31 replies to this topic

[Jill]

Why an SEM RFP is a Mistake.

I have to agree with Fredrick on this one. I can't stand getting RFPs (requests for proposals) when someone is interested in my services. I have a particular way I present what I can offer to my clients, and having to answer an RFP totally throws me off.

Generally when I get them, I simply ignore them or tell the potential client I'm too busy to answer it. If they would like my standard spiel instead, I'm happy to send them that.

So what do you guys think? Will you answer RFPs? Do you think they can work for SEM/SEO services? Or do SEM companies work too differently to really compare this way?

Jill

[OldWelshGuy]

It will come as no suprise to anyone that when i get 'formal' requests like this they get filed under B for Bin or T for Trash across the pond

When i was a buyer for a civil engineering company i did everything face to face, the only time i asked for things in writing was when i was ready to order on the terms agreed.

This sort of thing is fine and dandy for buying nuts and bolts, but the web is not a nuts n bolts industry, its a people thing, isn't it?

[Scottie]

The saddest thing about RFP's is when they require:

- a guaranteed #1 ranking for the following keywords: (list of generic keywords)
- no changes be made to the current look, feel, or copy of the site
- a 200% increase in traffic over the next 3 months
-.etc

People don't even understand what it is they want, much less how to write it up and get "comparitive bids" on it.

When my last firm was going through hard times with sales, we started responding to public RFP's. What a hoot! It's kind of like if I sat down and made a wish list for my public relations firm.

We require the successful candidate to:
- get our CEO on national TV at least once a month
- land us a feature article in every top trade organization this year
- guarantee that we will be mentioned in 3 local papers weekly

Who would respond to such outlandish requests? We actually did write up proposals based on reality... they were rarely accepted. Some charlatan would claim they could meet the demands... get the job, then say "it just didn't work out like we had hoped".

[OldWelshGuy]

Sometimes you just have to say to the customer 'get real, that is not going to happen in this reality', just before they throw you out of the door normally hehe

Thankfully only the agencies get rolled up in that doodah over here, and they are so pretentious that they will buy a paper bag over the head if it meant they got a gold star from their boss

[SearchRank]

Assuming you are referring to RFPs that are sent via email or postal mail:

We do not respond to formal RFPs but rather invite them to visit our site as it provides a wealth of information on who we are, what we do, what we have accomplished, client list, what SEM is, etc., etc. and then to fill out and submit our "RFQ" (request free quote) form.

Once they do this, we reply with a standard form email letter with some general guidelines on pricing and some custom verbiage as well related to what they submitted. With the form email letter, it is fairly easy to respond to the RFQs we receive and gets the ball rolling on selection of keywords and site analysis before a service plan is agreed upon.

The last RFP we got was from Delta Airlines which was laid out like an extensive employment application. We politely refused saying that we did not follow that format and followed the procedure I mentioned above. Never heard anything else from them. Oh well! It was tempting - Delta Airlines - but there are not enough hours in the day to respond to such requests no matter who it is and so few are actually landed.

That's our policy. to RFPs!

[Jill]

Wow, that's so funny! All this time I thought I was the only one who hated (and ignored) these things!

The professional ones I get don't ask for stuff like guarantees, and really do ask for reasonable stuff. But it would force me to deviate from my usual way of doing things, and therefore waste my precious time (which I can do just fine by myself, thank you very much!).

Interesting to hear other people have similar thoughts.

Does your mind change if the RFP says the budget is $100k?

Jill

[Vertster]

I hate RFPs as well, and generally ignore them. I just tell them I am too busy. Too busy to play their stupid cat and mouse game! Actually, I have never said that before, but I always think it.

Occasionally if I am a little interested I ask them how many other companies they are talking to, and who they are. They don't always answer, but if they do, it gives me a little better idea if its worth spending ANY time on at all.

[BrianR]

Nope - in fact it sends me the other way! Every man and his dog will pitch for a $100K project and it just degenerates into a bidding war. No thank you - I've got better ways to waste my time!

BrianR

[SearchRank]

Does your mind change if the RFP says the budget is $100k?

If it's someone like Delta Airlines - yes but if it's Joe's Airplane Service (meaning they are unheard of) then I'd dismiss it.

If it's a Fortune 500 or 1000 company and they are insistent on responding to an RFP, then we'd probably accommodate them but only after trying to get them to go though our process first.

[qwerty]

So nobody here replies to RFPs? Send them to me, then. I've got two to do this week

[Jill]

I've got one I can probably send to you, Bob. Maybe you already have it. I rarely get these any more. It's straight out of the MarketingSherpa's Buyer's guide of SEO services suggested RFP questions.

Jill

[qwerty]

Feel free. Even if I don't have a standard answer to every standard question, I can still make my pitch.

[MarketPro]

Larger corporations and government entitites consider RFPs standard protocol. I for one won't even consider an RFP unless a personal consultation is scheduled. For one based on the services I provide I need a lot more information than what is provided in an RFP. In consulting each case is different and unique with very different needs, you can't can a response to RFPs so you spend a lot of your time bidding on jobs that in all honesty if awarded you don't know what you've got yourself into. :learn:

[qwerty]

I'd never limit things to just replying to the questions they ask in the RFP. I see it as the first contact, and an opportunity for me to give them an idea of what I can actually do for them.

It should definitely be followed up with emails, discussions, possibly phone calls. I don't think I even give enough information in the proposal for them to make a final decision, unless they have no idea what they're doing.

[robwatts]

I agree with the consensus.

I was discussing this with a colleague today. A guy called on the phone and gave a big spiel about how his company had been asked to 'investigate' the IT industry for govermental intranets in the NHS and how they were only contacting 'quality' companies like ours, and would we be interested in obtaining some of these lucrative projects..

I cut him short as Ive heard this line far too many times before, which incidentally, is usually closed with some advice to spend £1000 on an advert in a crappy wallplanner or diary that will never get used or seen

I began ranting to my colleague about how much people like him got up my nose, with their sales bullshit and lies. I then went on to say something around how these people should re-evaluate their lives and do something productive, instead of distracting people like us (don't worry I'm getting to the point ) which then lead me to talk about people wanting quotes via email etc.

Q.)
Dear Sirs

Please tell me how much you will charge to get my website on the first page of Google.

A.)
<blank>

Exactly, I dont even waste my fingers replying, which in many ways is the same for RFP'S . Whilst theyre certainly an improvement on the above email scenario, they are nonetheless, far too mechanistic and for me, lack any evidence of a commitment from the service enquirer to warrant a developed response from myself.

Don't get me wrong, if someone is prepared to take the time to tell me their aims and objectives, then on most occasions I afford them the courtesy of a brief response detailing the services I provide as well as any likely costs that would stem from their procurement. I make clear from the outset that any further work including phone calls, proposals, meetings etc will be charged at our standard rates.

If they're still interested then great, they may well be worth the effort, if they aren't then no big deal, Ive only wasted 5 minutes of my time.

Reading back, this may sound a little arrogant, its not intended that way, its just an approach I use, borne out of many hours of wasted time and effort, that works for me.

RFP? no ta.