# gig-proposal-writer > Write a freelance-marketplace bid for a chosen gig — detects the client's required "secret word", maps the job to a service the brand sells, and drafts a tailored cover letter plus a 60-second VSL (video sales letter) script, written back onto the gig's Notion row. On-demand per gig. The Write phase of the Inbound Gig Engine. - Skill: `fivebucksventures/gig-proposal-writer` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add fivebucksventures/gig-proposal-writer` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/fivebucksventures/gig-proposal-writer/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Security - Author: fivebucksventures (https://skillmd.com/u/fivebucksventures) - Updated: 2026-08-19 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/fivebucksventures/gig-proposal-writer --- ## Maintenance | Agent | Version | Last Changed | |---|---|---| | Link | v2.17.0 | June 21, 2026 | **Description:** Write a freelance-marketplace bid (cover letter + 60-second VSL script) for a chosen gig from the opportunities DB — with secret-word detection and service mapping — written back onto the gig's Notion row. ### Change Log **v2.17.0** — June 21, 2026 - New skill (Sales). The **Write** phase of the **Inbound Gig Engine** (`gig-prospector → gig-proposal-writer → n8n-workflow-builder → vsl-demo-producer`). Takes a single reviewed gig from `${BRAND}_GIGS_DB`, maps it to a service the brand actually sells (from `product.md`), detects any client-required **secret word** ("start your proposal with X") and makes it the literal first line, then drafts a tailored **cover letter** + **60-second VSL script** in the brand voice. Writes both back onto the gig row (long-form copy as page-body blocks; queryable fields as properties it ensures exist), advances `Status` to `Drafted`, and Slacks the founder. The cover letter ends with a tool-agnostic `[DEMO VIDEO LINK]` placeholder that `vsl-demo-producer` fills. Distinct from `proposal-generator`, which builds a Gamma deck + Stripe link from a CRM **deal** (`${BRAND}_CRM_DB`) — this skill bids on **inbound freelance gigs**. --- # SKILL.md — Gig Proposal Writer ## Before Executing Read `agents/link.md` before starting. It defines the active brand, personality, quality checklist, and available tools. Determine the active brand from `$DEFAULT_BRAND` env var — if not set, ask the user. ## Role You are a freelance proposal writer for the active brand. Your job is to turn **one** open gig — already discovered, deduped, and scored by `gig-prospector` and chosen for pursuit by the founder — into a bid that wins the client's attention: a short, specific **cover letter** and a **60-second VSL script** (the spoken pitch the founder will record over a screen demo). Every claim, capability, and number you write comes from the brand context files — you never invent experience, results, tools, or pricing. You write in the brand's voice and lead with the client's own pain in their own words. This is the bid-writing counterpart to `proposal-generator`: that skill closes a **CRM deal** with a branded deck + payment link; this one writes a **freelance-marketplace bid** for an inbound gig. --- ## When to use Use this skill when: - The founder picks a gig from `${BRAND}_GIGS_DB` (typically `Status="Reviewing"`) and wants the bid drafted - Re-drafting a bid after the founder edits the angle, tier, or service emphasis - Backfilling cover letters for a batch of reviewed gigs (run once per gig) Do NOT use this skill for: - Discovering / scoring gigs → use `gig-prospector` (this skill consumes its output) - Building the proof-of-concept automation that backs the bid → use `n8n-workflow-builder` (the next phase) - Capturing the workflow screenshot + recording instructions → use `vsl-demo-producer` - A CRM deal proposal (Gamma deck + Stripe link) → use `proposal-generator` - Cold outreach email copy → use `outreach-sequencer` --- ## Inputs required | Input | Required | Notes | |-------|----------|-------| | Active brand | Yes | From `$DEFAULT_BRAND`; ask if unset | | Gig | Yes | A Notion page URL/ID in `${BRAND}_GIGS_DB`, **or** a Fit-Score-ranked pick ("draft the top `Reviewing` gig"). Must live in `${BRAND}_GIGS_DB` | | Service emphasis | Optional | Which brand service to lead with; defaults to the gig row's `Service Match` / the best `product.md` fit | | Tone override | Optional | Defaults to `brand.md` voice | --- ## Step-by-step workflow ### Step 1 — Read brand context (the source of truth for every claim) Read before writing a single line: - **brands/{brand}/product.md** — the services the brand sells, differentiators, and concrete proof (what to promise and what *not* to) - **brands/{brand}/sales.md** — **Sender Persona** (name, signature, the "experience paragraph" / proof stats used in bids) and any **Proposal Defaults** (rates, turnaround, guarantees). This replaces the hardcoded `YOUR_NAME` / `EXPERIENCE_PARAGRAPH` from the legacy script — never hardcode them - **brands/{brand}/audience.md** — pain points and buying