In today’s episode, Kiri Masters is joined by Julie Spear, the Head of Retail Services at Acadia.

Kiri Masters and Julie Spear dive deep into the world of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from the vantage point of agency partnerships.

For brands, the RFP process is infrequent, but it is a decision that may have a profound impact on their business. But for agencies like Acadia, its a process we are navigating nearly every week.

Kiri and Julie share their agency-side experiences from the last 9 years, in the hopes that it can help brands to choose the best agency for them, foster better relationships, and ramp up projects quickly.

Key Highlights:

• Pitfalls in RFP processes: unrealistic timelines, unclear objectives, being too prescriptive, playing favorites, inconsistent stakeholder involvement.

• How you run the RFP signals to your prospective partner what they can expect from the relationship. What message is your process sending about you, your team, and your company?

• Approaching the process not just seeking a service provider, but a true partner. This entails understanding the agency's culture, values, and team dynamics beyond mere capability presentations.

• The one thing that less than 5% of brands do during their RFP process, but could save significant time, expense, and indecision. 

A great RFP approach can foster more meaningful, productive, and innovative agency partnerships.