Writing A Digital Marketing RFP

The Ultimate Guide to
Finding a Great Agency


From writing the request for proposal to organizing the agency pitch presentations, this guide covers everything you need to know to find the best digital marketing agency for your needs.

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Digital Marketing RFP Guide | Find A Digital Marketing Agency

The process of putting together a request for proposal (RFP) is painful and risky.

Whether you're a midsize company searching for your first digital agency or a larger organization looking to add to your agency roster, finding the right partner is complicated. The search process itself is often no less complicated or time-consuming.

Here's what makes the RFP process difficult.

No one has "extra" time for a project like this. Coordinating multiple stakeholders and their varying opinions feels impossible. Organizing the review and scorecard process becomes its own project. You might not have a clear idea of your marketing goals or what you actually need from an agency. The whole thing might not be grounded in reality when it comes to culture, data, budget, or internal regulations.

And there's risk. What if you spend all this time and pick the wrong one?

From the agency side, we've seen a range of RFPs from very good to incredibly bad. We developed this guide to deliver real value and share best practices for getting the most from the digital agency RFP.

Writing a great RFP and running a well-thought-out selection process can mean the difference between great success and total disaster. Not just for your brand's marketing, but for your career.

This guide applies to RFPs for a variety of digital marketing projects, whether it's email marketing, website design and development, social media marketing, digital strategy, or full-service partnerships.

Here's what we'll be covering:

What is a RFP?

A request for proposal (RFP) is a written document that outlines the criteria a company sets out for agencies to respond to and bid against.

That's pretty much where the commonality ends.

Some RFPs include dozens of very specific questions. Others focus more on understanding the agency approach or on requesting creative work (spec work). The stakeholder or group that owns the RFP varies too. Some RFPs are handled by procurement departments. Others are managed by a marketing department or a senior marketing role. Some companies put together an agency search committee with members from different departments.

Bad RFPs provide little information about the objective of the project. This leads to agency responses that miss the mark and waste everyone's time. It's important to know what details you need to provide and what information you need to make the best decision for your brand.

Here's a common example of missing or incomplete information.

The company issuing the RFP withholds any budget parameters to help set the scope. Many believe that if they disclose their budget, agencies will come back and say they need it all, and by withholding a budget number, there's a chance the agency will come in under what you've reserved.

Seems like a weird way to build a trusting relationship, right?

Writing a clear RFP that includes budget guidelines allows agencies to understand your needs completely. You'll get higher-quality responses and greater accuracy on strategies and tactics that will affect scope and budget. A well-planned approach also helps streamline the agency selection process and improves your chances of the best possible outcome.

Check out our post on How to Develop Marketing KPIs That Actually Matter

What is the difference between an RFP, RFI, and RFQ?

One way you can tell the agency search process is painful is that it comes with plenty of acronyms.

We've discussed what a request for proposal (RFP) is. You may also hear about a request for quotation (RFQ) and a request for information (RFI).

Deciding which one to use depends on what you're looking for from your selected agencies and what selection process you've determined is best for you.

A RFI is to educate. If you aren't sure what you need or what agencies to reach out to, an RFI allows you to inquire about an agency's capabilities before a formal RFP is issued.

A RFQ is to quantify. If you're confident you know what agencies offer and you know what you want (and can clearly communicate it), an RFQ lets you jump straight to pricing.

A RFP is to compare approaches. RFPs allow for a broader set of questions and more creativity, so you can get a better sense of each agency's approach and whether they'd be a great fit for your brand and team.

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Agency Selection Scorecard

Get our RFP scorecard to use as a guide during the agency pitch process.

A well-managed RFP process is critically important

The best way to ensure a successful agency search is through solid planning at the start.

By putting in the internal legwork first, you can identify the needs and wants of your internal stakeholders, clarify your marketing objectives, and document the criteria you'll use to judge agency RFP responses.

Here are some things to consider while planning your RFP.

