AI for B2B Contractors to Win Work: Capability Statement Prompts, Workflows, Templates

In today’s competitive B2B landscape, capability statements are a powerful tool for contractors looking to win more work, especially in sectors like manufacturing, wholesale distribution and construction trades. In my recent article, Capability Statements for B2B Contractors to Win Work: Template, Examples, Checklist, I outlined how to craft a compelling one-pager that showcases your strengths and opens doors to new opportunities. This follow-up guide shows how you can use ChatGPT (free version only) to turn that advice into practical, time-saving tasks. Whether you’re building your first capability statement or refining an existing one, this article gives you the exact prompts and workflows to get started – no tech skills required.

I’m Ashley Thomson, a business coach at Tenfold Business Coaching. With over twenty years’ experience in corporate engineering, supply-chain management and small business coaching, I’ve helped more than sixty owner-operated businesses improve their tender success rates, often by 30 per cent or more. I hold a Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and have personally reviewed hundreds of capability statements that have secured government contracts and Tier 2 commercial projects. I understand what works, and I know how to guide growing businesses to present their strengths with clarity and confidence.

What Is a Capability Statement and Why This Business Coach Recommends One

A capability statement is a concise, one-page document that outlines your business’s core competencies, past performance and unique value proposition. It’s designed to help B2B contractors stand out in tenders, RFQs and networking conversations. Business coaching services often recommend capability statements as a foundational tool for prospecting without paid advertising.

Using ChatGPT

You can use ChatGPT to draft your first version or refine an existing one. It’s especially helpful for summarising your services, identifying differentiators and structuring the document clearly.

Try These Prompts

• Write a one-page capability statement for a plumbing business that services Tier 2 commercial projects
• Summarise the core competencies of a small manufacturing business with 10 staff
• List three ways a solar installation business can differentiate itself from competitors in a capability statement

How a Capability Statement Supports Growth

Capability statements help you clarify your messaging, build credibility and create consistency across your marketing efforts. As a small business coach, I often use them to guide clients through strategic positioning and prospecting workflows. They’re not just a document; they’re a growth tool.

Using ChatGPT

ChatGPT can help you reflect on your recent wins, refine your elevator pitch and align your messaging with your business goals. You can also use it to brainstorm how your capability statement fits into your broader marketing strategy.

Try These Prompts

• Write a short paragraph that explains what my business does and who we serve
• List five recent projects with outcomes that show our reliability and expertise
• Explain how a capability statement can be used in LinkedIn outreach and tender submissions

Key Elements of a Capability Statement

Your capability statement should include a company overview, core competencies, past performance, differentiators, corporate data and contact details. Each section should be clear, relevant and tailored to your target audience.

Using ChatGPT

ChatGPT can help you write or edit each section individually. You can also ask it to review your draft for clarity and professionalism.

Try These Prompts

• Write a company overview for a wholesale distribution business with $5M annual revenue
• Give examples of core competencies for a landscape construction business
• Rewrite this paragraph to sound more professional: “We always do a good job and finish on time”

Best Practices for Creating Your Capability Statement

Keep it to one page. Use plain language. Make it visually clean and easy to scan. Tailor each version to the prospect. Save it as a PDF. These are the best practices I recommend through my business coaching services.

Using ChatGPT

ChatGPT can help you simplify your language, restructure long sentences and tailor your statement for different audiences. It’s also useful for checking tone and readability.

Try These Prompts

• Simplify this paragraph so it’s easy to read: “Our business provides end-to-end HVAC solutions for commercial clients”
• Rewrite this capability statement for a government audience
• Check this paragraph for tone and clarity: “We’re a trusted team of concreters with experience in schools and aged care facilities”

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Capability Statement

Avoid vague claims, cluttered layouts, outdated references and typos. These mistakes can undermine your credibility and cost you opportunities. As a small business coach, I see these errors often, and they’re easy to fix with the right tools.

Using ChatGPT

ChatGPT can help you spot and correct weak language, remove jargon and polish your writing. You can also ask it to flag clichés or suggest stronger alternatives.

Try These Prompts

• Replace generic phrases like “quality service” with more specific language
• Check this capability statement for spelling and grammar errors
• Suggest improvements to this paragraph: “We’re proud of our customer satisfaction and always go the extra mile”

How to Use Your Capability Statement for Effective B2B Prospecting

Your capability statement isn’t just for tenders. Use it in emails, LinkedIn messages, networking events and on your website. It’s a versatile tool that supports your business coaching strategy for growth without paid ads.

Using ChatGPT

ChatGPT can help you write outreach messages, email introductions and website copy that incorporate your capability statement. You can also use it to roleplay conversations with prospects.

Try These Prompts

• Write a LinkedIn message to a procurement manager introducing my business and attaching my capability statement
• Draft a short email to a new lead with my capability statement attached
• Write a paragraph for my website that explains what a capability statement is and why we use one

Capability Statement Template and Example

In the original article, I provided a template with sections for company overview, core competencies, past performance, differentiators, corporate data and contact information. I also included an example for a fabrication business.

Using ChatGPT

ChatGPT can help you build your own template by generating content for each section. You can also ask it to create examples based on your industry and client types.

Try These Prompts

• Create a capability statement template for a construction business
• Write an example capability statement for a business that installs commercial solar systems
• Generate a capability statement for a wholesale business that supplies plumbing materials to Tier 2 builders

Checklist for Capability Statement Success

Use the checklist to ensure your capability statement is complete, accurate, and compelling. It’s an easy way to review your document before sending it out. Business coaching services often use checklists like this to maintain quality standards and keep messaging consistent.

Using ChatGPT

ChatGPT can help you review your statement against the checklist. You can also ask it to create a checklist tailored to your business or industry.

Try These Prompts

• Create a checklist for reviewing a capability statement for a manufacturing business
• Check this capability statement for missing sections or weak language
• List five things to confirm before sending my capability statement to a prospect

Elevate Your Capability Statement with Tenfold Business Coaching

Your capability statement is more than a document – it’s a growth tool. With the help of ChatGPT and the guidance of a business coach, you can create a statement that wins work and builds trust. If you’d like personalised support to refine your messaging, highlight your strengths and implement proven B2B prospecting strategies, contact me at Tenfold Business Coaching. Together, we’ll sharpen your capability statement, increase your tender success and unlock new growth opportunities for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a capability statement different from a company brochure?

A capability statement is a focused, one-page document crafted for B2B prospecting and tenders. It highlights your competencies, past performance and differentiators without the broad marketing copy found in brochures.

How often should I update my capability statement?

Update your capability statement whenever you complete a major project or gain a new accreditation. As a rule of thumb, review it quarterly during your business coaching sessions to keep it current.

Can I use the same capability statement for all prospects?

Your small business coach will advise you to customise each version. Swap out case studies or emphasise particular competencies so that each prospect sees the most relevant information first.

Should a capability statement replace a full proposal?

Use a capability statement to introduce your business and qualify a prospect’s interest. When a prospect requests detailed pricing and scope, follow up with a tailored proposal or quotation document.

How do I measure the effectiveness of my capability statement?

Track which outreach methods result in follow-up calls or meetings. Monitor response rates by prospect segment and adjust the content or design based on feedback. Your business coaching services provider can help analyse these metrics.