The Best Practices For Writing An RFP Response — No to Forgotten Proposals

A request for proposal (RFP) is an important document to get right. If you respond to it, you’re committing to provide services, products, or solutions in a specific area.

As a freelancer (on Upwork, Fiverr, or any other platform), contractor, or company… writing a stunning RFP response is the critical point you get the job or not.

What does RFP stand for in business? This article will look at the best practices for writing an RFP response. We’ll also discuss how to avoid forgotten proposals and ensure that your effort gets noticed by decision-makers.

Take Away — How to Write an RFP Response

Here are the 10 best tips on how to write an RFP response:

1. Read the RFP carefully, and make sure you understand it.
2. Do some research on the client and their industry to familiarize yourself with their business and goals.
3. Create an outline of your response based on the requirements in the RFP document; this will help you stay focused while writing your response.
4. Write a draft of your response (don’t worry about grammar or spelling yet), then revise it several times using feedback from friends or colleagues who are familiar with what you do for a living.
5. Proofread your response carefully and make sure it’s error-free.
6. Keep it simple, concise, and focused on answering the questions in the RFP document.
7. Use a friendly and professional introduction, introduce yourself by name (if you haven’t already done so), address their needs, and show how you can help them achieve their goals.
8. Include specific examples of how you have helped other clients solve similar problems or challenges.
9. Include a quote that clearly indicates your price range and availability.
10. Make sure you include your contact information at the end of your response.

Now you know how to improve RFP process in short. Let’s take a deep dive to get more.

Cover Letter

At the beginning of your response, you should be sure to include a cover letter. This is where you introduce yourself and your company. You should also make sure that you’re following all of the RFP requirements:

• Who you are
• What is your specialization
• The purpose of the proposal
• The time frame for the proposal (if applicable)

Finally, end with how well-suited you or your team is for this project.

Here’s a Sample

“Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response to your request for [product name] proposals. My company specializes in providing [insert what you do], and we are excited to provide our expertise on this project. We have experience working with clients like yours and believe we can provide the best possible [service/product].”

Goal Statement

The goal statement is a single sentence, or at most two sentences, that communicates the purpose of your RFP response. It should explain why you’re responding to this RFP. Give an overview of what you intend to accomplish and link back to the specific needs outlined in the RFP.

Here’re Some Samples

“We’re responding to this request for proposal with interest in working with your team. We believe our expertise in [insert what you do] is a good fit and could provide value to your organization.”

“Our goal is to help you increase sales by 15% within the first six months of working together. By doing so, we can ensure that both parties are satisfied with the partnership.”

“We would like to be part of your organization to provide the best product possible.”

“I am excited about the chance to help you meet your [insert need from RFP]. We believe that our experience working with clients like yours will allow us to deliver a high-quality solution on time and within budget.”

“The results of our work together are our goal for you to be pleased.”

Methodology

Provide a detailed description of your methodology, which will demonstrate why you are the best candidate for the project.

You can use this section to explain how you differ from others and what makes working with you unique and different from others in their field.

Let’s Take a Look at These Samples.

The first sample is from a company called “Wizard Web Development,” which provides services for web development, search engine optimization (SEO), and social media marketing. They have written a proposal for a potential client who needs help with their website design and development. Here’s a proposal methodology sample:

“We are excited to work with you on your website project. We have reviewed the materials you sent us and would like to start designing your new site immediately. We can create a custom design from scratch or use one of our pre-built templates as a starting point for your project. Both options are included in our standard rates.”

The second sample is from a company called “Elegant Graphics,” which provides graphic design, printing, and web development services. They have written a proposal for a potential client who needs help with their logo design.

“I am very interested in your project and would be happy to discuss it further. I would like to review your current logo and compare it against the standards that we discussed. My team specializes in creating engaging, memorable logos that reflect the personality of our client’s businesses. We have a proven track record of designing logos that increase revenue for our clients.”

The samples above can help you get an idea of how to write a proposal methodology that is sure to impress your clients.

Pricing

The best practices for pricing are to include a pricing table, which is a list of the services you offer. You can make a table or matrix using Excel or Google Docs. You can also include a pricing schedule and breakdown that shows how you arrived at your prices (so your clients know what goes into the cost).

Include the price in the proposal if you have a fixed price for your services. If you offer discounts for clients who pay upfront or on a retainer basis, be sure to mention this. You can also include sample prices for different types of businesses and project budgets.

Learn how you can write a winning RFP response.

The RFP response is one of the more challenging documents you’ll write as a freelancer or a contractor, but it doesn’t have to be. A well-written response will help you win the client and get paid for your writing services.

Conclusion

A good RFP response will help you win more business. Make sure you put in the time to carefully craft a thorough, thoughtful response that will impress your clients and customers.