Is It a Real Project?

Some companies make the mistake of distributing an RFP to see what's out there, get free creative work, or do it without securing internal buy-in that an RFP is the right move.

This tends to be an incredible waste of time for both your team and the agencies you reach out to. It puts a significant drain on agency resources, which means missed revenue, lowered morale, and damage to your company's reputation.

In fact, articles have been written about the increase in "ghosting" agencies after an RFP has been issued.

Bottom line, it's just not a very nice thing to do.

It's Real, But Not Well Defined

If you must issue something for research purposes, consider an RFI or RFQ instead.

At the research stage in your RFP process, you're dealing with details that are highly likely to shift as you get new information. If that's the case, you may end up having to start the whole process over with a new RFP that better reflects your more defined needs.

It would be pretty awkward to send an entirely new RFP to the same agencies.

You and your team are the best people to define your needs and what is most important in an agency partner. Don't lose control of that by issuing an RFP that prompts agencies to make a lot of assumptions.

A little homework goes a long way to ensure a successful search. Develop a good understanding of your project by contacting agencies for informal discussions or by asking your contacts and colleagues for their advice. A solid understanding of these factors will help you prioritize needs and define a budget range that you'll be comfortable with, and comfortable sharing with your prospective agency partners right from the start.

The Nature of Spec Work

If you are seeking big, creative ideas from prospective digital agencies as part of your evaluation process, you need to establish the ownership position for what is presented.

Digital agencies sell ideas illustrated through creative designs and copywriting. As agencies, we're happy to demonstrate our strategic thinking and creative execution if there's an opportunity to win a new client.

It's an important part of the relationship and ensuring you've found the right fit. However, developing specific ideas and recommendations to address your marketing challenges can be a significant amount of work for which the agency has no guarantee of compensation.

Don't be surprised if some agencies require you to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to protect any intellectual property. You may also want to consider a mutual NDA to protect any information you provide to the agency during the RFP process.

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How to Set a Realistic Budget

Before you write your RFP, you need to establish a budget range. Failing to provide budget guidance to agencies is one of the biggest mistakes we see.

Start With Business Goals

What are you trying to accomplish? A full website redesign and rebuild requires a different level of investment than an email marketing campaign.

Be specific about what success looks like. If you need to increase qualified leads by 40%, you will need different efforts and resources than those required to maintain current performance.

Consider These Budget Benchmarks

Most companies allocate between 5-10% of revenue to marketing. Within that, digital marketing typically represents 45-55% of the total marketing budget. Website projects for mid-market companies typically range from $50,000 to $250,000, depending on complexity and functionality.

Ongoing digital marketing retainers for full-service work typically start at $10,000-$15,000 per month for mid-market companies.

These are guidelines, not rules. Your situation may require more or less.

Factor in Hidden Costs

Agency fees are just one part of the total investment. You'll also need to account for:

Stock photography or custom photography. Premium software or platform licenses. Third-party integrations. Paid media budget (separate from the agency's management fees). Internal resources and time.

Give Agencies a Range

Provide a budget range rather than a single number. For example, "$75,000 to $100,000" provides agencies with flexibility to propose solutions that align with different investment levels.

If an agency comes back significantly over or under your range, that's valuable information. They might see complexity you missed, or they might not understand the scope.

What to Do If You Don't Know

If you genuinely don't know what a realistic budget should be, say that in your RFP. Ask agencies to provide tiered proposals with different investment levels. Most agencies would rather help you understand the investment required than waste time building proposals for a budget that doesn't exist.

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The RFP Process From Beginning To End

Here's an example of the RFP process to help you think through it and prepare for your digital agency RFP.

