You’ve simply wrapped up a name with a potential consulting shopper. They’re fascinated about working with you. Congratulations!In case you’ve discovered your option to this weblog put up, it’s protected to imagine you now have to develop a consulting proposal for this shopper — and also you need assistance doing so.
On this put up, I’ll clarify what a consulting proposal is and tips on how to write one which your potential purchasers can’t resist.
And in the event you’re in a pinch and wish a listing, discover what you want by means of these hyperlinks:
What’s a consulting proposal?
A consulting proposal is a doc that outlines the character, scope, and timeline of a selected consulting undertaking. Like a salesman’s pitch to a prospect, a consulting proposal highlights the issue your potential shopper is experiencing and positions you, the guide, as the answer.
Many potential purchasers request proposals earlier than formally signing on the dotted line. Why? Briefly, a consulting proposal outlines your working relationship so each events can keep aligned and perceive the opposite’s expectations. Proposals aren’t paper formalities — they signify the beginning of an necessary client-consultant relationship.
This doc will successfully take your conversations with the prospect into an energetic working relationship. That’s why it’s necessary to jot down a great proposal.
A very good consulting proposal will need to have the next data:
- A abstract of the issues or challenges that your prospect is dealing with.
- An in depth account of the way you’ll resolve these issues.
- A listing of the outcomes you’ll search to realize for his or her enterprise.
It additionally consists of contractual data corresponding to charges and phrases.
Earlier than You Create a Consulting Proposal
Writing a consulting proposal would require a little bit of pre-work. You’ll wish to get to know your shopper’s wants and targets.
1. Chat together with your shopper in individual or over the cellphone.
You possibly can’t write an efficient consulting proposal with out chatting together with your potential shopper first. Do your finest to arrange a cellphone name for this dialog; in the event you can, meet in individual. An electronic mail will suffice for attending to know your shopper and their consulting wants, however letting them see your face and/or hear your voice will show you how to construct belief with them
2. Perceive their challenges and desires.
The higher you perceive your potential shopper’s challenges and ache factors, the extra impactful your proposal could be. Whereas a consulting proposal template may also help get the job executed, the small print in your proposals shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all; they need to be tailor-made to every shopper and their wants. Don’t hesitate to comply with up with extra cellphone calls or conferences to higher perceive your shopper and what they want from you.
3. Spotlight your worth proposition.
Hiring a guide will not be an affordable funding, and also you need your shopper to grasp that they’re investing in you since you’ll ship outcomes. You don’t essentially want to incorporate a piece titled “Worth Proposition,” both. As a substitute, get particular on the way you’ll ship. For instance you might point out the way you’ll be growing X metric, decreasing Y unfavorable final result, or driving Z outcomes for his or her enterprise.
4. Ask in regards to the particulars.
A profitable proposal displays the undertaking scope and particulars to maintain each events aligned. Don’t neglect to ask about your shopper’s supreme timeline, finances, expectations, and outcomes. These particulars are necessary for promoting a potential shopper in your companies in addition to giving your shopper a greater understanding of how precisely you two will work collectively.
Understanding tips on how to write a transparent, concise consulting proposal could make or break your potential to transform potential purchasers. Let’s assessment tips on how to put collectively a profitable proposal.
Methods to Write a Consulting Proposal
- Write an government abstract.
- Briefly describe why you’re the most effective for the job.
- Specify what the shopper can anticipate from the undertaking.
- Set up what your deliverables shall be.
- Affirm and description the prices.
- Specify some other contract phrases and situations.
- Hold the proposal concise.
- Ask for suggestions
1. Write an government abstract.
Get began by writing an government abstract or introduction (additionally known as a undertaking abstract). This part will embody your shopper’s challenges or obstacles and the way you plan to resolve them. Merely put, this part summarizes your complete undertaking.
2. Briefly describe why you’re the most effective for the job.
There’s a great likelihood your shopper could also be receiving proposals from different firms. You’ll want to point out them that you just’re the appropriate individual for the job and guarantee them they’re in nice palms. Briefly describe how your expertise will assist the shopper obtain their targets.
