intimately understand their needs, and how you are the best placed option to meet those needs. Which leads me nicely to step 5.

5. Start writing your Executive Summary first.

A great novel starts with a great introduction. It is the art of storytelling. Without an introduction a story has no clear structure or purpose. The art of creating a winning bid response is to tell a great story to the issuer from the first page to the last.

This means you need to invest time up front in writing the Executive Summary. Articulate the big picture of what the client needs and how you are uniquely placed to help them. Next, on this first page, give them comfort by telling them where you have successfully delivered similar services before. Finally, conclude the page by neatly summarising the clear benefits they will get from selecting you.

Now circulate this draft to your team, so they can link the sections they are writing to the main overall bid message. Each section should be consistent and re-emphasise your unique value proposition to the client.

6. Think about your questions to the issuer

Now is the time to really plan what questions you need to ask the issuer. Depending on what’s in the RFP, you’ll either be able to ask them informally or formally. If you can pick up the phone or have a meeting, then make sure you do. If there’s an opportunity to have a meaningful client interaction during the process, always take it.

Most often though, questions have to be submitted in writing and the questions and answers are shared amongst all tenderers. This means you’ll need to have a strategy. Divide your questions into categories, something like: RFP clarification; Technical questions; Commercially sensitive.

The two areas to focus on.

The first one is simply housekeeping, lots of RFPs are cut and pasted from previous RFPs and have mistakes or are unclear, so getting clarity on what the issuer actually wants is a good idea. It’s of no competitive advantage, so ask away. 

The second area, technical questions, it pays to think these through. Some will need to be asked, however, if they give away your unique solution, perhaps consider not asking them or seeing if you can rephrase. Commercially sensitive ones, you’ll need to consider carefully. If the risk of asking them are too great, then don’t. You can always ask if you can ask a commercially sensitive question to the issuer and if they will respond back only to you, or not.  They may well say no to this, which is perfectly fine. You have not transgressed any rules. If they say yes, then all well and good.

7. Plan your pricing strategies early

The issuer will certainly read your pricing page with great interest. It is a key part of delivering a winning bid.

Hourly rates, fixed fees, capped fees, staged pricing or pricing based on project success, there are plenty of options here. It can be tempting to build an entire solution and leave the pricing to last. After all, in terms of the response you just need to type some numbers in. That is a recipe for unclear or not well thought out pricing.

Work through your options and how many of these you want to present to the client. Yes, you can give them two or three options on how to purchase from you. It gives them a frame of reference and the ability to choose the method that fits best with them. Doing this early also allows you to get internal signoffs needed without a panic at the end.

8. In the modern world, delivering wider value counts.

The CSR page on your website is all well and good, but you need to bring these stories to life. People like to work with other people and organisations that have a wider purpose and contribute to our communities . You’ll need to bring this to life. Stories are an integral part of a winning bid.

Sharing an environmental policy is pretty dull and, in most cases, it talks about reducing printing paper etc. Can you instead share how your company encourages people to ride-share, bike to work or has provided everyone with a sustainable coffee cup etc? Use photos to show it working. The same with volunteering time in your community. Tell the story of those who do it. This is particularly relevant if some of the bid response team are featured in these stories.

The power of this is two-fold. Firstly, it shows that your organisation does have a wider purpose and commitment to society. Secondly, it gives the issuer an insight into your company culture and what it will feel like to work with you.

9. Examples beat fluff, so use them.

Here’s an example. “Brazil are the greatest soccer nation in the world” Is, on its own, just fluff.

Whereas: “Brazil are the greatest soccer nation in the world, as they are the only nation to have qualified for all 21 of the men’s and all 8 of the women’s tournaments. They have also won the greatest number of men’s tournaments, with 5 victories.”

Whereas: “Brazil are the greatest soccer nation in the world, as they are the only nation to have qualified for all 21 of the men’s and all 8 of the Women’s tournaments. They have also won the greatest number of men’s tournaments, with 5 victories.”

10. Make your CVs and bios engaging

For service providers these are key. Your people and team are a key ingredient in a winning bid. If you’re the individuals and the team, who the issuer will be working with, then they’ll want to understand how you will help them. And that should absolutely be the first statement in your CV/bio. “I will help you by…” Obviously each person’s won’t be the same, but explain what you will be doing on this project. Then talk about how your experience (which is the evidence) demonstrates to the reader that you have the required skills to do the job.

Finally, look to bring client quotes and testimonials into your CVs. You telling me that you are awesome is one thing, a credible independent client you have worked with telling me that you are amazing, now that’s far more compelling.

11. Pictures tell a thousand words.

Or at the very least break up the text! Try to use images or even icons at the very least to break up heavy text responses. As an example, I have used numbers and other embedded images in this article. Make sure you include photos of your main project delivery team; this is obvious but done well it does make the response much more personal.

