---
name: business-proposals
description: Generate sales outreach sequences, proposals, SOWs, investor pitch decks, and RFP responses. Covers cold email sequences, proposal structure, pricing tiers (Good-Better-Best), scope of work with exclusions, and 10-slide pitch deck.
triggers:
- "write a proposal"
- "cold email / outreach sequence"
- "pitch deck / investor deck"
- "SOW / statement of work"
- "sales outreach / prospecting"
- "respond to RFP"
- "scope of work"
- "client proposal"
negatives:
- general corporate communication (use communication skill)
- content marketing / blog posts (use content-marketing skill)
- brand design / creative direction (use brand-design skill)
- financial models / spreadsheets (use finance skill)
- legal contracts / terms of service (use legal-counsel skill)
license: MIT
compatibility: opencode
metadata:
version: "3.0.0"
metadata:
workflow: sales
audience: consultants, founders, freelancers
version: "3.0.0"
Business Proposals v3.0
Win deals and raise funding. Covers the full pipeline: outreach, proposals, and pitch decks.
Workflow
When the user asks for any sales document, follow this process:
- Clarify stage: Outreach (cold) → Proposal (warm) → Pitch deck (investor)? Ask if unclear.
- Gather context: Run discovery questions for the specific stage (sections below).
- Select template: Match the deliverable to the appropriate structure below.
- Draft: Fill template with user-provided info. Use placeholders
[like this] for unknowns.
- Review: Check against error handling table and production checklist.
- Verify anti-patterns: Scan the anti-patterns table — if any match, fix before delivery.
- Output: Return the completed document in the requested format (text, markdown, email body).
Sales Outreach
Required Discovery
- Prospect: Company + person + role
- Trigger: Why now? (funding, product launch, job change)
- Value prop: "We help [X] do [Y] so they can [Z]"
- Proof: Case study, testimonial, data point, mutual connection
- Goal: Reply? Call? Demo? Trial?
Cold Email Structure
- Subject: Personalized + curiosity gap. 10 words max.
- Opening: Specific reference to them (news, post, achievement)
- Value prop: One sentence. Their benefit, not your features.
- Proof: Social proof or relevant data point.
- Ask: Single, low-friction next step.
- Close: Simple. "Best, [Name]"
Subject Line Patterns
| Pattern |
Example |
| Reference |
"[Company] + [observation]" |
| Question |
"Quick question about [situation]" |
| Compliment |
"Impressed by [achievement]" |
| Mutual connection |
"[Name] suggested I reach out" |
Personalization Levels (ALL required)
- Company: Recent news, funding, launch
- Person: Recent post, talk, job change, GitHub activity
- Fit: Why this matters to THEM specifically
If you cannot do level 2, do not send the email.
Sequence Logic
Email 1 (Day 1): Value prop + low-friction ask
Email 2 (Day 4): Follow-up with additional value
Email 3 (Day 8): Different angle or case study
Email 4 (Day 12): Breakup — leave door open
4 emails max. No response in 12 days → move to nurture.
Proposals
Required Discovery
| Question |
Why |
| What problem needs solving? |
Problem statement anchors the proposal |
| What is the solution? |
Scope definition |
| What are the deliverables? |
Tangible output client expects |
| What is excluded? |
Prevents scope creep |
| What is the budget range? |
Pricing tier selection |
Executive Summary
[Client] needs to [solve specific problem].
We propose to [solution overview] over [timeline] for [price].
This achieves [outcome 1], [outcome 2], [outcome 3].
One paragraph. This is the only section most decision-makers read.
Scope of Work
Included: features, revision rounds, deliverables (docs, source, deployment)
Excluded (critical): hosting, maintenance, content creation, third-party licenses, training
Assumptions: client access, decision-maker availability, feedback turnaround, frozen requirements after sign-off
Timeline
| Phase |
Duration |
Activities |
Deliverable |
| Discovery |
Week 1 |
Interviews, audit, requirements |
Requirements doc |
| Build |
Weeks 2-4 |
Implementation in sprints |
Working build |
| Review |
Week 5 |
QA, revisions, acceptance |
Reviewed build |
| Deploy |
Week 6 |
Production deployment, docs |
Live system |
Add 20% buffer for unknowns.
