kienbui1995 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
- Executive Summary (1 page): their situation, recommended solution, expected outcomes
- Understanding Your Challenge (1/2 page): show you listened, demonstrate understanding of their context
- Proposed Solution (1–2 pages): tailored recommendation with implementation approach
- Investment: clear pricing options, what's included/excluded, payment terms
- Why Us (1/2 page): relevant customer proof for their context
- 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