If you are delivering a project, use a GANNT chart or project delivery chart. For any process, draw a relevant diagram. You can do these in PowerPoint or use online tools like Canva . Best of all, if you can afford it or you have access to them internally, use a graphic designer. Put simply, they deliver sharper images in a much quicker time.

The last point here is to create a front cover that will make your response stand out. If you’re pitching to an organisation to deliver services at their head office, try and avoid putting a picture of their head office on the front cover. They will likely get 8 other responses with the same image! Instead, think of your key messages and pick an image that relates to that. Then from page one, the reader immediately sees how you, more than the competition, stand out and the unique benefit you will provide them with.

12. Check your winning bid response - two ways.

The first is obvious, proof-read your document, look for typos, grammatical and spelling errors. A winning bid is not full of typos and errors. You can use Word’s spell check facilities or on-line tools like Grammarly or the Hemmingway app. It really pays to do this as the less mistakes in your final piece, the better it looks. Which is why you need to build this into your delivery plan. The closer to the end you spend producing material, the less time and less accurate you will be in proofing it.

The second, if you have the resources, get someone independent of the bid team to read your response and double check that you have answered all the questions. When I’ve implemented this, pretty much every time there is at least one answer that doesn’t fully relate to the question asked. It is usually a simple fix once picked up, and it has a huge impact on your overall score from the issuer.

Conclusion – now you’re ready to write a winning bid.

The 12 steps above are in no way exhaustive. You could add multiple steps in. They do though, cover off all the basics you need to address, and in a sensible order. If you follow them and put the advice into practice, I’ve no doubt, you will be well on the way to writing more winning bids.

What are RFP responses?

An RFP response is submitted by a business or service provider in response to a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) that has been issued by another business that is looking to purchase that service. RFP responses have to answer the questions and provide the information asked for in the RFP, which typically includes how you, the potential provider, will deliver the requested service, including details of how much it will cost.

What is the format of a proposal?

The format of a proposal is determined by the RFP or RFI (Request for Information) issued. However, they typically will include: 1. An Executive Summary – A one-page summary articulating the key benefits the RFP issuer will get from choosing this potential supplier.  2. Methodology – How the services or product will be delivered. 3. Case studies – Where the potential supplier has done this successfully before. 4. Key people – The people in the supplier who will deliver or manage the service/product delivery. 5. Price 6. Conflicts and policies – Typically this can include H&S policies, Business Continuity Plans and business insurances.

How do I make my RFP response stand out?

Through great content tied with great design. To achieve this, your key messages that you want to convey to the RFP issuer need to be succinct, easily understood by the reader, and tied to providing business outcomes or benefits. Your front cover and imagery should be tied to these themes, and be creative. If possible, embrace media or video.

How do you write a cover letter for an RFP response?

Talk to the big picture of why the RFP issuer is requesting this service or product. Then talk explicitly about their need, and summarize how you can effectively meet it. Do not start the letter with “Thank you for the opportunity…” Make sure the second half of the letter explains clearly how your response has been laid out, and has a natural lead-in to your main proposal document. Cover letters are very similar to executive summaries, and in both cases they are usually the first thing read by the issuer, so it pays to invest a lot of time and thought into them.

Related Posts

8 ways to pre-position for an RFP

10 tips to nail your bid presentations

How to say no to an RFP: 3 ways to avoid annoying your client

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An Easy Formula to Write Winning Case Studies

When tender writing, case studies are one of the best ways to make your company stand out. They are an opportunity to really set your business apart and show your achievements. A well written case study does more than just show a product or service, it does something much more important (and persuasive). It tells a powerful story about how your business has transformed something for the better.

This is important because stories are powerful. Psychologist Jerome Bruner suggests that stories are 22 times more memorable than a list of facts alone. A well told story will stay in your ideal buyer’s mind long after they have left the office.

However, writing powerful case studies can be a tough part of the bid management process. It can be difficult to decide on subjects, select examples and craft a winning narrative.

So, here is a simple, six-step, bid writing formula that can be easily applied to any case study.

1. Situation Introduce the place your customer was in when they purchased your products or services. In particular, focus on the problems and challenges they were facing and why they chose your product. Frame the problem as something urgent or vital that needs to be solved.

The situation is also an opportunity to bring in two key elements of storytelling: characters and stakes. Where possible, bring people into the story. This is powerful as it helps readers visualise and contextualise the situation. When you have introduced the people, show what’s at stake. In particular, show what the organisation had to lose.

For example, let’s say you are a business consultant working with a public body to help make savings. A standard opening may go something like: “We were commissioned by ABC Council to save £500,000 over a one-year period”

But applying the above principles of characters and stakes may get us to: “The Finance Director of ABC Council asked us to save £500,000 within twelve months. The organisation was experiencing financial difficulties and without the savings would have to make staff redundant and reduce services which would affect local residents”

The reader can now clearly see the problem at hand and has a good reason to care about the outcome.

