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How to Write a
Marketing RFP that Gets the Best Consultant or Firm to
Deliver Everything You Need -- On Time and on Budget
By Nancy Schwartz
President, Nancy Schwartz & Company
Reprinted by permission from:
Getting Attention:
Helping Nonprofits Succeed Through Effective Marketing
As the head of a long-time marketing firm serving
nonprofits and foundations, I've probably reviewed over
500 RFPs in my time, all from nonprofits and foundations
seeking marketing services. And I can tell you, no more
than 50 of them are effectively designed to motivate
responses that are comprehensive and accurate.
Accuracy of course is key. Because if your RFP doesn't
cover everything you're looking for -- in the way you
want it -- delivered, budget and timeframe are bound to
be off. Trash in, trash out as they say. So put some
time and effort into your RFP.
Here are some quick tips for writing a marketing
services RFP that'll get high-quality service providers
to respond eagerly, thoroughly and accurately:
►Be realistic...in the work you're asking for in a
particular timeframe,
within a specific budget. If you don't know what it
takes (time or dollar-wise), ask colleagues in peer
organizations.
►Be thorough in what you include, and format theproposal
thoughtfully so it's easy for the recipient to scan and
review.
►Put the effort into making the proposal easy to digest,
as you would with your brochures or Web site.
►Cover these areas:
--Organizational background (brief), project
description, why you're implementing this project now,
goals and objectives, challenges (if you know them)
deliverables, timeframe, who to contact with questions.
►Ask recipients to let you know within a day or two
whether they'll be responding or not. That way you can
send the RFP out to additional
marketers if you need to.
►Give folks two weeks to respond.
Crafting a proposal is extremely labor intensive if it's
done right. Frequently, it's work implemented that isn't
rewarded with the job.
►Be prepared to answer these questions:
--How many
firms/individuals will be submitting proposals?
I never jump in if a prospect is expecting more than
five proposals. That says to me that they are fishing
for ideas, may not know what they want, and we don't
have a good chance of getting the work.
--What's your
budget range?
Some prospects are reluctant to share this information,
thinking that the bidders will just mark up the work to
that level. Most of the time, believe me, the budget
isn't enough, and knowing the range enables us to define
what we *can* provide for that fee.
--What are your criteria for selecting a consultant or
firm?
I like to know what's most important to a prospective
client, and also get a sense of the culture of the
organization. A good fit is crucial.
--Who would your point person on this project be?
It's difficult to succeed in bringing a project to life
when there's not a single point person. Your point
person should run much of the review and approval
processes inside your organization it'll be much more
effective and efficient that way, and ensure everyone's
on the same page.
►Be aware of the marketer who submits a proposal without
asking questions.
That indicates someone who's either not serious about
the job or not putting the required time into the
proposal development process.
I'm looking for a connection, as well, when I call with
questions. That's a critical component of project
success, and not testable via written communications. |
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