How to write an RFP agencies will actually want to respond to, and red flags to avoid

RFPs are a fact of life–actually, some of our favorite work was won that way and we’ve gotten connected with clients that we’ve enjoyed working with for years to come through the RFP process. Ask any advertising or creative agency employee who’s read their fair share of RFPs and they will all tell you: not all are created equal.?

If you’re planning to put out a request for proposals for marketing or creative services anytime soon, we’re sharing our advice on how to write one that will attract the right partners and make the process smooth. Here are our RFP red flags we’ve seen and how to avoid them.

1. Only asking for case studies.

Do this instead: You’re not just looking for a final product, you’re looking for a partner. Ask questions that give you an idea of how each team works and approaches projects, or about work they loved that doesn’t traditionally make the cut for a case study. A few prompts we recommend are:?

“Why have clients enjoyed working with you and what would they say is special about your agency?”

“What does the ideal agency-client partnership look like for you?”

“Tell us about one of your favorite projects”

2. Not providing a budget.

Do this instead: This one’s easy. Provide a budget or a range you know is realistic for the project. There really is no benefit to not providing a starting point to agencies that wish to respond. Knowing what is within reason for your business helps us create a custom approach that is actually executable, not a pipe dream. If you have a smaller budget, being upfront about that will actually save you a lot of time by connecting you with the agencies and freelancers who want to work in that range and will weed out the more expensive groups who won’t be a great fit in the end.?

3. Requesting spec work and strategies.?

Do this instead: This is a hot topic and there is a widespread industry move away from doing spec (see: free) work for non-clients, so don’t be surprised to see a lot of people pass on your proposal if you’re asking for work that you aren’t yet paying for. For us personally, we are happy to show potential clients how we think and offer observations and insights within a response, but presuming we know a business well enough from an RFP is a huge risk. Would you expect an architect to draw plans for your house without hiring them or sitting down with you to understand your needs? Creative work is no different. Try to gauge each team’s potential by looking at their thought process, past work, and reference feedback.?

4. Not defining clear goals and deliverables.

Do this instead: Do the work with your internal team to define any and all goals and deliverables you know you will need. When we see a lack of these OR when the goals and deliverables don’t line up, it’s a clear sign that the internal team is inexperienced, unorganized or disjointed–all of which are a recipe for disaster. Take the time to make sure your proposal makes sense! While we know there is always room to evolve a project and we love making additional recommendations, a messy scope of work is reason enough to turn down a proposal.??

Bonus Tip: Interview your front runners.

We cannot underscore the importance of a culture check with your short list of agencies. You need to make sure the agency truly understands your goals and that you are aligned with them in terms of what you both want from this partnership, process and outcomes. You’re going to spend a lot of time collaborating - you need to make sure you will enjoy checking in with these people over and over.?

What did we miss?!