A request for proposal (RFP) is a business document that announces and provides details about a project while asking for bids from contractors to help complete it. In the hospitality industry, RFPs are usually sent to hotels by event planners, corporate travel managers, tournament organizers, travel management companies, or production companies.
Responding to RFPs is a critical task for hotels looking to secure event bookings and group business. Winning a bid can significantly impact a property’s revenue and reputation; however, the competition is fierce, and simply responding to RFPs isn’t enough. Crafting compelling, customized, and clear proposals is key to standing out.
We’ve created this RFP response template to help you construct compelling responses to RFPs and expedite the process of creating one. Feel free to customize the template to fit your property’s needs.
Strategies to win more RFPs
Besides taking the time to read through and understand the client’s requirements and respond to RFPs in a timely manner, here are a few things to consider when creating your proposals.
- Personalize your proposals: While you should have processes and templates in place to streamline RFP responses, ensure that you add a level of personalization to each response. Incorporate elements from the request and how your property can uniquely deliver.
- Paint a picture: Be detailed and help the vendor visualize how you can deliver the results they’re looking for. From your hotel rooms to event spaces and meeting rooms, showcase how your property fits their needs.
- Include relevant case studies: Have you hosted similar events or groups? Keep a repository of case studies and references that you can include within your proposal. Having these on hand to easily add in can make a huge difference in winning bids.
- Educate your sales teams: Make RFPs a part of sales onboarding and hold regular training sessions with hotel management to answer questions and communicate any changes to the process. Clearly define what a good lead looks like and the process for responding to proposals.
- Have a groups & events page on your website: Make it clear on your website hat your property hosts groups and events so planners consider you for the RFP. Include booking information, room capacities, food and beverage options, images, FAQs, and contact information.
- Invest in RFP software: RFP tools help vendors find hotels and facilitate real-time interactions, increasing the likelihood of winning deals. Management tools also streamline the time-consuming RFP process, making it easier to templatize and respond to RFPs fast.