Whereas it could be tempting to hone in in your {qualifications} and expertise, your consulting proposal ought to concentrate on what your shopper will get from working with you. You possibly can add this data as a brief (1-2 sentences) paragraph in your introduction.
3. Specify what the shopper can anticipate from the undertaking.
Be as particular as doable in regards to the worth and outcomes your shopper can anticipate. For instance, in case your primary goal is to extend visitors, say that and description how. It will show you how to draft your undertaking scope.
Keep away from buzzwords and generic jargon. In reality, do your finest to make use of the identical phrases they did in your conferences — it will resonate with them and present you have been listening.
4. Set up what your deliverables shall be.
Return to your shopper dialog notes. Do they want a brand new advertising and marketing technique, a brand new web site, or promoting plan? What tangible merchandise will they’ve as soon as the undertaking is accomplished? These shall be your “deliverables” and also you’ll wish to embody them in your proposal so the shopper is aware of precisely what they’re getting out of the undertaking. We’ll describe deliverables in additional element within the subsequent part.
5. Affirm and description the prices.
You’ll wish to be up entrance with the shopper about how a lot the undertaking will price. Be clear about your charges and what they embody. In case you require particular cost constructions like a deposit or installments on sure dates, explicitly clarify them on this part of your proposal.
6. Specify some other contract phrases and situations.
This part will specify precisely what phrases and situations the shopper is agreeing to ought to they determine to proceed. Along with charges, this could embody a timeframe for the undertaking (begin and finish date), cost varieties accepted or some other phrases you require.
7. Hold the proposal concise.
In relation to consulting proposals, high quality issues far more than amount. Hold your proposal as transient as doable to precisely describe the undertaking scope and expectations. Don’t give your shopper a purpose to cease studying your proposal and doubtlessly view one other guide’s — as a substitute, preserve your proposal concise and fascinating.
8. Ask for suggestions.
A consulting proposal is a two-way doc, which means each events ought to have a say within the content material it consists of. As you develop your proposal, make clear any questions or considerations you’ve got together with your potential shopper. When completed, ship it to your shopper for assessment and suggestions.
Take into account constructing your proposal inGoogle Docs or an identical phrase processor by which your shopper can collaborate and depart feedback or solutions.
Now that we’ve lined tips on how to write a consulting proposal, let’s break it down into components.
Elements of a Consulting Proposal
The best consulting proposals comply with a fascinating and logical construction. On this part, we’ll focus on the anatomy of a well-written consulting proposal.
1. Salutation
Start your doc by greeting your shopper.
A personalised greeting units aside your consulting proposals from a generic proposal. Once you deal with your proposal as a private letter, potential purchasers usually tend to belief you and wish to construct a relationship with you. Use the shopper’s formal identify (e.g. “Mr.,” “Mrs.,” or “Dr.”) except you’re on a first-name foundation.
2. Introduction
On this part, write three to 4 sentences describing the character of the undertaking and the problems you wish to resolve.
Take into account this part the introduction, or hook, of your proposal. Summarize the challenges your potential shopper is dealing with and what worth you may present by means of your consulting companies. On this part, you also needs to thank your shopper for contemplating you and provides them a short overview of what they’ll anticipate from the remainder of the proposal.
You can even embody one to 2 sentences introducing your self and what you are promoting. Whereas the proposal shouldn’t be centered in your work as a guide, it by no means hurts to incorporate a brief part by which you clarify why the shopper ought to select you. Even in the event you pitched your self throughout your preliminary potential name, you may reiterate your key strengths and {qualifications} right here.
3. Mission Scope
Subsequent, add three to 5 bullet factors giving perception into the precise motion gadgets (or duties) you’ll undertake to realize the specified consequence.
This part is all about what you’ll be doing to hold out the undertaking you outlined above. Specificity is essential right here — except you clearly define what you’ll be doing to your shopper, chances are you’ll expertise scope creep.
