--- title: An RFP Just Arrived... description: An RFP Just Arrived... image: https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/dynamic-price-warning.png --- [![Holden Advisors](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/hubfs/Holdenadvisors_November2018%20Theme/Images/logo.jpg)](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/) - About - [Overview](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/) - [Core Values](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/core-values/) - [Leadership](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/leadership/) - [Partners](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/partners/) - [Careers](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/careers/) - [Solutions](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Sales](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Overview](https://go.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/improve-sales-performance) - [Negotiating With Backbone](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/negotiating-with-backbone/) - [Selling With Backbone](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/selling-with-backbone/) - [Coaching](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/coaching/) - [Pricing](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Overview](https://go.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/improve-pricing-performance) - [Audit](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/audit/) - [Analytics](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/analytics/) - [Value-Based Pricing](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/value-based-pricing/) - [Insights](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Blog](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/blog/) - [Video Series](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Pricing with Confidence](https://go.holdenadvisors.com/pricing-with-confidence) - [Publications](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Books](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/insights/publications/books/) - [White Papers](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/papers) - [Newsletter](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/newsletter) - [Case Studies](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/studies) - [Events, Webinars & Podcasts](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/insights/events-webinars-podcasts/) - [Reed’s Bookshelf](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/bookshelf) - [Contact](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/contact-us/) - About - [Overview](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/) - [Core Values](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/core-values/) - [Leadership](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/leadership/) - [Partners](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/partners/) - [Careers](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/careers/) - [Solutions](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Sales](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Overview](https://go.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/improve-sales-performance) - [Negotiating With Backbone](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/negotiating-with-backbone/) - [Selling With Backbone](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/selling-with-backbone/) - [Coaching](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/coaching/) - [Pricing](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Overview](https://go.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/improve-pricing-performance) - [Audit](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/audit/) - [Analytics](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/analytics/) - [Value-Based Pricing](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/value-based-pricing/) - [Insights](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Blog](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/blog/) - [Video Series](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Pricing with Confidence](https://go.holdenadvisors.com/pricing-with-confidence) - [Publications](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/#) - [Books](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/insights/publications/books/) - [White Papers](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/papers) - [Newsletter](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/newsletter) - [Case Studies](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/studies) - [Events, Webinars & Podcasts](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/insights/events-webinars-podcasts/) - [Reed’s Bookshelf](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/bookshelf) - [Contact](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/contact-us/) # Holden Advisors Blog # An RFP Just Arrived... Posted by [David Broadbent](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/author/david-broadbent) on Sep 20, 2017 12:49:53 AM ![David Broadbent](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/hubfs/David%20Broadbent.jpg) Find me on: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcbroadbent/) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) **An RFP Just Arrived…** An RFP just arrived in your email. No, you were not expecting this RFP: it came out of the blue.  It could have come from that company, that organization, or that agency you have approached time and again. You might have already been doing business or never worked with them at all. That does not matter, this time *they* approached **you**. That’s feels great! Ok, how great does it feel? Does it excite you? Does it fill your heart with joy? Are you ready to race up and down the halls? Or is your reaction a little more measured? Maybe it’s not that great a piece of business? Well, either way, it's time to do your homework: qualify the business. Ask yourself “What information do we need to know before pursuing the business?” Start by asking who sent you the RFP. If it came from Procurement or strategic sourcing, an unsolicited RFP could mean several things. Have you done business with this customer before? Do you have a relationship with the decision-maker? If you answered no to either question, responding to this RFP may be waste of your time and resources. Save your energy, just walk away. Yet if it came from your champion in the customer organization, an unsolicited RFP could mean a new opportunity. Yes, be happy! But, you still need qualify the business a bit more. So, take a deep dive into the RFP. Decompile the key details of the bid: scope, requested products or services, quantities, deliverables, timeline, terms and conditions, and buying criteria. Then ask yourself these important questions: - Is this opportunity worth the investment to pursue? - How do we stack up to the buying criteria against the competition? - What is the decision-making process and timeline? - Where is the customer in their decision process (early, mid, late)? - Has budget been established and who owns it?  Do I have a business relationship with this person? Working through these questions will give you essential insights. Pay attention to what information is missing or what answers you still need. If you have more questions than answers, then take the time to fill in the blanks before investing time and resources in a formal proposal. And if it doesn’t feel right, it’s better to walk away. There may be a better way to invest your team’s time. Happy hunting!     Topics: [Negotiating with Backbone](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/negotiating-with-backbone), [Newsletter](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/newsletter), [Selling with Confidence](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence) ### **Search the Holden Advisors Blog:** This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ### Subscribe Below: ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Tag - [Pricing with Confidence (68)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/pricing-with-confidence) - [Negotiating with Backbone (63)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/negotiating-with-backbone) - [Selling with Confidence (43)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-confidence) - [Newsletter (41)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/newsletter) - [Uncovering your Value (26)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/uncovering-your-value) - [Celebrating 10 Years of Pricing with Confidence (12)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/celebrating-10-years-of-pricing-with-confidence) - [value selling (9)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/value-selling) - [Selling with Backbone (8)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/selling-with-backbone) - [value (8)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/value) - [pricing (6)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/pricing) - [Commercial Transformation (5)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/commercial-transformation) - [Setting Price (4)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/setting-price) - [customer experience (4)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/customer-experience) - [actionable insights (3)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/actionable-insights) - [procurement (3)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/procurement) - [sales (3)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/sales) - [Pricing Strategy (2)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/pricing-strategy) - [big data (2)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/big-data) - [buying center (2)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/buying-center) - [customer loyalty (2)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/customer-loyalty) - [pricing metrics (2)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/pricing-metrics) - [winning proposal (2)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/winning-proposal) - [Driving Accountability (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/driving-accountability) - [Silos (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/silos) - [b2b pricing (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/b2b-pricing) - [bundling (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/bundling) - [gatekeeper (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/gatekeeper) - [jump the shark (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/jump-the-shark) - [on demand (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/on-demand) - [peloton (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/peloton) - [pricing models (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/pricing-models) - [product portfolio (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/product-portfolio) - [rabbit (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/rabbit) - [revenue (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/revenue) - [rolling stone (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/rolling-stone) - [subscription (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/subscription) - [tidying up (1)](https://blog.holdenadvisors.com/tag/tidying-up) See all ### Newsletter and Blog ### About Us Holden Advisors are experts in the pricing and sales performance development space.  We help our clients take control of their differential value and use it to transform their business. ## [Learn More](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/negotiation-value-pricing-consultants/) - Quick Links - [Contact](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/contact-us/) - [About](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/about/overview/) - [Blog](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/blog/) - [Books](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/insights/publications/books/) - [Case Studies](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/studies) - [Negotiating With Backbone](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/sales/negotiating-with-backbone/) - [Value-Based Pricing](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/solutions/pricing/value-based-pricing/) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/privacy-policy/) - [Home](https://www.holdenadvisors.com/) Copyright © 2018 Holden Advisors. 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