BID Solutions - RSA

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

Principle 1: Become genuinely interested in other people.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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