For instance, in the event you’re being employed to assessment and analyze a shopper’s advertising and marketing methods, this part would define how lengthy your cellphone calls or workplace visits shall be, what number of calls or visits you commit to every week, the size of every go to, and so forth. You possibly can by no means be too detailed within the undertaking scope part; it’ll solely prevent and your shopper a headache later.
4. Targets
On this part, you’ll wish to listing out three to 5 targets for the undertaking.
Now that you just’ve lined each the aim and scope of the undertaking, it’s time to persuade the shopper of the undertaking’s worth. What kind of outcomes would you like your shopper to see after they’re executed working with you?
Not like the deliverables part beneath, which focuses on the precise “closing merchandise” you’ll be delivering, the targets part focuses on the top consequence after these merchandise are delivered. It’s necessary to place this as early as doable in your doc in order that your shopper is satisfied they’re making a great funding.
5. Deliverables
Subsequent, listing out the concrete deliverable(s) the shopper can have as soon as they’re completed working with you. Will or not it’s a revamped web site? A redesigned assortment of brochures?
This part outlines the tangible, identifiable finish “merchandise” you can be offering your shopper on account of the undertaking. If the undertaking scope describes “how,” the deliverables are the “what.”
Following the instance above, whereas your undertaking scope could be reviewing and analyzing advertising and marketing methods, your deliverables could also be an in depth evaluation doc, a presentation of proposed modifications, or perhaps a model new advertising and marketing plan (the precise particulars will range relying in your shopper and their preferences and desires).
6. Timeline
On this part, give a timeline for every particular motion merchandise you listed within the “Scope” part.
This part is extremely necessary for setting expectations and creating boundaries with purchasers. If the undertaking scope describes “how” and the deliverables define the “what,” are you able to guess what the timeline part is? Ding, ding — it’s the “when.”
The timeline a part of the proposal ought to define particular undertaking dates and deadlines for various components of your undertaking. Whether or not you’re making workplace visits, creating paperwork, or just sending follow-up emails, attempt to element each doable date in your proposal. On the very least, be sure to embody the undertaking begin, closing undertaking deadlines, and any milestones in between.
7. Funding
Subsequent, listing out your consulting charges and what they embody, in addition to how and whenever you want to receives a commission.
In case you suggest utilizing a sure cost portal, embody that data right here. Equally, in the event you require a down cost or staggered price construction, don’t neglect that data, too.
8. Signature
On this part, you’ll instantly ask for a signature out of your potential shopper. Embody house for them to jot down the day’s date, their identify, and their signature.
You’ll wish to embody this straight within the proposal, even when they’re nonetheless within the consideration stage, in order that it’s simpler to get approval. In case you add the extra step of getting to ship a “finalized contract,” you threat unnecessarily elongating the method.
9. Subsequent Steps
Final, embody a powerful call-to-action in your proposal. Depart your electronic mail for them to contact you as effectively. Give clear directions on this closing part so purchasers know tips on how to transfer ahead.
Whereas every proposal must be tailor-made to every potential shopper, it may be tedious to jot down out your complete doc each time.
That is the place a consulting proposal template can come in useful. Beneath you’ll discover two consulting proposal templates: one for gross sales and the opposite for advertising and marketing.
Consulting Proposal Template for Gross sales
You need to use this free consulting proposal template in Phrase or PDF format. The sections match up with what we lined above, however are worded a little bit in a different way to higher align with gross sales.
Be aware: In case you use a template, don’t neglect to double-check that each one client-specific particulars are up to date and proper!
Featured Useful resource: Free Consulting Proposal Template
This proposal template consists of the next sections:
- Introduction: Describe the character of the undertaking and introduce your self and what you do.
- Targets: Record out the targets for the undertaking.
- Method: Summarize your methodology for attaining the specified outcomes and listing the precise duties you’ll undertake.
- Schedule of Mission Actions: The equal of a “Timeline” part, you’ll use this house to explain when undertaking duties shall be accomplished.
- The Crew: Record out any extra crew members, in addition to their {qualifications}.
- Your Funding: Structure in clear phrases what the shopper shall be paying for.
