In 2025, planners don’t just expect a hotel proposal — they expect an experience.
On average, a single RFP goes to 10 competing venues, and 72 % of first responders win the business. Yet many hotels still rely on static PDFs and slow manual follow-ups that fail to stand out in a crowded inbox.
The modern e-proposal has become the new frontline of hospitality sales — blending storytelling, personalization, data, and automation. Whether you’re managing five properties or fifty, enhancing your proposal process is now directly tied to revenue growth.
This guide combines insights from industry leaders like Amadeus, Event Temple, and IDeaS with field-tested practices from Hippo Video’s Hospitality AI Sales Acceleration Platform. You’ll learn six proven strategies to modernize your e-proposals, improve speed, and convert more RFPs into bookings.
Respond Faster — Because Speed Still Wins
Why it matters
Cvent’s latest research shows that 80 % of planners expect a response within four days, and over half of hotels now meet this benchmark. Yet only the fastest responders — typically within 24–48 hours — consistently earn “Top Responder” status and higher win rates.
How to do it
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Automate triage: Use instant alerts and auto-assignment rules to route new RFPs.
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Pre-approved templates: Keep modular pricing and concession blocks ready for common event types.
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One-hour acknowledgment: Even a short holding reply with key dates and a personalized video builds momentum.
Bonus Insight
A leading U.S. management group using Hippo Video’s AI-generated e-proposals saw a 3× increase in engagement and 80 % fewer follow-up emails simply by replying faster with tailored video greetings.
Read our guide on how hoteliers can respond faster while saving 350+ hours a year!
Personalize Every Proposal at Scale
Define and segment
Personalization has moved from “nice-to-have” to industry baseline. Use CRM and sales-and-catering data to segment by event size, type, and budget. Each proposal should feel written specifically for that planner.
How to deliver
- Greet the planner by name and reference their organization or past event.
- Insert dynamic content blocks — menus, layouts, testimonials — relevant to their use case.
- Highlight differentiators that matter most to that segment (e.g., sustainability for corporates, luxury amenities for weddings).
Data that proves it
According to McKinsey, personalization drives 10–15 % revenue growth across sectors. In hospitality sales, tailored proposals correlate with higher shortlist rates and improved planner satisfaction.
In order to see how AI-driven personalization can amplify guest trust and transparency, read our blog on why hotels are investing in AI video personalization in 2025.
Tell a Story, Not Just a Price
Why storytelling works
Planners are comparing dozens of near-identical packages. A compelling narrative helps them visualize what hosting their event at your property feels like. Event Temple recommends using descriptive language and emotional cues to show the journey rather than list inclusions.
How to apply it
- Start with a short paragraph painting the event experience.
- Use before-and-after framing (“From setup to closing dinner, every detail is seamless”).
- Add short client success stories or visuals from previous similar events.
Advanced touch
Embed 360° virtual tours or walkthrough videos using Hippo Video or Prismm integrations. Studies show 95 % of planners are more likely to inquire when a property includes immersive visuals.
Make It Clear, Comparable, and Clickable
The clarity principle
Planners skim dozens of responses. Proposals that are structured, concise, and scannable win comparisons faster.
Checklist for clarity:
- Lead with an executive summary confirming availability, capacity, and total cost.
- Use tables for room blocks and bullets for concessions.
- Avoid internal jargon; prefer everyday language (“setup,” not “banquet-style R-configuration”).
Turn constraints into confidence
If you can’t meet a requirement, show a solution — not a “no.” For example:
“Our main ballroom seats 500; for your 600 attendees, we’ll stream the plenary to our adjacent junior ballroom with integrated AV.”
This approach signals partnership and professionalism.
Integrate, Automate, and Analyze
Connect your tech stack
Disconnected tools create delays and errors. Integrate your PMS, CRM, and e-proposal platform so that availability, pricing, and inventory update in real time.
Platforms like Amadeus Delphi + UpMail or Hippo Video’s AI RFP Agent can:
- Auto-pull booking data into proposals
- Generate branded layouts in minutes
- Track open rates, video views, and engagement heatmaps
Analyze and improve
Leverage engagement data to tailor follow-ups:
- High replays on ballroom video → emphasize AV packages
- Multiple clicks on the menu section → offer premium F&B upgrade
Build a Repeatable, Scalable Workflow
Process beats heroics
Winning teams don’t rely on star performers — they rely on systems. Standardize templates, pre-approved clauses, and branded visuals. Maintain a shared library of assets that any rep can assemble within minutes.
Combine automation + human touch
Automate repetitive tasks (form fills, pricing tokens) but keep sales creativity for storytelling, negotiation, and empathy.
Track KPIs like:
- Response time
- Proposal completeness
- Win rate by segment
Regularly review these to reinforce consistent habits across your team.
Incentivize what matters
Reward reps not just for closed deals, but also for high response rates and SLA adherence. This builds a performance culture focused on pipeline quality, not just volume.
The e-proposal has evolved from a static document into a living, interactive sales asset. By responding faster, personalizing deeply, weaving a clear narrative, and integrating automation, your property can rise above the noise in a crowded RFP landscape.
Each enhancement compounds: quicker replies earn trust, personalization builds emotion, and analytics refine your strategy with every RFP response you send.
Upgrade your proposal process today with Hippo Video’s AI-powered RFP automation — and start turning every opportunity into a measurable, repeatable source of revenue & success.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an e-proposal in hospitality?
An e-proposal is a digital, interactive version of a hotel sales proposal that integrates visuals, video, analytics, and personalization — replacing static PDFs with dynamic, trackable experiences.
How can automation improve RFP responses?
Automation reduces manual work, ensures consistency, and speeds replies. Hotels using AI-powered e-proposal platforms report up to 3× higher engagement and 80 % fewer follow-up emails.
What metrics should hotels track to measure e-proposal success?
Focus on response rate, proposal turnaround time, win rate, and engagement metrics like video views and click-throughs. Tie these back to revenue per proposal for a full performance view.
Can AI predict which RFPs are worth pursuing based on probability of conversion?
Yes. With enough data — RFP source, lead time, group size, budget range, and past conversion rates — a fine-tuned model can produce a “pursuit score” for each inquiry. This helps teams prioritize high-yield bids and auto-decline mismatched ones, increasing response consistency while saving time. Over months, it refines itself by learning from win/loss outcomes.
How can AI-powered proposals enhance collaboration between sales, marketing, and revenue management teams?
Proposals become shared data artifacts. AI systems can pull live pricing from revenue management, approved copy from marketing, and availability from PMS — ensuring consistency across departments. They also generate analytics dashboards accessible to all teams, aligning everyone around the same KPIs: response rate, proposal value, and win probability by segment.
How could generative AI evolve the future of hotel RFPs over the next 3–5 years?
The shift will be from static proposal exchange to interactive negotiation experiences.
In the coming future, AI agents will likely handle:
- Real-time pricing negotiations within the proposal interface
- Auto-translated, multilingual RFP responses
- Carbon-impact simulations for each event setup
- Personalized 3D space visualizations generated from text prompts
In that world, hotels that invest early in connected, AI-ready proposal systems will own the fastest, most data-rich sales funnels in the industry.