In it to win it
Apr 13, 2026
“Ooooh they really like us and want to buy from us”
Is this how your team responds to an RFP or tender?
There’s a problem in this
By the time the RFP is written, the customer has already:
- Defined the problem
- Outlined the solution
- Set the criteria
Which means your ability to influence and add value has largely gone
You’re now competing where price matters most.
The real action happens earlier before the specification is fixed
So the question becomes - how do you get involved earlier?
It’s not about chasing more tenders. It’s about changing how you approach the sale.
Structure helps. The VALUE Framework brings that
🔸 Validate = right opportunities
Focus on situations where thinking is still forming, not already finalised
🔸 Align = right research
Understand who owns the problem and why it matters before it becomes a document
🔸 Leverage = right conversations
Engage early. Ask questions that shape how the problem is defined
🔸 Underpin = right solutions
Position your approach before alternatives are locked into a spec
🔸 Evolve = right outcomes
Stay connected as the decision moves through the business
RFPs don’t create opportunities. They confirm them
If you want to influence the outcome you need to be there before the document exists
"You've got to be in it to win it" is a dangerous attitude because you're not really in it
How you get in it is key... innit?
Are you ready to increase your sales?
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