By Dan Augustine,VP, Creative Services
So, last month all of the ad agencies from all over the world gathered at McCormick Place in Chicago for a 15-minute, in-person huddle.
Seriously …. All of them—From the mighty Ogilvy down to this groovy little shop from Joensuu, Finland called Vaganza (“Nähdään myöhemmin, Brocious! Ylävitonen!”). We shared deep-dish. It was a necessary and productive gathering, and toward the end, we all drew straws to see who would provide the global summary of our talk. And, heh, wouldn’t you know it—EPIC Creative drew the short one.
Which is to say, please understand that we are simply the messengers here. Speaking on behalf of the entiiiiiiiiiiiiire industry. If anything we’re about to say upsets you, please don’t blame us, and most certainly don’t blame our VP of Business Development, Gail Burnside. She is innocent-ish in all of this.
You see, all of us got together to talk about you and your RFP.
And to make one simple request: Please include a budget in your RFP.
Now, we know our industry hasn’t done much to help our collective reputation as grifters and snake oil salesmen. And it may appear we’re just trying to see how much we can take. But hear us out, this request comes greatly to your benefit.
Apples to apples
First and arguably most important, providing a budget allows you to compare apples to apples, agency to agency. Considering the complex series of variables associated with an RFP—media mix, frequency, audience size, creative assets, etc.—providing agencies with a budget allows you to clearly see how much each agency can create given the spend. More specifically, you’ll see how far each agency can make your budget go. Even if you request an hourly rate, without a budget, you don’t have the ability to assess the level of effort behind, or efficiency of, each initiative. And while it’s not ideal for the agency, even providing a hypothetical budget will help you make a more educated decision between qualified firms.
Shooting in the dark…in a thunderstorm…in the woods…blindfolded
The RFP process should be intensely informative for you. Designed as a mechanism to not only learn about your potential partners but to look at audiences, strategies and tactics. It stands to reason that the best agency is the one that demonstrates they know you, your industry and your customers best. Without having a provided budget, agencies are going into the process blind. We’re forced to guess the magnitude of recommended strategies and tactics. Some shops will provide you with huge scopes and unreasonable budgets. Some agencies will hold back on tactics, assuming you can’t afford them. Ultimately, the time and energy spent developing the response may not be a plan you can actually use. The point is, when we’re informed by your budget, you can be assured our recommendations are actionable and rooted in reality. And while we may be betraying the trust of our peers saying it – this is what breeds the resentment agencies have toward the RFP process: we’ve spent time developing a robust response that may not be practical for you.
Fighting the fight for more for you
The right agency for you is the one that is both honest and transparent. If your budget is excessive, the right agency will come in under budget and often suggest additional tactics and strategies beyond your ask to use that remaining budget in service of your goals. If your budget is lean, the right agency will do their best to accomplish your ask within those limits but provide insights into how much increased funding it would take to assure success. And that’s valuable because you now have a tangible plan and rationale to take to your leadership to justify an increase in spend.
Time is [your] money
Lastly, perhaps the most obvious reason to provide a budget is it saves you time. If you’re as diligent about the RFP process as we are (and we know you are), then you read responses cover to cover. You endure hours of presentations and consternation surrounding who to call back for an in-depth discussion. Consider the time savings for you and your peers when you’re only engaged with ad agencies that are providing actionable solutions for your creative challenge.
That’s it. All in all, we (the collective we) feel like it’s a reasonable request.
And that’s where our obligation to all the world’s ad agencies ends – we said what we promised them we’d say. And no—it’s not a ruse or part of a secret plot to squander your marketing budgets. Just a mutually beneficial ask that helps ensure you find the best partner for your initiatives.
Thank you for your consideration.
Signed,
Literally all of the ad agencies ever.
Other RFP Tips and Tricks
Beyond providing your budget, here are a few other tips and tricks when it comes to getting the most out of your RFP efforts and the response:
Start with the basics
Your website undoubtedly offers a glimpse into who you are publicly – but don’t be afraid to share your perspective on the brand’s personality and changes.
Keep the language conversational
We hear it often from our customers: “Talking to you is the best part of my day.” To wit, keep the tone conversational; writing your RFP should be as fun as responding to it.
Share measurable goals and data
Undoubtedly, increased awareness, sales, and brand affinity are at the top of your list. But if you share with us what percentage you want sales increased, which audiences you’d like to align with, and where you hope to sell specifically, you’ll get more prescriptive, focused plans from proposing agencies.
Provide realistic timelines
We—EPIC, your existing agency, every agency, all of us—want to provide thoughtful, considered responses to your creative and marketing challenges. You’ve taken the time to find us, and we owe you the same courtesy. Depending on the scope, 3-4 weeks of lead time on an RFP deadline assures you’ll get our collective best.
