If you’re looking up how to respond to an RFP, you’re probably staring at a document that feels bigger than it should – or wondering why your last response didn’t win. We’ve seen this hundreds of times. Teams know they can do the work, but translating that into a compelling RFP response is where things start to break down.
Early on, we worked on an RFP response that checked every box. Every question was answered. Every requirement was met. We still lost. When the feedback came back, it was blunt but accurate: “You explained what you do. You didn’t explain why it matters to us.” That single comment captures the mistake we see most often in RFP responses today.
Responding to an RFP isn’t about filling in templates or reusing last year’s answers. It’s about demonstrating that you understand the buyer’s problem, their risks, and their priorities better than anyone else responding. Evaluators aren’t just scoring compliance – they’re looking for confidence, clarity, and proof that working with you will be easier than working with your competitors.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to respond to an RFP step by step – from interpreting the request to answering RFP questions in a way that earns higher scores. We’ll focus on practical guidance for SMBs, real-world examples, and the common mistakes that quietly cost teams wins.
What Buyers Really Mean When They Ask RFP Questions
One of the biggest misunderstandings we see is the belief that RFP questions are purely informational. On the surface, they look that way:
- Describe your approach,
- Explain your methodology,
- Provide three examples.
But buyers aren’t asking these questions because they’re curious. They’re asking because they’re trying to reduce risk.
We’ve sat in evaluation rooms where teams spent less than a minute on a technically correct answer and ten minutes debating whether they trusted the vendor behind it. That’s the part most responders miss. Every RFP question is really asking something deeper: Can you do this for us? Have you done it before? And will this be painful or smooth if we choose you?
Take a common question like: “Describe your project management approach.”
Many responses list tools, phases, and certifications. What buyers are actually looking for is reassurance. They want to know:
- Will this team keep us informed?
- Will problems surface early or late?
- Have they managed projects like ours, not just projects in general?
When responders treat RFP questions like exam questions, they blend in. When they treat them like buyer concerns—and answer accordingly—they stand out. That’s the difference between responding to an RFP and responding in a way that scores well.
Throughout the rest of this guide, we’ll break down how to interpret common RFP questions, what evaluators are scoring behind the scenes, and how to structure answers that speak directly to buyer priorities without overselling or fluff.
How You Should Read an RFP Before You Start Writing
When an RFP hits your inbox, the pressure is immediate. You see the deadline, the page count, and the long list of questions—and the instinct is to start answering right away. If you’re like most SMBs, you don’t have the luxury of a dedicated proposal team. You’re balancing client work, sales, and delivery while trying to get a compliant response out the door.
That’s exactly why the first thing you do with an RFP matters so much.
Before you write a single answer, you need to slow down and read the RFP like the buyer wrote it for a reason—because they did. Every section, every repeated question, every oddly specific requirement is telling you something about what they’re worried about.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Let’s say you’re an SMB IT services provider. You open an RFP that’s heavy on technical requirements—SLAs, uptime guarantees, certifications. Easy enough. But then you notice multiple questions about communication, escalation, and transition planning.
The buyer isn’t just buying technology. They’re buying reliability and peace of mind. If your response focuses only on tools and specs, you’ll miss the real evaluation criteria.
Or maybe you run a marketing or professional services firm. The RFP asks for campaign strategy, reporting, and pricing—but the background section mentions missed deadlines, internal misalignment, or prior vendors who “overpromised.” That’s not a creativity issue. It’s a trust issue.
If you respond like everyone else, you blend in. If you respond to what the buyer is really asking, you separate yourself.
How to Read the RFP Strategically
As you read, look for patterns—not just requirements.
Ask yourself:
- What concerns keep showing up across different sections?
- What risks is the buyer trying to manage?
- Where are they asking the same question in different ways?
Then, make notes before you write:
- “They’re worried about transitions”
- “They’ve been burned by poor communication”
- “They want predictability more than innovation”
For SMBs, this is where you compete best. You don’t win by having the longest response or the flashiest language. You win by showing the buyer that you understand their situation and that working with you will feel easier, not harder.
