The reason why this is a challenge:

• The magazine also reaches tech staff, so we don’t the article to be over-simplified.
• It’s hard to differentiate the product without covering some of the inner-workings of the technology.
• CEOs want to get to the bottom line, as quickly as possible, without having to read an entire article.

By featuring real people’s experiences with the technology, we can let them share in their own words the big picture benefits and advantages to a tech product. We also often gather the feedback of senior leaders about industry or company issues or pain points that the product addresses or solves.

To me, the key is to tell a story… show the problem, discuss the journey the company went on to solve it, and share honestly any areas that still under progress or need improvement. If a technical point or process needs to be outlined, it is best to pull that information into a sidebar or pull-out box so it doesn’t bog the article.

I am also looking forward to the day when it is easy to pair audio or video with a magazine article so that another dimension can be added for maximum impact.

We could have presented this same information in a number of different ways, but by using video, the viewer is drawn into the story and can be really touched by the important role of foster parents. After interviewing the parents and working with those involved with various agencies… I learned so much. Now I recommend that friends, family and business associates consider foster parenting because you really can change a life.

Check out the video. I know you will enjoy it.

It has been very interesting because I’m teaching about topics and work that I’ve done for years, yet I find it can be challenging to find the best way to describe those activities that have become second nature. So that is definitely one of the benefits I am gaining from teaching, learning how to explain what it is that I do… now I hope we can translate that into our business.

It’s also been fun because I’ve been focused on communication strategies, and it’s wonderful to be able to examine issues from a mile-high view without real life deadlines clouding the view.

What we learned

The most valuable thing that any company learns from an RFP proposal and presentation is how to describe what it is you do and why you are different from the competition. The client is choosing the book by its cover, so that first impression is very important. This is a process that is very time consuming, but valuable. However, when you already have plenty of work to do, like us, the value gets a bit clouded by other priorities. Time is money… and RFPs are a gamble that only pays off if you get the project.

What is frustrating

Because an RFP process is driven by appearances, it’s more about talking and impressions than about successful delivery of the finished product. I’ve been on the other side of the table several times, selecting vendors as part of a group or committee. What I found in each case was that although I was satisfied at the time of selection with the vendor, none of them lived up to their sales pitch. Overall, I’ve had a much better experience selecting vendors based off of recommendations without an extensive RFP process. But for some reason, boards and committees feel like they’ve done their due diligence if they’ve sat through an hour or two of presentations by various vendors. I’m always surprised that these processes are driven more by portfolio than by testimonial.

Do RFPs work?

The question I pose is this: if a company is really good at winning RFPs, is it because they aren’t good at retaining clients? From a customer perspective, are you getting the best vendors through this process?

Regardless if we ever choose to participate in an RFP again, as I begin teaching an adjunct master’s course in the spring, I look forward to learning how to better explain our profession and the value we bring to customers. I want to be able to explain what I do better every year!