Proposal Writer
Input schema: see references/proposal-input-schema.md
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
## 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 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]
Anti-Patterns
| Mistake | Fix | |---------|-----| | Lead with company history | Lead with their pain | | Generic scope | Reference specific discovery | | Bury pricing | Put in exec summary | | Feature lists | Focus on outcomes | | No next steps | Action table with dates | | Wall of text | Headers, tables, bullets |