2. Initial Solution Once you have hooked the reader with the situation, this is where you show what you can do. Describe the approach that you took to solve the problem and point out what is unique to you and your business. An important tip is to root your description of the approach in the specific customer’s needs. Show how your product or service was designed especially for them and their problems. For example: “We used our proven methodology to assess ABC Council’s current spending and identify the key areas where savings could be made. We tailored this methodology to meet the Council’s needs and held three internal meetings with the Finance Team to get a full and detailed view of the Council’s current activities.”

3. Progress This is where you get to show how your products and services have worked. It’s the storytelling equivalent of the hero overcoming the first few challenges.

This will be different depending on your subject matter. But, the key information to consider using is: • Timescales and how soon your customer benefitted • Their key success measures (e.g. cost, customer satisfaction) • Any added value that you achieved above and beyond the brief

An example of this would be: “Within the first six months we saved ABC Council £300,000, which was 10% more than our target at that time. This resulted in the Council being able to fund vital services for longer.”

4. Risk (optional stage) You have made good progress, but you are not out of the woods just yet. The forces of darkness are rallying and ready to throw a spanner in the works when the hero least expects it.

Of course, your case study may not have this section, but if it does, it’s a great way to show your ability to solve problems and deliver excellence in the face of challenges.

Describe the additional challenge and how it affected your service. These challenges could be related to any of the following areas: • Environmental. An unforeseen event (think Beast from the East) that threatens normal service • Organisational. Something within your customer’s organisation changes (e.g. new ownership, change of budget) • Customer-Specific. Something changes specifically with your brief (e.g. new timescales, increase in scope)

To continue our example: “During the project, ABC Council asked if we could bring the project timelines forward to accommodate an unforeseen change in internal governance.”

5. Intense Support (optional stage) The hero is undaunted. They are ready to roll up their sleeves and overcome the challenge.

In this section, show how you were able to meet the new requirement. Detail how you assessed the impact, planned a response and delivered a revised service that overcame the issue and added value to your customer. For example:

“To meet the new timescales, we accelerated our programme and appointed two extra staff members to work on the project. This gave us the capacity to meet the new timescales with no loss of quality to ABC Council.”

6. Positive Outcome You’re at the end. The hero has slain the dragon, and all is good in the world. This section is your opportunity to really show the value that you have given your customer and prove that you are an excellent choice. Key areas to consider in this area are: • Your short and long-term achievements. Have you followed up with your customers to see how they are getting on after the project had finished? Have they realised better results than originally perceived? • Client testimonials. These are excellent “social proof” that prove to your prospective customers that you can really deliver • Where your customer is now. What impacts have your services had?

To complete our example: “ABC Council achieved their savings aims and now have a clear and stable financial plan for the next three years. This plan enables the Council to operate without the need for redundancies or service cuts.”

Use this simple formula when writing your next case studies to sketch out your approach. You will give your readers something powerful, compelling and memorable when considering your company for their next contract.

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Here at The Bid Lab, we customize our services with two goals in mind. First, to deliver as much value to our clients as quickly as possible. Second, to build out systems and processes that create a sustainable long-term strategy around bid proposals. Taken together, we work in tandem with our clients’ decision-makers to deliver higher-quality proposals more efficiently.

Read about what we've done for clients just like you.

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What Is a Case Study? How to Write, Examples, and Template

In this post

How to write a case study

Case study template, case study examples, types of case studies, what are the benefits of case studies , what are the limitations of case studies , case study vs. testimonial.

In today's marketplace, conveying your product's value through a compelling narrative is crucial to genuinely connecting with your customers.

Your business can use marketing analytics tools to understand what customers want to know about your product. Once you have this information, the next step is to showcase your product and its benefits to your target audience. This strategy involves a mix of data, analysis, and storytelling. Combining these elements allows you to create a narrative that engages your audience. So, how can you do this effectively?

What is a case study? 

A case study is a powerful tool for showcasing a business's success in helping clients achieve their goals. It's a form of storytelling that details real-world scenarios where a business implemented its solutions to deliver positive results for a client.

In this article, we explore the concept of a case study , including its writing process, benefits, various types, challenges, and more.

Understanding how to write a case study is an invaluable skill. You'll need to embrace decision-making – from deciding which customers to feature to designing the best format to make them as engaging as possible.  This can feel overwhelming in a hurry, so let's break it down.

Step 1: Reach out to the target persona

If you've been in business for a while, you have no shortage of happy customers. But w ith limited time and resources, you can't choose everyone.  So, take some time beforehand to flesh out your target buyer personas. 

Once you know precisely who you're targeting, go through your stable of happy customers to find a buyer representative of the audience you're trying to reach. The closer their problems, goals, and industries align, the more your case study will resonate.

