Better Bid Writing – More Than Just Finding the Right Words

What makes a great bid writer? It's not just the ability to write well. The strongest bid writers ask the right questions, understand the customer, challenge assumptions and help shape winning solutions long before the proposal is written. In this episode of the Optimize Podcast, brought to you by VisibleThread, guest host Matt Light is joined by Elizabeth Hibbert, Proposal Writer at CGI, to discuss why bid writing has become one of the most strategic roles in the bidding profession Elizabeth shares how her background in marketing, business development and freelance writing has influenced her approach to bidding, why research and storyboarding are critical to developing persuasive proposals, and how understanding evaluators can improve bid quality. They also explore the growing role of AI, the importance of involving bid writers earlier in the capture process, and why the profession offers an exciting career for people who enjoy solving problems as much as writing. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction and welcome 02:20 – Elizabeth's journey into bid writing 04:40 – Skills that transfer into proposal writing 07:10 – Why bid writing is more than just writing 09:30 – The strategic role of bid writers 13:30 – Storyboarding and building the bid strategy 16:30 – Researching customers and stakeholders 18:50 – Writing with evaluators in mind 23:20 – How AI could influence bid evaluation 26:00 – Practical techniques for writing better bids 28:30 – AI as an opportunity for bid writers 33:00 – Helping organisations get more value from bid writers 36:40 – Promoting bid writing as a career 43:30 – Advice for aspiring bid writers 47:20 – Quick-fire questions and key takeaways In this episode, you'll learn Why great bid writing starts before the writing itself How research and storyboarding strengthen proposals Why understanding evaluators leads to better responses Practical techniques for improving bid quality Where AI can add value to the bid writing process The skills that make successful bid writers Why bid writing is a rewarding career with opportunities across a wide range of sectors Key Takeaways ✔ Bid writers add value throughout the bidding process, not just at submission stage. ✔ Better research leads to stronger, more customer-focused proposals. ✔ Clear structure and thoughtful storytelling help evaluators score responses. ✔ AI works best as a support tool, with people providing the judgement and insight. ✔ Curiosity, communication and critical thinking are just as important as writing ability. Featured Guest Elizabeth Hibbert is a Proposal Writer at CGI with a background in marketing, business development and freelance business writing. She is also an active member of the APMP UK Bid Writing Focus Group, helping raise awareness of bid writing as a profession and encouraging more people to consider it as a career. Resources Mentioned APMP UK Chapter APMP UK Bid Writing Focus Group Connect Follow Elizabeth Hibbert and Matt Light on LinkedIn for more conversations about bid writing, proposal management and the future of the profession.