The most important thing in your RFP response
- James Barker
- Oct 20
- 3 min read
Last week I was training a room of senior salespeople on RFP strategy - it's an area where most salespeople are massively undertrained.
When you respond to an RFP, the buyer is really trying to answer three questions, even if only one of them appears on the page.
First: do you have the capabilities we need? That one’s obvious. The technology, the features, the functionality. Most sales teams get stuck here and never move beyond it.
Second: do we believe you can actually deliver the outcome we want? That’s about your delivery credibility and the strength of your team.
Third: and this one is often forgotten, do we believe you’ll stand with us when things get tough?
That last question is the one that really decides the deal. It’s rarely written in an RFP, but it’s always there in the buyer’s head. It’s the human test. Do they feel like they matter to you? Do they believe you’ll prioritise them when things get messy?
The problem is that most RFP responses fail that test completely. They hide behind polite corporate language and a templated executive summary that everyone knows was written by sales and rubber-stamped by the CEO. No buyer believes the CEO actually saw it.
That’s why a short, personal video from your founder or the most senior person you can access is such a powerful addition. Three minutes of direct, human communication shows commitment in a way a hundred pages of text never can.
It makes the buyer feel seen.
Most suppliers won’t do this. The few that do instantly stand out. It shifts the tone from transaction to relationship, and that can be the difference between being shortlisted or forgotten.
But for it to work, it has to feel genuine. Which means the salesperson has to own the setup. The exec shouldn’t have to read a script or know the details. Your job is to prep them properly and make it easy. Bring them into the room, get the recording done in ten minutes, and let them move on with their day.
Here’s how to make that short video land with maximum impact.
1. Show grace
