proposal-writer

name	proposal-writer
description	Templates and frameworks for creating winning sales proposals. Executive summaries, scope of work, pricing strategies, and closing elements.
allowed-tools	Read, Write, Edit, WebSearch

Proposal Writer

Create proposals that close deals. Connect discovery insights to clear solutions, present pricing strategically, and make it easy for buyers to say yes.

Input Context

Expect structured context from orchestrator:

prospect:
  company: string
  industry: string
  size: string
deal_size: <$10K | $10-50K | $50K+
stakeholders:
  - title: string
    concern: string
pain_points: [list from discovery]
solution: string
pricing: number | range
competition:
  - name: string
    weakness: string
objections: [list to address]
timeline:
  decision_date: date
  implementation_date: date

Proposal Length by Deal Size

Deal Size	Pages	Sections
<$10K	3-5	Exec summary, Scope, Pricing, Next steps
$10K-$50K	5-10	+ Understanding, Case study, Team
$50K-$250K	10-15	+ Detailed timeline, Multiple options, Risk mitigation
>$250K	15-25	+ Implementation methodology, Comprehensive terms, Appendix

Proposal Structure

Cover Page

# PROPOSAL

**[Your Company] → [Prospect Company]**

**Prepared for:** [Name, Title]
**Prepared by:** [Name, Title]
**Date:** [Date]
**Valid until:** [Date + 30 days]

Executive Summary (Most Critical Section)

Decision-makers often read only this. Must stand alone.

## Executive Summary

### The Challenge

Based on our conversations, [Company] is facing:

- **[Pain Point 1]**: [Quantified impact - "$X/month in lost revenue"]
- **[Pain Point 2]**: [Quantified impact - "X hours/week wasted"]
- **[Pain Point 3]**: [Quantified impact - "X% customer churn"]

### Our Solution

[Product/Service] will help [Company] achieve:

- **[Outcome 1]**: [Measurable result with number]
- **[Outcome 2]**: [Measurable result with timeframe]
- **[Outcome 3]**: [Measurable result with percentage]

### Investment & Timeline

| Component | Investment | Duration |
|-----------|------------|----------|
| [Phase/Item 1] | $X | X weeks |
| [Phase/Item 2] | $X | X weeks |
| **Total** | **$X** | **X weeks** |

### Why [Your Company]

[2-3 sentences on specific differentiators relevant to their situation]

### Next Steps

| Action | Owner | By Date |
|--------|-------|---------|
| Proposal review call | [Prospect] | [Date] |
| Contract review | [Prospect legal] | [Date] |
| Kickoff | Both teams | [Date] |

Understanding & Approach

## Understanding & Approach

### Current Situation

[Reference specific discovery conversation points]

### Desired Future State

| Metric | Current | Target | Impact |
|--------|---------|--------|--------|
| [Metric 1] | [Current] | [Goal] | [Business impact] |
| [Metric 2] | [Current] | [Goal] | [Business impact] |

### Our Approach

**Phase 1: [Name]**
[Description and deliverables]

**Phase 2: [Name]**
[Description and deliverables]

**Phase 3: [Name]**
[Description and deliverables]

Scope of Work

## Scope of Work

### Included

| Deliverable | Description | Acceptance Criteria |
|-------------|-------------|---------------------|
| [Deliverable 1] | [What it is] | [How we know it's done] |
| [Deliverable 2] | [What it is] | [How we know it's done] |

### Not Included

- [Item 1] — available as add-on
- [Item 2] — future phase
- [Item 3] — client responsibility

### Assumptions

- [Assumption 1]
- [Assumption 2]

### Client Responsibilities

- [Responsibility 1]
- [Responsibility 2]

Timeline & Milestones

## Timeline & Milestones

| Week | Milestone | Deliverable | Dependencies |
|------|-----------|-------------|--------------|
| 1 | Kickoff | Project plan | Contract signed |
| 2-3 | [Phase 1] | [Deliverable] | [Dependency] |
| 4-6 | [Phase 2] | [Deliverable] | [Dependency] |
| 7-8 | Go-Live | [Final deliverable] | [Dependency] |

Investment & Pricing

Strategy: Present 2-3 options with recommended highlighted. Anchor high.

