Let’s talk about one of the most common frustrations in B2B sales: the RFP process.
I’m regularly asked:
“How do we get better at winning RFPs — or recover when we know we’re already behind?”
Here’s the hard truth:
If you’re stepping into an RFP with no relationship, you’ve already lost control. And probably the deal.
What is an RFP really for?
An RFP (Request for Proposal) or RFQ (Request for Quotation) is how buyers shortlist vendors. It’s often used in high-value B2B purchases — software, services, engineering, infrastructure. The goal? Compare options. Get a better price.
But from the vendor perspective, it’s rarely that simple.
12 RFP Challenges We Hear From Vendors All the Time:
- Can’t build trust with the buyer.
- The buyer knows your competitors better.
- You’re looped in via a partner, but the partner has no real access.
- Win rates are terrible — often 1 in 20.
- Costly process, low ROI.
- Unclear on the buyer’s true challenges.
- Struggle to define or quantify value.
- Poor communication with the client team.
- No collaboration — just compliance.
- You suspect the buyer is leaning toward someone else, but can’t confirm.
- No idea where you are in the process.
- You’re locked out of the real conversation — and don’t know who to talk to.
Sound familiar?
The 2 Journeys That Matter
RFPs don’t come out of nowhere. Behind every document is a Buyer’s Journey — and where you step in as a vendor defines your chances.
The Buyer’s Journey
It often starts with a trigger moment:
A conversation. A market shift. A gut feeling something needs to change.
From there, the idea evolves into a project.
Eventually, someone decides: We need a process. Let’s write an RFP.
By the time the RFP hits your inbox?
Most of the decisions have already been made.
The Vendor’s Journey
We see four typical scenarios:
- No RFP. You’re the trusted advisor. You design the solution collaboratively. No comparison needed.
- You co-design the RFP. You’re deeply involved, well ahead of time.
- You’re invited to bid, with some relationship. Not preferred. Not hopeless.
- You’re invited cold. No prior relationship. No trust. You’re there to make up the numbers.
Scenarios 1 and 2 = ideal.
Scenarios 3 and 4 = where most vendors live.
So how do you win?
Start before the RFP ever exists.
1. Manage relationships before the project exists
- Map your key accounts and assign priority tiers.
- Know which accounts are active, growing, or showing signs of change.
- Don’t wait for procurement to call. Be visible with your subject matter experts early.
- Deepen the relationships across roles: CEO to CEO, Sales to Sales, Tech to Tech.
“CRM is the key. Strategy is the system. Relationship is the multiplier.” — Fraser Morrison
2. Share value early and often
- Don’t just respond to RFPs. Shape the conversation before they’re written.
- Use thought leadership (webinars, insights, benchmarking) to position yourself as a sounding board.
- Make your specialists visible to your client’s innovation teams.
What if you’re already behind?
Let’s say you’re in Scenario 3 or 4. What now?
- Run a discovery audit:
- What do you actually know about the buyer, their business, and competitors?
- What assumptions are you making?
- Who else is bidding — and what do you offer that’s different?
- Define your value clearly:
- Not just price. Not just features.
- Actual business outcomes. Savings. Speed. Innovation. Confidence.
- Reopen discovery if you can. Ask better questions.
- If a partner is leading the bid, check their grip. Weak partner = weak position.
- Accept what you can’t control — and focus on what you can still influence.
Final Thought
If you’re losing too many RFPs, the problem usually isn’t the proposal.
It’s how and when you entered the relationship.
Sales strategy isn’t just about pitching — it’s about building enough trust that clients come to you before they write an RFP.
Want help redesigning your sales model around RFPs, pipeline clarity, and relationship-led deal progression?
👉 Let’s talk