There are several different types of RFPs that we receive, including:


The RFPs we knew were coming because we have been a part of the process (maybe we even wrote the bid specs)
The RFPs we thought were coming soon (and we have been anticipating and preparing to compete effectively)
The RFPs that surprise us (we had no knowledge of the opportunity)


Our reaction to each of these types of RFPs varies based on the effort required to respond and our odds of success. On option #3 above, the effort required is high and the odds of winning are, for most people, very low. One of the most common frustrations we hear about from salespeople around the world is about being asked or directed to respond to this 3rd type of RFP. The common reasons given for this position include:


There is pressure from other people on the extended team who want you to respond (maybe there is a relationship in a different division)
Leaders want more opportunities in the pipeline (even if it's bad business)
By responding now to one of these RFPs, we might set ourselves us up to compete more effectively on future RFPs


When this happens, the focus of this discussion essentially comes down to, "We know it might not make sense, but here's why we need to respond..." No matter how strategic the justification, it is still frustrating to spend our time working on a deal that we are most likely going to lose. After all, we only have so much selling time and we have to hit our targets.

For the sake of our own morale, when this situation happens in the future, let's shift the nature of the conversation to discuss:


How do we drive the highest return on our limited sales time?
How can we change the rules of engagement to improve our odds of winning?
How can we provide a minimal response so we don't waste much time on deals we aren't going to win?


Involving others and getting their perspectives on these questions can put the focus where it ought to be, which can help us feel better about our situation, react more effectively to the opportunity and make the best use of our selling time.