ABSTRACT
For a corporate buyer the process of selecting organisations to bid for contracts starts with a list of potential suppliers drawn from the buyer's experience, recommendations from peers or perhaps industry analysts. On many occasions the first step in the process will be a request for information (RFI) that asks the suppliers to prove their suitability to bid. It provides many excellent opportunities to build a positive relationship and reputation with the buyer whether you win this contract or not. The next step will be for the buyer to issue a request for tender (RFT) to those organisations they have selected to bid. The attention of the media also has a profound impact on reputation. The public relations sector has many excellent practitioners who guide organisations through the perils of media relations. In the hectic business world it is difficult to avoid being swept along by the crowd of colleagues marching to the sounds of your corporate drums.