What if you have more than one buyer persona? No problem. This is a common situation for companies because buyers comprise an entire committee. You might be marketing to procurement experts, executives, engineers, etc. Try to develop a case study tailored to each key persona. This might be a long-term goal, and that's fine. The better you can personalize the experience for each stakeholder, the easier it is to keep their attention.  

Here are a few considerations to think about before research:

• Products/services of yours the customer uses (and how familiar they are with them)
• The customer's brand recognition in the industry
• Whether the results they've achieved are specific and remarkable
• Whether they've switched from a competitor's product/service
• How closely aligned they are with your target audience

These items are just a jumping-off point as you develop your criteria.  Once you have a list, run each customer through it to determine your top targets. Approach the ones on the top (your "dream" case study subjects) and work your way down as needed.

Who to interview

You should consider interviewing top-level managers or executives because those are high-profile positions. But consider how close they are to your product and its results.

Focusing on an office manager or engineer who uses your product daily would be better. Look for someone with a courtside view of the effects.

The ways to request customer participation in case studies can vary, but certain principles can improve your chances:

• Make it easy for customers to work with you, respecting their valuable time. Be well-prepared and minimize their involvement.
• Emphasize how customers will benefit through increased publicity, revenue opportunities, or recognition for their success. 
• Acknowledge their contributions and showcase their achievements.
• Standardizing the request process with a script incorporating these principles can help your team consistently secure case study approvals and track performance.

Step 2: Prepare for the interview

Case study interviews are like school exams. The more prepared you are for them, the better they turn out. Preparing thoroughly also shows participants that you value their time. You don't waste precious minutes rehashing things you should have already known. You focus on getting the information you need as efficiently as possible.

You can conduct your case study interview in multiple formats, from exchanging emails to in-person interviews. This isn't a trivial decision.  As you'll see in the chart below, each format has its unique advantages and disadvantages. 

You'll also have to consider who will ask and answer the questions during your case study interview. It's wise to consider this while considering the case study format.  The number of participants factors into which format will work best. Pulling off an in-person interview becomes much harder if you're trying to juggle four or five people's busy schedules. Try a video conference instead.

Before interviewing your case study participant, it is crucial to identify the specific questions that need to be asked.  It's essential to thoroughly evaluate your collaboration with the client and understand how your product's contributions impact the company. 

Remember that structuring your case study is akin to crafting a compelling narrative. To achieve this, follow a structured approach:

• Beginning of your story. Delve into the customer's challenge that ultimately led them to do business with you. What were their problems like? What drove them to make a decision finally? Why did they choose you?
• The middle of the case study.  Your audience also wants to know about the experience of working with you. Your customer has taken action to address their problems. What happened once you got on board?
• An ending that makes you the hero.  Describe the specific results your company produced for the customer. How has the customer's business (and life) changed once they implemented your solution?

Sample questions for the case study interview

If you're preparing for a case study interview, here are some sample case study research questions to help you get started:

• What challenges led you to seek a solution?
• When did you realize the need for immediate action? Was there a tipping point?
• How did you decide on the criteria for choosing a B2B solution, and who was involved?
• What set our product or service apart from others you considered?
• How was your experience working with us post-purchase?
• Were there any pleasant surprises or exceeded expectations during our collaboration?
• How smoothly did your team integrate our solution into their workflows?
• How long before you started seeing positive results?
• How have you benefited from our products or services?
• How do you measure the value our product or service provides?

Step 3: Conduct the interview

Preparing for case study interviews can be different from everyday conversations. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Create a comfortable atmosphere.  Before diving into the discussion, talk about their business and personal interests. Ensure everyone is at ease, and address any questions or concerns.
• Prioritize key questions.  Lead with your most crucial questions to respect your customer's time. Interview lengths can vary, so starting with the essentials ensures you get the vital information.
• Be flexible.  Case study interviews don't have to be rigid. If your interviewee goes "off script," embrace it. Their spontaneous responses often provide valuable insights.
• Record the interview.  If not conducted via email, ask for permission to record the interview. This lets you focus on the conversation and capture valuable quotes without distractions.

Step 4: Figure out who will create the case study

When creating written case studies for your business, deciding who should handle the writing depends on cost, perspective, and revisions.

Outsourcing might be pricier, but it ensures a professionally crafted outcome. On the other hand, in-house writing has its considerations, including understanding your customers and products. 

Technical expertise and equipment are needed for video case studies, which often leads companies to consider outsourcing due to production and editing costs. 

Tip: When outsourcing work, it's essential to clearly understand pricing details to avoid surprises and unexpected charges during payment.

Step 5: Utilize storytelling

Understanding and applying storytelling elements can make your case studies unforgettable, offering a competitive edge. 

