Marcom RFPs: Why Clients Keep Getting It Wrong (And How to Fix It)
Having worked on over 200 marcom proposals across culture, tourism, sport, and entertainment in the past five years—with a solid 34% conversion rate—I've seen it all. From beautifully structured RFPs that make agencies fight for the job to absolute disasters that set everyone up for failure.
If you’re a client issuing RFPs, here’s the hard truth: your document dictates the quality of the proposals you get. Shit in, shit out. If your RFP is vague, bloated, or contradictory, expect weak responses, budget creep, and, ultimately, subpar results.
Here’s where most clients go wrong—and what to fix:
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1. The Quality of Your RFP Dictates the Quality of the Response
Floating an RFP isn’t easy. A lot of work goes into creating a document that will attract the right agencies, set clear expectations, and allow for an apples-to-apples comparison. But too often, clients throw together vague, recycled, or overly complex documents that show no real effort in defining their needs. Agencies can smell quality.
A well-thought-out RFP results in better proposals. A lazy one gets you generic, cookie-cutter responses.
Fix it: Before floating an RFP, spend time refining the problem statement, objectives, and key deliverables. Ensure internal alignment so your RFP doesn’t get reshaped mid-process.
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2. Your Scope of Work Will Change—Plan for Talent, Not Just Tasks
One of the biggest pain points in marcom projects? The scope of work changes drastically between the pitch and actual delivery. It’s understandable—projects evolve. But too often, RFPs are rigid laundry lists of specific deliverables that become irrelevant once execution begins.
Instead of hiring based on predefined tasks that will likely shift, hire for talent and problem-solving ability. You’ll always need strong strategists, creatives, and project managers more than you need a specific number of reports, social media posts, or videos.
Fix it: Design your RFP to be flexible. Instead of prescribing an unrealistic level of detail, focus on the capabilities and expertise required to achieve your goal.
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3. Stop Letting Consultants Write Your RFPs
Hiring consultants to draft RFPs might seem like a smart move, but it often backfires. Many consultants overcomplicate the document, turning it into an academic exercise rather than a practical brief. Worse, they sometimes write an RFP so narrow that it’s impossible for any agency to propose creative, real-world solutions.
Even more frustrating? When the same consultants who wrote the RFP end up being part of the client-side evaluation team, interpreting every proposal through their own limited lens rather than what actually works.
Fix it: Keep the RFP process internal. If you need outside help, consult industry experts before floating the RFP—don’t let them write it for you.
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4. Unrealistic Budgets Kill Great Ideas
Clients love asking for everything—full campaigns, multi-platform activations, high-end production—but often assign budgets that barely cover a fraction of the ask. Agencies then face a choice: dumb down the proposal to match the budget or overpromise and hope for negotiations later.
Fix it: If your budget is limited, be upfront about it. Allow agencies to propose solutions that maximize value instead of forcing them into a guessing game.
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5. The ‘Preferred Vendor’ Farce
Many RFPs are floated despite the client already having a preferred vendor in mind. Agencies can usually tell when they’re being used for benchmarking or just making up the numbers for procurement compliance. This wastes everyone’s time.
Fix it: If you have a preferred vendor, negotiate with them directly. Don’t float an RFP unless you’re genuinely open to new partners.
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6. Selection Criteria: Say It, Mean It
A lot of RFPs include vague selection criteria that don’t actually reflect how decisions are made. Agencies spend weeks fine-tuning their proposals based on stated criteria—strategy, creativity, feasibility—only to lose out because of internal politics, personal connections, or price fixation.
Fix it: Be clear about what really matters. If cost is the primary factor, say so upfront. If you prioritize experience in a specific industry, make that explicit. Transparency leads to better proposals and a smoother selection process.
The RFP process isn’t just about paperwork—it’s about setting up a project for success. Clients who put in the effort to create clear, thoughtful RFPs will attract the best agencies, get better ideas, and ultimately see stronger results.
