What is this paper about?
Strategic Proposals has been a strong advocate of the importance of design in bidding.
Since we sponsored the first APMP design award almost a decade ago, we’ve seen more organisations investing in design – whether that be recruiting a designer into the bid team, accessing existing marketing team designers, or using external support ‘on tap’. Changes in buyer’s expectations and the on-going
challenge to find that winning edge, triggered some primary research on how design is viewed by bidders in 2025. This paper is based on those results and provides our perspective on what’s next for designers working in bids and proposals.
We decided the best way to get definitive answers was to ask you!
Firstly, and to the relief of our creative team of design experts, design is still seen as a crucial element of winning. There are a couple of surprises but overwhelmingly, design is seen as important, is well-utilised in organisations and those who don’t use it all the time, do so not by choice or desire.
Why is this research important?
Understanding the perceived value of design in our industry helps to provide deeper insights into why organisations prioritise or deprioritise design in their bids. By examining the impact of design on bid success, we can better appreciate its role in enhancing the overall effectiveness and competitiveness of proposals. Plus, surveys are fun and stats are always interesting – aren’t they?
Let’s dive in.
