The good, the bid,
and the ugly.
Business development isn’t sport. In athletics the runners up get silver. In major bids, they get nothing. (Apart from a patronising debrief from procurement.)
Business development isn’t scholastics either. It’s not enough to submit a strong paper and get good grades. You’re either top of the class or a fail.
Major outcomes hinge on minor details.
Experience teaches that tight contests are typically won by inches.
In most high value bid situations, the shortlisted contenders are all credible, capable, and could do the job. Winning comes down to that final 5%. If you can’t find it, the previous 95% is basically wasted.
I've got 99 problems,
but a pitch ain’t one.
High value business development is an exacting and unforgiving domain. But the good news is that winning is very rewarding. In every respect.
They say business is a problem a day. And it's true. But consistently winning major contracts makes a lot of those problems go away.
It’s actually not a numbers game.
We know this, but studies show that even seasoned business development professionals routinely overestimate their chances of winning and underestimate the costs of losing.
In reality, when it comes to large-scale proposals, the law of averages does not apply.
The enemy gets a vote.
It’s not as straightforward as crossing the line first. Major bids are multidimensional contests, and it’s rare that you’re stronger than your rivals in every department.
Which is where strategy comes in. Competitive intel, game theory, anticipation, positioning, and planning.
Let's make it rain.
Cloudbuster is a trusted partner for businesses seeking success in high-stakes bidding environments. We specialise in innovative bid strategy and management solutions that deliver winning results.
Our approach blends decades of experience with the latest insights from behavioural science, and time-tested marketing techniques with the latest artificial intelligence technologies.