## Investment Options

### Option A: Comprehensive
[Full solution with premium features]
- [Feature 1]
- [Feature 2]
- [Bonus: Feature 3]

**Investment: $XX,XXX**

### Option B: Recommended ⭐
[Core solution, best value for most situations]
- [Feature 1]
- [Feature 2]

**Investment: $XX,XXX**

### Option C: Essentials
[Minimum viable solution]
- [Feature 1]

**Investment: $XX,XXX**

---

**Payment Terms:** [50% upfront, 50% on completion | Monthly | etc.]

ROI Justification

Use when price is a concern:

## Return on Investment

**Current Cost of Problem:**
| Issue | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|-------|--------------|-------------|
| [Problem 1] | $X | $X |
| [Problem 2] | $X | $X |
| **Total cost of inaction** | **$X** | **$X** |

**With [Solution]:**
| Improvement | Monthly Savings | Annual Savings |
|-------------|-----------------|----------------|
| [Outcome 1] | $X | $X |
| [Outcome 2] | $X | $X |
| **Total savings** | **$X** | **$X** |

**Payback Period:** X months
**First-Year ROI:** X.Xx

Social Proof

## Why [Your Company]

### Relevant Experience

| Client | Challenge | Result |
|--------|-----------|--------|
| [Similar company] | [Similar problem] | [Quantified outcome] |
| [Similar company] | [Similar problem] | [Quantified outcome] |

### Client Testimonial

> "[Quote about working with you and results achieved]"
> — [Name, Title, Company]

### By the Numbers

- X years in [industry]
- X clients served
- X% client satisfaction
- $Xm in [results delivered]

Team & Support

## Your Team

| Role | Name | Responsibility |
|------|------|----------------|
| Project Lead | [Name] | Overall delivery, your primary contact |
| [Specialist] | [Name] | [Specific responsibility] |
| [Support] | [Name] | [Ongoing support] |

### Support Model

**During Implementation:**
- [Support type and availability]

**Post-Implementation:**
- [Ongoing support included]

Terms & Next Steps

## Next Steps

| Step | Action | Owner | Target Date |
|------|--------|-------|-------------|
| 1 | Proposal review call | [Prospect] | [Date] |
| 2 | Final questions addressed | [You] | [Date] |
| 3 | Contract review | [Prospect legal] | [Date] |
| 4 | Signed agreement | Both | [Date] |
| 5 | Kickoff meeting | Both | [Date] |

### Terms Summary

- **Proposal valid until:** [Date]
- **Payment terms:** [Terms]
- **Contract length:** [Duration]
- **Cancellation:** [Policy]

---

**To proceed:** [Clear instruction — sign and return, schedule call, etc.]

**Questions?** Contact [Name] at [email/phone]

One-Pager Template (Quick Deals)

For deals <$5K or early-stage exploration:

# [Your Company] + [Prospect Company]

## The Problem
- [Pain point 1 - quantified]
- [Pain point 2 - quantified]

## Our Solution
- [Outcome 1 - measurable]
- [Outcome 2 - measurable]

## Investment
$[Amount] for [scope] delivered in [timeframe]

## Next Step
[Single clear action with date]

---
Valid until [Date] | [Your contact info]

Tone Guidelines

• Confident, not arrogant: "We will deliver" not "We're the best"
• Consultative: Trusted advisor solving their problem
• Specific: Reference their words, their situation
• Action-oriented: Every section moves toward next step
• Clean: White space, scannable, professional

Anti-Patterns

Mistake	Why It Fails	Fix
Lead with company history	They don't care yet	Lead with their pain
Generic scope	Feels like template	Reference specific discovery
Bury pricing	Seems evasive	Put in exec summary
Feature lists	Doesn't resonate	Focus on outcomes
No next steps	Deal stalls	Action table with dates
Wall of text	Won't be read	Headers, tables, bullets