Turning RFPs into a Competitive Edge

If you've ever responded to a Request for Proposal (RFP), you know how daunting and time-consuming it can be. The traditional method involves carefully reading through every single question, then manually crafting responses, often pulling in various subject matter experts and information from multiple sources. Which is why so many LinkedIn sales "influencers" will tell you that you shouldn't answer these requests. However, strategic sales leaders will tell you that if they could answer every RFP they would, because typically it forces the buyer to at least look at your technology, allowing you to seed influence for the next buying cycle.That's why I was so excited to join Iris. It allowed me, an AE, to easily field RFPs that otherwise I'd just ignore and move on from.

My background casts a wide net, from healthcare to CCaaS to tech startups. Across the board, there’s one constant, RFPs. And boy, you should have seen the excitement on my face when I received my first RFP since joining.

I was meeting with a prospect when they informed me that their search for an RFP automation tool would, ironically, involve its own RFP process. “Attached you will find our RFP, if you would please be so kind as to answer those questions and return at your earliest convenience,” I was told. 

This I think was the most important part. They asked for it to be turned around next month. I brought it back in an hour and they closed the RFP that next week. More of your competitors are using AI to answer RFPs, so if you're not, you're missing out. Cue dogfooding.

Step one was simple, I dragged and dropped the RFP into Iris. It didn’t matter that we had never seen these questions before, because we had the right material in our knowledge map to generate high quality, highly specific responses.

Now, Iris won’t just churn out generic answers. It will tailor responses based on the audience and who will actually be reading them.I explained to Iris that, “this is an RFP that was sent to us from one of the largest property management companies in North America. They are looking for a software solution that helps them answer RFPs they receive from communities.” Then, I supplied Iris with custom instructions on how I’d like to respond: "You are an expert writer who has a deep knowledge of the property management industry. Your responses should be limited to a few sentences that describe very effectively how Iris can expertly achieve the clients goals." Within minutes, Iris had gone through and crafted responses for each question. I assigned different approvers for final approval. And just like that, the RFP was back in the prospects inbox before the end of the day.

What if I didn’t have Iris? Well first off, I probably wouldn’t have answered the RFP to begin with. But If I did, I’d probably repurpose the same text I’d used for the last 20 RFPs I’d answered. Meaning my responses never get better or more creative. Iris allowed me to infuse opportunity knowledge without spending hours tinkering with stale answers from a Q&A bank. 

Iris turns the RFP process from a chore into a competitive advantage. By automating much of the legwork—finding questions, generating tailored responses, and collaborating with teammates—your team can focus on what really matters: delivering high-quality, client-focused proposals.