Why Your PR Agency Loses Proposals (And How to Fix It)

Your agency is talented. Your team is experienced. Your work speaks for itself. So why do you keep losing proposals?

If your win rate is hovering around 20-25% (the industry average for PR agencies), you're burning through tens of thousands of dollars in proposal costs for every client you land. And the frustrating part is that the agencies beating you aren't necessarily better -- they're just better at proposals.

Here's why you're losing, and how to fix each problem.

Problem 1: You're Responding to Every RFP

This is the biggest and most common mistake. An RFP arrives, someone says "this could be huge," and the team mobilizes. Every time.

But not every RFP is worth responding to. Some are wired. Some are fishing expeditions. Some are simply wrong for your agency.

How to fix it:

Implement a go/no-go framework. Before committing 40+ hours to a response, answer these questions:

• Do we have relevant experience in this specific category/challenge?
• Is this the right size client for our agency?
• Do we have a realistic path to winning?
• Is the timeline realistic?
• Is the budget aligned with our pricing?

If you can't answer "yes" to at least 3 of these, pass. Agencies that respond to fewer RFPs win a higher percentage.

Problem 2: Your Proposals Are About You, Not Them

Open your last proposal. Count how many times you mention your agency in the first three pages. Now count how many times you mention the client's challenges.

Most losing proposals spend the first third on "About Us" -- agency history, awards, client logos, team size. By the time you get to strategy, the evaluator has already decided you're just like every other agency.

How to fix it:

Flip the structure. Start with the client.

1. Page 1-2: Their situation. Demonstrate understanding of their challenges and competitive landscape.
2. Page 3-5: Your approach to THEIR challenges. Not your general methodology -- your specific plan.
3. Page 6+: Why you're the team to do it. Now credentials matter because they're in context.

Problem 3: Your Strategy Section Is Generic

"We'll develop a multi-channel integrated communications strategy leveraging thought leadership, media relations, and digital amplification to drive awareness and engagement among key stakeholders."

That sentence could appear in literally any PR proposal for any client. And versions of it appear in most of them.

How to fix it:

Include at least one strategic idea that could only work for this specific client. Something that demonstrates you've thought about their unique situation.

Problem 4: Your Case Studies Don't Connect

Most agencies present case studies the same way: here's what we did, here are the results. The problem is the missing connection to the prospect's situation.

How to fix it:

Frame every case study with an explicit bridge: "[Client in RFP] is facing a similar challenge to what we solved for [Case Study Client]..."

If finding and adapting the right case studies is eating into your proposal time, tools like WizardRFP can automatically identify your most relevant past work and draft contextual bridges.

Problem 5: You Run Out of Time

Most agencies lose proposals not because their strategy is wrong, but because they run out of time and submit a rushed response.

How to fix it:

Reduce the production time so you have more time for strategy. This is where AI tools pay for themselves. If you can cut your proposal production time by 50-75% using a tool like WizardRFP, those saved hours go directly into the strategic thinking that actually wins.

Start immediately. Not Monday. Not "when things calm down." The moment you decide to respond, start the clock.

Problem 6: You Don't Debrief

When you lose a proposal, do you know why? Most agencies don't ask.

How to fix it:

Request a debrief from every prospect, win or lose. Track feedback over 6-12 months and patterns will emerge.

The Compound Effect

Combined, these fixes transform your win rate:

• Selectivity → higher base rate
• Client-first structure → stronger first impression
• Specific strategy → differentiation
• Connected case studies → builds confidence
• More time for quality → fewer rushed submissions
• Debriefing → continuous improvement

Agencies that implement all six consistently see win rates climb from 20-25% to 35-45%.

Fix your proposal process with WizardRFP at wizardrfp.com -- because your best thinking shouldn't get buried under boilerplate.