4 HOUR COURSE + RESOURCE BUNDLE

RFPs 101

This course teaches you about the procurement process from start to finish and what you need to do at each step along the way, from reading RFPs to writing great responses to following up after you submit.

 

Course Overview

  • 4 hours of video training
  • 6 core course modules: Introduction to RFPs, Reading RFPs and the Go/No Go Decision, Planning Your RFP Response, Creating Your Proposal, Designing Your RFP Response, Finalizing Your Proposal & Post Submission
  • Template & Worksheet Resourse Bundle: RFP Review Checklist, Go/No Go Decision Checklist, RFP Response Team Checklist, RFP Response Schedule Template, Improving Your RFP Response Content Worksheet, RFP Response Style Sheet, FOIA Request Template
  • 1:1 Live RFP Strategy Coaching Call
  • Instant & Lifetime Access

$575

Watch all videos this afternoon

Confidently respond to that RFP Tomorrow

and revisit content any time you have a question.

Why invest in this course? What if…

  • You started winning 2-3 year contracts that provided consistent, stable revenue

  • You had a clear process for responding to RFPs without wasting your time on less than ideal opportunities

  • You knew exactly how to review and respond to RFPs without working right up to the RFP deadline

  • You had the resources you needed to create a well-designed RFP response that caught buyers’ attention

  • You stopped suffering from RFP overwhelm and started confidently submitting proposals

 Inside the course you’ll learn…

  • The standard procurement process and how to change your approach at each stage

  • 3 key tips to make your RFPs a success

  • How to read an RFP and why you shouldn’t skip this step

  • The 7 must-find RFP sections that make it easy to decide if you should respond

  • How to establish your Go/No Go process to avoid wasted effort

  • Key planning steps to make your RFP successful

  • How to outline an RFP response schedule 

  • What to include in you RFP outline

  • Key tactics to create strong proposal content

  • Different types of pricing documents and how to approach them

  • Managing and completing forms for compliance

  • How to design a professional proposal 

  • Plus so much more!

Included in the Resource Bundle

RFP Review Checklist

This user-friendly guide can be downloaded and/or printed so it’s right in front of you every time you review an RFP. Check off each key section as you find it to quickly decide if the RFP is right for you.

Go/No Go Decision Checklist

Use this checklist as your Go/No Go decision process to strategically review RFPs. Narrow down the list to your best RFPs and devote time to winning those contracts!

RFP Response Team Checklist

This checklist outlines key individuals to include in your RFP response and their role in the project. Use this checklist to assign responsibilities or keep track of what you need to do if creating the response yourself.

RFP Response Schedule Template

Use this template for a quick visual of your RFP response timeline with key dates and tasks. Easily update it and add more tabs to keep track of all of your RFP information in one place.

Improving Your RFP Response Content Worksheet

This worksheet covers four easy steps to complete each time you write a proposal. After you check off each step and make the changes to your proposal, your final content will be more customer-focused and easy to review.

RFP Response Style Guide

Use this style sheet to create a well-designed proposal each time. You no longer have to be embarrassed of your proposal design or hire a graphic designer for each proposal.

FOIA Request Template

There are few things more helpful than seeing how buyers score your proposal (and your competitors!). If you or your competition operate in the public sector, then this template will help you to get the insights you need to better position your company for a win.

RFP Strategy Coaching Call

Sometimes you need a little extra help to figure out your next steps. To give you that personal touch, each student will receive one RFP Strategy Coaching call to talk through your process, your RFP goals, and your competitive approach to see what makes the most sense for your company.

This course is perfect for you if…
  • You spend hours chasing projects that don’t add up to much revenue.
  • You hear how other sellers sign million dollar+ contracts when you haven’t closed $100K yet.
  • You turn down RFPs that look like good opportunities because you don’t know the first thing about winning them.
  • You scramble to respond to an RFP because you decided to pursue it at the last minute only to find out you lost.
 

