What is the "RFP" that holds the key to website renewal?

My name is Sakamoto, and I work in the sales department of the Marketing Division.
This time, we will introduce you to RFP (Request for Proposal), which holds the key to the success of a website renewal.
RFP is an abbreviation for "Request For Proposal" and is a summary of the client's requests regarding "what they want the web production company to do when creating their website."

When a renewal is decided, the first thing a client should do is to create an RFP (request for proposal). I would like to tell you why RFPs are so important.

Corporate websites are custom-made

For example, when you want to buy new clothes, most people will probably buy the clothes they like (ready-made) at a store or online. Very few people would have the clothes they want custom-made.
If your company's corporate website is sufficient with a ready-made product, it is easy to renew it. You can renew it at low cost by simply purchasing a template design and inserting your company profile and content.

However, in that case, it cannot be denied that the site will end up looking like one you've seen somewhere before, just like bumping into someone wearing similar clothes on the street.

The corporate website is the "face" of your company.
The role of corporate websites is expanding, from introducing a company's products and services to investor relations, recruiting, acquiring new customers, etc. This is why it is becoming commonplace to create a "custom-made" website that is unique to each company, rather than using a ready-made product.

An RFP is a document that summarizes the customer's requests regarding "what kind of clothes (=website) they would like to create" when making custom orders.
And we, the web production company, are the tailors that listen to our customers' requests (= RFP) and propose the clothes (= website) that suit each person best and make them look their most attractive.

The "site to be created" becomes clear from the RFP

A tailor creates clothes according to the customer's request, he does not make clothes on his own.

This is also true for websites. Therefore, from the perspective of a web production company (tailor), the most troubling thing is,

• The RFP is slow to come out from the client.
• Even when RFPs are issued, it is often unclear what the proposal is.

And more.
If there is no RFP (or if the content is insufficient), the web production company has to carry out planning blindly without a clear focus for the renewal. On the other hand, even if the person in charge on the company side finally makes it to the competition, it is often difficult to find a proposal that satisfies them.

This is unfortunate for both the party placing the order and the party making the suggestion.
The solution to this dilemma is the RFP.

To prevent the situation where "it's not right after all" occurs

Another important point is that if the "site to be created" is clearly defined through the RFP, it can prevent the renewal project from going off track.

When making clothes, you don't end up thinking, "I wish I made a different piece of clothing after all" once you've started cutting the fabric and sewing. However, when it comes to creating a website, it is very common to find yourself thinking, "I wish I made something different after all" once the actual production (design, coding) has begun.

Just as it is difficult to change a single-breasted suit into a double-breasted one midway through production, changing direction once actual production has begun in website production places a huge burden on the project, causing schedule delays and increased costs.

To prevent this kind of situation from happening, it is important to first properly put together an RFP outlining what kind of website you want to create and what you want to achieve, and to clearly share your direction with the production company.

Next time, we will introduce you to the 5 rules for a successful RFP.