How to Decide Whether You Should Respond to an RFP (or Walk Away)
Not every RFP deserves a response. That might sound counterintuitive—especially if your pipeline feels tight—but one of the fastest ways to burn time, morale, and credibility is chasing RFPs you were never positioned to win.
If you’ve ever spent nights and weekends responding to an RFP only to hear nothing back, this section is for you.
Before you commit, you need to make a clear-eyed decision based on fit, not hope.
The Reality for SMBs
Large organizations can afford to respond to long-shot RFPs. You probably can’t. Every hour you spend on an RFP is an hour you’re not spending on delivery, sales, or customer success. That means your decision to respond has to be intentional.
We’ve seen SMBs increase win rates simply by saying “no” more often—and responding better to the RFPs they do pursue.
RFP Go / No-Go Decision Table
Use the table below as a quick filter before you invest serious time.
Question to Ask | If the Answer Is “Yes” | If the Answer Is “No” |
Do you clearly meet the core requirements? | You’re eligible to compete | You risk early elimination |
Have you done similar work before? | You can prove credibility with examples | You’ll rely on promises, not proof |
Do you understand the buyer’s problem? | You can tailor your response | Your answers will sound generic |
Is there a real budget attached? | The RFP is likely serious | This may be a fishing exercise |
Do you know the buyer or influence the process? | You have context and insight | You’re responding blind |
Can you meet the deadline without cutting corners? | Quality stays high | Errors and weak answers creep in |
A Common SMB Scenario
You receive an RFP that looks like a stretch—but the opportunity value is big. You tell yourself, “Let’s respond anyway. You never know.” We’ve seen this play out dozens of times. The response gets rushed, subject matter experts are pulled in late, and the final submission is compliant but uninspired.
Contrast that with an SMB that skips that RFP and focuses on one where:
- The buyer’s challenges match past projects
- References are easy to provide
- The team can respond thoughtfully, not reactively
The Question You Should Always Ask
Before you say yes, ask yourself this:
“If we won this RFP tomorrow, would we feel confident delivering—and would the buyer feel confident choosing us?”
If the answer isn’t a clear yes, walking away isn’t failure. It’s strategy.
How to Structure RFP Response So Evaluators Can Easily Score You Higher
Once you decide to respond, your job isn’t just to provide good answers. Your job is to make it easy for evaluators to give you points. That distinction matters more than most SMBs realize.
Here’s what you need to remember: evaluators are human. They’re often reading dozens of responses under tight timelines, juggling their day jobs, and working from a scoring sheet. When your answer is hard to follow, buried in prose, or vaguely written, it doesn’t just slow them down—it costs you points.
We’ve watched evaluators skim past strong content simply because it wasn’t structured in a way that mapped cleanly to the scoring criteria.
Start With the Question
This sounds obvious, but it’s one of the most common failures we see. You should answer the question in the order it’s asked, using the same language where possible.
If the RFP asks you to:
- Describe your approach
- Explain your methodology
- Provide an example
Then your response should clearly include all three—ideally in that exact sequence. Don’t make the evaluator hunt for pieces of the answer across paragraphs.
A simple rule to follow:
If an evaluator can’t find the answer in under 10 seconds, it might as well not be there.
Use a Scannable Structure
Evaluators don’t read RFP responses like novels. They scan.
Structure each answer so it’s easy to digest:
- Short opening sentence that directly answers the question
- Subheadings that mirror the RFP language
- Bullets for steps, features, or responsibilities
- Short paragraphs (2–3 lines max)
For example, instead of a dense paragraph describing your onboarding process, break it into clear steps the evaluator can quickly score.
Match Your Structure to How You’ll Be Scored
Most RFPs use some version of this scoring logic:
- Does the vendor meet the requirement?
- How well do they meet it?
- How much risk is involved?
Your structure should help the evaluator answer those questions instinctively.
A strong answer often follows this pattern:
- Direct response – Confirm you meet the requirement
- How you do it – Explain your approach or process
- Proof – Provide a brief, relevant example
SMBs sometimes skip the proof because they assume it’s implied. It’s not. Proof reduces risk, and risk reduction drives higher scores.
