He Scoffed at RFPs for 10 Years. Then He Won $35K in Website Projects.
People ask me all the time whether anyone actually wins the website RFPs I share.
And I get why they’re asking but I try to redirect them towards what it’ll take for them to actually win.
And the word I always land on is alignment. Are you aligned with what any particular RFP is looking for?
Or better yet what they care about?
One designer on the list has now won two of them: a $10,000 project and a $25,000 project.
So I asked him a few questions about how he approaches the list, what he looks for, and whether winning changed his opinion about RFPs.
Before joining the RFP list, how were you typically finding new project opportunities?
I mostly find new work through referrals and local networking. (I’m an extrovert, so I like to get out and talk with people.)
What made you decide to try the list in the first place?
I tried it because I vibe with Omari and figured, why not? I’ve been doing this long enough, it’s time I tried something new.
Of the opportunities you found through the list, what made you decide which ones were worth pursuing?
I scan the list of new ones and eliminate at least half of ’em from consideration before even reading the RFP. The ones that stoke my curiosity or seem like they might possibly be a good fit for my capabilities, I read it in detail and do some research on the org behind it.
You’ve now won two projects from the list - can you share a little about each one? What was the project, roughly what was the budget/value, and how did you end up winning it?
I won a workforce development project with a $10K budget and a small global nonprofit project with a $25K budget. How do I end up winning ‘em? I have no idea. I believe game recognizes game and like attracts like, so with any project I’m pitching, I try to just be myself and speak plainly to the client’s needs and how I can help. My pitches are super clean PDF docs formatted like a letter, not a deck. No longer than they need to be. I would hope they stand out amidst a cavalcade of flashy, “pick-me!” AI treacle.
Before you started applying, did you have any doubts about RFPs - for example, whether they were too competitive, too time-consuming, or actually realistic to win?
For sure. I’ve been scoffing at RFPs for over a decade. And still, 90% of them I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole gator (I’m in Florida, where a fella threw a gator though a Wendy’s drive through window). But…
Has winning these projects changed how you think about RFPs or where you look for new business?
…Nothing opens your mind to new work sources like a cool $10K.
What would you say to another web designer who is looking at the RFP list but hasn’t signed up yet?
Don’t sign up, I don’t want the competition haha. I mean sign up for Omari’s RFP list… expand your mind… and your prospects.
Any other advice?
Also, pro tip: a lot of these RFPs have an open period for questions, and then they publish their answers to all the questions. I only submit questions if they’re asking for something vague in the RFP, to get clarity for the sake of scope. Send in any questions you have, and read all the answers regardless. Reading them makes me sad, because there are always dozens and dozens of inane questions, obviously-AI-generated to try to sound smart. But you’ll also often find a few insightful questions and answers that shed more light on what exactly the org is looking for and what they care about.
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If you want to see the same list he uses, I track $10K+ website design and development RFPs and add new opportunities throughout the week.
$50/month. First 30 days free.
