3 More of the Best Questions to Ask in a Website RFP (or Website Request for Proposal)

Hooray!! You’ve managed to convince everyone you need a new website!  And, thanks to your research, you know the Most Important Thing to Know Before Writing Your Website RFP. Now it’s just a matter of writing the RFP and getting it out there! Granted, that sounds much easier than it actually is. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to check out the Top 12 Best Questions to Ask in a Website RFP first.

In this article I’ll share 3 more of the best questions to ask in a website RFP. At the end of the article, if you’re interested, you can download our website RFP template.

1. Why You Are Redesigning Your Website

(Admittedly this is more of a question for you to answer in your RFP, but it is still the most important to help ensure you get the best website you can have.) Don’t use the superficial “our website is outdated” line everyone uses. Dig deep, get to the why that matters! This sample conversation may help provide some clarity:

Consultant: What effect does your website being outdated have on your business?
Client: Well it makes us look old.
Consultant: And why does that matter?
Client: Because our competitor just redid their website and they look more professional.
Consultant: And why does that matter?
Client: Because it makes them look better than us.
Consultant: And why does that matter?
Client: Because if they look better than us, someone might go work with them instead of us!!

And there you have it! The why that matters – its possibly costing you business opportunities. Your deepest why might be different, it could be sales, or support request or customer service, or recruiting new employees, or maybe a little bit of everything. Or, maybe something else entirely. Nonetheless, make sure you let the candidate you want to create solutions for you, know why they are creating those solutions.

2. How Does Your Organization Help Client’s Achieve Results Similar to What we Desire?

There is an old adage that says “Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior.” You’ll want to know if the companies replying to your RFP can provide proof that they’ve helped others achieve the same types of results or objectives you’re hoping to accomplish. Even if the respondent hasn’t done this, it gives them a chance to explain why it is worth your while to be the first one they help achieve the kind of success you’re seeking.

3. Can You Provide Examples of That Success?

As LeVar Burton used to say on Reading Rainbow “Don’t take my word for it…” you’ll want to verify that the company has actually done what they say they’ve done. Ask that they provide references, and then check those references out in detail. Review their website, ask them about the process of building their site, ask them about the results they’ve obtained and how long it took them to obtain them. What percentage of that success do they attribute to their own efforts vs those of the RFP respondent?

If you include these 3 questions in your website RFP, you’ll help ensure that you pick the company that is the best fit for you and your website. They’ll know why they are helping you in the first place, and you’ll know how well they are aligned with your objectives as well as your mission and that they have demonstrable proof that they’ve helped others accomplish the same.

If you’re writing a RFP, you may want to download our website RFP template.