An effective Request for Proposal (RFP) can be an essential step for organizations aiming to hire a Public Relations (PR) agency that aligns with their communication needs and goals. By outlining clear expectations and criteria, an RFP ensures both parties understand the project's scope and deliverables. Having participated in hundreds of RFPs, we’ve identified the ingredients we believe are essential components of any RFP.
Key components of an RFP
Introduction: Start with an overview of the organization, short history and identify the inflection point that has led to this RFP - what has changed, why are you in search of a partner now? Include an overview of your position in the industry, mission, target audience, and any past campaigns you feel were particularly impactful. This context helps potential agencies gauge the challenges and opportunities they may face.
Objectives: Clearly define the goals of the program. Start by outlining the expected impact this program is intended to make on the business. Is there a reputation problem? Are you trying to break into a new market? Change perception of the brand? Then move into the communications goals and expected outcomes. Are you aiming for brand awareness, building industry awareness, managing a crisis, launching a product, or several of these? Specifying your goals while connecting the communications program to business objectives will help agencies understand your needs and provide stronger insight on their ability to build an effective program.
Audience: Clarify the intended audiences. Include information on personas or Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) if relevant. Include information about other key stakeholder groups if required - investors, board members, current and/or future employees.
Scope of Work: Detail the expected tasks and activities. For example, strategic counsel, message development, reputation management, measurement and reporting, media relations, media monitoring, content development, events and awards, influencer or organic social media The more explicit you are about your expectations, the easier it will be for agencies to provide accurate proposals.
Budget: While you don't need to give an exact number, providing a budget range allows agencies to present solutions that are financially feasible. Remember, the cheapest option isn't always the best one; weigh cost against potential value.
Duration: Specify the length of the program. Whether it's a three-month project or a longer term partnership. Most importantly your intended start date to make sure the resources are available for the program you need.
Proposal Requirements: List what you expect in a proposal and the expected format. Are you looking for written submissions, or a pitch deck? Or both. Feel free to set out the expected headings you’d like to see - insights, strategy, campaign ideas, tactics, executive visibility, influencer, social, measurement, onboarding plan, budget etc.
Evaluation Criteria: Clarify how you'll assess proposals. Criteria might include an agency's experience, creativity, cost, and past results in similar industries.
Submission Details: Clearly state the submission deadline, the preferred format (e.g., PDF, hard copy), and contact information for queries.
Once you’ve pulled all of the core components together, review and edit down. Keep your RFP brief and to the point, consider capping pages and look for any unnecessary content you can cut. This forces clarity of thinking and helps focus the response on the most important and compelling content.
You may think this is a lot of work to put together. It is.
The biggest mistake we consistently see is a company that doesn’t spend the time to thoroughly prep and get to know an agency during their search process. This is a relationship that will be important to both parties– the more insight you provide the better proposals you will get in return. A well-crafted RFP is the starting point for a fruitful agency partnership. By being explicit in your needs and expectations, you pave the way for clear communication and successful outcomes.
