It used to be that you could ignore RFPs. Only a small portion of the market used them in their buying process and you could work around those companies. Today, governance rules dictated by boards and administered by finance have made RFPs and RFQs a dominating component of the large-deal world. Not only can you no longer ignore them, but you need to know that companies use RFPs-and increasingly purchasing and procurement-for many reasons that have little to do with the opportunity offered in the official document. The result? We all have no choice but to go through the expensive and time-consuming process. And though you might like to believe the system is fair, if your company is pitching a disproportionately larger client, you're at a disadvantage from the moment you begin the process. WHY? Because the RFP system is not built for you. It's built for big companies and government institutions that benefit from RFPs. But no matter how hard you try to avoid them, there will inevitably come a day when that irresistible RFP lands on your desk. It's almost like it was written for you. This book is your best guide on what to know, to question and to do when faced with that RFP. It will also help you develop the confidence and understanding to know when to quit the process before it even starts or when to stay in it and win big.
Tom Searcy, author or "RFPs Suck!" and co-author of "Whale Hunting," is a national speaker, trusted authority on large account sales and founder of Hunt Big Sales, a fast growth sales consultancy and thought leadership organization. Searcy's primary expertise is working directly with companies and sales teams throughout their big sales "hunts," helping them to compete and win disproportionately large sales in highly competitive markets. His philosophy and process have resulted in over $3 billion in new sales for his company and its clients.
Before entering the national stage, Searcy headed four corporations, each of which he was able to take from annual revenues of less than $15 million to over $100 million--all before the age of 40. Since then, Searcy has helped more than 100 companies grow exponentially with his proven process for fast growth and company-wide transformation.
In his newest book RFPs Suck!, Searcy shares his rich understanding of the RFP process with companies across the board to help them conquer the RFP system once and for all to win corporate and government contracts.
Searcy's first book with co-author Barbara Weaver Smith, "Whale Hunting: How to Land Big Deals and Transform Your Company," was published by Wiley in 2008. Searcy's second book, "RFPs Suck! How to Master the RFP System Once and for All to Win Big Business" was published by Channel V Books in 2009.
