Agencies ask me, “How do I win an RFP?” The right question is “How can I lose an RFP?”

Agencies ask me, “How do I win an RFP?” The right question is “How can I lose an RFP?”

For over 12 years my firm has been conducting advertising and marketing agency RFPs and reviews on behalf of national-level advertisers. These reviews focus on print, online, search, OOH, email, branding, creative…you get the idea. My “fly-on-the-wall” perspective is a unique vantage-point to ad-agencies.

As you can imagine, many agencies I’ve worked with will ask for tips to help them become more successful in agency reviews & RFPs. “How do I win?” is what they want to know. And that response is as unique as every RFP process. And that is the response I give to each and every one of their disappointed faces. They want the proverbial philosopher’s stone. And there is one! But it’s not one that can help you win – it’s one that will help you not lose.

What is it? 

Simple.

Proof-read.

Who wouldn’t proof-read a document worth a multi-million-dollar account?

Well, evaluating and analyzing RFP responses is 90% our work and I’ll tell you our numbers are scary! 1 in 3 RFPs have typos, errors, omissions, etc. in them according to our current count. We find it astounding! Astounding not that the mistakes are made, but because in most cases the mistakes are glaring signifying that there is NO WAY anyone proof-read these RFP responses before they were sent out!

One RFP I received years ago had the prospective client's name wrong throughout the document...everywhere, every time! The client was furious with me, and rightfully so! I had recommended this agency and what they delivered was embarrassing. Due diligence demanded I call the head of the agency and the person who prepped the RFP was fired. I was stunned and riddled with guilt.

I waited until the RFP was complete and I called the head of the agency and asked if she had read the RFP before it was sent out? She hesitated and then replied, "No." I told her that I was a bit taken aback that one person would be held responsible for an RFP response worth a potential $15M in new business. I reminded her that that RFP-response represented her whole company yet no one else showed any interest in even reading it let alone proof-reading it. She agreed, and I’d bet my last penny she has multiple people proof-read everything that leaves the agency now. Yes, it's THAT important!

Always proof-read your RFP response materials for errors and content continuity. Then give it to 2 or more others not on the pitch team to proof-read before submission. Have your accounting department read it and pay close attention to your financial offer to see if it falls in line. Have your account team leaders read it and focus on your capabilities section to determine if it is inclusive. Shouldn’t your analytics team read it and gauge your proposed metrics-generating reports? Of course!

Remember that every RFP response is worth the whole value of the prospective account. 

So that is my #1 advice to an agency. When something represents everything you are as an agency - get everyone you can to read it! Simple things should never be forgotten or neglected. It's THAT important!