Being in Business Development, I’ve had my fair share of completing Request For Proposals, or RFP’s. And if we’re being completely honest, RFP’s can sometimes, well…suck. I understand the nature of the Business Development game so I’m not saying ALL RFP’s are bad. MORE
by Kevin Mcardle | Tweet this Ah, the RFP. Fan or not, the RFP process is a reality of doing business, especially in the B2B world. Yet, too often the typical RFP ends up being too general, resulting in a “just check the box” approach from vendors interested in winning the business. When selecting a list of companies to invite to your RFP, put yourself in their shoes. Conversations are invaluable for understanding what you need to ask on your RFP. MORE
There’s one menace that looms over the head of nearly every salesperson, and can strike at any time: the dreaded request for proposal (RFP). Will you just fill out this RFP?” MORE
Well, many businesses will write a website RFP (request for proposal) and then send that RFP out to multiple agencies hoping they’ll respond. That’s a problem because as a business, you want the best agencies to respond to your RFP so you can get the best website possible. MORE
This post will help you decide , and this RFP will help you with the purchasing process. "Marketing automation" can mean a lot of different things, so first, let''s all get on the same page. This post is great for beginners. MORE
Business relationships rely on some of the same data points but are often distanced from targets and customers by geography, station (status in the food chain of the individual with final say-so) and decision-making protocols like RFP docs, requisition requests, and other confounding red tape. MORE
These requirements are used to get an internal consensus, determine project viability, and will serve as the basis for an RFP. It’s a complex undertaking for a B2B business to set up an e-commerce platform – or even enhance an existing platform. MORE
9) “Marketing is not needed in an RFP-driven industry.”. Relying on RFP-driven sales can be discouraging. Many think that there’s no point in marketing for RFP’s if the process is set. Inbound marketing creates that shift and helps you beat the RFP-driven process. MORE
And if you get a different RFP every week, you change your target every week. Bulls Eye (Photo credit: Jens Dahlin). Three clients. Three stories. But they are all, in a sense, the same story. a failure to focus. MORE
71% submit an RFP: RFP stands for a Request for Proposal. In addition to looking professional, an RFP also is an unspoken way of letting the venue know that you are likely asking for other RFPs, so they might quote more competitive rates. MORE
We used to say, “sell ahead of the RFP.” Then, for more than a decade we’ve been telling clients, “sell ahead of your competitive herd.” Now we’re telling them, “sell into the ‘hidden opportunity market’.” MORE
Only 22% of companies surveyed still follow the traditional RFP path, 78% are narrowing the field long before the RFP process, by conducting anonymous web research and relying on information from peers and others via social media venues ( Source: SiriusDecisions ). Call it digital marketing or inbound marketing with content , the fact is marketing is now playing a much more active role in complex industrial sales. MORE
Artillery B2B Marketing Blog > The Forward Observer With a thought leadership marketing strategy, B2B companies can influence buyers, outflank the competition and expedite the purchase cycle. "We We are transitioning from a knowledge-based economy to a wisdom-based economy. MORE
We talk about how to build credibility, how to earn trust, and how to engage with a customer before there’s an RFP or a deal on the table. A remarkable new book is changing the way that B2B sales professionals think about, approach, and serve their customers. MORE
It’s like responding to the RFP that you haven’t written. Cold calling is dead. 57 – 90% of the buying process is complete before a sales rep needs to get involved. Marketing and sales are aligned. Do you agree these are lies? In late August I asked industry experts that same question and asked them to substantiate their answers. The team of experts includes: Ardath Albee, Marketing Interactions , CEO and Business Strategist. Dave Brock, Partners in EXCELLENCE , President. MORE
Once you winnow through your initial list, and have some top-level sense of what the company could offer, it’s time to write up an RFP to send to your prospects to see if they have the right stuff. MORE
He then shares these options with a few internal stakeholders, and together they decide who to include in their RFP, or (depending on the price point of the product and/or internal structure of the company) which to buy. MORE
