Triggers when the user needs to create, review, or improve a sales proposal, SOW, or executive summary. Also triggers on "write a proposal", "proposal for [company]", "help me with the executive summary", "how should I price this", "ROI calculation", "value prop", "business case", "case study selection", or "proposal review".
From sales-enablementnpx claudepluginhub cjf-iii/sales-enablement-pluginThis skill is limited to using the following tools:
Guides Next.js Cache Components and Partial Prerendering (PPR) with cacheComponents enabled. Implements 'use cache', cacheLife(), cacheTag(), revalidateTag(), static/dynamic optimization, and cache debugging.
Migrates code, prompts, and API calls from Claude Sonnet 4.0/4.5 or Opus 4.1 to Opus 4.5, updating model strings on Anthropic, AWS, GCP, Azure platforms.
Details PluginEval's skill quality evaluation: 3 layers (static, LLM judge), 10 dimensions, rubrics, formulas, anti-patterns, badges. Use to interpret scores, improve triggering, calibrate thresholds.
Activate this skill when:
data/memory/deals/ — understand stage, value, key contactsdata/memory/companies/ — understand pain points, industry, competitive landscapedata/memory/contacts/ — understand stakeholder prioritiesdata/memory/learnings/proposal-effectiveness.md — what's worked in past proposalsdata/templates/proposal-template.md for the structural skeletonBuild the proposal following SCRAP (detailed below). Every section must earn its place — if a section doesn't advance the buyer toward "yes," cut it.
Never submit a proposal without quantified value. Use the Value Quantification Methodology below to calculate ROI, payback period, and cost of inaction.
Choose case studies and references using the Case Study Selection Logic below. Wrong case study = worse than no case study.
Apply the Pricing Strategy Guidance below. How you present the number matters as much as the number itself.
Before finalizing, run the proposal through the 10-Point Quality Gate. Every point must pass. No exceptions for "the client needs it today."
data/memory/learnings/proposal-effectiveness.md after outcome is knownSCRAP is designed for executive readers who will spend 90 seconds on your proposal before deciding whether to read more. Front-load the insight, not the product description.
Purpose: Prove you understand their world before you ask them to consider yours.
What to include:
What NOT to include:
How to write it: Start with something only YOU could write because you've done the discovery work. The first sentence should make them think "they get us."
Example: "Meridian Media Group is navigating a shift from linear-first to digital-first advertising revenue, with digital now representing 38% of total ad revenue — up from 22% two years ago. This growth has created both opportunity and pressure: your sales team is fielding more RFPs with digital components, but your programmatic infrastructure and data capabilities lag behind your premium content position. The result is a growing gap between the audience you can reach and the audience you can monetize efficiently."
Purpose: Articulate the cost of the status quo. Make inaction feel expensive and risky.
What to include:
How to write it: This section should create discomfort. Not fear-mongering — honest, evidence-based discomfort. The buyer should read this and think "yes, that's exactly what keeps me up at night."
Example: "Three dynamics are compounding this challenge:
CPA inflation — Your average cost per acquisition has risen 34% YoY on programmatic channels, outpacing the 12% industry average. At current trajectory, you'll spend $1.8M more in 2027 to acquire the same number of customers as 2026.
Audience fragmentation — Your first-party data covers 40% of your addressable audience. The remaining 60% is reached through third-party segments that are degrading quarterly as cookie deprecation accelerates. This creates a targeting accuracy problem that directly impacts campaign ROI.
Competitive gap — Three of your direct competitors (including [named competitor]) have invested in integrated data platforms in the last 18 months. Their pitch to advertisers now includes deterministic audience matching that you can't currently offer."
Purpose: Present your solution as the bridge from complication to desired outcome. Focus on outcomes, not features.