  • Establish Selection Committee & Decision Criteria
  • Finalize Schedule of Events
  • Compose your RFP
  • Develop Initial Target List of Agencies
  • Create The RFP Schedule
    • Initial RFP Announcement/Send
    • Question & Answer Period
    • Submission Deadline
    • First Round Proposal Review
    • Narrow Down to Finalists
    • Agency Finalists In-Person Review
    • Selection of Agency
    • Final Contract Negotiation

Writing Your Digital Agency RFP

Every company is different, with unique needs, culture, and personalities. Your needs may vary, but here's a list to consider including in your RFP to ensure it's complete and the responses you receive are valuable.

Background on Your Organization

What are the relevant details about your company that would provide context for your needs and the RFP assignment?

The more complex your search, the more information you'll need to provide to increase your chances of receiving valuable responses. You may want to include information on recent events or initiatives that have worked or not worked to provide high-level insight into your challenge.

Primary Point-of-Contact

Designate a single point of contact for agencies to reach with questions. Expect agencies to reach out to this person to establish an initial rapport.

Maintaining open communication throughout the RFP is important, but it can be easily exploited if not managed. You don't want to distribute information to agencies unevenly. Not only is this unfair to the agencies, but it will also impact the responses you receive, making comparison difficult.

Schedule for the RFP Process

Provide a clear schedule of events and deadlines for the entire process.

Give agencies and your internal team plenty of time to perform the work necessary to meet the needs of your RFP. Be realistic and considerate based on your needs. Fast responses are rarely the best responses.

Don't forget deadlines internally as well. Depending on the project's complexity and the number of internal reviewers, a typical RFP can range from 2-3 weeks to 2-3 months. Consider any holidays or industry events where your team may be unavailable or distracted.

An Example RFP Schedule:

  • Day 1: RFP Announced/Sent
  • Day 4: Deadline to RSVP for participation
  • Day 8-11: Conference calls with agencies to discuss RFP and/or Q&A period
  • Day 22: Deadline for agencies to submit proposals
  • Day 28: Selection of finalists
  • Day 40-45: Agency finalist presentations
  • Day 50: Final agency selected
  • Target start date 

Criteria for Selecting an Agency

Set aside time at the start of your search to define what is most important to your organization in making a decision.

This ensures each agency is aligned with your needs, allowing you to make a more direct side-by-side comparison. Your defined criteria will help keep each member of your selection committee (if you have one) on the same page.

Communicate your criteria to the agencies as well. You're looking for an agency that can meet your needs, not running a weird game show. There's no sense in hiding what's important to you. Besides, you'd be amazed at how many agencies don't follow instructions anyway, making the decision easier for you.

Basic Summary of the Project / Initiative

Summarize the overall project and the most important points. Include overarching goals, drivers, key performance indicators, and timelines.

Check out our post on How to Develop Marketing KPIs That Actually Matter

Project's Target Market / Users

Depending on the nature of the RFP, the type of audience data needed may vary. Consider sharing the following:

  • Types of users (customers, prospects, investors, job seekers, etc.)

  • Personas (demographic, geographic, behavioral, psychographic)

  • Size of the overall audience/user base (current and projected)

  • Other relevant characteristics, such as associated technologies and usage patterns.

Detailed Overview of the Project

The more insight and relevant information you provide about the specifics of your project, the better equipped agencies will be to respond intelligently with ideas and solutions that are properly aligned with your business and goals.

The details you provide depend on whether this RFP focuses on a tactical project or a higher-level need, such as strategy development, which in turn will drive several other initiatives.

Consider this question. Do you have all the "big ideas" and overarching strategy in place, and you are just looking for help on tactical implementation? Are you looking for creative ideas and "out of the box" thinking to ultimately define and map ways to achieve your business goals?

Even if you think you have the correct strategy in place, it's worth staying open-minded in your RFP to gain a true sense of how each agency thinks. A good digital agency should be able to provide additional perspective and fresh ideas you may not have considered.

Be sure to leave room for strategic suggestions and, if possible, for creative "big ideas" on the business's overarching strategy.

What to Include in Your Project Overview

  • Primary goal. What are you actually trying to accomplish? What is the one thing, above all else, that you are trying to achieve?