Ok, ok my title is just a tad self-serving, being the coffee-consuming-beast that I am but. you get the point. Over seven million. That's how many hits I got back when I Googled the term "data driven marketing." MORE
We used to say, “sell ahead of the RFP.” ” Then, for more than a decade we’ve been telling clients, “sell ahead of your competitive herd.” ” Now we’re telling them, “sell into the ‘hidden opportunity market’ ” As a result of recent client work, I’ve re-examined CEB’s Challenger Customer for clues on how to improve B2B sales practices, especially for sales content. MORE
For instance, if the goal of your homepage is to drive more MQLs through RFP requests, go ahead and put more than one RFP CTA on there -- even if they''re totally different RFP CTAs that lead to totally different RFP request landing pages. MORE
Pikulik cited the client who got 50 leads for the $100,000-plus solution: They offered prospects a template for an RFP – essentially, they gave their prospects everything they needed to know to evaluate their solution. MORE
Many deals happen without an RFP, and if you are not personally connected, you risk missing opportunities. While teaching in Hong Kong for the semester, I’ve had the chance to meet some very interesting people. MORE
That's why we created an RFP for you to help evaluate your marketing software providers -- download your copy, form-free, here -- and wrote this blog post to show you how you can think about the RFP process. It’s a tough world out there for marketers. MORE
Good for the upper-end of the sales pipeline, but you'll increase your chances of converting a prospect to a client if you treat your RFP responses like the strategic sales tools they're meant to be -- and that means avoiding these six hazardous pitfalls. 2) You take the RFP at face value. MORE
See how others are using marketing automation, create a customized Request for Proposal (RFP) on the fly, and calculate the ROI of your investment – all in one place. The Eloqua Business Center hosts an RFP builder and ROI calculator. MORE
Even when many of their most important marketing channels and touchpoints are spot on, there’s an important piece of the brand-building puzzle missing: the RFP response. Do not copy old proposal or RFP responses. MORE
Here are some examples of the best and worst questions you can ask in a marketing automation RFP. And if you''re looking for more help with your RFP, check out this free RFP template and planning guide.). MORE
You’re going to be well positioned and you may get to help design the RFP. MORE
19% of buyers do a formal needs assessment and Request for Proposal (RFP). Maybe some are just skipping the RFP, which isn't always needed. I presented my Seven Deadly Sins of Marketing Automation Software Selection during last week’s Webinar with Neolane. (To MORE
Summary: I've posted a list of nearly 200 RFP questions that I hope many people will adopt to their own needs. That would give buyers clear, consistent information without issuing a RFP at all. If it's used widely, buyers and vendors both benefit. Death, taxes and RFPs. For business software vendors, all three are equally inevitable – and it's not clear which they dislike most. MORE
By placing original content in front of budget owners we reasoned that AT&T would be viewed as a thought-leader and we would not only be invited to bid, but we would be pre-disposed to win these RFP’s. By Sander Biehn, {grow} Community Member. It’s true. MORE
If your answer is yes, then it’s RFP for you. Content marketing is the key to open the door to your social selling success. And, to walk through that door, you need slide content through the customer’s ‘mail slot’ to make a connection, build a relationship and help close the deal. MORE
The key to this approach is to engage early and provocatively, not waiting until the RFP and expect to win the deal. MORE
They were able to attract an RFP from JCPenney and they were able to create partnerships with IBM and ServiceNow. Many social media and social selling experts say “volume” is the key to success on social media platforms like LinkedIn. MORE
It is imperative to objectively exit sales cycles that you can’t win (or don’t really want), get ahead of the RFP process, and allocate pre-sale resources wisely. I had the pleasure of meeting one of the Bona Fide “Rock Stars” of the selling profession Friday morning in Mr. Neil Rackham. MORE
These can take on many forms such as; Purchasing related keywords e.g., “RFP” or “proposal” or “quote”. If I had a penny for every time a client asked our agency to focus only on the most searched, highest volume keywords in their industry I’d be a very rich woman by now. MORE
