Responding to a software RFP you didn't help shape is like showing up to a game where the rules were written by your competitor. (When you do need to respond, our guide to responding to RFPs covers how to win.)
It doesn't matter how good your product is or how compelling your response - by the time that RFP hits your inbox, the decision is essentially made. While you're scrambling to answer technical requirements, the chosen vendor is sitting back comfortably, knowing those specifications were designed with their solution in mind.
So what's the winning move? Don't wait for the RFP — get in front of it by tracking the right buying signals. Here's how to spot a software RFP coming before it's officially drafted:
1. Executive Leadership Changes
When new C-suite executives arrive, they typically re-evaluate existing software vendors within their first 90 days. This is one of the strongest signals of an impending RFP.
- Executive hires to monitor: New CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, or IT Directors are obvious triggers, but also watch for Chief Digital Officers, Innovation Officers, and even COOs who often oversee operational technology stacks
- Timing matters: Most executives conduct vendor reviews within their first 100 days to demonstrate quick impact and align technology with their vision
- Detection method: Set up LinkedIn alerts for executive changes at target accounts and create Google Alerts for press releases announcing new leadership
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2. Strategic Departmental Hiring
Beyond executive changes, specific departmental hiring patterns strongly signal upcoming software evaluations.
- Key roles to watch: Digital Transformation Managers, Enterprise Architects, Implementation Specialists, and Project Managers with specific technology experience
- Competitive indicators: Companies hiring specialists in competitor technologies (e.g., a Microsoft shop posting Salesforce implementation roles) often signals platform evaluation
- Detection method: Create saved searches on job boards for technology keywords and monitor company career pages for new role categories
“Consolidation of prospect company information that I can use frequently to be way better informed when I'm doing my outbound, preparing for a meeting, or building relationships. Ease of use and Customer Support is excellent.”
Werner Schmidt
CEO & Co-Founder, Lative
3. Earnings Call Disclosures
Quarterly earnings calls and investor presentations frequently telegraph major technology investments months before formal RFP processes begin.
- Revealing phrases: Listen for mentions of "digital transformation initiatives," "legacy system modernization," "technology investment allocations," or "operational efficiency programs"
- Follow the money: When executives highlight specific budget allocations for technology areas, RFPs typically follow within 2-3 quarters
- Detection method: Subscribe to earnings call transcription services and create alerts for technology investment terms in financial disclosures
4. Competitor Displacement Events
When a company terminates a contract with your competitor, they're likely preparing an RFP request for a replacement solution.
- Early warning signs: Declining renewal rates mentioned in competitor earnings, support contract terminations, and job postings seeking migration experience
- Social signals: Negative review spikes on G2 or Capterra and social media complaints often precede vendor changes
- Detection method: Monitor competitor quarterly results for churn indicators and set up social listening for "[Competitor Name] + alternative/switch/migration"
“The Business Development team gets 80 to 90 percent of what they need in 15 minutes. That is a complete shift in how our reps work.”
Andrew Giordano
VP of Global Commercial Operations, Analytic Partners
5. Corporate News and Public Announcements
Structural business changes frequently necessitate technology evaluations, making news monitoring essential for RFP detection.
- High-value announcements: M&A activity, new market expansions, major restructuring initiatives, and funding rounds all typically trigger software evaluations
- Regulatory catalysts: New compliance requirements often force companies to upgrade systems, particularly in highly regulated industries
- Detection method: Set up news aggregation for target accounts and follow industry publications for regulatory change announcements
The key is moving from reactive to proactive selling. Investing in account research pays off here — by the time most sales teams receive a software RFP request, the most influential conversations have already happened. Modern trigger detection tools help you enter those conversations at the beginning, not scrambling at the end.
Winning is all about getting ahead of the game. If you're not first in identifying these signals, you're just filling a slot in the vendor comparison matrix.
Key Takeaways
- By the time a formal RFP lands in your inbox, the decision is often already made. Getting in front of it by tracking early signals is the winning move.
- Executive leadership changes are one of the strongest RFP predictors, as new C-suite hires typically re-evaluate vendors within their first 90 days.
- Strategic hiring patterns, such as roles for digital transformation managers or implementation specialists, signal upcoming software evaluations months in advance.
- Earnings calls and investor presentations frequently telegraph technology investments two to three quarters before formal procurement begins.
- Monitoring competitor displacement events and corporate news like M&A activity or regulatory changes gives you additional early warning of impending RFPs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to detect RFP signals early?
Detecting RFP signals early allows you to enter the conversation before the formal evaluation begins. Sellers who engage prospects during the requirements-gathering phase can shape evaluation criteria in their favor, build relationships with key decision-makers, and position themselves as the preferred vendor rather than scrambling to respond to specifications written around a competitor.
What are the strongest signals that an RFP is coming?
The strongest signals include new executive hires in technology or operations roles, strategic job postings for implementation or transformation specialists, earnings call mentions of technology investment allocations, competitor contract terminations, and major corporate events like mergers, acquisitions, or new funding rounds. Layering multiple signals together increases confidence that a formal procurement process is imminent.
How can I track RFP signals at scale?
Manual tracking across dozens or hundreds of target accounts is not sustainable. Platforms like Salesmotion automate signal and buying trigger monitoring by watching all your target accounts around the clock and surfacing relevant updates, job openings, and news. This replaces a patchwork of Google Alerts, LinkedIn notifications, and job board searches with a single, unified intelligence feed.
Put RFP Request Detection on Auto-Pilot with Salesmotion
Salesmotion puts signal and buying trigger tracking for potential upcoming RFPs on auto-pilot by having research agents monitor all your target accounts 24/7. The platform will find the relevant updates, signals, job openings and more that reveal an upcoming RFP. Anything a sales rep would have to setup in a suite of tools and widgets can be done in one place. This will get you into the conversation before the RFP comes out and enable you to shape it.
Salesmotion automates RFP signal detection so you can enter conversations before the formal process begins.
