When companies respond to RFPs, many make their responses all about them and not so much about the client. What I mean by this is that companies use RFPs to tell the client how great they are…not how great they are at solving the client’s problems.
It is critically important that you tell the client why they should select you by letting them know that you understand their needs—and problems—and that you are the best company to take away their pain.
We see our clients write about how great they are at what they do. This is not bad if it is followed up by an explanation of how that “greatness” will benefit the client. Clients are smart people, and they know hubris when they see it. Your client needs to read in your RFP response that you understand their needs AND are the right company to meet their needs.
Your project-critical resources listed in the RFP response must do this too. For each need, they should clearly describe they have the knowledge, skills, and experience to help the client…and then provide specific, appropriate, and relevant examples where they did this. Such an approach shifts the focus from a narrative about your company to a solution for your client. For instance, if the client is looking for Business Analysts with SAP ARIBA and Fieldglass experience, have your resources provide specific examples (e.g., SAP ARIBA + Fieldglass specific work descriptions, including timelines, budgets, challenges overcome, and anything else of a specific nature that demonstrates the resources know what they are doing and understand your client's unique challenges too).
Of course, it goes without saying that you should provide examples of successful SAP ARIBA + Fieldglass projects in your company experience section that shows how you resolved issues like your client's. Consider including an example that shows how your company completed a project where tight timelines were an issue (if this is your client’s pain point). Client pain points, such as tight timelines, are often explicitly stated, but sometimes they are alluded to in the requirements. You need to read the RFP document carefully to identify what’s stated and what isn’t. It is not enough just to write that "we have experience and resources to meet tight deadlines." By providing detailed examples of your resources' experiences and your company experiences, you show that you can solve the client’s problem because you have solved it before. The client immediately recognizes the connection between your examples and their requirements. This approach shifts the focus of your experience back to the client’s needs, which demonstrates that your response is all about the client.
Remember to make your response all about the client.
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