Now they’ve followed it up with a second version that includes an “RFP Bill of Rights&# that “will hopefully help provide guidance on how to do an RFP right and fairly,&# Maggie says. With advice like “I will not issue an RFP ‘Cattle Call’”, “I will do my own homework and “I will give you feedback,&# it covers the tactics that (intentionally or not) often poison the client-agency relationship. MORE
I have been helping a very smart client in their RFP process to select a vendor for their marketing campaign. Public Relations Reputation Management customer testimonials marketing campaign rfp process vendors MORE
A longer-term lead may lack urgency, but it makes up for it by giving your team a very real chance to form relationships with decision makers, and in fact define and manage the buying process (including designing the RFP). Near-Term Opportunities are Important, But So is Keeping the Pipeline Full. Your sales team likes nothing better than getting leads with a high probability of closing soon. So much so that many reps often ignore every lead they don’t consider hot. MORE
RFP: Companies often use video recordings to provide evidence of top-level executive commitment to a project. And, of course, video can provide convincing evidence for assertions made in an RFP. Tech companies don’t need a “video strategy.” MORE
You effectively accelerate revenue by identifying better opportunities and by working them early in the cycle rather than responding to RFP’s won by a more agile competitor. MORE
RFP Related Topics 
EMagine B2B Blog
MAY 19, 2015
Being in Business Development, I’ve had my fair share of completing Request For Proposals, or RFP’s. And if we’re being completely honest, RFP’s can sometimes, well…suck. I understand the nature of the Business Development game so I’m not saying ALL RFP’s are bad.
Paul Gillin
DECEMBER 27, 2010
Now they’ve followed it up with a second version that includes an “RFP Bill of Rights&# that “will hopefully help provide guidance on how to do an RFP right and fairly,&# Maggie says. With advice like “I will not issue an RFP ‘Cattle Call’”, “I will do my own homework and “I will give you feedback,&# it covers the tactics that (intentionally or not) often poison the client-agency relationship.
Hubspot
DECEMBER 1, 2014
Here are some examples of the best and worst questions you can ask in a marketing automation RFP. And if you''re looking for more help with your RFP, check out this free RFP template and planning guide.).
Hubspot
APRIL 7, 2015
Well, many businesses will write a website RFP (request for proposal) and then send that RFP out to multiple agencies hoping they’ll respond. That’s a problem because as a business, you want the best agencies to respond to your RFP so you can get the best website possible.
The Forward Observer
MARCH 19, 2013
Artillery B2B Marketing Blog > The Forward Observer With a thought leadership marketing strategy, B2B companies can influence buyers, outflank the competition and expedite the purchase cycle. "We We are transitioning from a knowledge-based economy to a wisdom-based economy.
Biznology
SEPTEMBER 6, 2017
RFP: Companies often use video recordings to provide evidence of top-level executive commitment to a project. And, of course, video can provide convincing evidence for assertions made in an RFP. Tech companies don’t need a “video strategy.”
Biznology
FEBRUARY 25, 2016
I have been helping a very smart client in their RFP process to select a vendor for their marketing campaign. Public Relations Reputation Management customer testimonials marketing campaign rfp process vendors
Hinge Marketing
AUGUST 7, 2014
Even when many of their most important marketing channels and touchpoints are spot on, there’s an important piece of the brand-building puzzle missing: the RFP response. Do not copy old proposal or RFP responses.
Modern Marketing
OCTOBER 13, 2011
See how others are using marketing automation, create a customized Request for Proposal (RFP) on the fly, and calculate the ROI of your investment – all in one place. The Eloqua Business Center hosts an RFP builder and ROI calculator.
Modern Marketing
JULY 16, 2012
by Kevin Mcardle | Tweet this Ah, the RFP. Fan or not, the RFP process is a reality of doing business, especially in the B2B world. Yet, too often the typical RFP ends up being too general, resulting in a “just check the box” approach from vendors interested in winning the business. When selecting a list of companies to invite to your RFP, put yourself in their shoes. Conversations are invaluable for understanding what you need to ask on your RFP.
