Why most martech RFPs fail and how to get vendor selection right

Most brands replace their martech tools within five years, according to the most recent MarTech Replacement Survey. Chasing better features, integration and ROI. But selecting the right platform isn’t just about finding the best software - it’s about building a partnership that lasts.

The traditional request for proposal (RFP) process, while necessary, is often flawed, leading to lengthy evaluations, rushed decisions and regret at renewal time. This article breaks down common RFP pitfalls and offers a smarter approach to selecting a martech solution that truly fits your business needs.

The RFP dilemma: A necessary but flawed process

Mention RFP to any brand or tech vendor and the reaction is a mix of determination and dread. The process is exhaustive, involving requirements, templates, questions, evaluations, comparisons and negotiations that can take months, sometimes years.

After all this effort, a brand might feel confident in its choice. But that confidence often fades by deployment and disappears entirely by renewal. “The partner is {insert your reasons here} than expected. There must be a better way.” And so, the cycle begins again.

As a performance marketer with 15+ years of experience, I’ve written, responded to and consulted on countless vendor selections. The process is necessary but fundamentally flawed.

Below are common RFP pitfalls and key steps to selecting a martech platform that truly fits your business and fosters a lasting partnership.

Directional strategy: Defining your path before the RFP

Do you know where you are, where you’re headed and how this piece fits in? A clear RFP questionnaire with functional and non-functional requirements will take you far - but it won’t define your non-negotiables. For example, a CRM might need to integrate with your CDP, activate both email and SMS and include dynamic templates, journey orchestration and an AI-assisted journey builder.

But what if no single tool does all of this well? What are you willing to compromise? When is the right time to deploy? Should you wait for the data warehouse? What about that new personalisation engine?

A well-defined strategy and roadmap clarify your must-haves because you understand the capabilities you need and where they fit into your overall plans. Sequencing becomes clearer as interdependencies emerge.

You could start with requirements and use cases, but laying down your strategy first gives them meaning and direction. And if you share the relevant parts of that strategy with your shortlisted vendors, imagine how much more insightful their responses could be.

Requirements and rationale: Prioritising capability over categories

Focus on capability. LUMAscapes have become so crowded that no screen is wide enough and no font is small enough to fit all the “super-niche” and “super-everything-but-nothing-well-enough” solutions.

Now more than ever, it’s crucial to define exactly what you need a tool to do - because chances are, that platform has at least three different names and fits into multiple martech categories.

RFPs often begin by selecting a platform category - ESP, CDP, DAM - without first clarifying what needs to be achieved. This can leave little time to determine which platform is best suited for each part of that capability.

Take this scenario: “We need a CRO (conversion rate optimisation) tool.”

Your UX is optimised, your customer journeys are refined, but you know showing more relevant content could drive more revenue. To achieve this, you need real-time personalisation. Your product bundles are displayed on the landing page, with the next CTA leading to the cart. The solution must work in both the U.S. and the European Union (EU) — key expansion regions for next year.

The real requirement?

“I need something that personalises my offers in real-time on the first landing page. It must integrate with my stack, work in the US and EU, be easy for my already stretched team to learn and have the potential to expand to other channels. Also, with a major site overhaul in H1’26, I need to improve conversion before Q3 in time for peak.”

Instead of launching an RFP, a quick additional module in your current stack could cover 90% of these needs for the next 1.5 years - without a large upskilling initiative - and be live in just six weeks.

RFP for a CRO tool averted. Capability in place and delivering. Your team can gather insights and refine future requirements for when a larger platform becomes necessary.

Nobody really needs a CRM or a CDP - they need a tool that enables a specific outcome, in a specific way. Start there and the rest will follow.

A two-way conversation: Does your tech partner know you?

You’ve written down 250 questions, issued an RFP and reached the final stage. You now know your remaining vendors inside and out — from financials to security certificates and even their dedicated team’s LinkedIn profiles. The tool is perfect. The team is perfect. This fits.

But what do they know about you?

Yes, they’ve done their own research. But have you told them what they’re integrating with? Do they understand your timelines for value delivery? Your KPIs? Who they’ll be working with?

Many RFPs overlook the fact that, on the other side of the submission form, there’s a company investing heavily to win your business — likely at a loss. And for the first year, they’ll probably continue over-servicing, reallocating resources and even building custom solutions to make it work.

If you take the time to provide context - your goals, your landscape - the partnership will be set up for success.

Seeing it: Why over-prescribing demos can miss the mark

Demos are a valuable way to evaluate a platform, but they’re also time-boxed. To get the best outcomes, plan carefully:

Do: Define what you need to see.

• Make sure you see things that cannot be best answered in writing – UX/UI is a great example.
• Share the same agenda with all vendors and cover the key elements to compare them afterwards.

Don’t: Over-prescribe or try to cover everything.

• You’ll never know the capabilities of these platforms as well as their engineers and founders do. Leave room for them to showcase features you may not have considered.

Take time to get to know the people behind the platform. If this is the team you’ll work with, a rushed demo won’t give you a sense of how they operate. For the next few years, they will be the ones advising, fixing and solving problems. This is your chance to see them in action.

Using it: Why POC is the new favorite acronym

The lack of hands-on experience and one-way communication in RFPs is why more brands are turning to proof of concept (POC) trials instead. Many vendors also prefer POCs. There’s typically less competition, as no brand can test 10–15 platforms at once.

While POCs have their own limitations, they offer one clear advantage over RFPs: you get to work with the tool firsthand. Your teams gain a real understanding of what it takes to learn, implement and start seeing value — before making a long-term commitment.

Buyer beware: Costs, discounts and comparisons

Ideally, all vendors on your shortlist offer the same commercial model, contract duration and support package. In reality, however, you’re more likely to encounter the following:

• One vendor charges based on the number of monthly active users and API calls.
• Another bases pricing on data unit consumption and required licenses — without clarifying what “data unit consumption” actually means.
• One vendor offers a discount if bundled with another product they sell.
• Another implies that not purchasing a certain product will cause the cost of another subscription you already have to double.
• One vendor may use executive-level influence, like taking your CEO to lunch, to pressure you into a deal.
• Another claims that a discount will expire at the end of the month unless you sign immediately.

A strong procurement partner can help you compare these pricing scenarios effectively by establishing common metrics. However, the time needed to complete accurate commercial forecasts — critical for contract sizing and negotiation — can be shortened by RFP timelines. To optimise the cost model, planning should be as detailed as your requirements, with input from subject matter experts.

You’ve gone too far: Risks to mitigate and exit strategies

If you start with 10 vendors and conduct three rounds of evaluation, how many will be left when it’s time to negotiate?

Whatever that number is, it shouldn’t be just one. Once you identify the “perfect fit,” the real negotiation begins. Without competition, your leverage weakens.

Ensure your final shortlist includes at least two vendors you’d be satisfied to work with and pay for. This keeps your options open and maintains negotiating power.

Start with the end in mind: Measuring success at renewal

Whether you run a proof of concept or rely on demos and questionnaires, one principle is essential: begin with the end in mind. Contract renewal will come sooner than you think, and success will depend on measurable outcomes.

If the vendor promises a 300% ROI, set up the measurement framework now. Track key dates, milestones and metrics like license fees, media spend and ROI improvement. This documentation will provide clear evidence of success when the renewal conversation arises.

If possible, link these metrics back to your key requirements, capabilities and use cases. Ultimately, what made the difference? Let those insights guide your next RFP.

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This author's article was originally published here.