  • Secondary goals. What are the supporting goals and secondary benefits you expect?

  • Budget. Provide at least a ballpark budget range. Providing a budget helps ensure you and the participating agencies are aligned and a good fit for each other. Don't worry about getting an inflated quote just because you've stated a budget. Agencies know they're competing for your business, so it should be easy to see who's providing value versus charging inflated costs.

  • General Scope. Provide participating agencies with guidelines on what you're looking for, but remain flexible to allow input on new and innovative ideas. Be clear on what is a "need to have" versus a "nice to have."

  • Time Frame. Is there a hard deadline for the project or initiative? Are there any other time-based milestones you must meet (e.g., product launch, trade show)?

  • Business Requirements. What kind of business rules must be observed for the project? Are there specific legal issues or regulations that must be observed?

  • Creative/Design Requirements. Are there specific design requirements that must be considered? Logo and brand guidelines? Specific ad creative parameters? How should a site or application look and feel? Does it align with existing marketing programs? Could you share examples of what you like and what you dislike?

  • Functional & Technical Requirements. What sort of functionality do you see as being necessary to achieve the business goals of the project? Is there a content management system (CMS), a marketing automation platform, or a special application that is a must-use?

  • Content Development Needs. Do you have an overall content strategy in place, or do you need assistance creating a content strategy and execution plan? Where will content such as text, imagery, and video come from? Does it already exist, or will the agency need to develop it?

  • Your Preferred Working Relationship. What do you envision as your optimal working relationship with your selected agency? Do you have a preference for team structure? Any preferences, requirements, or restrictions for outsourcing or subcontracting? Are you involved with other departments, agencies, or third parties that the agency will need to work with directly upon hire?

  • Ongoing Support and Maintenance. What ongoing support do you anticipate needing? If you are unsure, describe your current resources and ask that the agency provide suggestions based on their proposed solution.

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Agency Selection Scorecard

Get our RFP scorecard to use as a guide during the agency pitch process.

What Information To Request from Agencies

Any digital agency responding to your RFP should aim to keep its responses clear, concise, and easy to understand.

Those who do not indicate are sending a signal that they may not be the right fit for you or this project. If you receive an RFP response that is poorly written, overly technical, or doesn't address your questions, it's a safe bet you can expect more of the same if you were to begin working together.

That said, it's your responsibility not to request more information than necessary to make your decision. Know what really matters to you, and focus on questions that will provide that information.

Agency Information

Ask for information that will give you a good understanding of who the agency is, what types of services they offer, the type of talent and resources they have access to, and their ability to handle your project within the necessary time frame.

Be wary of agencies that list a long list of services but have only real work examples demonstrating their ability to deliver on a subset of them. If parts of your project will be subcontracted to other sources, request this information upfront to avoid surprises.

Consider asking for the following information:

  • Company background and history

  • Company size (bigger is not always better if you don't want to be a small fish in a big pond)

  • What percentage of their overall business is digital marketing, web development, etc. (whatever is specific to your project)

  • Overview of services and capabilities

  • Management and key team member bios

  • Contact information for the primary agency point of contact

Agency's Proposed Solution

You didn't ask for a company resume (as we now know, that would be an RFI). The majority of the agency's response should focus on you and their approach to the challenge you've outlined.

This will enable you to determine the level of understanding the agency has for your brand, project, culture, and their ability to help you succeed.

  • Summary of proposed solution. An ability to demonstrate a clear understanding of what you are looking for, how they would approach it, and why they believe their approach is best and will work.

  • Solution methodology. What is the agency's process for approaching and developing the solution? How will they manage the agency/client relationship throughout the process?

  • Action plan. How will they partner and collaborate with you and your team? What project management processes do they have in place, and how will your team be involved? Who will make up your core team?

  • Schedule of tasks. What are the expected tasks to be performed, and what does a schedule look like? Ensure the agency lists all required steps from beginning to end and includes them in the final proposal.