B2B Marketing Insider
NOVEMBER 8, 2016
We used to say, “sell ahead of the RFP.” Then, for more than a decade we’ve been telling clients, “sell ahead of your competitive herd.” Now we’re telling them, “sell into the ‘hidden opportunity market’.”
Customer Experience Matrix
SEPTEMBER 16, 2010
Summary: I've posted a list of nearly 200 RFP questions that I hope many people will adopt to their own needs. That would give buyers clear, consistent information without issuing a RFP at all. If it's used widely, buyers and vendors both benefit. Death, taxes and RFPs. For business software vendors, all three are equally inevitable – and it's not clear which they dislike most.
Hubspot
FEBRUARY 22, 2017
Good for the upper-end of the sales pipeline, but you'll increase your chances of converting a prospect to a client if you treat your RFP responses like the strategic sales tools they're meant to be -- and that means avoiding these six hazardous pitfalls. 2) You take the RFP at face value.
Biznology
MARCH 17, 2017
71% submit an RFP: RFP stands for a Request for Proposal. In addition to looking professional, an RFP also is an unspoken way of letting the venue know that you are likely asking for other RFPs, so they might quote more competitive rates.
Avitage
OCTOBER 22, 2016
We used to say, “sell ahead of the RFP.” ” Then, for more than a decade we’ve been telling clients, “sell ahead of your competitive herd.” ” Now we’re telling them, “sell into the ‘hidden opportunity market’ ” As a result of recent client work, I’ve re-examined CEB’s Challenger Customer for clues on how to improve B2B sales practices, especially for sales content.
Customer Experience Matrix
NOVEMBER 15, 2011
19% of buyers do a formal needs assessment and Request for Proposal (RFP). Maybe some are just skipping the RFP, which isn't always needed. I presented my Seven Deadly Sins of Marketing Automation Software Selection during last week’s Webinar with Neolane. (To
Hubspot
APRIL 29, 2014
For instance, if the goal of your homepage is to drive more MQLs through RFP requests, go ahead and put more than one RFP CTA on there -- even if they''re totally different RFP CTAs that lead to totally different RFP request landing pages.
KoMarketing Associates
NOVEMBER 19, 2015
Business relationships rely on some of the same data points but are often distanced from targets and customers by geography, station (status in the food chain of the individual with final say-so) and decision-making protocols like RFP docs, requisition requests, and other confounding red tape.
Sales Engine
AUGUST 24, 2015
You’re going to be well positioned and you may get to help design the RFP.
Hubspot
JANUARY 18, 2014
This post will help you decide , and this RFP will help you with the purchasing process. "Marketing automation" can mean a lot of different things, so first, let''s all get on the same page. This post is great for beginners.
Modern Marketing
FEBRUARY 1, 2017
Ok, ok my title is just a tad self-serving, being the coffee-consuming-beast that I am but. you get the point. Over seven million. That's how many hits I got back when I Googled the term "data driven marketing."
ViewPoint
AUGUST 9, 2016
A longer-term lead may lack urgency, but it makes up for it by giving your team a very real chance to form relationships with decision makers, and in fact define and manage the buying process (including designing the RFP). Near-Term Opportunities are Important, But So is Keeping the Pipeline Full. Your sales team likes nothing better than getting leads with a high probability of closing soon. So much so that many reps often ignore every lead they don’t consider hot.
Act-On
OCTOBER 21, 2016
These can take on many forms such as; Purchasing related keywords e.g., “RFP” or “proposal” or “quote”. If I had a penny for every time a client asked our agency to focus only on the most searched, highest volume keywords in their industry I’d be a very rich woman by now.
The Point
JUNE 18, 2013
One company we work with has used this approach to double their RFP win-rate to the tune of $7 million in incremental sales.