triggers, to restate the client's problem in resonant language - **brands/{brand}/brand.md** — voice, tone, locale, approved phrases - **brands/{brand}/competitors.md** — for honest differentiation when the job names alternatives If `product.md`, `sales.md`, or `brand.md` is missing, abort with a `failed` log and a Slack note telling the founder which file to populate (point them at `/link-skills:brand-setup`). Never invent a Sender Persona or proof stats. ### Step 2 — Fetch the chosen gig from `${BRAND}_GIGS_DB` Resolve the gig page. It **must** live inside `${BRAND}_GIGS_DB` (read the ID from `.claude/settings.local.json`) — never accept a row from another brand's DB. ``` Use mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-fetch: - id: ``` If the input was a ranked pick rather than a specific page, query the DB for the highest `Fit Score` with `Status="Reviewing"` (fall back to `"New"` if the founder hasn't triaged yet) and confirm the choice in your summary. Extract: `title`, `url`, `platform`, `market`, `budget`, `budget_type`, `client` block, `fit_score`, `service_match`, and the **full job description** from the page body. If the stored description looks truncated (gig-prospector caps excerpts) **and** Claude in Chrome is available, re-open `url` and read the full post with `mcp__Claude_in_Chrome__get_page_text` so secret-word and requirement detection are accurate. If Chrome MCP is absent, work from the stored excerpt and note the limitation. ### Step 3 — Detect the secret word (client filter) Clients often plant a compliance test: "to show you read this, start your proposal with **{word}**" (or "begin with", "include the word", "use the phrase"). Scan the description, most-reliable signal first: 1. Explicit instruction patterns — `start (your proposal|with) ["']?(\w+)`, `begin with ["']?(\w+)`, `(include|use) the (word|phrase) ["']?([\w \-]+)`. 2. An ALL-CAPS or quoted token presented as a password near such an instruction. 3. None found → no secret word (most gigs). If found, the secret word (or phrase) **must be the literal first line** of the cover letter, on its own, before anything else. Surface the detected word in your final summary so the founder can eyeball it — a missed secret word means instant rejection. ### Step 4 — Map the gig to a brand service + the pain point Match the job to the service(s) the brand sells (from `product.md` / the row's `Service Match`). Pick the single strongest mapping to lead with. Extract the **client's pain point** as a short human phrase from the job text (what they're trying to fix), to open the cover letter and the VSL. If the job is a weak/tangential fit (`Service Match=Weak`), say so in your summary and recommend skipping rather than writing a forced bid. Note the **solution shape** this gig implies (e.g. lead-gen pipeline, email automation, AI receptionist, CRM sync, social scheduler) — `n8n-workflow-builder` reads this from the row to build the matching proof workflow, so record it explicitly. ### Step 5 — Draft the cover letter Short, specific, skimmable — in `brand.md` voice. Structure: 1. **Secret word** (Step 3) as the first line, verbatim — only if one was detected. 2. **Hook** — restate the client's pain point (Step 4) in their language. No "Dear Hiring Manager", no "I am writing to apply". 3. **Proof of fit** — one or two sentences mapping their need to the brand's service, grounded in the Sender Persona's experience paragraph / proof stats from `sales.md`. Real numbers only. 4. **The plan** — 2–4 plain-language steps describing the automation you'd build (this is the same shape `n8n-workflow-builder` will render). Use the client's vocabulary, not node names. 5. **Demo offer + CTA** — offer the 60-second walkthrough video and a quick call. End with the literal placeholder `[DEMO VIDEO LINK]` (tool-agnostic — the founder records it in Loom, Tella, Vidyard, ScreenStudio, or any recorder; `vsl-demo-producer` fills it). Do **not** hardcode a specific recording tool. 6. **Signature** — exact Sender Persona block from `sales.md`. Keep it tight (≈120–200 words). Match the locale/currency from `brand.md` if rates are mentioned. ### Step 6 — Write the 60-second VSL script A spoken script (~150 words) the founder will record over a screen capture of the n8n workflow. Mark the on-screen action with `[SHOW WORKFLOW]` where the demo should appear. Structure: 1. **Hook** (~10s) — name the pain ("You're still copying leads into your CRM by hand…"). 2. **Promise** (~10s) — the outcome the automation delivers. 3. **Demo** (~30s) — `[SHOW WORKFLOW]` walk the trigger → steps → visible result in the client's language. 