By Laura Moylan, Tender Specialist, Perth.

Ever wondered what tenders and basketball have in common?

If you thought "teamwork", you're on the right track.

Michael Jordan once said, “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” And just like in basketball, success in tendering relies on the relationships that you deliberately nurture.

The solution sounds simple: Having the right players on your team will win bids and open doors. But who should you put on your dream team?

To really nail it and get the most out of your game, focus on growing your reach in each of these 4 relationship zones:

Clients

Delve into your client's organisation to gather insights, find your niche, tailor your offer, and create easy avenues for feedback and improvement.

Competition and Other Businesses

Use competitor analysis to find your edge, understand industry trends, seek strategic partnerships, learn from others, and connect with potential clients.

Colleagues

Build a strong team by knowing everyone's strengths and weaknesses, create innovative offers, and expand your network for a better grasp of industry trends and clients.

Industry Connections

Stay ahead of the curve by embracing trends, elevating offerings, exploring new opportunities, understanding competition, and promoting your business effectively.

When it comes to managing these connections, it can be tricky to know where to start.

Here are 5 simple things you can do to begin building and backing your key relationships today:

1. Arrange informal coffee catch-ups with clients and colleagues to connect on both a professional and personal level, learning from their experiences and motivations.

2. Set calendar reminders to follow up regularly with the people you meet. “Out of sight, out of mind” holds especially true during busy times, so being actively present and visible is key to maintaining effective relationships.

3. Attend industry events to make new connections and stay up to date with markets trends – whether it's a trade show, conference, or casual networking event.

4. Engage with people on social media by commenting, resharing and interacting with industry groups. These small interactions can lead to game changing opportunities and new connections.

5. Seek feedback from clients, partners and colleagues for areas of improvement. Not much will beat a direct conversation, but if you are short on time, automate your feedback gathering with survey software tools.

Remember, winning bids is about connecting with the right people and making those relationships the MVP of your success!