Pricing (Good-Better-Best)
- Core: essential features, basic revisions, standard timeline
- Recommended (best value): everything in Core + extras + priority support
- Enterprise: everything + premium features + dedicated team + ongoing support
Payment terms: 50% deposit, 25% midpoint, 25% delivery. Net 30.
Risk Reduction
| Risk |
Mitigation |
| Will they deliver? |
Portfolio item similar to this project |
| Does it work? |
Case study with measurable results |
| What if it fails? |
Guarantee (satisfaction, timeline) |
Pitch Decks
The 10 Slides (Sequoia/Y Combinator)
| # |
Slide |
Emotion |
Investor question |
| 1 |
Title |
— |
Company, tagline, founder |
| 2 |
Problem |
Pain |
Is this real? How bad? |
| 3 |
Solution |
Hope |
Is it compelling? |
| 4 |
Market |
Ambition |
Is it big enough? |
| 5 |
Product |
Excitement |
Does it work? |
| 6 |
Traction |
Proof |
Is anyone using it? |
| 7 |
Business model |
Confidence |
Does the business make sense? |
| 8 |
Competition |
Trust |
Can they win? |
| 9 |
Team |
Conviction |
Is this the right team? |
| 10 |
Ask |
Urgency |
How much? What for? |
Content Rules
- One slide, one idea. Max 20 words per slide (except traction).
- No bullet points. Font min 24pt content, 36pt headlines.
- Images > text for product slides. 3 seconds per slide max.
- PDF format, 5MB max.
Traction Benchmarks
| Stage |
Key metric |
Benchmark |
| Pre-seed |
Problem validation |
50+ interviews, 500+ waitlist |
| Seed |
Engagement |
10k+ MAU, 30%+ weekly retention |
| Series A |
Revenue |
$1M+ ARR, <20% monthly churn |
| Series B |
Growth + unit economics |
3x YoY, LTV/CAC > 3 |
Ask Slide Format
Raising [$X] at [$Y valuation]
Use of funds:
→ [%] Engineering
→ [%] Go-to-market
→ [%] Operations
→ [%] Reserve (6-month runway)
Milestones 18 months: [metrics from → to]
Error Handling
| Situation |
Resolution |
| User gives no prospect info |
Ask: "Who is the target? Company, person, role?" |
| User gives no budget |
Use "investment" language: "Typical engagements $X-$Y" |
| User has no case studies |
Use "we've helped similar companies achieve [generic result]" |
| User has no traction data |
Focus on problem validation: interviews, surveys, waitlist |
| User wants pricing without scope |
Ask: "What deliverables do you need?" then tier pricing |
| User provides 5-year projections pre-revenue |
Cap at 12-18 months. "That's our credible horizon." |
| User's RFP is vague or contradictory |
Flag contradictions back. "I see X and Y — which takes priority?" |
| Multiple decision-makers with conflicting needs |
Ask: "Who has final authority? I'll address their concern first." |
| User wants one price (no tiers) |
Explain Good-Better-Best creates reference frame and increases close rate |
| User wants to pitch without problem slide |
"No problem = no reason to invest. Always lead with pain." |
Production Checklist
Before delivering any document, verify:
Anti-Patterns
| Mistake |
Fix |
No personalization beyond [Name] |
Don't send. Requires company + person + fit level |
| No exclusions in proposal |
Client assumes everything included → scope creep |
| Single pricing option |
No frame of reference → client demands discount |
| No traction in deck |
"We just launched" is not traction. Use validation data. |
| No clear ask |
"We're raising a round" without specifics → no urgency |
| Too many words on slides |
Investor stops reading. 20 words max per slide. |
| 5-year projections pre-revenue |
12-18 months is credible. Beyond that is fiction. |
| Sending outreach without trigger |
"Why now?" missing → immediate delete |
| Pricing before value explained |
Always state problem + solution + outcome before price |
| Generic subject lines |
"Let's connect" / "Partnership opportunity" → spam folder |
Pricing Psychology
Good-Better-Best
| Tier |
Role |
Price anchor |
| Good |
Makes Best look reasonable |
30-40% below Best |
| Better |
The one you want them to buy |
Midpoint (highlighted/default) |
| Best |
Price anchor |
Highest |
Decoy Effect
Add a third option that makes the target option look better: Option A ($10, basic) + Option B ($25, pro) + Option C ($24, pro-lite) → C makes B look like a deal.