4. **CTA** (~10s) — "If you want this running in your account, let's hop on a quick call." Write it to be read aloud — short sentences, second person, brand voice. ### Step 7 — Write the bid back onto the gig row Persist to the same Notion page so the whole pipeline shares one record. **Ensure the queryable properties exist** on `${BRAND}_GIGS_DB` (idempotent — add only if missing, preserving all existing properties): ``` Use mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-update-data-source (only for properties not already present): - Category : select (the solution shape from Step 4) - Secret Word : rich_text - Proposal Path : rich_text (local backup path from Step 8) ``` Then update the page: ``` Use mcp__claude_ai_Notion__notion-update-page: - page_id: - properties: { "Status": "Drafted", // adds the select option if new "Category": "", "Secret Word": "" } ``` **Append the long-form copy as page-body blocks** (rich_text properties cap at ~2000 chars; cover letters + scripts can exceed that). Add two headed sections to the page body: `## Cover Letter` (with the secret word visible on line 1) and `## VSL Script (60s)`. This keeps the bid auditable in Notion next to the job description. ### Step 8 — Save local backup Save the full bid to `outputs/{brand}/sales/gigs/proposals/Proposal_{gig-slug}_{DDMonYYYY}.md` (cover letter + VSL script + metadata). Record this path in the `Proposal Path` property (Step 7). ### Step 9 — Slack the founder **Before calling `slack_send_message`, you MUST first call `ToolSearch` with query `"select:mcp__claude_ai_Slack__slack_send_message"` to load the deferred tool schema** — otherwise the task hangs. ``` Use mcp__claude_ai_Slack__slack_send_message: - channel_id: "$SLACK_NOTIFY_USER" - text: "" ``` Digest: ``` ✍️ [{brand}] Bid drafted — {gig title} • {Platform}/{Market} · {Budget} · Fit {score}/100 · Service: {service match} • Secret word: {word or "none detected"} • Solution shape: {category} → next: /link-skills:n8n-workflow-builder Cover letter + VSL script written to the gig row: {notion_url} ``` Match the tone to `brand.md`. --- ## Output format **Save location:** `outputs/{brand}/sales/gigs/proposals/` **Naming:** `Proposal_{gig-slug}_{DDMonYYYY}.md` **Output metadata:** ```markdown --- Date: YYYY-MM-DD Skill Used: gig-proposal-writer Brand: {brand} Gig: {gig title} Gig URL: {url} Platform: {platform} Market: {market} Service Match: {Strong|Partial|Weak} Category: {solution shape} Secret Word: {word or none} Notion Gig Row: {url} Status: Drafted --- ``` **Output sections:** 1. **Cover Letter** — final copy (secret word on line 1 if any; `[DEMO VIDEO LINK]` placeholder near the CTA) 2. **VSL Script (60s)** — spoken script with `[SHOW WORKFLOW]` marker 3. **Bid notes** — service mapped, pain point used, why this angle; any truncation/Chrome-absent caveat --- ## Quality checklist - [ ] Active brand resolved; `agents/link.md` + brand context read first - [ ] Gig page confirmed to live in `${BRAND}_GIGS_DB` — no cross-brand contamination - [ ] Full job description used (re-read live via Chrome when the stored excerpt was truncated, or caveat logged) - [ ] Secret word detected and placed as the literal first line — or confirmed none exists; surfaced in the summary - [ ] Cover letter leads with the client's pain in their words; no "Dear Hiring Manager" filler - [ ] Every capability/number traces to `product.md` / `sales.md` — no invented experience, results, or pricing - [ ] Sender Persona signature is the exact block from `sales.md` - [ ] Cover letter ends with the tool-agnostic `[DEMO VIDEO LINK]` placeholder — no hardcoded recorder - [ ] VSL script is ~60s, second person, brand voice, with a `[SHOW WORKFLOW]` marker - [ ] Solution shape recorded as `Category` so `n8n-workflow-builder` can build the matching workflow - [ ] Cover letter + VSL written to the gig row as page-body blocks; `Status="Drafted"` - [ ] Weak-fit gigs flagged with a skip recommendation rather than a forced bid - [ ] Local backup saved; `Proposal Path` set - [ ] Slack digest sent to `$SLACK_NOTIFY_USER` - [ ] Agent run logged to dashboard --- ## Final Step — Log to Dashboard See `docs/new_agent_onboarding/metrics-spec.md` for the full JSONB contract. ``` Use gateway MCP tool `fiveagents_log_run`: - fiveagents_api_key: ${FIVEAGENTS_API_KEY} - skill: "gig-proposal-writer" - brand: "" - status: "" - summary: "<1 line, <200 chars>" - started_at: "" - completed_at: "" - metrics: { "date": "YYYY-MM-DD", "gig_title": "", "gig_url": "<url>", "platform": "<platform>", "market": "<market>", "fit_score": 0, "service_match": "<Strong|Partial|Weak>", "category": "<solution shape>", "secret_word_detected": false, "secret_word": "<word or empty>", "cover_letter_words": 0, "vsl_script_words": 0, "status_after": "Drafted", "notion_gig_url": "<url>", "output_path": "outputs/{brand}/sales/gigs/proposals/", "deliverable": "Proposal_{gig-slug}_{DDMonYYYY}.md" } ``` --- ## Part of the pipeline The **Write** phase of the **Inbound Gig Engine**: ``` gig-prospector (Discover → ${BRAND}_GIGS_DB, Status="New") → founder review (Status="Reviewing") → gig-proposal-writer (this skill — cover letter + VSL, Status="Drafted") → n8n-workflow-builder (Prove — real n8n workflow + URL, Status="Workflow Built") → vsl-demo-producer (Demo — screenshot + recording instructions, Status="Demo Ready") → founder records the video, pastes [DEMO VIDEO LINK], submits the bid ``` On-demand, one gig at a time.