A Better Way to Hire Help Without Wasting Time or Money -

Finding the right provider shouldn’t feel like a wild goose chase.

You book the call, full of hope—only to hang up more confused than when you started.

But imagine this instead:

A well-formed proposal
Clear expectations
A fair price
And a vibe check that just feels right.

That kind of clarity? You can have it before the call ever happens.

Big Business Tools Work for Small Teams Too

I had the opportunity to be exposed to some great business practices when I worked for the State of Washington’s Office of Financial Management. What once felt like just bureaucracy turned out to be the exact process that saved me from the above scenario.

Sales calls can be a waste of time, especially when you’re not clear about what you need. Try this instead.

The Tool That Helps You Cut Through the Noise

An RFP is a document you send to potential providers asking them to propose how they’ll meet your needs along with the price and timeline. With the RFP you will gain

Clarity on exactly what you need and what success will look like
Consistency in comparing what providers propose to you making it easy to compare
Efficiency in weeding out providers who won’t be able to deliver or are outside of your price range

All before jumping on that call.

I’m willing to bet you’d insist on a formal proposal before hiring a contractor to build an add-on to your house. Well, your business deserves the same attention.

Not Convinced? Consider this!

In the time it takes you to craft a well thought through RFP, you may have talked to two ill-fit providers with no hope of finding the right vendor in sight. Plus, let’s be honest, when you can’t clearly explain what you need, you’re wasting their time too. They’re pitching the wrong thing through no fault of their own. We can be nicer to each other.

My Real-World Example: Proposals for Marketing Strategies

I recently came to realize that my spaghetti at the wall marketing strategies were not working. But they were wearing me out and frankly, shaking my confidence. Then I had the realization that just as I wouldn’t expect my lawyer client to fully understand bookkeeping, I can’t fully comprehend the broad science of marketing. My time (and money) would be far better spent hiring someone who lives and breathes this stuff.

I know the results that I want from a Marketing Strategist, so I set to work to build out my RFP. I was detailed but that was by design so that any solid Marketing Strategist could immediately tell if I was a good fit for their service. No time wasted. No guesswork. I’ve saved them the discovery call by providing full context up front. I selected a handful of Marketing Strategists from my networks and referrals and sent a personal invitation to submit a proposal.

I get it! This might not be the norm for solopreneurs. But I believe the right-fit providers will appreciate the clarity. Just like Steph here…

“Thanks for thinking of me AND making the effort to find a way to contact me AND for your stellar RFP. Truly, I don’t see enough of that level of thought these days.”

Steph Rubio, Business Strategist + Mentor, www.stephrubio.com

Getting Started with an RFP

RFP are a great way to streamline purchasing by clarifying what you need, letting providers get full insight into what success means to you, and weed out unwanted providers quickly.

Request your free RFP Sample & Template in the contact form below.
Use the provided template for your next big purchase.
Use GenAI to clarify your thinking. Here are a few prompts to get you started:

- Will a potential provider understand what I’m asking for—enough to create a thoughtful and complete proposal?
- What questions might a potential provider have?
- Ask me questions to help me define success so I can clearly communicate it in my RFP.

Once set, seek out potential providers using your social media and small business network. Aim to gather about five responses. That’s usually the sweet spot for comparing without feeling overwhelmed.

This article focuses on the Request for Proposal. It’s worth noting two other options that might better suit your needs.

Request for Information (RFI)

You’re curious but you don’t want to commit. An RFI is the way to ask for more information so that you can decide whether to take it to the next step or not. The result may be an RFP or you may find your perfect provider through the RFI process.

Example: I’m looking for information on how a marketing strategist could help move my company forward including different levels of support and the approximate costs involved.

Request for Quote (RFQ)

While the RFP is saying, propose a solution along with price and timeline, and RFQ instead says, I know the details, I want you to quote the delivery.

Example: I’m looking for an Social Media Manager to post from my 4 social media accounts, twice each account each week day. Duties include follow-up on any comments (typical traffic is 5 comments per post). How much?

Final Thoughts

If you’re about to spend thousands on marketing, shouldn’t you spend an hour getting clear on what success looks like?

Need help drafting your RFP?
Use the Consultation Request form at the bottom of the page to request a 15-minute info call to learn how I can support your process

I’ll follow up personally to schedule your intro chat—no pressure, just clarity.

Coming Soon: I will share part two in two weeks where we look at the review, evaluation, and selection process based on my experience with the Marketing Strategist.