Use Examples Strategically (Not Everywhere)
You don’t need a full case study in every answer. But where the RFP asks about experience, delivery, or outcomes, examples matter.
For instance, if you’re a professional services firm responding to a question about change management, don’t just describe your framework. Reference a similar-sized client, a comparable challenge, and the result. Keep it tight and relevant.
Evaluators aren’t impressed by volume. They’re reassured by specificity.
Make It Easy to Say “Yes”
At the end of the day, high-scoring RFP responses do one thing exceptionally well: they remove doubt.
Clear structure, direct answers, and visible proof help evaluators confidently check the box, assign the points, and move on. When your response feels organized and intentional, it signals that working with you will feel the same way.
RFP Response Examples: Bad vs. Good Answers (What Evaluators Actually Score)
You can understand RFP best practices all day long, but nothing changes behavior faster than seeing the difference between a weak answer and a strong one. Evaluators don’t score effort. They score clarity, relevance, and risk reduction.
The examples below are based on real RFP responses from SMBs across IT services, professional services, and marketing firms.
Example 1: Project Management Approach
RFP Question | Poor Response (Low Score) | Strong Response (High Score) |
Describe your project management approach | We use industry best practices and proven methodologies to manage projects effectively. Our team follows structured processes to ensure on-time delivery and client satisfaction. | We use a five-step project management approach designed for SMB clients who need visibility and predictability. Each client is assigned a dedicated project manager, receives weekly status updates, and has a documented escalation path. For example, during a recent system rollout for a 200-employee client, this approach allowed us to identify and resolve timeline risks two weeks early. |
Why the second response scores higher:
It directly answers the question, explains how the work gets done, and reduces perceived risk with a specific example.
Example 2: Relevant Experience
RFP Question | Poor Response (Low Score) | Strong Response (High Score) |
Provide examples of similar projects | We have extensive experience working with clients across multiple industries and delivering high-quality solutions. | We’ve completed more than 15 projects similar in size and scope to this RFP over the past three years. One example involved supporting a regional services firm with limited internal IT staff. We completed the transition in 60 days, met all SLAs in the first quarter, and are still supporting the client today. |
Why the second response scores higher:
Evaluators can quickly confirm relevance, scale, and outcomes without guessing.
Example 3: Communication and Reporting
RFP Question | Poor Response (Low Score) | Strong Response (High Score) |
Explain how you communicate project status | We maintain open communication and provide regular updates throughout the project lifecycle. | You receive weekly written status reports, biweekly check-in calls, and real-time access to a shared project dashboard. If an issue affects scope, schedule, or cost, we escalate within 24 hours. SMB clients tell us this structure eliminates surprises and keeps internal stakeholders aligned. |
Why the second response scores higher:
It’s specific, measurable, and written from the buyer’s point of view.
What You Should Take Away
When evaluators compare responses side by side, the higher-scoring answer isn’t the most polished—it’s the easiest to trust. Strong RFP responses:
- Mirror the question structure
- Use plain language
- Include proof where it matters
- Make the evaluator’s job easier
If your answers look more like the left column than the right, that’s a fixable problem—and one that often leads to immediate improvement in scores.
Step-by-Step: How to Respond to an RFP (A Practical Guide for SMBs)
Responding to an RFP isn’t one task—it’s a sequence of decisions. When those decisions are made in the right order, your response feels confident and cohesive. When they’re not, even good content comes across as rushed or disjointed.
Step 1: Do a Fast Go / No-Go Check
Before you assign a single task, confirm this RFP is worth your time.
Ask yourself:
- Do you clearly meet the mandatory requirements?
- Can you point to at least two similar projects without stretching the truth?
- Do you understand the buyer’s problem well enough to explain it back to them?
Can you meet the deadline without sacrificing quality?
If the answer to any of these is no, pause. SMBs don’t lose RFPs because they walk away—they lose because they chase the wrong ones.
Step 2: Read the Entire RFP Without Writing Anything
This step feels unproductive, which is why it’s skipped—and why responses often miss the mark.
