Stop Losing Bids for the Same Reasons: The Case for a Proposal Evaluation
In the high-stakes world of competitive RFP bids, having an outside expert review your proposal could be the secret weapon your firm is missing.
Many small and mid-sized professional services companies unknowingly repeat the same proposal-writing mistakes with each new response. Without an external review, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut—recycling the same content and approach even when those bids aren’t winning. Bringing in a fresh perspective can dramatically improve your success rate by transforming a generic submission into a standout winner.
Key Takeaways
- Fresh perspective prevents repeated mistakes. An external reviewer catches issues you’ve overlooked, breaking the cycle of losing bids.
- Best-practice check leads to better results. Your proposal gets measured against proven RFP best practices to meet winning standards.
- Stand out from competitors. Seasoned experts help sharpen your unique value proposition so your proposal doesn’t read like everyone else’s.
- Client-focused messaging wins. A professional evaluation flags generic or self-centred content and helps you refocus on the client’s needs.
- Commit to continuous improvement. Regular proposal evaluations teach your team to produce higher-quality proposals, boosting shortlist rates and win ratios over time.
The Risk of Repeating Mistakes
Many firms pour countless hours into RFP responses only to lose more bids than they win. Often, the reason is simple: without an outside perspective, teams keep making the same mistakes in every proposal without realizing it. When you’re deeply involved in writing, it’s hard to see the document’s flaws—you’re too close to catch everything.
Common proposal pitfalls often go unchecked. Your submission might lack a clear “why us” theme, rely on generic corporate-speak, or focus more on your company than the client. It’s easy-to-use language that sounds professional but says very little. For example, reusing boilerplate promises like “we are committed to excellence and client satisfaction” might feel safe, but evaluators see those generic claims from almost every firm. Such statements carry little weight and make your proposal fade into the crowd.
It’s not that your team isn’t capable—without an external review, you don’t have a reference point for what a winning proposal looks like. A professional evaluation breaks this cycle by flagging these blind spots and ensuring you don’t keep repeating the same mistakes.
Benchmarking Against RFP Best Practices
One big advantage of an industry expert is their up-to-date knowledge of RFP best practices. Proposal trends evolve—what worked five years ago might not work today. At The Proposal Lab, we stay on top of these trends and have identified 21 key elements of a winning submission. Our Proposal Evaluation uses a 21-Point Score Card to measure your proposal against the highest standards in the industry.
It’s essentially a report card for your proposal. We examine each aspect: Is your cover letter engaging and tailored to the client? Does your executive summary present a clear, client-focused story? Are you following proven techniques to make evaluators’ lives easier (e.g. using descriptive headings and placing a bold value proposition right up front)? If your proposal is dense, generic, or visually unappealing, it’s probably falling short of top-tier standards.
By benchmarking your submission against best practices, our expert reviewer pinpoints exactly where you can improve. Maybe your methodology section buries the main point, or you aren’t backing up claims with proof. They’ll flag these issues and tell you how to fix them, turning a vague goal like “improve the proposal” into specific actions. For example: “Include a one-page highlights table at the start to showcase your key wins and differentiators.”
Our evaluation provides a clear score on each of the 21 criteria, along with targeted recommendations. We give you the roadmap, but your team stays in the driver’s seat—implementing the changes is up to you. Armed with this guidance, you can transform a proposal that’s merely compliant into one that’s truly competitive.
Real-World Example: Proposal Evaluation in Action
Consider a mid-sized Construction Management firm (name confidential) that came to us after a series of disappointing RFP results. They engaged our professional Proposal Evaluation service (our 21-Point Score Card review) to critique their latest bid thoroughly. The outcome was eye-opening. Here are just two of 20 issues and recommendations:
Issues Identified:
- No clear win theme or differentiation: The proposal never articulated a compelling “why us,” and much of the content was generic. Unique advantages (like completing projects 10% faster) were barely mentioned.
- Generic language: The proposal was full of well-intentioned but stock phrases (“we have a proven approach,” “we’re committed to client satisfaction”) with no supporting specifics. It felt copy-pasted rather than personalized to the client.
These pitfalls often go unnoticed by internal teams. The team was too close to spot them, but our external review identified the issues quickly.
Actionable Recommendations:
- Win theme front and centre: Open with a bold, client-focused win theme and weave your differentiators throughout. Begin with a strong value statement (e.g. “We will complete your project 20% faster than the industry average—here’s how.”) and highlight your unique strengths (on-time delivery record, specialized expertise, etc.) in the executive summary, approach, and team bios—always tying them to the client’s needs.
- Replace generic with specific: Cut the buzzwords and give concrete details. Instead of saying “we have a proven approach,” explain your approach and how it benefits the client. Use the client’s name and project details so the proposal feels custom-made for them. We even suggested adding a short case study of a similar successful project to boost credibility.
They implemented our complete set of recommendations in their next proposal, and the improvement was dramatic. The revised submission was far more persuasive and it made the shortlist—where previous attempts had fallen flat. Even though they didn’t win that contract, the experience was a game-changer for their team. They now had a clear blueprint for making future proposals sharper and more competitive.
This example shows that even a strong firm can elevate its proposals with an external review. They had all the right ingredients—experience, capability, a strong portfolio—but needed an outside expert to turn them into a compelling story. By clarifying their message, highlighting what made them unique, and cutting the generic filler, they transformed how they present to clients. That’s the tangible improvement a professional evaluation delivers.
Turning Feedback into Winning Proposals
One evaluation can spark big improvements, but making it a habit leads to continuous improvement. When you embrace external feedback as part of your process, your team will learn from each review and stop repeating past mistakes. Each new proposal gets stronger than the last as your team internalizes what works.
A professional evaluation is both a safety net and a springboard. It catches errors before the proposal goes out (preventing avoidable losses) and propels your proposal quality upward. Instead of sending out proposals and hoping for the best, you’ll submit with confidence, knowing an expert has vetted them. Over time, those extra wins create a positive feedback loop. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is, as the saying goes, insanity. By seeking feedback and acting on it, you take control of your success rate rather than leaving it to chance.
In short, bringing in an expert sharpens your message and strategy and ultimately boosts your win rate. In an environment where many firms win less than half of their bids, a professional proposal evaluation could be the advantage that puts you in the winner’s circle.
Ready to Elevate Your Proposals?
Why leave your next proposal’s outcome up to chance? Give your bids the best shot at success by having them evaluated by professionals who know exactly what evaluators look for. Don’t let the same old mistakes undermine your hard work. Turn those weaknesses into strengths.
Take action today: Please visit our Proposal Evaluation service description page to learn more about this innovative product, or to purchase, please visit our Shop. Let’s turn more of your RFP responses into big wins for your firm.
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