IDEA: When you lose a bid to a buyer, keep on bidding to him. Odds are you are about to win.

If you lose a bid to a buyer and there are more opportunities in the future, by all means bid on those jobs, especially if you were close on the first that you lost.  The buyer needs multiple bids and at some point if he feels your firm is competent and qualified, he will give you a job to give you a chance.  Buyers do not want to scare away qualified companies that are competitive and have a well known community reputation.  They also do not want a bad reputation where no one wants to bid on their work.   Keep bidding because one day you will win.