Why You Should Ignore that RFP

Recently, I asked some consultants if any of them had found responding to RFPs a productive way to land client work. As I expected, no one raised a hand. When I ask clients if they think RFPs are effective, I get a similar response. If clients and consultants agree that RFPs don't really work, why are we still using them?

When an RFP landed in my email box last week, it reminded me why I don't respond to them. You've probably seen one like it: a sloppy mashup of previous RFPs, long on boilerplate and short on substance. And the rules for complying with the RFP were about as easy to read as a credit card contract.

I'd like to see more consultants and clients swear off RFPs once and for all.

Before you write to tell me that you must respond to RFPs because your business depends on it, I do understand. Some practices, especially those that focus on the public sector, for example, are stuck with the RFP process. It's simply the way those clients buy services—at least for now. Not every firm can totally ignore RFPs, but more firms should.

And if you want to tell me that the only way for clients to objectively evaluate outside service providers rests with an RFP, we'll have to agree to disagree.