Source: The Framework Bank

Every great study follows a narrative arc (also called a "story arc"). This arc represents how a character faces challenges, struggles against raising stakes, and encounters a formidable obstacle before the tension resolves.

In a case study narrative, consider:

• Exposition. Provide background information about the company, revealing their "old life" before becoming your customer.
• Inciting incident. Highlight the problem that drove the customer to seek a solution, creating a sense of urgency.
• Obstacles (rising action). Describe the customer's journey in researching and evaluating solutions, building tension as they explore options.
• Midpoint. Explain what made the business choose your product or service and what set you apart.
• Climax. Showcase the success achieved with your product.
• Denouement. Describe the customer's transformed business and end with a call-to-action for the reader to take the next step.

Step 6: Design the case study

The adage "Don't judge a book by its cover" is familiar, but people tend to do just that quite often!

A poor layout can deter readers even if you have an outstanding case study. To create an engaging case study, follow these steps:

• Craft a compelling title. Just like you wouldn't read a newspaper article without an eye-catching headline, the same goes for case studies. Start with a title that grabs attention.
• Organize your content. Break down your content into different sections, such as challenges, results, etc. Each section can also include subsections. This case study approach divides the content into manageable portions, preventing readers from feeling overwhelmed by lengthy blocks of text.
• Conciseness is key. Keep your case study as concise as possible. The most compelling case studies are precisely long enough to introduce the customer's challenge, experience with your solution, and outstanding results. Prioritize clarity and omit any sections that may detract from the main storyline.
• Utilize visual elements. To break up text and maintain reader interest, incorporate visual elements like callout boxes, bulleted lists, and sidebars.
• Include charts and images. Summarize results and simplify complex topics by including pictures and charts. Visual aids enhance the overall appeal of your case study.
• Embrace white space. Avoid overwhelming walls of text to prevent reader fatigue. Opt for plenty of white space, use shorter paragraphs, and employ subsections to ensure easy readability and navigation.
• Enhance video case studies. In video case studies, elements like music, fonts, and color grading are pivotal in setting the right tone. Choose music that complements your message and use it strategically throughout your story. Carefully select fonts to convey the desired style, and consider how lighting and color grading can influence the mood. These elements collectively help create the desired tone for your video case study.

Step 7: Edits and revisions

Once you've finished the interview and created your case study, the hardest part is over. Now's the time for editing and revision. This might feel frustrating for impatient B2B marketers, but it can turn good stories into great ones.

Ideally, you'll want to submit your case study through two different rounds of editing and revisions:

• Internal review. Seek feedback from various team members to ensure your case study is captivating and error-free. Gather perspectives from marketing, sales, and those in close contact with customers for well-rounded insights. Use patterns from this feedback to guide revisions and apply lessons to future case studies.
• Customer feedback. Share the case study with customers to make them feel valued and ensure accuracy. Let them review quotes and data points, as they are the "heroes" of the story, and their logos will be prominently featured. This step maintains positive customer relationships.

Case study mistakes to avoid

• Ensure easy access to case studies on your website.
• Spotlight the customer, not just your business.
• Tailor each case study to a specific audience.
• Avoid excessive industry jargon in your content.

Step 8: Publishing

Take a moment to proofread your case study one more time carefully. Even if you're reasonably confident you've caught all the errors, it's always a good idea to check. Your case study will be a valuable marketing tool for years, so it's worth the investment to ensure it's flawless. Once done, your case study is all set to go!

Consider sharing a copy of the completed case study with your customer as a thoughtful gesture. They'll likely appreciate it; some may want to keep it for their records. After all, your case study wouldn't have been possible without their help, and they deserve to see the final product.

Where you publish your case study depends on its role in your overall marketing strategy. If you want to reach as many people as possible with your case study, consider publishing it on your website and social media platforms. 

Tip: Some companies prefer to keep their case studies exclusive, making them available only to those who request them. This approach is often taken to control access to valuable information and to engage more deeply with potential customers who express specific interests. It can create a sense of exclusivity and encourage interested parties to engage directly with the company.

Step 9: Case study distribution

When sharing individual case studies, concentrate on reaching the audience with the most influence on purchasing decisions

Here are some common distribution channels to consider:

• Sales teams. Share case studies to enhance customer interactions, retention , and upselling among your sales and customer success teams. Keep them updated on new studies and offer easily accessible formats like PDFs or landing page links.
• Company website. Feature case studies on your website to establish authority and provide valuable information to potential buyers. Organize them by categories such as location, size, industry, challenges, and products or services used for effective presentation.
• Events. Use live events like conferences and webinars to distribute printed case study copies, showcase video case studies at trade show booths, and conclude webinars with links to your case study library. This creative approach blends personal interactions with compelling content.
• Industry journalists. Engage relevant industry journalists to gain media coverage by identifying suitable publications and journalists covering related topics. Building relationships is vital, and platforms like HARO (Help A Reporter Out) can facilitate connections, especially if your competitors have received coverage before.