- Signatures: Seal the deal by inviting the shopper to signal straight away.
- Appendices: When you’ve got particular phrases and situations to your companies, embody them right here.
Consulting Proposal Template for Advertising and marketing
Proposals are particularly important in advertising and marketing. With so many areas of specialization, channels, deliverable varieties, and metrics to maintain up with, you may have to set expectations for the connection between you and the shopper.
A consulting proposal for advertising and marketing would possibly embody a top level view of your strategic framework, the general targets, and maybe even the smaller milestones you wish to be measured by. This free advertising and marketing proposal template is a good place to start out.
Featured Useful resource: Free Advertising and marketing Consulting Proposal Template
This proposal template consists of the next sections:
- Our Firm and Crew: On this part, you’ll give a radical overview of what you are promoting by offering an inventory of your companies and proposed crew for the undertaking.
- Mission Scope: Summarize the undertaking in its entirety. You’ll write a brief abstract, a proposed answer, and an outline of projected outcomes.
- Mission Schedule: Record out the totally different phases of the undertaking with their begin and completion dates.
- Your Funding: Define what the shopper shall be paying for in an itemized desk.
- Contact Us: Give the shopper a possibility to contact you by itemizing your data right here.
- Contract and Signatures: Streamline the method by inviting the shopper to signal straight away.
- Further Supplies: If you wish to embody case research, portfolio gadgets, or testimonials, embody them right here.
Methods to Write a Consulting Proposal
Feeling caught? Let’s check out a pattern consulting proposal. To adapt this pattern to your personal use, merely substitute the mentions of the precise undertaking with what you’ll really be doing to your shopper.
Resort One
123 Resort Avenue, Workplace #123
Metropolis, State 12345
December 1, 20XX
Your Identify
Consultancy Identify
123 Consulting Avenue, Workplace #123
Metropolis, State 12345
Consulting Proposal
Pricey Mrs. Akingbola,
It’s a pleasure to work with you on the web site advertising and marketing undertaking we mentioned over the cellphone. I sit up for rising your web site’s natural visitors at a sustained scale, serving to you enhance bookings and reservations, and bettering the underside line at your resort.
On this proposal, I’ll go over a short undertaking abstract, cowl the undertaking’s scope, share deliverables, define a timeline, and provides extra particulars about your funding. I’ll additionally present some fast subsequent steps.
Abstract
The aim of this undertaking is to develop natural visitors for Resort One’s web site. Attributable to growing competitors, older content material advertising and marketing practices, and experiences of a clunky consumer expertise, the enterprise has suffered from a marked lower in natural visitors, which has lowered reservations and, subsequently, income.
My digital advertising and marketing consulting agency focuses on instances similar to yours. I’ve greater than ten years of expertise driving outcomes for small companies within the hospitality trade. My final shopper, Resort Two, noticed a 233% enhance in bookings YoY after I labored with them.
Mission Scope
To develop natural visitors and obtain sustained development, I shall be endeavor the next duties.
- Full a complete content material and technical audit of your complete web site.
- Perform usability checks on a consumer testing platform to test what’s presently working and what’s not.
- Seek the advice of with you as I create a brand new and improved content material technique.
- Rent two freelance writers to rewrite your complete web site.
- Deliver within the experience of an internet developer to design a contemporary and search-engine-optimized web site.
Targets
The targets of the undertaking are as follows.
- Publish related, keyword-optimized content material that drives extra customers to the reservation web page.
- Enhance the UX of the positioning each within the front- and back-end.
- Enhance the common rating for goal key phrases by at the least 2 spots.
- Get on the primary web page of Google SERPs for at the least 20% of the goal key phrases.
- Redesign your complete web site in order that it exceeds present design and usefulness requirements.
Deliverables
You’ll obtain 5 deliverables from me.
- A PDF doc with my findings from the content material and technical audit.
- A presentation with findings from the usability checks and advised enhancements.
- A brand new content material plan that shall be accredited by you previous to execution.
- An editable copy of each the rewritten and newly-written web site pages.
- A wholly redesigned web site with the brand new content material and technical enhancements in place.
