Why RFPs Go Wrong, And What This Series Will Explore

Whether you manage RFPs regularly or only occasionally, this series is designed to help you approach the RFP optimization process with more clarity and more confidence.

The Silence Is Familiar

You issued an RFP and eagerly awaited the responses. But when they arrived, something felt off. Maybe the submissions were vague. Or misaligned. Or too few. Maybe the agencies you were most hoping to hear from didn’t respond at all.

You’re not alone; this happens more than you might think. And it’s not always because of the market, or timing, or even budget. Often, the disconnect starts earlier: in the framing of the RFP itself.

A poorly written RFP doesn’t just waste time. It can cost you access to the very partners, ideas, and outcomes you hope to find. The best agencies are selective. If your RFP is generic, confusing, or rushed, they may opt out, deliver something safe, or quietly decide not to work with you again. So the most damaging costs aren’t always visible in the moment; they show up in the partners you don’t attract, the ideas you never hear, and the outcomes that never quite hit the mark.

But let’s be honest: crafting a great RFP can feel thankless. The process is often hasty, politically fraught, or inherited from a template no one likes. If it feels like a grind, that’s because it usually is. Most marketers don’t love issuing RFPs. They just don’t know there’s a better way.

This post kicks off a series on RFP Clarity. It will take a strategic look at how leaders can approach the RFP process with greater intention, sharper thinking, and a clearer sense of purpose. These posts aren’t about rigid templates or one-size-fits-all checklists. They’re about rethinking the assumptions behind the process so you can invite better responses, make smarter decisions, and ultimately get stronger work.

What This Series Covers – and What it Doesn’t

These posts will focus on the strategic side of RFP development: how to clearly communicate goals, set appropriate expectations, and attract the right agency partners – and in turn, receive stronger, more relevant proposals.

While legal, contractual, and procurement requirements (e.g., insurance documentation, data security policies, financial statements or ownership declarations) are essential, they’re outside the scope of this series. Those elements are best addressed with guidance from your finance, legal and/or procurement professionals, based on your company’s business structure, funding sources, and jurisdiction.

Great Agencies Are Selective

The truth is, great agencies are discerning. They’re looking for signals of strategic clarity, mutual respect, and shared ambition. When those signals are missing, the best teams may choose not to engage.

An RFP Is More Than a Brief.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: an RFP isn’t just a brief. It’s a preview. It tells your potential partners what it might be like to work with you. If the opportunity feels opaque, overly prescriptive, or one-sided, the responses, or lack thereof, will reflect that. (Later in this series, though, we’ll explain when a brief may be the right way to go after all.)

The Messages You Might Be Sending

Some RFPs are so thin on context that agencies are left guessing at your goals. Others are packed with rigid specifications that leave no room for insight or creativity. Sometimes the deadlines alone send a message; unreasonably tight turnaround windows can suggest a lack of respect for thoughtful work or healthy collaboration. And if the agencies that do submit are peppering you with clarification requests, that’s a clear sign your RFP is raising more questions than it answers. For the agencies you most want to reach, those are red flags.

And then there’s the elephant in the room: RFPs that essentially ask for speculative work without compensation. Whether it’s intentional or not, requests for things like full media plans, extensive competitive data or fully fleshed-out creative concepts in a pitch, without a guarantee of engagement, can feel unbalanced. The best agencies recognize it instantly and may opt out altogether.

Sorry, Not Sorry

If your RFP isn’t getting the responses you wanted, it may not be because the right partners aren’t out there. It may be because the brief didn’t create the conditions for them to show up.

The good news? That’s something you can change..

Coming Up in This Series

Next up: Smart agencies don’t just respond; they ask strategic questions. Here’s why that’s a good thing, Read it here.

A few of the topics we’ll explore in upcoming posts:

• Strategic Ambiguity: When Less Is More in an RFP
• Where Specificity Matters Most in Your RFPs
• What to Ask in a Proposal Instead of “Tell Us About Your Team”
• Shaping the Q&A Process

Smart organizations know that stronger RFPs lead to better partnerships. We help teams clarify what they really need, sharpen their evaluation criteria, and structure the RFP to attract the right response from the right partners. Whether you’re looking for a topline diagnostic, a strategic rewrite, or a full-process tune-up, we can help. Let’s talk.

Featured image by cdd20 via Unsplash