  • Timeline. Does the agency timeline reflect your own? Is it realistic? Does it leave enough room for internal reviews? Is there room for contingencies?

  • Details on the proposed solution. The agency should be clear on how its solution meets your business requirements and achieves your stated goals.

  • Strategy and original ideas. Do they demonstrate an ability to develop thoughtful, strategic approaches and creative ideas to help you achieve your goals? Does their design work make you feel excited about working with them?

  • Features and functionality. Are you getting what you need to meet your business requirements? Is the agency meeting the minimum required to meet your needs, or is it going above and beyond to add value?

  • Options and add-ons. Does the agency think beyond the stated assignment? These could include "nice to haves" outside your scope or budget, but are significant because of their strategic fit with the challenge you outlined.

  • Technical requirements. Does the agency's solution include any new or special technical requirements you will have to accommodate? If so, has this been factored into the timeline and proposal?

  • Proposed budget. A proposed budget is often the best estimate for the cost of your project. During the project, information or requirements may arise that affect the scope. Once you've selected an agency and are able to fully engage in a discussion around requirements, preferences, and next steps, the budget will begin to become clearer.

    This doesn't mean your new agency should bait-and-switch. Instead, you should insist they "show their work," allowing you to understand their budgeting process to set your expectations.

    Look for information on how costs are broken down, what the terms will be, what is billed as extra (travel, expenses, hard costs), and the rate you will be billed for any additional work.

  • Support and maintenance. If applicable, how will the agency stand behind its work? Is there a break-fix period? If so, what is covered within that versus being considered new work?

  • Ownership. There should be a clear explanation of what work product you will own and what you want. Are there any intellectual property (IP) considerations on either side? For web and app development projects, will you retain full ownership of the source code, or will you have a limited license?

  • Agency references. Ask for contact information for two to three client references you can reach directly. During your conversations with their clients, you'll want to ask about their working style, as well as any questions specific to your project, and the required experience your agency should have.

An interesting question that may elicit interesting feedback is: "What advice can you give me for working with the agency?"

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How to Manage the Agency Pitch Process

Developing a great RFP is only half the battle. Once your RFP is completed, it's time to begin the agency review process.

Additional preparation is required before sending your RFP, so having a plan in place from the start will make the process much easier for everyone involved.

The General Components of the Agency Selection Process: 

  • Create Selection Committee & Decision Criteria

  • Finalize Schedule of Events

  • Completion of an RFP

  • Create Initial Target List of Agencies

  • Initial RFP Announcement/Send

  • Submission Deadline

  • First-round Proposal Review

  • Narrow Down to Finalists

  • Agency Finalists Review

  • Selection of Agency

  • Final Contract Negotiation

Selection Committee

The first question to ask is whether a selection committee is necessary. Based on your size of project and organization, you may be the only decision-maker needed.

More often, however, your selected agency will need sign-off from several decision-makers across your organization to ensure the agency you award the work to is the best fit.

Who in your company will participate in the process of finding your next agency? Generally, selection committees range from a few key decision-makers to about 10 people, depending on the organization's culture and the number of departments that will work with the agency (e.g., sales, IT).

Whatever size works best for you, it's important that your committee feels empowered to make a decision for the organization and that there aren't too many "cooks in the kitchen" that would prevent a confident decision.

Don't discount the value of other people in your organization who may have gone through an RFP process at a previous job. Leverage the talent available within your organization, even if it's only on an advisory basis. However, keep your group small to avoid over-complicating the decision-making process.

Pre-Define Selection Criteria

Before doing anything, it's important to define and agree on what matters to you in an agency partner upfront. In this guide, we've provided recommended criteria for evaluation, but this is a guide only; it's important that you define a criterion uniquely suited to your organization and its needs. The criteria you define should be documented and used throughout the process to ensure you stay focused on your strategic needs and are not distracted by a single, fun campaign design or cool execution. It's important to evaluate agencies using the same criteria.