Vidyard
SEPTEMBER 14, 2017
There’s one menace that looms over the head of nearly every salesperson, and can strike at any time: the dreaded request for proposal (RFP). Will you just fill out this RFP?”
Industrial Marketing Today
AUGUST 27, 2012
Only 22% of companies surveyed still follow the traditional RFP path, 78% are narrowing the field long before the RFP process, by conducting anonymous web research and relying on information from peers and others via social media venues ( Source: SiriusDecisions ). Call it digital marketing or inbound marketing with content , the fact is marketing is now playing a much more active role in complex industrial sales.
Hubspot
JUNE 28, 2016
9) “Marketing is not needed in an RFP-driven industry.”. Relying on RFP-driven sales can be discouraging. Many think that there’s no point in marketing for RFP’s if the process is set. Inbound marketing creates that shift and helps you beat the RFP-driven process.
Content Standard
APRIL 19, 2017
Once you winnow through your initial list, and have some top-level sense of what the company could offer, it’s time to write up an RFP to send to your prospects to see if they have the right stuff.
Sales Engine
MAY 22, 2016
It is imperative to objectively exit sales cycles that you can’t win (or don’t really want), get ahead of the RFP process, and allocate pre-sale resources wisely. I had the pleasure of meeting one of the Bona Fide “Rock Stars” of the selling profession Friday morning in Mr. Neil Rackham.
ViewPoint
JUNE 5, 2015
You effectively accelerate revenue by identifying better opportunities and by working them early in the cycle rather than responding to RFP’s won by a more agile competitor.
grow - Practical Marketing Solutions
SEPTEMBER 18, 2013
By placing original content in front of budget owners we reasoned that AT&T would be viewed as a thought-leader and we would not only be invited to bid, but we would be pre-disposed to win these RFP’s. By Sander Biehn, {grow} Community Member. It’s true.
ViewPoint
JUNE 24, 2016
We talk about how to build credibility, how to earn trust, and how to engage with a customer before there’s an RFP or a deal on the table. A remarkable new book is changing the way that B2B sales professionals think about, approach, and serve their customers.
Act-On
OCTOBER 3, 2016
You could present a list of requirements or write a detailed RFP, and the vendors will all respond with written proposals. “Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM.”.
Modern B2B Marketing
APRIL 11, 2016
He then shares these options with a few internal stakeholders, and together they decide who to include in their RFP, or (depending on the price point of the product and/or internal structure of the company) which to buy.
KoMarketing Associates
JULY 26, 2016
These requirements are used to get an internal consensus, determine project viability, and will serve as the basis for an RFP. It’s a complex undertaking for a B2B business to set up an e-commerce platform – or even enhance an existing platform.
B2B Marketing Insider
JULY 22, 2015
If your answer is yes, then it’s RFP for you. Content marketing is the key to open the door to your social selling success. And, to walk through that door, you need slide content through the customer’s ‘mail slot’ to make a connection, build a relationship and help close the deal.
B2B Lead Generation Blog
APRIL 8, 2013
Pikulik cited the client who got 50 leads for the $100,000-plus solution: They offered prospects a template for an RFP – essentially, they gave their prospects everything they needed to know to evaluate their solution.
The ROI Guy
JUNE 17, 2015
The key to this approach is to engage early and provocatively, not waiting until the RFP and expect to win the deal.
ViewPoint
SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
It’s like responding to the RFP that you haven’t written. Cold calling is dead. 57 – 90% of the buying process is complete before a sales rep needs to get involved. Marketing and sales are aligned. Do you agree these are lies? In late August I asked industry experts that same question and asked them to substantiate their answers. The team of experts includes: Ardath Albee, Marketing Interactions , CEO and Business Strategist. Dave Brock, Partners in EXCELLENCE , President.
Biznology
AUGUST 30, 2012
And if you get a different RFP every week, you change your target every week. Bulls Eye (Photo credit: Jens Dahlin). Three clients. Three stories. But they are all, in a sense, the same story. a failure to focus.
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS YOUR PEERS ARE READING
35 
Let's personalize your content