Feb 4, 2010 - Comments: 0

Writing an RFP for Results

Posted by Jennifer Hoppe under CDG Clients , Content Strategy & Web Writing , Web Strategy

Imagine you’re a public relations professional in search of a job. You’re clicking through Craigslist when you see this ad:

“PR manager sought to execute association media campaign. Duties will include: contacting at least 7 radio stations per week (between 10 am and noon); purchasing banner ads on sites selected by PR director; launching a print ad campaign with the tagline “Building a Better Future”; pitching stories to the press (scripts will be provided). . . . . and other tasks as dictated by PR Director. Office hours are 8 – 5 pm; lateness will not be tolerated. For consideration, send cover letter, resume, five writing samples, six letters of reference, certified college transcripts, and Social Security Number.”

Would you respond? My guess is probably not. Not even in this lousy economy.

A job ad is the beginning of a dialogue between the employer and the eventual employee. This ad opens the conversation with a tone of micromanagement and mistrust, and eliminates any promise of autonomy. Most talented candidates wouldn’t bother to reply,

Think of your RFP as a want ad for a vendor. It’s an opportunity for you to outline your needs, identify your challenges, and articulate your goals. It should give potential vendors a solid understanding of what you want to achieve with the project and what their role will be. Here are a few tips on what to do, and what not to do the next time you sit down to write an RFP.

The RFP that Ate Manhattan, and Other Horror Stories

Too often, people fall into a trap when writing RFPs. Something that starts as a simple document balloons into an opaque, convoluted mass, like a creature from a 1950s horror movie (The RFP that Ate Manhattan!)

Length isn’t necessarily the problem; some projects require it. The trouble happens when you stop defining your objectives (“to increase the number and frequency of repeat visitors to the site”) and start dictating a solution (“integrate a YouTube channel to support a monthly video greeting from the CEO”).

Usually, it’s a well-intentioned effort on the client’s part to think the things through and clarify scope. But this kind of prescriptive detail actually stunts the project before it starts. Once you’ve decided on a course of action, you’ve eliminated the most crucial part of the vendor’s participation—proposing creative (and cost-effective) solutions.

Just as every individual approaches a task with a different techniques and talents, each vendor brings a unique skill set and perspective into the mix. When you approach potential vendors as a partner, you take advantage of their experience and their expertise

But when you mandate a narrow course of action you not only demote the vendor from collaborator to hired hand, but you also back yourself into a corner. You give the vendor no freedom to present solutions that will meet your needs more effectively—and often for less money.

The Write Stuff

Your RFP has the potential to become a valuable launching pad for your project. To get the most out of it, keep these points in mind:

Focus on the end—not the means.
You know your organization. You have a deep understanding of its needs and challenges—that’s what you should be communicating in the RFP. What are you trying to accomplish you’re your project? How will it improve your business? Armed with your insight, prospective vendors will approach the project with informed intelligence.

State your goals simply.
Having trouble getting users to register for events online? Just say so. Don’t get bogged down with dense language and jargon. (“Vendor will implement revisions to the existing information architecture’s hierarchy and nomenclature to emphasize event registration.”) Use words that clarify, not confound.

Start a conversation; not a confrontation.
If you’ve had a difficult relationship with a vendor in the past, you might be gun shy about working with a third party. Resist the tendency to make your RFP an adversarial document. Remember, you’ll be able to meet the vendors in person, check their references and portfolio, and evaluate whether they’d make a good partner.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
It all comes down to respect. Write your RFP for an audience of competent, talented professionals, and that’s who will respond. Vendors are just like any job seeker—they’re looking for an opportunity to apply their creativity and energy to projects that excite them. Entice them with your RFP, and you’ll set the stage for success.

What are your rules of thumb when writing an RFP?

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