Anyone can now generate an RFP in an afternoon. Upload a few company details and you can have a 95-page request ready in minutes. But as the saying goes, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
AI has made it easy to produce exhaustive requests for proposals, with every question, every contingency and every “just in case.” We understand the instinct: cover all your bases and leave nothing out. The problem is what that does to the process on both sides of the table.
More detail doesn’t always mean better proposals
The RFP is the one moment where a brand and an agency need to get two things right: what you’re trying to achieve, and what you’re prepared to invest to get there.
A document that asks for everything and defines neither doesn’t produce better proposals. It produces longer ones. There’s also a practical reality. No team or committee can meaningfully compare multiple responses to a proposal of that size. The people who benefit most from a focused process are the ones reading the answers.
What to include in an RFP
You don’t need 95 pages. You need six things:
- The goal. What does success look like, in a sentence or two? Everything else flows from this, and a clear goal lets partners show you how they think instead of guessing what you want to hear.
- A budget range. Even a rough one. It’s the difference between a useful, tailored plan and pure guesswork. A range doesn’t commit you to anything. It simply helps partners propose what’s realistic instead of what’s impressive.
- The timeline. Key dates for responses, decisions and launch. Good thinking takes time, and knowing the runway helps agencies plan their effort and yours.
- The context. Who you’re trying to reach, why, and what you’ve already tried. What hasn’t worked is often the most valuable information in the document.
- The decision process. Who’s involved, and how responses will be evaluated. Transparency here helps everyone focus on what matters.
- A realistic first ask. Approach and thinking up front, with detail reserved for the shortlist. Asking for a full plan, pricing, case studies and references from every respondent on day one is a lot, especially for the people evaluating those responses.
A note for our fellow agencies
Clarifying questions at the start, like the need for a more succinct ask and clarity on meaningful goals, are the sign of a good partner, not a difficult one. The agencies worth hiring will want to understand the problem before proposing the solution, and a good client will understand and appreciate your diligence.
Use AI as a starting point, not the finish line
AI can help you write an RFP faster, but it can’t tell you what you want. ChatGPT, Claude or a similar tool can certainly serve as a kick-off point for building a template. But working through that template to distill it down to the clearest possible ask of potential partners is always time well spent. A rushed RFP process never translates into quality responses.
What a streamlined process looks like
A clear goal and a real conversation: start there, and the RFP process doesn’t have to be cumbersome or difficult.
Use the initial response to assess partner fit and alignment on strategic thinking. Build a smart, realistic shortlist. Get to know each team, and then go deeper with the few who’ve earned it. The proposals that come out of a more streamlined, thoughtful process will speak for themselves.
Planning an RFP for an influencer, creator or employee-generated content program? Talk with us before it goes out. We’re happy to help you sharpen the goal, budget range and timeline so the responses you get are ones you can actually use. Let’s talk today!