Agency Scorecard

Many organizations find that establishing a scoring system based on their pre-defined decision criteria is a helpful way to collect input from the selection committee.

These scorecards allow committee members to gauge where each agency response falls among your criteria. Were your RFP requirements and questions addressed? How strong was the agency's approach to the problem you set before them? Did they provide a rationale for their decision-making? Was the creative unique to your category?

Although scoring will be based on each committee member's opinion, a defined approach will help reduce subjectivity in evaluating agencies and keep everyone focused.

That said, it's important to reiterate that you're looking for a partner, so your decision should not be purely analytical. If you really connect with an agency and feel they are a good fit for you, even if they score lower on some criteria, they may be the one to choose.

Finalize a Schedule

Determine the schedule and necessary participation of agencies and your internal selection committee. There are several factors to consider when trying to devise a workable schedule.

Ensure there is enough time allowed for thoughtful responses to your RFP, as well as thoughtful review and consideration from your selection committee.

  • Set a Project Timeline. Do you have specific date, event, or timeline goals that you must meet? For example, does the project have a completion date based on a trade show or product launch? If a calendar-based milestone is driving your project, be sure to factor it into your schedule.

  • Availability of Committee Members. Confirm that your RFP selection committee will be available to properly review each proposal and attend the necessary meetings and agency presentations. Equally important is the understanding that if they're unable to participate, they may lose their vote.

  • Providing Enough Time for Agencies. This may sound obvious, but consider how much time agencies will need to review your RFP and provide well-thought-out responses.

Timing may vary greatly based on the complexity of your RFP. If you don't have a clear sense of the required timing, ask the agencies what they consider fair, or reach out to a colleague with prior experience for insight.

Typically, agencies will require 2-3 weeks to prepare an RFP response that includes creative. However, consider your internal schedules as well. If more time is allowed, your responses will be better.

Completion of an RFP

We've already discussed the elements of a great RFP in detail. But one important thing to reiterate here is that while your selection committee should review and sign off on the RFP, you should avoid writing the RFP by committee, as it may not get done, or done well, that way.

Initial Target Pool of Agencies

Determine a list of agencies that will receive your RFP and collect their contact information. Resist the urge to send your RFP to every agency you think of. Instead, do some upfront work to identify a pool of agencies that reflects the number of proposals you believe you can effectively review and handle.

We recommend scheduling a brief intro call with each agency you're considering and including it in your RFP. Not only is this a good check before officially inviting them to participate, but it can also reveal a conflict of interest that will save you time and effort.

Remember that the more agencies you include in your RFP, the more calls, meetings, and time are required to make your decision.

Consider including a mix of large and small firms, based on your needs, as well as local and outside-area firms. Remember that proximity to your office is not a measure of talent or an indication of how the agency can meet your needs.

These days, especially with digital agencies, location is less of an issue for most, so don't limit yourself and risk missing a great agency fit.

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Red Flags to Watch For in Agency Responses

Not all agency responses are created equal. Here are warning signs that should make you think twice.

Vague or Cookie-Cutter Proposals

If an agency's response could apply to any company in any industry, they didn't do their homework. Generic proposals that don't reference your specific challenges, goals, or industry context suggest the agency isn't invested in understanding your business.

Watch for proposals that feel like they were written by filling in templates with your company name.

Overpromising on Timeline or Results

Be skeptical of agencies that promise significantly faster timelines than others or guarantee specific results. "We'll increase your leads by 300% in 90 days" sounds great, but it's rarely realistic.

Good agencies will explain their process, set realistic expectations, and be honest about variables outside their control.

No Questions Asked

If an agency doesn't ask clarifying questions during the RFP process, that's a red flag. Every project has nuances that need discussion. Agencies that don't ask questions either aren't paying attention or are making assumptions that will cause problems later.

