Influence Starts Before the Bid
By the time an RFP hits your inbox, the opportunity may already be lost, especially if you weren’t part of the conversation that shaped the evaluation criteria. The smartest companies aren’t just trying to win RFPs, they’re influencing what gets written into them.
From Differentiator to Requirement
Let’s say your product has a unique feature, like your skin closure device reduces post-operative scarring. If you market that effectively over time, and the clinical team begins to believe it’s essential, it may become an “order qualifier” in the next RFP.
Once that feature becomes a selection requirement, and you’re the only vendor offering it, you’ve won the deal before it starts.
Defining the Problem on Your Terms
One of the most powerful things marketing can do is define the problem in a way that’s favorable to your solution. Most marketers simply describe the problem generically, but great marketers shape it.
Instead of saying, “surgical closure devices must provide adequate closure,” say, “surgical closure devices must provide positive scar cosmesis.” Now, you’ve redefined the buyer’s pain point and aligned the solution to your unique advantage.
The Risk of Staying Invisible
If your company is small, new to the space, or lacking awareness, you won’t get invited to the RFP unless you’ve been educating the right stakeholders. That means marketing can’t go dark during off-cycles; it must stay consistent and focused on visibility, value, and influence.
Strategic Marketing Sets the Table
Marketing isn’t about just generating leads. It’s about shaping the entire buying process. If your campaigns help write the RFP questions (without writing them yourself), you’ve already changed the game.
At Jairus Marketing, we work with healthcare companies to position their products and services as the obvious choice, months or years before a bid is issued.
Want to shape the next RFP in your favor? Let’s talk strategy.