COURSE DETAILS

Six Core Modules

Module 1 - Introduction to RFPs

  • Discover the procurement process and how to tweak your approach at every step

  • Learn how RFPs are designed to be more difficult than less formal proposals

  • Uncover when organizations go to RFP and why that is a unique opportunity for your company

  • Key questions to learn about the competition before you ever start writing your proposal

  • The one thing you must never do when responding to an RFP

Module 2 - Reading RFPs and the Go/No Go Decision

  • Why you shouldn’t read an RFP cover to cover before you decide to respond

  • How to quickly review an RFP to identify if it is the right opportunity

  • See a review of three real RFPs in action and how your approach will vary based on the RFP structure

  • Learn what is a “Go/No Go Decision” and how to implement one in your organization

Module 3 - Planning Your RFP Response

  • The main things you must have in place before you start creating your RFP response

  • Key roles needed for every RFP response (even if you’re the only one working on the proposal)

  • How to create a proposal schedule so you don’t have to work late the night before the RFP deadline

  • How to outline your RFP response so you meet the customer’s requirements and showcase your solution in the best way

Module 4 - Creating Your Proposal

  • Proposal writing tricks to make your content sell for you

  • A review of real pricing documents from RFPs and how to handle them

  • The technical behind-the-scenes of updating forms without having to print them out every time

Module 5 - Designing Your RFP Response

  • Learn key design elements to incorporate into your proposal and when

  • A live demo of creating your template design in Word, so even non-designers can create visually appealing proposals 

  • The FREE website to use to make designing graphics easy without hiring a designer

Module 6 - Finalizing Your Proposal & Post Submission

  • Technical instructions to combine multiple documents into one final, customer-ready proposal

  • Demo of finalizing a proposal so you know what to do at each step

  • Key steps to take after you submit your proposal to improve your process

 

FAQs

  • You will immediately be redirected to the course to start lessons! You will also receive a welcome email with instructions and links in case you accidentally close it before you save the link.

    All content is available as soon as you enroll, and you can start working through it at your own pace.

  • 24/7/365 lifetime access! This includes all videos, workbooks, checklists, templates, and any additional updates made to the course after you enroll.

  • There are seven hours of video lessons plus worksheets for nearly every video. You can either binge the videos all at once and then go back to complete the worksheets or complete the worksheets along with the videos.

    The best approach is to complete the worksheets immediately after the video. The length will vary, but allocate about 10-15 minutes for watching the video and an hour to completing the work. Longer sections, like writing your project approach, might take several hours depending on if you’ve completed the other worksheets already and how long you spend perfecting the content.

  • You will need a reliable internet connection to complete the video lessons and access the resources.

    All resources are available in Microsoft Word and PDF versions for you to download. You will need some sort of word processor for writing your content.

  • Each student has one 1:1 strategy call with Demi to talk through your RFP process, strategy, and address any questions. You can use that time to review a specific proposal if you want!

  • This course is designed for business owners or sales professionals who have very limited to no experience with RFPs and want to respond to one (or many!) to win a new project or contract. This course is not for you if you are familiar with the RFP process and respond regularly.

  • If for whatever reason you're unhappy with your purchase, reach out within 7 days to schedule a quick chat with our team. After the call, your investment will be refunded to you in full.

 

Meet the Instructor

Hi, I’m Demi Utley, a writer, MBA, and RFP expert.

After years in the trenches winning RFPs totaling over $2 billion in revenue, I set out to help small- and mid-sized businesses yield the same results. I currently run Utley Strategies, a consultancy dedicated to refining the unique value of our clients so they can win more contracts.

I’ve helped clients:

  • Outcompete companies two and three times their size,

  • Rewin contracts despite aggressive (and venture-backed) competitors, and

  • Shift from winning less than a third of RFPs to maintaining a 50% win rate (with just an 8 week project).

Enroll Now

Use the link below to complete enrollment for the course.

We use the online course platform Thinkific for our online courses and workshop registration. You’ll be prompted to create an account to login and access the course following checkout. We’re here to help with any questions or issues, and we’ll respond to any inquiries within 1 business day.