Budget Breakdown is Missing or Vague

If an agency provides a total cost without showing how they arrived at it, you have no way to evaluate value or understand trade-offs. Good agencies break down their pricing by phase, task, or deliverable so you understand what you're paying for.

Vague line items, such as "creative development - $25,000," without details on what that includes, should raise concerns.

The Team You Meet Isn't the Team You Get

Some agencies bring in senior people for the pitch who won't actually work on your account. Ask specifically who will be on your team day-to-day and request to meet them during the pitch process.

If the agency is evasive about this, you're likely to experience a bait-and-switch after the contract is signed.

No Discussion of Challenges or Risks

You wouldn't marry someone without having some uncomfortable conversations first. Your agency relationship should be no different.

Any complex project has potential challenges. An agency that presents everything as smooth sailing either hasn't thought it through or isn't being honest with you.

Good agencies identify potential risks and explain how they'll mitigate them.

They Don't Seem to Like Each Other

Pay attention to how agency team members interact during presentations. If there's tension, talking over each other, or subtle jabs, that dysfunction will affect your project.

You want a team that genuinely works well together.

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After You Select an Agency

Selecting an agency is just the beginning. The first 90 days of your relationship set the tone for everything that follows.

Contract Negotiation

Don't rush this step. Key items to address include:

  • Scope of work and what's included versus what's considered additional.

  • Payment terms and schedule.

  • Ownership of work product and intellectual property.

  • Termination clauses and notice periods.

  • Performance expectations and how success will be measured.

  • Confidentiality and non-disclosure terms.

Have your legal team review the contract, but don't let them create unnecessary friction. The goal is protection, not paranoia.

Onboarding Your Agency

The agency needs access to information, tools, and people to do good work. Plan for this upfront.

Provide access to brand guidelines, previous campaign results, and relevant data. Introduce key stakeholders and explain their roles. Share your internal culture and communication preferences. Set up necessary software access, logins, and permissions.

Good onboarding in the first few weeks prevents months of frustration later.

Establish Communication Protocols

How often will you meet? Who needs to be in which meetings? What's the process for approvals? How do you handle urgent issues?

Define these things early. Weekly check-ins work for most partnerships, with less frequent strategic reviews. Use project management tools accessible to both teams rather than relying on email threads.

Set Clear Success Metrics

You should have discussed goals during the RFP process, but now get specific about how you will measure them. What metrics matter most to the business? How will you track them? What does success look like at 30, 60, and 90 days?

Document these agreements to ensure everyone remains accountable.

Give Feedback Early and Often

If something isn't working, say so. If something is going well, say that too. Agencies can't read your mind.

The best client-agency relationships have open, honest communication from the start. Don't wait until you're frustrated to raise concerns. Address small issues before they become big problems.

Build the Relationship Beyond the Project

Get to know the people on your agency team as humans, not just vendors. The best agency relationships feel like you have a marketing team down the hall, not a vendor across town. That only happens when you actually know each other.

Strong relationships lead to better work because the agency team is more invested in your success.

This doesn't mean you need to be best friends, but mutual respect and some personal connection make collaboration smoother.

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Mighty Roar | How To Digital Agency RFP | Atlanta Georgia | Have Fun

Have Fun and Don't Get Overwhelmed

This guide provides a lot of information to help you build your agency RFP and manage the pitch process. Each RFP situation is unique and requires its own type of heavy lifting. The important thing is to try to have fun with it and not become overwhelmed.

Remember, you're trying to find an agency partner that will make your job (and ultimately your life) easier. Keep the end goal in mind and really focus on who you have great chemistry with.

A great RFP can lead to a client-agency relationship that achieves tremendous results together. If done right, it will save you from having to put together another RFP for a long time.

Ready to get started? Download our Agency Selection Scorecard to use during your pitch process.

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Free Download

Agency Selection Scorecard

Get our RFP scorecard to use as a guide during the agency pitch process.