proposal-writing

Proposal Writing

When to Use

When a prospect has expressed interest and needs a formal proposal to make a purchase decision.

Core Jobs

1. Before Writing

Confirm you have:

• Their specific pain points (from discovery)
• Their success metrics (what does good look like for them?)
• Budget range (don't propose blindly)
• Decision timeline and process
• The right audience (who will read this?)

If any of these are missing — go back and find out before writing.

2. Proposal Structure

1. Executive Summary (1 page): their situation, recommended solution, expected outcomes
2. Understanding Your Challenge (1/2 page): show you listened, demonstrate understanding of their context
3. Proposed Solution (1–2 pages): tailored recommendation with implementation approach
4. Investment: clear pricing options, what's included/excluded, payment terms
5. Why Us (1/2 page): relevant customer proof for their context
6. Next Steps: what happens when they say yes, proposed start date

3. Quantify Value

Every proposal should answer: "What's the ROI?"

• Cost of their current problem (quantified by them in discovery)
• Expected improvement your solution delivers
• Simple math: "Based on your numbers, this represents $Xk in annual savings"

4. Pricing Presentation

• Present 2–3 options (anchoring — middle option is usually chosen)
• Name the options, not just tier 1/2/3 ("Starter / Growth / Scale")
• Include a recommended option based on their needs

Key Outputs

• Tailored proposal document
• ROI calculation
• Pricing options table
• Follow-up email template

Anti-Patterns

• Generic proposals that could be for any company
• Proposing before understanding budget
• Leading with features instead of outcomes
• No next steps — proposal disappears into a void