Lynn Browne: Avoiding the Common Pitfalls of RFPs
To yield better RFP responses, start with your RFP ask. BrandVerge co-founder Lynn Browne shares the key components that brand-side marketers need to identify in order to shape the most relevant proposals.
“You know your brand better than anyone, so lay down the tips and tricks that sellers should keep in mind. Don’t hold things back; give everyone the opportunity to show up for you where you need them most.”
By Lynn Browne
Putting out a request for proposals (RFP) may be one of the most ubiquitous tasks in our industry except, of course, for the even more common task of responding to an RFP. The services that we buy and sell are somewhat intangible, and proposals are a great way for one party to ask for what they need and another to explain what they can provide. The problem is that not all RFPs are created equal, and some cause more work and confusion for both buyers and sellers involved.
Issuing an RFP quickly and with little detail can seem like a good shortcut to planning. It puts the onus on others to provide you with ideas and answers. Like many shortcuts, however, this makes the ultimate process longer and leads to endless revisions before you get to a place where both parties’ needs are met.
When issuing an RFP, here are some areas you really need to nail down. And be as specific and direct as possible.
Timing: The campaign start and end dates are obvious, but are there other factors that the seller (those responding to your RFP) will need to keep in mind? For example, is there a phased approach to product launch? If so, be sure to outline key dates such as the lead-up, soft launch, and in-store deadlines. Even simply calling out the dates that you expect to have creative rotations and what those concepts look like can help spark ideas, as sellers craft their proposals.
Budget: Budget is always included in an RFP. It may be the most important part! Requesting a few tiered options will help you not only better evaluate how the proposal is structured but also finesse things later, as budgets often shift and move once plans start coming together. Another good idea here is to ask questions. Ask sellers to provide the minimum investment level for each item included on the plan. This will help you avoid uncomfortable conversations later.
Campaign Idea: Often, your big campaign idea will be confidential. That’s OK. You can still provide enough detail to shape things for those responding. Let them know about the structure of the idea and whether it’s digital only, across multiple platforms; whether there is talent involved that they could tap into; and whether there are interactive elements for customers to participate, etc. Without knowing a bit about what you are planning to do creatively, sellers will come up with their own creative ideas that may not mesh with your own plans. The more information you can provide here, the better you’ll be able to integrate their ideas and solutions into your own.
Must-Include Items: You know your brand or client better than anyone else. In this section, you should absolutely lay down the tips and tricks that sellers should keep in mind when pulling ideas together. Does your client always need to see benchmarks? Then make sure to call that out. Is an added-value research study to measure awareness critical to win the business? State that upfront. Don’t hold things back; give everyone the opportunity to show up for you where you need them most.
Do’s and Don’ts: This is your catch-all section. Up until now, you’ve provided thoughtful information to direct sellers as closely as possible to the type of ideas that you would like to see. Use this section as a clear and concise reminder of things that will make or break any proposal submission. It might seem self-explanatory, but if you need a timeline and creative specs, this is a good place to remind sellers.
“The more time people have to prepare their RFP response, the more likely it is that they will provide thoughtful and strategic ideas.”
In addition to these must-haves, there are some watch-outs. These common errors can make an RFP confusing and limit your chances of getting a great proposal.
Including Blurry or Contradictory Asks: We’re all guilty of asking for proposals that (simply) build brand awareness and drive sales. The reality is that this is hard to do, and it’s really the job of a good media planner to guide and shape how the plan will accomplish both goals—not those responding to your RFP. You should be very specific in your ask while writing the RFP. Outline the percentage mix of budget that the vendor should allocate to ad solutions that achieve each objective.
Unrealistic Turnaround Time: We’re also guilty here. Who hasn’t asked for a proposal within 48 hours or less? OK. Your hand can go back down now. We understand that everyone is battling shorter and shorter deadlines, but this is where we need to manage expectations with our team and/or clients. If the ask is for a full media recommendation, for example, then we need to allow sellers a minimum of one week to respond with their proposal. The more time people have to prepare their RFP response, the more likely it is that they will provide thoughtful and strategic ideas. (If you really need something yesterday, you’re better off asking for a request for information instead. Vendors can provide quicker responses that aren’t as tailored to your brand and ideas. It will give you thought starters that can be further fleshed out once you are ready.)
These are just a few specific ideas to help you better craft an RFP that will result in thoughtful and productive proposals for your brand or client. Remember, RFPs are instructions. If these instructions don’t have enough detail, no one will be able to offer up a well-tailored proposal. Then, you’ll end up spending too much time reworking things and asking for revisions.
Save yourself the headache and spend more time at the onset to write out a thorough RFP that includes clear direction and lays out specific requests. You, and your brand or client, will thank us later.
March 29, 2022