Want to learn more about Marketing Analytics Software? Explore Marketing Analytics products.

It can seem daunting to transform the information you've gathered into a cohesive narrative.  We’ve created a versatile case study template that can serve as a solid starting point for your case study.

With this template, your business can explore any solutions offered to satisfied customers, covering their background, the factors that led them to choose your services, and their outcomes.

The template boasts a straightforward design, featuring distinct sections that guide you in effectively narrating your and your customer's story. However, remember that limitless ways to showcase your business's accomplishments exist.

To assist you in this process, here's a breakdown of the recommended sections to include in a case study:

• Title.  Keep it concise. Create a brief yet engaging project title summarizing your work with your subject. Consider your title like a newspaper headline; do it well, and readers will want to learn more. 
• Subtitle . Use this section to elaborate on the achievement briefly. Make it creative and catchy to engage your audience.
• Executive summary.  Use this as an overview of the story, followed by 2-3 bullet points highlighting key success metrics.
• Challenges and objectives. This section describes the customer's challenges before adopting your product or service, along with the goals or objectives they sought to achieve.
• How product/service helped.  A paragraph explaining how your product or service addressed their problem.
• Testimonials.  Incorporate short quotes or statements from the individuals involved in the case study, sharing their perspectives and experiences.
• Supporting visuals.  Include one or two impactful visuals, such as graphs, infographics, or highlighted metrics, that reinforce the narrative.
• Call to action (CTA).  If you do your job well, your audience will read (or watch) your case studies from beginning to end. They are interested in everything you've said. Now, what's the next step they should take to continue their relationship with you? Give people a simple action they can complete. 

Case studies are proven marketing strategies in a wide variety of B2B industries. Here are just a few examples of a case study:

• Amazon Web Services, Inc.  provides companies with cloud computing platforms and APIs on a metered, pay-as-you-go basis. This case study example illustrates the benefits Thomson Reuters experienced using AWS.
• LinkedIn Marketing Solutions combines captivating visuals with measurable results in the case study created for BlackRock. This case study illustrates how LinkedIn has contributed to the growth of BlackRock's brand awareness over the years. 
• Salesforce , a sales and marketing automation SaaS solutions provider, seamlessly integrates written and visual elements to convey its success stories with Pepe Jeans. This case study effectively demonstrates how Pepe Jeans is captivating online shoppers with immersive and context-driven e-commerce experiences through Salesforce.
• HubSpot offers a combination of sales and marketing tools. Their case study demonstrates the effectiveness of its all-in-one solutions. These typically focus on a particular client's journey and how HubSpot helped them achieve significant results.

There are two different types of case studies that businesses might utilize:

Written case studies 

Written case studies offer readers a clear visual representation of data, which helps them quickly identify and focus on the information that matters most. 

Printed versions of case studies find their place at events like trade shows, where they serve as valuable sales collateral to engage prospective clients.  Even in the digital age, many businesses provide case studies in PDF format or as web-based landing pages, improving accessibility for their audience. 

Note: Landing pages , in particular, offer the flexibility to incorporate rich multimedia content, including images, charts, and videos. This flexibility in design makes landing pages an attractive choice for presenting detailed content to the audience.

Written case study advantages

Here are several significant advantages to leveraging case studies for your company:

• Hyperlink accessibility.  Whether in PDF or landing page format, written case studies allow for embedded hyperlinks, offering prospects easy access to additional information and contact forms.
• Flexible engagement.  Unlike video case studies, which may demand in-person arrangements, written case studies can be conducted via phone or video streaming, reducing customer commitment and simplifying scheduling.
• Efficient scanning . Well-structured written case studies with a scannable format cater to time-strapped professionals. Charts and callout boxes with key statistics enhance the ease of information retrieval.
• Printable for offline use.  Written case studies can be effortlessly printed and distributed at trade shows, sales meetings, and live events. This tangible format accommodates those who prefer physical materials and provides versatility in outreach, unlike video content, which is less portable.

Written case study disadvantages

Here are some drawbacks associated with the use of case studies:

• Reduced emotional impact.  Written content lacks the emotional punch of live video testimonials, which engage more senses and emotions, making a stronger connection.
• Consider time investment.  Creating a compelling case study involves editing, proofreading, and design collaboration, with multiple revisions commonly required before publication.
• Challenges in maintaining attention.  Attention spans are short in today's ad-saturated world. Using graphics, infographics, and videos more often is more powerful to incite the right emotions in customers.

Video case studies

Video case studies are the latest marketing trend. Unlike in the past, when video production was costly, today's tools make it more accessible for users to create and edit their videos. However, specific technical requirements still apply.

Like written case studies, video case studies delve into a specific customer's challenges and how your business provides solutions. Yet, the video offers a more profound connection by showcasing the person who faced and conquered the problem.