What to include:
Structure this as outcome blocks, not feature lists:
BAD:
GOOD:
Example: "Our proposed solution addresses each of these challenges:
CPA Reduction: Target 25-35% decrease within 90 days By combining our proprietary contextual engine with your first-party audience data, we create a targeting model that's 3x more predictive than third-party segments alone. For Meridian's audience profile, our modeling suggests CPA compression from $42 to $28-$31 within the first campaign flight, based on performance benchmarks from [comparable client].
Audience Extension: 85%+ addressable reach without third-party dependency Our identity graph covers 240M US adults with deterministic matching. Integrated with your CRM data, this extends your targetable audience from 40% to 85%+ of your total addressable market — without reliance on deprecated third-party cookies.
Competitive Positioning: Data-driven advertising capability within 60 days Full platform integration and first campaign live within 60 days of contract signature. Your sales team will have a data story to tell advertisers by Q3, closing the competitive gap before upfront season."
Purpose: Make the next steps crystal clear. Reduce the cognitive burden of saying yes.
What to include:
How to write it: Make it feel easy. The buyer should read this and think "this team has done this before and they'll make it simple for us."
Purpose: Eliminate doubt with evidence. This is the longest section because proof is what converts consideration to commitment.
What to include:
Proof hierarchy (most to least persuasive):
1. ROI Percentage
ROI = (Net Gain from Investment / Cost of Investment) x 100
Net Gain = (Revenue Increase + Cost Savings + Efficiency Gains) - Investment Cost
Example:
- Investment: $350,000 (annual contract)
- Revenue increase from better targeting: $480,000
- Cost savings from CPA reduction: $220,000
- Efficiency gains from automation: $65,000
- Net Gain: $765,000 - $350,000 = $415,000
- ROI: ($415,000 / $350,000) x 100 = 119%
2. Payback Period
Payback Period = Investment / Monthly Net Gain
Example:
- Investment: $350,000
- Monthly net gain: $415,000 / 12 = $34,583
- Payback: $350,000 / $34,583 = 10.1 months
For quarterly contracts, calculate per-quarter payback.
3. Cost of Inaction (The Most Powerful Number)
Cost of Inaction = (Current Loss Rate x Time Period) + (Opportunity Cost of Delay)
Example:
- CPA inflation costs $150K/year extra and growing at 34% YoY
- Competitive gap costs estimated $400K in lost RFP revenue per quarter
- 6-month delay = $75K additional CPA waste + $800K lost revenue opportunity
- Cost of Inaction (6 months): $875,000
Compare: $875K cost of waiting vs. $350K cost of acting.
Wrong case study = worse than no case study. Selection criteria, in priority order:
| Priority | Criterion | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Same industry | Buyer thinks "they understand my world" |
| 2 | Similar company size | Buyer thinks "they can handle my scale" |
| 3 | Same pain point | Buyer thinks "they've solved this exact problem" |
| 4 | Similar deal size | Buyer thinks "this is a reasonable investment" |
| 5 | Recent (< 18 months) | Buyer thinks "this is current, not legacy" |
| 6 | Named customer | Buyer can verify; adds credibility |
| 7 | Quantified results | Numbers > adjectives. Always. |
Never lead with price. Price appears AFTER value is established. If the buyer sees $350K before understanding the $875K cost of inaction, $350K feels expensive. After understanding the cost of inaction, $350K feels like a bargain.
Anchor high, offer options. Present 3 tiers:
Frame investment, not cost. Language matters:
Address TCO proactively. If your solution replaces existing spend, show the net new investment: "Your current programmatic spend is $200K/year with a $42 CPA. Our solution is $350K/year but reduces your CPA to $28. Net new investment: $150K. Net new customer acquisition: 5,400 additional customers. Cost per incremental customer: $27.78."
Build in flexibility for negotiation. Know your walk-away number before the proposal goes out. Build enough margin that you can offer:
Run every proposal through these checks before sending. Score Pass/Fail on each. Minimum 8/10 to send. Below 8, revise.
Question: Would the buyer recognize their own words and priorities in the first page? Check: The Situation and Complication sections reference specific things the buyer said in discovery, not generic industry platitudes. Direct quotes from the buyer appear at least once. Fail condition: You could swap in any company name and the intro would still work.
