B2B marketers are common sense people. We like programs with structure, strategy, best practices, smart spending and measurable ROI.

However, sometimes even solid B2B professionals lose their grip on reality. To prove the point, consider the following statistics from HubSpot:

95% of B2B marketers expect to increase their budgets this year

63% of B2B firms do not follow a formal marketing RFP process

The first stat is fueled by dreams of success. The second one is a B2B budget nightmare waiting to happen.

RFPs provide the structure B2B marketers crave and eliminate those sleepless nights worrying about the budget.

However, there are some seasoned B2B professionals who have sworn off the RFP process altogether. We wanted to understand their reasoning, so Boomm asked a friend who is a financial services marketer why she stopped using B2B RFPs. 

“Candidly, our RFPs are train wrecks. They confuse the agencies and the responses we receive make our CMO rage. I’m done with that nonsense.”

Glad we asked. Turns out there is a solution for any B2B marketer who believes RFPs are the reason for their nightmares, and we want to share it with you.

But first, we’ll start by admitting that the marketing RFP process, particularly on the B2B side, can be an inexact science. It’s a complex, time-consuming, high-profile assignment that is initiated out of necessity. In many cases, it’s also an uncertain path with loosely defined parameters. In short, without the right structure everything stops making sense pretty quickly.

Here’s a radical notion: Eliminate the guesswork from your B2B marketing RFP and restore some much-needed order to this vital process.

Boomm has developed a B2B Marketing RFP Template that will help you from initiation to final selection. Here’s how it works.

It’s all about the process.

The best business decisions usually start with a carefully considered set of criteria established by the key stakeholders. The same holds true for an effective B2B marketing RFP. The right outcome starts with a smart evaluation list from your team.

Your RFP evaluation list should provide a clear set of standards for the prospective agency partner, so your selection team can choose based on substance rather than style. To help you make an effective list, you’ll find a section on the evaluation process in the B2B Marketing RFP Template.

This customizable document is the right place to begin your next B2B marketing RFP because it gives you a proven way to help streamline and optimize the entire process.

Among the agency selection criteria the template considers are:

• Strategic thinking
• Account management
• Creative excellence
• Performance goals
• Industry expertise
• Social media
• Public relations

The important takeaway here is that you don’t have to put up with guesswork.

Now you can establish a clearly defined order before the B2B marketing RFP process ever begins. When that occurs, you will know what type of agency partner you want and can narrow down your short list before you even send out the RFP. In addition, the selection criteria list gives you a report card to make the most objective selection after the process is complete.

In short, the B2B Marketing RFP Template is nightmare-proof. And that’s precisely what your marketing budget deserves.