Timeline
The estimated completion time for your complete undertaking is six months.
| Exercise | Begin Date | Completion Date |
| Content material Audit | January 1 | January 14 |
| Technical Audit | January 15 | January 31 |
| Usability Exams | February 1 | February 7 |
| Content material Plan Creation | February 8 | February 28 |
| Content material Plan Overview and Approval | March 1 | March 7 |
| Content material Creation | March 8 | April 30 |
| Web site Redesign | April 1 | June 1 |
Funding
I cost charges per undertaking based mostly on the estimated time to completion.
You received’t have to fret about hiring freelance writers or discovering an internet developer. As your guide, I’ll handle that for you. All charges are inclusive of cellphone calls and emails.
| Mission Exercise | Hours | Price |
| Content material and Technical Audit | 30 | $900 |
| Usability Exams | N/A | $200 |
| Content material Plan Creation | 30 | $900 |
| Content material Creation | 100 | $3,000 |
| Web site Redesign | 100 | $3,000 |
| Complete | $8,000 |
Signature
Please signal beneath.
[signature form]
Subsequent Steps
Please return the signed doc to me by Wednesday, December 6. I’ll contact base with you on Friday, December 8, to debate this proposal. You possibly can ship me any questions and considerations at electronic mail@supplier.com. I sit up for working with you.
Now that you’ve got an concept of what a pattern consulting proposal appears to be like like, listed here are some instruments that may assist together with your subsequent draft.
Consulting Proposal Instance
For extra inspiration for tips on how to write your proposal, let’s check out this instance for an audio advertising and marketing firm.
This proposal is simply two pages lengthy, however it covers a number of floor regardless of its brevity. For starters, it’s bought a pleasing greeting and introduction expressing thanks for the shopper’s consideration adopted by a one sentence undertaking abstract.
Including a background part describing the shopper’s ache factors in additional element can also be a pleasant contact. The actual star of this proposal although is the undertaking goal part (undertaking scope).
As a substitute of making a separate part for targets and deliverables, they’re mixed collectively. Every aim or deliverable is its personal bullet level. Beneath every of those targets is the technique that shall be carried out to realize every aim.
The following part clearly explains the seller’s charge and charges, with a signature wrapping issues up on the finish.
Whereas this proposal lacks a radical timeline, it is a wonderful start line for smaller tasks.
Consulting Proposal Instruments
1. DocuSign
This software program has many options that may assist in consulting proposal creation. DocuSign can streamline settlement technology, analyze agreements, and retailer digital signatures in its cloud for paperless operations.
Whereas accessible for a free trial, you’ll pay as little as $10 monthly and the value can enhance relying on the dimensions of your organization.
2. Fiverr Workspace
It can save you time drafting with the Fiverr platform. Made to create personalized proposals and contracts — with free templates to work with — you may monitor the progress of a doc’s creation all the way in which to accumulating deposits at signing.
Fiverr is free for a single shopper, in any other case its Limitless plan is $18 a month for a number of accounts, and provides you extra management when enhancing templates.
3. HelloSign
Identified for being straightforward to make use of for even probably the most un-tech savvy staff, HelloSign is a top quality device to gather and ship e-signatures. With quick implementation, it may be an ideal choice for smaller companies.
HelloSign begins on the value of $15 monthly for one consumer, or $25 for a number of customers.
4. Higher Proposals
Higher Proposals lives as much as its identify with the supply of 160 stunning templates made for each desktop and cell gadgets. With built-in signature and cost choices, this platform is a great tool for these trying to impress new purchasers.
After a 14-day free trial, you can begin utilizing the software program for $19 monthly, or extra relying on the dimensions of enterprise performed.
Create a Consulting Proposal to Win Extra Purchasers
A well-written consulting proposal not solely serves as a guidepost for a consultant-client relationship, however it might probably assist convert prospects into loyal, long-term purchasers. Implement these consulting proposal finest practices and begin growing profitable proposals to your consulting enterprise.
Editor’s word: This put up was initially printed in December 2019 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
