Make Your Bids Stand Out with Formatting and Design

How your bid looks can be just as important as what it says. Buyers often review dozens of submissions, so a well-formatted, visually consistent proposal helps yours stand out from the start. It also signals professionalism, attention to detail, and a clear understanding of what evaluators need.

This blog explores why formatting and visual design matter in bid submissions, what best practice looks like, and how you can improve the impact of your next proposal.

Why Formatting Matters in Bid Responses

Formatting is more than aesthetics. It’s a communication tool that makes your proposal easier to read, navigate and score. A clear, structured document helps evaluators find key information quickly and understand your value with minimal effort.

Well-formatted bids can:

• Improve readability and flow
• Highlight key strengths and win themes
• Ensure compliance with buyer instructions
• Reinforce your brand and credibility

Poor formatting, on the other hand, can make even a strong proposal feel disorganised or difficult to assess.

Tips for High-Quality Formatting

Follow the instructions

Always check the formatting requirements in the tender documents. Word count limits, page restrictions, file types, font sizes or template layouts are often mandatory. Failing to follow them can result in marks being lost or a non-compliant submission.

Structure your response clearly

Use clear headings and subheadings that mirror the buyer’s questions. Break down responses into manageable sections and use bullet points where appropriate to aid readability.

Use white space effectively

Avoid dense text. Break up long paragraphs and use spacing to guide the reader’s eye. Good use of white space creates breathing room and helps key points stand out.

Be consistent

Maintain a consistent style throughout the document. Fonts, heading levels, bullet styles and numbering should follow the same logic across all pages to create a polished, professional feel.

Improve navigation

If permitted, include a contents page, page numbers and section markers. For digital submissions, bookmarks or hyperlinks can help buyers move through the document with ease.

The Role of Visual Design in Bids

Design elements like infographics, timelines, diagrams and iconography help communicate complex ideas more clearly. When used effectively, they enhance understanding, draw attention to your strengths, and make your proposal more memorable.

Design can support your response by:

• Presenting delivery models or timelines visually
• Illustrating innovation, added value or social impact
• Reinforcing brand identity and consistency
• Making data easier to interpret
• Breaking up narrative-heavy sections

The key is to use visuals with purpose. Every graphic should support the message you’re communicating and complement the written content.

Bringing Content and Design Together

The most compelling bids combine strong, well-written content with clear formatting and thoughtful design. This integrated approach is especially important when quality responses are heavily weighted or when technical information needs to be presented clearly.

To achieve this, you should:

• Use professionally designed templates
• Align writers and designers early in the process
• Allow time for formatting checks and refinement
• Work with experienced bid designers who understand compliance and scoring

How WeBid Consult Can Help

At WeBid Consult, we do more than write winning bids. We help ensure your submissions are presented clearly, professionally and with purpose. Our graphic design and formatting support includes:

• Branded bid templates tailored to your organisation
• Professional layout styling and formatting
• Infographics, process diagrams and visuals
• Slide decks and presentation materials
• Proofing, consistency checks and final packaging

Whether you need full graphic design support or help polishing a submission before it’s sent, we work as an extension of your team to make sure every element of your bid reflects your quality and capability.

Get in Touch

A well-presented bid helps evaluators engage with your content from the first page. WeBid Consult brings together bid writing and design expertise to ensure your proposals are clear, compliant and compelling.

Find out more about our formatting and graphic design services or contact us today to discuss how we can help you make your next bid stand out.