RFPs are like arranged marriages, which is why, oh ye gods of certainty, I worship Requests for Proposals. They’re so freakin’ easy. There is no seduction; no wondering; no suspending of disbelief; no hopin’ and a-wishin‘ for honesty and pure intentions. An RFP tells you that a company is ready to commit. In fact, an RFP really is like an arranged marriage: a need has been identified, a partnership is required, and the solicitation very clearly tells you the grounds for acceptance or rejection. An RFP tells you how to get what you want: the contract. The business. The revenue, baby.

Oh. Wow. I meant to sell you on the joy of RFPs but I think I just sold myself on arranged marriage.

[Yes, dear reader, in fact this figure IS based on super-comprehensive and objective research. In the last 12 months, I submitted 18 proposals, won 15 contracts, and captured $4.2 million in revenue. My proposal writing success rate is 83%.]

Ok, so my empirical claims are actually anecdotal and therefore not objective evidence at all, but I started this essay by comparing my dating life to proposal writing, so what did you expect? Before you get uppity, let me repeat: EIGHTY-THREE PERCENT. You should listen to me.]

Here are the three romance-free essentials that will help you respond to RFPs and win contracts:

1. Aim low.
Compliance and competence are not sexy but they win contracts. Awards aren’t necessarily made to the qualitative, creative ‘best’ company or proposal. Instead, contracts are most often awarded to the company who puts together a proposal that can’t be rejected. You don’t have to aim to win, you have to aim not to fail. Do not give the evaluator or evaluating committee a reason to reject your proposal. Address every requirement right down to the seemingly picky stuff on font size and length and bid due date.

If you cannot deliver what the RFP is looking for, either screen yourself out, and don’t bid, or start working with the client directly to clarify the requirements and steer (I mean inform) the process. Kyle Bailey, for example, told me to “assume the client is an idiot”. Bailey is Da Big Cheez (not the ‘president’, he refuses to be called the president to satisfy The Establishment) of E-cubed Media Synthesis, a web development company in Vancouver, BC. He hates RFPs but he regularly responds to them and wins contracts, so he might know what he is talking about. I think in nice words he means educate the client.

If what you’re offering does not fit the opportunity, walk away. Taking a project that you cannot deliver on costs everyone time and money and will destroy your reputation. Bailey, for example, says that his competitors are often his best salespeople because they overpromise and underdeliver. As a result, his company gets an ‘an ungodly amount of work’ cleaning up contracts gone awry. Learn from this: if you agree to the terms of an RFP, win the contract, and then can’t deliver, you won’t win any more RFPs or make money and your clients will get in bed with your competition. This is bad.

2. Follow instructions.
The most important section of the RFP is the lighthearted section with a whimsical title that goes something like this: EVALUATION PROCEDURES AND BASIS OF SELECTION. And yes, it is almost always capitalized and bolded and that’s because the RFP is textually shouting “Yes! Pay attention! This is it! This marks the spot!”

[I was tempted to use and abuse another dating metaphor but I restrained myself. Nobody wants to get excited by salacious innuendo when they're reading about non-sexy but super awesome things like RFPs.]

In essence, the basis-of-selection section tells you how to win the opportunity: if the basis of selection is price, then you need to offer the cheapest bid. If it is technical, then you need to provide the most comprehensive, elegant solution. If it is lowest price and technical requirements, then your potential client/mate is a lunatic. FYI. You’ve been warned.

3. Be boring.
Do not write your proposals like I am writing this piece. Do not have fun, do not get personal or creative, and do not take a long time to make your point. The fun, convincing, seductive stuff is for concept pitches and marketing and first dates, not responding to RFPs.

[Why you should believe me and behave accordingly when I say an RFP is like an arranged marriage: because in addition to spilling my secrets on this site, I am a proposal writing opinion-aire, and winning contracts is my secret super power.

By night, I blog furtively and by day, I write proposals and manage contracts for a Vancouver manufacturing company. This fiscal year, I won 83% of the contracts I bid on and exceeded my revenue target by $300,000. I'm exceptionally proud of this achievement because it was achieved from September 2008 to September 2009, which, if you haven't heard, was a time when even Warren Buffet contemplated getting off the grid. I know because he told me on Twitter. Okay, no he didn't, but it was fun to say.

If you'd like to me to write or guide a proposal for you, please e-mail me at kelly at kellydiels dot com. My hungry children thank you. P.S. I also write features, marketing copy and website content.

If you'd like to set me up with a blind date or an arranged marriage, I WAS JUST KIDDING and you canNOT reach me at kelly at kellydiels dot com. My mother and my blog-readers thank you.]

This entry was posted on Friday, September 4th, 2009 at 12:16 am and is filed under Love, Money, Work. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.