4 Questions to Ask Before Pricing that Next Job

Here is an example of how powerful this question can be: In 2008, a printer in Scottsdale, AZ, pursued business with the athletic department at a major university. The goal of the RFP was to fill seats in the stadium during football games, but the RFP never mentioned this and referenced print jobs and mailings.

The printer owner met with key decision makers, asked the right questions and changed the ball game, no pun intended. He asked about goals and the previous year’s budget, and then figured out the cost per filled seat. The printer then shocked the university by quoting price per filled seat rather than on print jobs.

The print firm—or marketing service provider—took over the entire marketing project while guaranteeing results. It built in performance bonuses and penalties while improving on the previous year’s ROI and won the project. Pretty gutsy, but if marketing is your game, why not go for the whole pie?

To summarize, before getting into the nuts and bolts of a print job RFP, you may want to ask more questions upfront. Your questions may vary from the above, but consider elevating the conversation to a more strategic planning level.