Question: Does every section answer "so what does this mean for the buyer?" Check: Every feature mentioned is tied to an outcome. Every statistic is tied to an impact. No orphan facts. Fail condition: Any paragraph that describes what you do without explaining why the buyer should care.
Question: Is the financial case clear, specific, and credible? Check: ROI is calculated with transparent inputs. Cost of inaction is stated. Payback period is included. At least one sensitivity scenario. Fail condition: Value is stated in vague terms ("significant improvement", "substantial ROI").
Question: Would the buyer see themselves in the case studies? Check: Case studies match at least 3/7 selection criteria. Results are quantified. The customer's challenge is described, not just the result. Fail condition: Case studies are from unrelated industries with unrelated challenges.
Question: Could a C-level executive understand the proposal in 3 minutes? Check: Executive summary is under 1 page. No jargon without definition. Clear visual hierarchy (headers, bold, bullets). Key numbers are easy to find. Fail condition: Wall-of-text paragraphs. Acronyms without definitions. Buried punchlines.
Question: Does the proposal explain why YOU, not just why this type of solution? Check: At least 2 differentiators are specific to your company/product, not the category. Competitive advantages are stated without naming competitors. Fail condition: The proposal reads like a category pitch. A competitor could put their logo on it and it would still make sense.
Question: Does the buyer know exactly what happens next? Check: Next steps are specific (who does what by when). Investment is clearly stated. Timeline has dates, not just phases. What you need from the buyer is explicit. Fail condition: "We look forward to discussing next steps" — this is a non-action disguised as a closing statement.
Question: Does the proposal address the buyer's likely concerns before they raise them? Check: Pricing includes value justification. Implementation section addresses complexity concerns. Risk mitigation is included. Competitive positioning is woven in (without naming names). Fail condition: The proposal assumes the buyer has no concerns and will say yes on first read.
Question: Are all numbers, names, dates, and claims consistent throughout? Check: Deal value matches between sections. Company name is spelled correctly. Dates in the timeline are realistic. No contradicting claims. Fail condition: Executive summary says $350K, pricing section says $375K. These errors destroy credibility.
Question: Is there a clear, specific ask? Check: The proposal ends with a specific request: "We'd like to schedule a 30-minute review of this proposal on [date]. If the approach aligns, we can have the MSA ready for legal review by [date]." Fail condition: The proposal trails off or ends with "let us know your thoughts."
After each proposal:
data/memory/learnings/proposal-effectiveness.md## [Date] — [Company] — $[Value] — [Won/Lost/Pending]
- **Proposal approach:** [SCRAP emphasis — which section was strongest?]
- **Buyer feedback:** [What they said about the proposal, positive and negative]
- **Winning element:** [What moved them most — pricing, proof, value calc?]
- **Weakness:** [What they pushed back on or didn't find compelling]
- **Time from proposal to decision:** [X days]
- **Lesson:** [One-sentence takeaway for future proposals]
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Meridian Media Group is losing $1.2M annually to CPA inflation and audience
fragmentation — a gap that widens every quarter as third-party data degrades
and competitors invest in first-party infrastructure.
We propose a 12-month strategic partnership ($350K annual investment) to:
- Reduce programmatic CPA by 25-35% (from $42 to $28-31)
- Extend addressable audience reach from 40% to 85%+
- Deliver a live data-driven advertising capability within 60 days
Based on conservative projections, this investment delivers a 119% ROI
with a 10-month payback period. Even at 60% of projected performance,
ROI exceeds 47%.
Three comparable media companies (including [named reference]) achieved
these results within the first two campaign flights. We've included their
case studies and would welcome a reference call with any of them.
Proposed timeline: Contract signature by April 15 → Platform integration
by May 30 → First campaign live by June 15 → Q3 performance review
with optimization recommendations.
We'd like to review this proposal with you and Sarah Chen on [proposed date].