Mastering RFP Responses: Strategies to Stand Out in Competitive B2B Sales

Discover how to transform your RFP responses into winning proposals that set you apart from the competition.

You may not remember the time when large, enterprise-level organizations required you to complete an RFP (request for proposal). However, you wouldn't be the only salesperson competing for the client’s business. Depending on the size of the opportunity, you might have a dozen or more rivals answering the same questions and prompts. If you find yourself in a situation where you must respond to an RFP, you may be asked to complete the same RFP two or three times, even though the company has made no changes.

Let me share a strategy I developed, one that will help you differentiate yourself from your competitors:

1. Read the RFP from cover to cover. This is critical.
2. Identify a question or prompt that is no longer relevant to the business landscape, industry, or company’s strategic initiatives.
3. Once you have identified something that you do differently from what is described in the RFP, call the person who sent it and politely suggest that you are struggling to answer the question because of how things have changed since the last time they sent out the RFP.

Your contact will likely be curious about why it is difficult to answer the prompt, often wanting to know what has changed and how they should update the RFP to better align with their goals. This is especially effective if the contact is from procurement, as they are usually eager to understand more. This strategy allowed me to win 7 out of 8 large enterprise-level contracts—and, more importantly, I’m convinced that my clients are getting better results that are not limited by their RFP.

Over time, the number of RFPs in sales has decreased. Clients have started engaging directly with salespeople and their companies, often skipping the RFP process, which has fallen out of favor. However, after being compelled to complete RFPs, I noticed that contacts have become accustomed to procurement managing the selection of their providers. For this reason, it’s important to understand the procurement mindset, and RFPs offer key information.

In The Lost Art of Closing: Winning the 10 Commitments That Drive Sales, you will find a set of ten conversations that most B2B salespeople should explore. In reality, most salespeople skip several of them. If you want to win more sales, you would do well to guide the client through their sales conversation. Some prospective clients will have their own agenda and a set of questions they need you to answer. Other prospects, who have not spent much time with salespeople, will need assistance navigating their buyer’s journey.

Your effectiveness in this depends on your B2B sales training and how you approach the sales conversation.

Understanding Changes in B2B Sales Processes

Only real sales wonks study the changes in buyers and decision-makers to understand how B2B sales have evolved. This is key to understanding why the legacy approach is ineffective compared to modern sales methodologies. We have moved away from a linear sales process to a non-linear conversation. The Lost Art of Closing gives you the right things to consider so you are equipped to tackle whatever comes up during sales conversations.

The Shift from RFPs to Direct Client Engagement

To be fair, some companies still use RFPs, including government agencies and very large clients, and many organizations that use this process require at least three responses to the RFP. However, you may also find companies looking at 12 potential partners. As RFPs have become less common, you need to directly engage with your contacts to help them make decisions that will enable their strategic goals.

Adaptability: A Key to Sales Success

Expand on how adapting your approach, as you did with the RFP strategy, can lead to success in sales. If you still use a sales process that does not foster an organic conversation, you will struggle to help your contacts and their teams move toward their goals and outcomes.

The ability to adapt your approach relies on the following:

• Effective Questioning Techniques in Sales Conversations: High-gain questions prompt your client to pause and consider the answer and its implications. The better your questions enlighten your contact, the more you can be sure that your approach is making an impact.
• Building Lasting Client Relationships: Elaborate on how the strategies you've discussed, such as leading clients through their buyer's journey, can contribute to building lasting relationships. To be a trusted advisor, your ability to guide your client toward success hinges on developing strong relationships with your contacts, which will ultimately help you win their business.

Short Version

RFP Response Strategy

• Differentiate by identifying outdated questions in RFPs and proactively discussing changes with the client.
• This strategy led to my winning 7 out of 8 large enterprise-level contracts.

Evolution of B2B Sales

• Shift from RFPs to direct client engagement, in many cases.
• Move from linear sales processes to non-linear, conversational approaches.
• There is new importance in guiding clients through their buyer's journey.

Keys to Sales Success

• Adapt sales approach to foster organic conversations with clients.
• Use high-gain questions to prompt client reflection and make an impact.
• Build lasting client relationships by guiding them toward success.