STAND UP FOR BUSINESS EVENTS THE CHALLENGE: EVALUATING HOW TO RESPOND TO RFPS THE FIXER: TONY CHAPMAN, MARKETING EXPERT AND SPEAKER, TORONTO So what should you do when the RFP cattle call calls on you? If it’s an RFI, you should already have a wonderful presentation of your services, including great graphics, client recommendations, etc. If it’s an RFP and the client is looking for specific answers, even research and creative, then ask yourself these questions. 1. Is round one of the cattle call a written submission with no client face time at any time? If so, turn it down. 2. Do you have a relationship with the client? 3. Is there an incumbent who has a long standing relationship? If so, is this a move to keep the incumbent on their toes, or is this a loyal client looking for a change. 4. What type of reputation does this client have? My experience is a leopard never changes its spots. With all of the above in mind, ask yourself: Should I go after this or am I better served growing organically with existing clients, or with new prospects? If you decide to join the stampede, what can you do to win it? Change the criteria by which the client buys. As your competitors stampede to answer the RFP and invest in research, creative and planning dollars, ask yourself what the client might have missed with their RFP. Is there something they should have considered or would consider if you presented it. I always found something and we would make sure we crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s with their RFP, but would shine the spotlight brightly on something we were going in with that we hoped was unique. When it comes to creative, I would focus more of my time on the clients’ business and what they are hoping to achieve and their audience and less on the bells and whistles. To do so, you need face time with the client. Not by submitting questions that they answer and share with everyone else. Here’s the info I would ask for: • What sector are they in? Is the client a market leader or a challenger? Who is the audience? Are they employees, or people who are part of their value chain—brokers, distributors, customers? • Why are they investing in this event? Is it to educate, motivate, inspire, recognize or reward? • What has worked for them in the past? • What has gone wrong? Just by asking these question you are letting your prospective client know you have great attention to detail. And then the presentation. What if you began by talking about their audience. Setting the stage by letting the client know where they have flown in from, what they are thinking and feeling and why face time might still be a little intimidating and awkward for a society who has been conditioned on screen time. Present your event as a quest, with a beginning, middle and end. Like any good quest, pictures will help, but focus on the audience and their emotions. As for the extent of creative, I never gave away the answer but offered just enough for them to embark on a journey with my firm. Don’t degrade your value by making it free. TONY CHAPMAN 32 | Ignitemag.ca | Winter 2023