Bundling
Bundle complementary services at 20-30% discount vs individual. Never discount individual items below bundled price.
Legalese Templates
"Payment terms: Net 30. Late payments accrue 1.5% monthly. All deliverables remain property of Provider until full payment. Either party may terminate with 30 days written notice. Liability capped at fees paid in prior 12 months."
Sources
- Sequoia Capital pitch deck template
- Y Combinator Startup School
- DocSend "Pitch Deck Study"
- Close.com outbound sales research
- AIGA agency proposal best practices
- B2B pricing psychology research
Checklist
1---2name: business-proposals3description: ---4---5---6name: business-proposals7description: Generate sales outreach sequences, proposals, SOWs, investor pitch decks, and RFP responses. Covers cold email sequences, proposal structure, pricing tiers (Good-Better-Best), scope of work with exclusions, and 10-slide pitch deck.8triggers:9 - "write a proposal"10 - "cold email / outreach sequence"11 - "pitch deck / investor deck"12 - "SOW / statement of work"13 - "sales outreach / prospecting"14 - "respond to RFP"15 - "scope of work"16 - "client proposal"17negatives:18 - general corporate communication (use communication skill)19 - content marketing / blog posts (use content-marketing skill)20 - brand design / creative direction (use brand-design skill)21 - financial models / spreadsheets (use finance skill)22 - legal contracts / terms of service (use legal-counsel skill)23license: MIT24compatibility: opencode25metadata:26 version: "3.0.0"27metadata:28 workflow: sales29 audience: consultants, founders, freelancers30 version: "3.0.0"31---323334# Business Proposals v3.03536Win deals and raise funding. Covers the full pipeline: outreach, proposals, and pitch decks.3738## Workflow3940When the user asks for any sales document, follow this process:41421. **Clarify stage**: Outreach (cold) → Proposal (warm) → Pitch deck (investor)? Ask if unclear.432. **Gather context**: Run discovery questions for the specific stage (sections below).443. **Select template**: Match the deliverable to the appropriate structure below.454. **Draft**: Fill template with user-provided info. Use placeholders `[like this]` for unknowns.465. **Review**: Check against error handling table and production checklist.476. **Verify anti-patterns**: Scan the anti-patterns table — if any match, fix before delivery.487. **Output**: Return the completed document in the requested format (text, markdown, email body).4950## Sales Outreach5152### Required Discovery531. **Prospect**: Company + person + role542. **Trigger**: Why now? (funding, product launch, job change)553. **Value prop**: "We help [X] do [Y] so they can [Z]"564. **Proof**: Case study, testimonial, data point, mutual connection575. **Goal**: Reply? Call? Demo? Trial?5859### Cold Email Structure601. **Subject**: Personalized + curiosity gap. 10 words max.612. **Opening**: Specific reference to them (news, post, achievement)623. **Value prop**: One sentence. Their benefit, not your features.634. **Proof**: Social proof or relevant data point.645. **Ask**: Single, low-friction next step.656. **Close**: Simple. "Best, [Name]"6667### Subject Line Patterns68| Pattern | Example |69|---------|---------|70| Reference | "[Company] + [observation]" |71| Question | "Quick question about [situation]" |72| Compliment | "Impressed by [achievement]" |73| Mutual connection | "[Name] suggested I reach out" |7475### Personalization Levels (ALL required)761. **Company**: Recent news, funding, launch772. **Person**: Recent post, talk, job change, GitHub activity783. **Fit**: Why this matters to THEM specifically7980If you cannot do level 2, do not send the email.8182### Sequence Logic83```84Email 1 (Day 1): Value prop + low-friction ask85Email 2 (Day 4): Follow-up with additional value86Email 3 (Day 8): Different angle or case study87Email 4 (Day 12): Breakup — leave door open88```89904 emails max. No response in 12 days → move to nurture.9192## Proposals9394### Required Discovery95| Question | Why |96|----------|-----|97| What problem needs solving? | Problem statement anchors the proposal |98| What is the solution? | Scope definition |99| What are the deliverables? | Tangible output client expects |100| What is excluded? | Prevents scope creep |101| What is the budget range? | Pricing tier selection |102103### Executive Summary104```105[Client] needs to [solve specific problem].106We propose to [solution overview] over [timeline] for [price].107This achieves [outcome 1], [outcome 2], [outcome 3].108```109One paragraph. This is the only section most decision-makers read.110111### Scope of Work112**Included**: features, revision rounds, deliverables (docs, source, deployment)113**Excluded** (critical): hosting, maintenance, content creation, third-party licenses, training114**Assumptions**: client access, decision-maker availability, feedback turnaround, frozen requirements after sign-off115116### Timeline117| Phase | Duration | Activities | Deliverable |118|-------|----------|------------|-------------|119| Discovery | Week 1 | Interviews, audit, requirements | Requirements doc |120| Build | Weeks 2-4 | Implementation in sprints | Working build |121| Review | Week 5 | QA, revisions, acceptance | Reviewed build |122| Deploy | Week 6 | Production deployment, docs | Live system |123124Add 20% buffer for unknowns.125126### Pricing (Good-Better-Best)127- **Core**: essential features, basic revisions, standard timeline128- **Recommended** (best value): everything in Core + extras + priority support129- **Enterprise**: everything + premium features + dedicated team + ongoing support130131Payment terms: 50% deposit, 25% midpoint, 25% delivery. Net 30.132133### Risk Reduction134| Risk | Mitigation |135|------|-----------|136| Will they deliver? | Portfolio item similar to this project |137| Does it work? | Case study with measurable results |138| What if it fails? | Guarantee (satisfaction, timeline) |139140## Pitch Decks141142### The 10 Slides (Sequoia/Y Combinator)143144| # | Slide | Emotion | Investor question |145|---|-------|---------|-------------------|146| 1 | Title | — | Company, tagline, founder |147| 2 | Problem | Pain | Is this real? How bad? |148| 3 | Solution | Hope | Is it compelling? |149| 4 | Market | Ambition | Is it big enough? |150| 5 | Product | Excitement | Does it work? |151| 6 | Traction | Proof | Is anyone using it? |152| 7 | Business model | Confidence | Does the business make sense? |153| 8 | Competition | Trust | Can they win? |154| 9 | Team | Conviction | Is this the right team? |155| 10 | Ask | Urgency | How much? What for? |156157### Content Rules158- One slide, one idea. Max 20 words per slide (except traction).159- No bullet points. Font min 24pt content, 36pt headlines.160- Images > text for product slides. 3 seconds per slide max.161- PDF format, 5MB max.162163### Traction Benchmarks164| Stage | Key metric | Benchmark |165|-------|-----------|-----------|166| Pre-seed | Problem validation | 50+ interviews, 500+ waitlist |167| Seed | Engagement | 10k+ MAU, 30%+ weekly retention |168| Series A | Revenue | $1M+ ARR, <20% monthly churn |169| Series B | Growth + unit economics | 3x YoY, LTV/CAC > 3 |170171### Ask Slide Format172```173Raising [$X] at [$Y valuation]174175Use of funds:176→ [%] Engineering177→ [%] Go-to-market178→ [%] Operations179→ [%] Reserve (6-month runway)180181Milestones 18 months: [metrics from → to]182```183184## Error Handling185186| Situation | Resolution |187|-----------|------------|188| User gives no prospect info | Ask: "Who is the target? Company, person, role?" |189| User gives no budget | Use "investment" language: "Typical engagements $X-$Y" |190| User has no case studies | Use "we've helped similar companies achieve [generic result]" |191| User