ISSUE NO. 330 of A List Apart for people who make websites tackles the thorny problem of using paper or PDF to convince potential clients you’re the right team for the job.
RFPs: The Least Creative Way to Hire People
by Greg Hoy
If you work in any kind of service industry you’ve undoubtedly come across the Request For Proposal, or “RFP.” Alas, in practice, RFPs are the least creative way to hire creative people. The rigidity of the process, and the lack of meaningful dialogue makes this little more than a game of roulette. How can we successfully navigate the heartburn-inducing RFP process? And what can we as an industry do to turn RFPs into the exception rather than the default means of hiring an agency?
A Modest Proposal
Comedy is easy, proposals are hard. A compelling proposal requires more than a jumble of clichés and a nervous estimate of costs. It needs structure, organization, and joie de vivre. Learn the key questions every client needs answered—and how to use them as the basis of a proposal that convinces your client you’re the right team for the job.