Video case studies can boost brand exposure when shared on platforms like YouTube. For example, Slack's engaging case study video with Sandwich Video illustrates how Slack transformed its workflow and adds humor, which can be challenging in written case studies focused on factual evidence.

Source : YouTube

This video case study has garnered nearly a million views on YouTube.

Video case study advantages

Here are some of the top advantages of video case studies. While video testimonials take more time, the payoff can be worth it. 

• Humanization and authenticity.  Video case studies connect viewers with real people, adding authenticity and fostering a stronger emotional connection.
• Engaging multiple senses.  They engage both auditory and visual senses, enhancing credibility and emotional impact. Charts, statistics, and images can also be incorporated.
• Broad distribution.  Videos can be shared on websites, YouTube, social media, and more, reaching diverse audiences and boosting engagement, especially on social platforms.

Video case study disadvantages

Before fully committing to video testimonials, consider the following:

• Technical expertise and equipment.  Video production requires technical know-how and equipment, which can be costly. Skilled video editing is essential to maintain a professional image. While technology advances, producing amateurish videos may harm your brand's perception.
• Viewer convenience.  Some prospects prefer written formats due to faster reading and ease of navigation. Video typically requires sound, which can be inconvenient for viewers in specific settings. Many people may not have headphones readily available to watch your content.
• Demand on case study participants.  On-camera interviews can be time-consuming and location-dependent, making scheduling challenging for case study participants. Additionally, being on screen for a global audience may create insecurities and performance pressure.
• Comfort on camera.  Not everyone feels at ease on camera. Nervousness or a different on-screen persona can impact the effectiveness of the testimonial, and discovering this late in the process can be problematic.

Written or video case studies: Which is right for you?

Now that you know the pros and cons of each, how do you choose which is right for you?

One of the most significant factors in doing video case studies can be the technical expertise and equipment required for a high level of production quality. Whether you have the budget to do this in-house or hire a production company can be one of the major deciding factors.

Still, written or video doesn't have to be an either-or decision. Some B2B companies are using both formats. They can complement each other nicely, minimizing the downsides mentioned above and reaching your potential customers where they prefer.

Let's say you're selling IT network security. What you offer is invaluable but complicated. You could create a short (three- or four-minute) video case study to get attention and touch on the significant benefits of your services. This whets the viewer's appetite for more information, which they could find in a written case study that supplements the video.

Should you decide to test the water in video case studies, test their effectiveness among your target audience. See how well they work for your company and sales team. And, just like a written case study, you can always find ways to improve your process as you continue exploring video case studies.

Case studies offer several distinctive advantages, making them an ideal tool for businesses to market their products to customers. However, their benefits extend beyond these qualities. 

Here's an overview of all the advantages of case studies:

Valuable sales support

Case studies serve as a valuable resource for your sales endeavors. Buyers frequently require additional information before finalizing a purchase decision. These studies provide concrete evidence of your product or service's effectiveness, assisting your sales representatives in closing deals more efficiently, especially with customers with lingering uncertainties.

Validating your value

Case studies serve as evidence of your product or service's worth or value proposition , playing a role in building trust with potential customers. By showcasing successful partnerships, you make it easier for prospects to place trust in your offerings. This effect is particularly notable when the featured customer holds a reputable status.

Unique and engaging content

By working closely with your customer success teams, you can uncover various customer stories that resonate with different prospects. Case studies allow marketers to shape product features and benefits into compelling narratives. 

Each case study's distinctiveness, mirroring the uniqueness of every customer's journey, makes them a valuable source of relatable and engaging content. Storytelling possesses the unique ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level, a dimension that statistics alone often cannot achieve. 

Spotlighting valuable customers

Case studies provide a valuable platform for showcasing your esteemed customers. Featuring them in these studies offers a chance to give them visibility and express your gratitude for the partnership, which can enhance customer loyalty . Depending on the company you are writing about, it can also demonstrate the caliber of your business.

Now is the time to get SaaS-y news and entertainment with our 5-minute newsletter,   G2 Tea , featuring inspiring leaders, hot takes, and bold predictions. Subscribe below!

It's important to consider limitations when designing and interpreting the results of case studies. Here's an overview of the limitations of case studies:

Challenges in replication

Case studies often focus on specific individuals, organizations, or situations, making generalizing their findings to broader populations or contexts challenging. 

Time-intensive process

Case studies require a significant time investment. The extensive data collection process and the need for comprehensive analysis can be demanding, especially for researchers who are new to this method.

Potential for errors

Case studies can be influenced by memory and judgment, potentially leading to inaccuracies. Depending on human memory to reconstruct a case's history may result in variations and potential inconsistencies in how individuals recall past events. Additionally, bias may emerge, as individuals tend to prioritize what they consider most significant, which could limit their consideration of alternative perspectives.

