What Businesses really want to know about Bids and Bid Writing
Real questions, honest answers, from the Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, Let's Do Business Expo at Uttoxeter Race Course in October 2025.
Earlier this month, Wordsmith Projects had its first stand as an exhibitor at the Let's Do Business Expo hosted by the Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce. It was our first time exhibiting, promoting our Bid Writing and Management services and it definitely won't be the last.
The event was buzzing with local businesses of all sizes, all at different stages of their journey. It wasn't just a chance to promote Wordsmith Projects, it was an opportunity to listen, connect and hear directly from other Founders and Teams about their biggest challenges when it comes to bidding for new contracts or applying for grants.
So, we took our camera and a microphone and we hit the exhibition floor asking one simple question…
What's your one burning question about bidding for new contracts?
Here's the top three and how we answered them…
1. Can I use AI to write my bids?
This question is increasingly common and the answer is yes, but with caution. AI tools can help speed up content creation or generate a first draft but it can't replace the insight, strategy and personalisation needed to score highly in competitive tenders or grants applications. At Wordsmith Projects, our Bid Writers have tested AI tools extensively and we believe the winning formula is human expertise supported by smart tech and not the other way around.
2. What Accreditations do I need to before I start writing bids?
This depends on the sector and the size and complexity of the contract but we advise getting the basics in place early. For many public sector contracts, you'll need things like:
ISO 9001 - Quality Management System
ISO 14001- Environmental Management System
ISO 45001 - Health and Safety Management System
In some sectors, construction, cleaning, or security for example, additional certifications may be required. The tender documents will always set out what you need to submit a compliant bid. We highly recommend checking you meet the compliance requirements before starting any bid submission. Your local bid writer can help you with this.
3. How much does it cost to complete a bid with an external Bid Writer?
This was one of the more common questions we heard at the Expo and it's a fair one. The honest answer is, it depends.
At Wordsmith Projects we price transparently based on word count, complexity, and how much of the content already exists or needs to be created from scratch. A straightforward standard bid 10,000 word bid might cost anywhere between £2000 and £3000, whilst larger bids may be more.
We also:
Track time in zero projects for transparency
Offer fixed fee quotes based on maximum time
Only charge for time actually used, no hidden extras
Work flexibly with SMEs who might not have a big team
Whether you're bidding once a year or every month, will give you a clear idea of cost or front, no surprises.
Why Business Events like this matter
EXPOs aren't just about brand visibility, they’re about insight. As a Bid Writer, understanding what’s worrying or confusing to potential bidders helps me build better free resources, give better advice and support more local businesses to grow revenue through bidding.
It was inspiring to see how many Staffordshire businesses are ready to explore new ways to grow revenue by engaging a local Bid Writer and how open they are to learning and support.
Final Thoughts from your Local Bid Writer
The Let's Do Business Expo is a great reminder that behind every bid is a person or team who just wants a clear answer to a very real question. And that's what we're here for. If you missed us at the event, don't worry, you can still catch the full VLOG here and all of the questions and answers will be covered in more depth across our blog and free resources over the coming weeks
Want help getting your business bid ready visit ww.wordsmithprojects.com to download our free resouces or check out our https://www.youtube.com/@wordsmithprojects for lots of handy tips. You can also get in touch with us for one-to-one support via e-mail, telephone and LinkedIn.