Your goal here is not to answer questions. It’s to understand:
- Why the buyer issued the RFP
- What risks they’re trying to reduce
- What success looks like from their perspective
As you read, highlight:
- Repeated themes or concerns
- Evaluation criteria and weighting
- Mandatory vs. “nice-to-have” requirements
Step 3: Map Questions to Owners and Evidence
Once you understand the RFP, break it down.
For each question, identify:
- Who owns the answer (sales, delivery, IT, finance)
- What proof is needed (examples, metrics, references)
- Whether the question is technical, experiential, or risk-focused
This prevents the most common SMB problem: answers that sound fine individually but don’t line up as a whole.
Step 4: Create a Response Outline Before Writing
Before anyone starts drafting, create a simple outline for each section:
- Direct answer to the question
- Explanation of your approach
- Proof or example (where appropriate)
This step alone can dramatically improve clarity and scoring because it forces consistency across contributors.
Step 5: Write to the Evaluator, Not to Yourself
As you draft, keep this in mind: evaluators are scoring against a checklist.
That means:
- Answer questions in the order asked
- Use the buyer’s language, not internal jargon
- Be specific where it matters (process, timelines, communication)
Step 6: Use Examples to Reduce Risk
Examples aren’t about showing off—they’re about reassurance.
When you include an example:
- Match the buyer’s size, industry, or complexity
- Focus on outcomes, not just activities
- Keep it short and relevant
Step 7: Review for Scoring, Not Grammar
Most teams review RFPs for typos and formatting. That’s necessary—but not sufficient.
Do a final review asking:
- Does every question get fully answered?
- Is proof included where the buyer expects it?
- Can an evaluator easily find the information they need?
If possible, have someone unfamiliar with the RFP skim it. If they can’t quickly understand your value, evaluators won’t either.
Step 8: Submit Early and Exactly as Instructed
This sounds basic, but it’s where preventable losses happen.
Before submission, double-check:
- File format and naming conventions
- Page limits and font requirements
- Required forms, signatures, and attachments
Bonus: How to Reuse RFP Content Without Sounding Recycled
If you respond to RFPs regularly, you should be reusing content. Starting from scratch every time isn’t efficient—and it isn’t necessary. The problem isn’t reuse. The problem is reuse that’s obvious to the evaluator.
We’ve seen strong SMBs lose points because their answers sounded generic, mismatched, or clearly written for a different buyer. The good news is this is fixable with a smarter approach.
Why Reused Content Fails
Recycled RFP answers usually fail for one of three reasons:
- They reference the wrong industry, client type, or scope
- They answer a similar question, not this question
- They focus on your process instead of the buyer’s situation
Evaluators may not know where the content came from, but they can tell when it wasn’t written with them in mind.
What You Should Reuse—and What You Should Rewrite
Not all content is equal. Some sections are safe to standardize. Others should almost always be customized.
Content Type | Reuse Level | How to Handle It |
Company overview | High | Keep it short; tailor the opening sentence to the buyer |
Core processes (PM, onboarding, QA) | Medium | Reuse the framework, customize the details |
Experience and case examples | Low | Swap in examples that match buyer size and industry |
Value proposition | Medium | Anchor to buyer pain points, not generic strengths |
Compliance and certifications | High | Reuse as-is, but keep it current |
How to Customize Fast (Without Rewriting Everything)
You don’t need to rewrite every answer. You do need to adapt them.
Before finalizing a reused answer, do a quick check:
- Does the opening sentence reference the buyer’s context?
- Are examples relevant to this RFP?
- Does the language reflect the buyer’s priorities?
Even small changes—like naming the buyer’s industry or challenge—can dramatically change how the answer is perceived.
Build a Smarter Content Library
If you’re serious about improving RFP efficiency, stop storing answers as giant blocks of text.
Instead, organize content by:
- Core frameworks (that stay consistent)
- Industry-specific examples
- Outcome-focused proof points
This lets you assemble responses that feel custom without starting from zero.
The Rule to Remember
If an answer could be sent to any buyer without change, it’s not ready to submit.
The strongest RFP responses feel familiar internally—but personal to the evaluator.