Challenges in verification

Confirming results through additional research can present difficulties. This complexity arises from the need for detailed and extensive data in the initial creation of a case study. Consequently, this process requires significant effort and a substantial amount of time.

While looking at case studies, you may have noticed a quote. This type of quote is considered a testimonial, a key element of case studies.

If a customer's quote proves that your brand does what it says it will or performs as expected, you may wonder: 'Aren't customer testimonials and case studies the same thing?' Not exactly.

Testimonials are brief endorsements designed to establish trust on a broad scale. In contrast, case studies are detailed narratives that offer a comprehensive understanding of how a product or service addresses a specific problem, targeting a more focused audience. 

Crafting case studies requires more resources and a structured approach than testimonials. Your selection between the two depends on your marketing objectives and the complexity of your product or service.

Case in point!

Case studies are among a company's most effective tools. You're  well on your way to mastering them.

Today's buyers are tackling much of the case study research methodology independently. Many are understandably skeptical before making a buying decision. By connecting them with multiple case studies, you can prove you've gotten the results you say you can. There's hardly a better way to boost your credibility and persuade them to consider your solution.

Case study formats and distribution methods might change as technology evolves. However, the fundamentals that make them effective—knowing how to choose subjects, conduct interviews, and structure everything to get attention—will serve you for as long as you're in business. 

We covered a ton of concepts and resources, so go ahead and bookmark this page. You can refer to it whenever you have questions or need a refresher.

Dive into market research to uncover customer preferences and spending habits.

Kristen McCabe

Kristen’s is a former senior content marketing specialist at G2. Her global marketing experience extends from Australia to Chicago, with expertise in B2B and B2C industries. Specializing in content, conversions, and events, Kristen spends her time outside of work time acting, learning nature photography, and joining in the #instadog fun with her Pug/Jack Russell, Bella. (she/her/hers)

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Bidding strategy in construction public procurement: a contractor’s perspective.

1. Introduction

1.1. bid/no bid decision, 1.2. estimated value of procurement, bid price and award price context, 1.3. setting bid price, 1.4. the research problem and the aim of this paper, 2. research methodology, 3. results and discussion, 3.1. general description of the dataset, 3.2. success in the public procurement and factors influencing the estimation of bid price, 3.3. alb, extra work and mark-up issues related to the bid price estimation, 4. conclusions, author contributions, data availability statement, conflicts of interest, appendix a. survey questions.

• Q1: Indicate the size of your company (according to the number of employees).
• Q2: What is the specialisation of your company in the construction industry?
• Q3: Indicate the average number of public tenders your company wins per year.
• Q4: Indicate the average number of all tenders your company wins per year.
• Q5: What is the success rate of your company in public tenders?
• Q6: Assign points to the valuation methods of construction works in your company according to the frequency of their use.
• Q7: Is there a department/specific person in your company responsible for bid price estimation?
• Q8: Do you check the bill of quantities provided by the contracting authority?
• Q9: Is your bid price influenced by the estimated value of procurement set by the contracting authority?
• Q10: Is your bid price influenced by multicriteria evaluation and assigned criteria weights?
• Q11: Is your bid price influenced by the conditions of the tender (e.g., the use of electronic auction)?
• Q12: Which pricing method do you mostly use for bid price estimation?
• Q13: Do you apply different approach to bid price estimation when your company is very interested in winning the contract as opposed to situations where winning the contract is not crucial?
• Q14: How does your company determine the profit on the contract?
• Q15: Is your mark-up higher in the public sector or in the private sector?
• Q16: What is the numerical value of your average mark-up percentage (based to the total costs decreased by material costs)?
• Q17: If your construction company uses subcontracting, what is the key criterion for selecting subcontractor?
• Q18: Has your company ever been forced by various circumstances to submit a bid price in the amount at or below the level of the assessed costs?
• Q19: Has your construction company ever been asked to explain the abnormally low bid price?
• Q20: Does your company submit a lower bid price with the expectation of a compensation when claiming extra works during the delivery?
• Q21: Extra works are the most common cause of disputes between the parties. Has your construction company dealt with a similar problem in the last 5 years?
• Q22: If you would like to add something to your answers, or if you have more to say about this topic, please use the field below. Thank you very much for your cooperation.
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Hanák, T.; Drozdová, A.; Marović, I. Bidding Strategy in Construction Public Procurement: A Contractor’s Perspective. Buildings 2021 , 11 , 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings11020047

Hanák T, Drozdová A, Marović I. Bidding Strategy in Construction Public Procurement: A Contractor’s Perspective. Buildings . 2021; 11(2):47. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings11020047

Hanák, Tomáš, Adriana Drozdová, and Ivan Marović. 2021. "Bidding Strategy in Construction Public Procurement: A Contractor’s Perspective" Buildings 11, no. 2: 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings11020047

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