has no traction data | Focus on problem validation: interviews, surveys, waitlist |192| User wants pricing without scope | Ask: "What deliverables do you need?" then tier pricing |193| User provides 5-year projections pre-revenue | Cap at 12-18 months. "That's our credible horizon." |194| User's RFP is vague or contradictory | Flag contradictions back. "I see X and Y — which takes priority?" |195| Multiple decision-makers with conflicting needs | Ask: "Who has final authority? I'll address their concern first." |196| User wants one price (no tiers) | Explain Good-Better-Best creates reference frame and increases close rate |197| User wants to pitch without problem slide | "No problem = no reason to invest. Always lead with pain." |198199## Production Checklist200201Before delivering any document, verify:202203- [ ] Personalization: company + person + specific reason (outreach)204- [ ] Exclusions listed in scope (proposals)205- [ ] Pricing has at least 3 tiers (proposals)206- [ ] Cover letter or intro paragraph written (proposals, RFP)207- [ ] Slides: one idea per slide, ≤20 words, ≥24pt font (decks)208- [ ] Ask slide: specific amount + use of funds + milestones (decks)209- [ ] Traction or validation data present (decks)210- [ ] Contact info and CTA included (all)211- [ ] PDF export ≤5MB (decks)212- [ ] Proofread for placeholder tokens — no `[unknown]` left in final213214## Anti-Patterns215216| Mistake | Fix |217|---------|-----|218| No personalization beyond `[Name]` | Don't send. Requires company + person + fit level |219| No exclusions in proposal | Client assumes everything included → scope creep |220| Single pricing option | No frame of reference → client demands discount |221| No traction in deck | "We just launched" is not traction. Use validation data. |222| No clear ask | "We're raising a round" without specifics → no urgency |223| Too many words on slides | Investor stops reading. 20 words max per slide. |224| 5-year projections pre-revenue | 12-18 months is credible. Beyond that is fiction. |225| Sending outreach without trigger | "Why now?" missing → immediate delete |226| Pricing before value explained | Always state problem + solution + outcome before price |227| Generic subject lines | "Let's connect" / "Partnership opportunity" → spam folder |228229## Pricing Psychology230231### Good-Better-Best232| Tier | Role | Price anchor |233|------|------|-------------|234| Good | Makes Best look reasonable | 30-40% below Best |235| Better | The one you want them to buy | Midpoint (highlighted/default) |236| Best | Price anchor | Highest |237238### Decoy Effect239Add a third option that makes the target option look better: Option A ($10, basic) + Option B ($25, pro) + Option C ($24, pro-lite) → C makes B look like a deal.240241### Bundling242Bundle complementary services at 20-30% discount vs individual. Never discount individual items below bundled price.243244### Legalese Templates245"Payment terms: Net 30. Late payments accrue 1.5% monthly. All deliverables remain property of Provider until full payment. Either party may terminate with 30 days written notice. Liability capped at fees paid in prior 12 months."246247## Sources248- Sequoia Capital pitch deck template249- Y Combinator Startup School250- DocSend "Pitch Deck Study"251- Close.com outbound sales research252- AIGA agency proposal best practices253- B2B pricing psychology research254255## Checklist256257- [ ] Skill loads without errors in the AI agent258- [ ] YAML frontmatter is valid (description, compatibility, audience)259- [ ] Workflow section provides clear step-by-step instructions260- [ ] Error handling section covers common failure modes261- [ ] All referenced files (references/, scripts/, assets/) exist262- [ ] Skill triggers correctly for intended use cases263- [ ] No broken links or missing resources
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