As the name suggests, an event request for proposal is a crucial proposal that is important for every event planner. It outlines your needs, expectations, and attraction of the ideal vendors, which in turn leads to the success of your event. However, if your event RFP is not working as you expected, it means there is a glitch in it.
With this in mind, we bring to you this piece of blog content, wherein we explore why your event request for proposal might not work and how to make it work along with some bonus content that will help you get your event the value it deserves.
What Is An Event RFP?
It is a formal proposal and document that is used to ask for proposals from vendors, dealers, and service providers concerning your event and its functioning. Your event request for a proposal outlines what you require for your event, such as budget, services, technology, and timelines. Whatever your event may be from a trade show, conference, or exhibition to a mass festival, an event RFP enables you to reach out and get vendors who can match your requirements and needs.
For instance, if you’re looking for an event ticketing platform, your RFP should specify requirements like ticketing capacity, integration with an event mobile app, and customer support. Similarly, if you need event check-in and badging solutions, your RFP should detail the technology or features you’re looking for.
Why Your Event RFP Isn’t Working
Sometimes even though you put in your best in formulating an event RFP, it might not work in giving back good-quality proposals or getting the vendors according to your event needs. Let’s know why:
1. Absence Of Clarity
A shortage of clarity in your event request for proposal can directly lead to miscommunication and irrelevant proposals. Vendors/dealers need specific, in-depth information to understand your requirements completely. For instance:
- Mention if you wish for a mobile event application or a completely unified ticketing solution.
- Avoid redundant statements like “advanced check-in technology” without defining or specifying what that means or requests (e.g., fast check-in, real-time updates, VR).
- List out metrics or results you expect following your event goals or objectives, such as the capacity for processing 1,000 tickets per hour or unification with an existing event ticketing platform.
Specificity ensures vendors don’t waste time or get confused guessing your needs and can submit proposals that sync with your event goals and needs.
2. Generic Content
One-size-fits-all templates might save time, but they can severely shorten the effectiveness of your Event RFP. Dealers and vendors look for specific or detailed cues that show you’ve thought thoroughly about your event’s unique requirements. Avoid the following:
- Learn to reuse other materials but not RFP templates, at least without customization and clear-cut mentions.
- Failing to describe your event’s unique aspects, such as location-specific needs or specialized audience requirements.
Never fail or miss to highlight and define your event’s unique points, for instance, there could be some special location-specific requirements or some audience requirements.
- Ignoring vendor-specific strengths—for example, not mentioning advanced features like gamification in a mobile event application if that’s what you want.
A customized event RFP communicates the distinctiveness of your event and motivates vendors to propose innovative, relevant solutions.
3. Missing Key Details
When generating your event request for a proposal, much of the necessary information or details gets missed or overlooked which can lead to a time-wasting and frustration-inducing back-and-forth b/w you and the dealer/vendor. To avoid this:
- Budget Ranges: Make sure you describe and specify your financial boundaries to get the most fitting proposal from the vendors for your event.
- Timelines: Distinctly mention submission deadlines, trial dates, and event phases for implementation. For example, make sure to highlight that you require a full-fledged event ticketing platform within two months.
- Technical Requirements: List down integrations with other tools, such as event check-in and badging solutions or existing CRM systems.
4. Ignoring the Vendor’s Perspective
A common pain point that vendors and dealers face is that the event RFPs they get are laced with no thought or consideration of their time. This automatically discourages them and leads to the rejection of partnerships. What to do instead is:
- Ease the Process: Refrain from giving unnecessary and too many descriptive sections that can make responding confusing and difficult, try sticking to your main points with brief descriptions.
- Provide Context: Make your vendors understand why you require what you desire for your event and its management. For instance, highlight the importance and benefit of how a mobile event application will boost attendee engagement for your event.
- Request Feedback: Be open to vendors’ solutions and politely request their feedback as well, as you never know what might just click on you and be beneficial for your event goals.
How to Fix Your Event RFP
To create a more solid event request for proposal, go through these steps:
1. Clearly Define Objectives and Needs
- Always give a clear description of your event like its purpose, audience, goals, etc. from the get-go of your event RFP.
- Next, mark and define the event tech and metrics you need and expect respectively, such as a mobile event application for real-time updates and analytics or easy check-in and badging solutions, etc.
- Jot down the top-priority features you require for your event regarding the logistics or tech. For example, easy, efficient, and pain-free event check-in and badging processes.
2. Customize Your Event RFP for Each Vendor
- As discussed earlier, withhold from making use of general templates when calling out to vendors and dealers for your event needs.
- For example, if you’re reaching out to vendors for an event ticketing platform, make points of your specific requirements, such as multi-tier pricing, analytics capabilities, etc.
- If you need a mobile event application, then state your need or reasons for why you want it exactly. For instance, you could require an event app for features like push notifications, schedule management, attendee networking, etc.
3. Provide Comprehensive Details
Include a complete overview of your event, along with the following details:
- Budget: Provide a range to help vendors propose realistic and practical solutions.
- Timeline: Outline deadlines for proposal submissions, vendor selection, and execution phase.
- Technical Requirements: Mention integrations needed with other systems, such as your event ticketing platform or event check-in and badging software.
Conclusion
With this, we have covered everything you should know and implement when formulating your event RFP. By following what we have mentioned above you can easily get the proposals you desire and start working on ensuring your event’s success. Start revising your Event RFP today to secure the best vendors and set your event up for excellence.