Request for information (RFI)

Definition

A Request for Information (RFI) is a formal document that organizations use to explore the market before they commit to a solution. Think of it as the buyer’s research phase: they’re not ready to buy yet, but they’re deciding how they’ll buy, and whom to trust with next steps.

For vendors, an RFI is a chance to influence the buying criteria before the RFP is even drafted.

Why RFIs exist from the buyer’s side

Buyers issue RFIs when:

They’re exploring a new category and need to understand what’s possible
They want to gather benchmark data (features, pricing models, implementation scope)
They need help refining their internal requirements
Procurement or IT mandates due diligence before issuing an RFP
They want to gauge vendor maturity and fit before investing internal resources

This stage is often driven by business stakeholders, but filtered through legal, IT, or procurement lenses. A thoughtful RFI response can elevate you from ‘vendor’ to ‘strategic partner’ early in the cycle.

What a good RFI response includes

Most RFIs ask a mix of open- and closed-ended questions across these domains:

Domain	Typical Questions
Company overview	When were you founded? Who are your investors?
Product capabilities	What problems does your solution solve?
Security & compliance	Are you SOC 2, ISO 27001, or GDPR compliant?
Technical architecture	Is it cloud-native? What’s the data storage model?
Integrations	Do you support [X platform]? API coverage?
Implementation	Timeline, onboarding, customer support SLAs
References	Who are your customers in [industry]? Case studies?

A good response not only answers the questions but also educates the buyer on what they should be asking in the first place.

How to turn an RFI into a competitive advantage

Too many vendors treat RFIs as a checklist. Smart teams use them to:

Shape the buyer’s scope by positioning your strengths early
Create preference through clarity, transparency, and thought leadership
Preempt objections around risk, scale, and integrations
Influence RFP design by introducing differentiators that competitors can’t match
Set the tone for working together in terms of professionalism, responsiveness, and insight

What to avoid in RFI responses

Overused marketing language (“cutting-edge,” “world-class”) without proof
Generic answers that could apply to any SaaS product
Under-answering security or compliance questions. Even if informal, buyers are noting it
Delays in response as this often reflects negatively on your readiness or internal alignment

How RFIs connect to your content strategy

Don’t just answer the questions but rather support them with curated collateral:

Customer case studies tailored by vertical
ROI summaries or TCO comparisons
One-pagers on security architecture or integrations
Implementation timeline visuals
Buyer-specific demo recordings

All of this should be managed centrally via your knowledge automation system.

AI prompt: Draft a tailored RFI response

Use this to jumpstart your next RFI response:

Copy

"Act as a solutions consultant at a B2B SaaS company responding to an RFI from a Fortune 500 buyer in the healthcare industry. Draft a clear and persuasive response that covers product capabilities, compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA), integrations, onboarding, and references. Keep the tone consultative and informative. No hard sell."

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