The RFP Courtship Dance – A Friday Funny

By Michelle Malay Carter on February 21, 2008 

We’ve been talking about RFP’s this week.??You have to admit, the RFP process is essentially a courtship ritual.? The client is busy trying not to act impressed so the consultant doesn’t inflate their prices, while the consultant?gets jazzed at the thought of “winning” more work.?

The unspoken dialog goes something like this:?

Client:? How much do you want us?

Consultant:? Very much.? Very much.

Client:? Enough to provide 26 pages of documentation?

Consultant:? Watch me write – pie charts, graphics, colors.

Client:? Thank you.? We’ve got plenty of consultants to choose from.? Don’t call us.? We’ll call you.

When it’s all said and done, you just hope your client hasn’t attended the praying mantis school of courtship, as the female praying mantis devours her mate after she gets what she needs.

An Emu-sing Video
Have you ever made a fool of yourself to land a client?? You must have attended the emu school of courtship.?

This 30 second video is a hoot.? (Warning:? There is audio too.? Turn down your speakers if you don’t wish to share this with others.)

Filed Under Corporate Values, High Potential, Personal Observation, Strategy

Comments

2 Responses to “The RFP Courtship Dance – A Friday Funny”

  1. Jim on February 22nd, 2008 10:00 am

    I recall a RFP mating dance that I danced with a large mining company. We had done previous work with them, and they really were well pleased with the work. An IT Strategic Plan was wanted and they invited us and another consulting firm to bid. We made our presentation, and I thought we had the job. A week later, the other people made their presentation and got the work. I learned later their differentiating factor was they had heard an executive VP use the words “relentless pursuit of productivity”, and they used the same phrase several times in their presentation. They got the job. Unfortunately they came up with a huge project for the company that was a complete waste of money. I almost quit the consulting business I was so devastated.
    However on reflection my error was not paying attention to a burning issue in the company.
    We must to listen to the music while we dance.

  2. Michelle Malay Carter on February 22nd, 2008 10:56 am

    Jim,

    Thanks for sharing and offering your wisdom – “We must listen to the music while we dance.” Well said.

    Regards,

    Michelle