Creating a consulting proposal in 9 steps (with a free template)

Consulting proposals help you win new clients, set expectations and agree on the scope of the work. By understanding what prospects want from a proposal and how to persuade them, you can potentially convert more leads.

In this article, you’ll learn how to create high-converting sales consulting proposals. You also get a free consulting proposal template and advice on closing more deals with Pipedrive’s CRM.

What is a consulting proposal?

A consulting proposal outlines your prospective client’s challenges, proposed solutions, timelines, workflows, costs and outcomes. It’s a document that aims to win you new work.

Proposals form the foundation of a great working relationship by clarifying project objectives and aligning both parties’ expectations. They’re part sales pitch, part work agreement and part contract.

A good consulting proposal:

• Reassures clients you understand the challenges facing their business

• Explains your solution compellingly and helps clients see the value it offers

• Inspires clients to take action by booking a follow-up call or signing an agreement

Consultants and consulting firms usually send solicited proposals in response to a request for proposal (RFP). They can also submit unsolicited proposals to potential prospects – similar to sales reps making cold calls or sending cold emails.

What should a consulting proposal include?

Proposals allow consultants to prove they have the best solution to their prospective client’s needs.

Include these key components for an informative and persuasive consulting business proposal:

Download Pipedrive’s free consulting proposal template

A consulting proposal template accelerates the writing process because you don’t need to start from scratch every time. It also ensures you include the necessary information and deliver a consistent experience to every prospect.

Download Pipedrive’s free sample consulting proposal template to cover everything you need for a winning pitch.

How to write a great consulting proposal in 9 steps

Writing an effective consulting proposal requires a balance between being concise and thorough. Use the following step-by-step approach to communicate the value of your solution without overloading prospective clients with information.

1. Speak to the client to understand their needs

Whether over a phone call or in a face-to-face meeting, a preliminary conversation builds trust and allows you to understand what the prospect wants from the project.

By addressing the client’s specific challenges and needs, you’ll create a relevant, personalized and memorable document.

Ask questions to understand:

• The current challenges facing the business. Why have they sent an RFP? What does the company risk if things don’t change?

• What they want to achieve. Do they have a specific tool or service in mind? Have they tried similar solutions in the past?

• The why behind the what. What outcomes is the client hoping for from the project? Do they have a way to measure success?

• Their urgency. How quickly do they need a solution? Are there deadlines you must meet?

Note down the specific words, phrases and language the client uses. Including them in the proposal will make clients feel heard.

2. Write a problem statement

A succinct problem statement shows you understand the client’s problems. Summarize everything they told you in your discovery call, including:

• The client’s pain points

• The impact challenges are having on the business

• Previous solutions and why they’ve failed

• What’s at risk if nothing changes

Aim for a concise statement – ideally no more than three or four sentences long – and avoid prematurely discussing solutions. Leave it as an open-ended statement that encourages clients to read further.

3. Explain your solution

Clearly show how your solution addresses the client’s problems and helps them reach their goals.

There’s no need to reiterate the problem. Follow the steps below to lay out your vision in a digestible and comprehensive manner:

• Start with an overview of your proposed solution or service. Summarize it in a couple of sentences.

• Dive into detail, getting specific about the tools and methodologies you’ll use.

• Create a consulting project roadmap that contains key milestones and completion dates. This will be your project plan.

• Outline the roles you and your team will take. Note who will be the point of contact for various tasks.

• Include a list of deliverables. These are the tangible products or outcomes the client can expect at the end of the project.

• Set goal-focused metrics and key results to measure the project’s success. For example, if the client is an e-commerce store looking to boost sales, it may include sales KPIs such as conversion rate, cart abandonment rate and average order value.

Support your proposal with relevant statistics and market research reports to show your understanding of the client’s industry and evidence-backed approach.

4. Demonstrate your capabilities with social proof

Prove you are the right choice by including qualifications, case studies and other documentation about your experience and previous successes.

Your capabilities are a form of social proof that encourages stakeholders to make decisions based on the behavior of others. If your solution has achieved results in the past, it’s likely to work in the future, too.

Include one or more of the following forms of social proof:

• Case studies. Short summaries of your past successes and ones that prove you have experience in the industry.

• Testimonials. Quotes or statements from satisfied clients or partners that highlight specific strengths or benefits of working with you.

• Certifications. Relevant degrees, qualifications or training achievements demonstrating your field knowledge and expertise.

• Awards. Industry recognition, shortlists or nominations from independent trade bodies.

You don’t need to spend hours designing fancy case study slides. In this example, Deloitte simply lists the name, project scope and outcomes:

A short summary of previous projects is enough to convey your experience.

5. Provide pricing information

Provide a transparent and detailed breakdown of the project’s financial aspects. Clear, itemized pricing sets the right expectations and builds customer trust.

Give clients everything they need to move forward by including the following:

• An itemized project price. Break down your fee by deliverable, phase or hourly rate. Itemization increases transparency, demonstrates the value of each part of your service and makes the final total more palatable.

• Additional costs. Highlight other costs not associated with the project, like travel expenses or ongoing support. Since these aren’t fixed, it doesn’t make sense to include them in the project total.

• Payment methods. Clearly state how the client can pay you, whether by bank transfer, check or online payment.

• Payment terms. Outline when each installment is due and your client’s payment timeframes after receiving an invoice. Flag any late payment penalties.

6. Include your terms and conditions

Provide detailed terms and conditions that outline each party’s roles and responsibilities. These create a legal framework that protects both the consultant and the client.

Include the following:

Be thorough rather than concise to protect yourself and the client as much as possible. Strong terms and conditions demonstrate professionalism and credibility, giving the client the confidence to move forward.

7. Entice prospects with an executive summary and call to action

Give your project proposal a strong start with a punchy executive summary and a conversion-focused ending with an enticing CTA.

An executive summary is a short overview of your offering that encourages stakeholders to read your entire proposal. It should:

• Identify the client’s problem

• Propose a solution

• Highlight expected results

End your proposal by telling the client what to do next. Typical proposal CTAs include booking a call, signing a contract and paying a deposit.

8. Design and lay out your proposal

Your proposal can make a great first impression before your prospect reads a word – it all comes down to its design.

Use the following tips to create a well-designed proposal that adds credibility, conveys your offer and sets you apart from the competition:

• Include key information on the cover page, like your client’s name and your company name

• Add your logo and brand colors so the client can quickly identify the document’s creator

• Give readers direction with a clear table of contents

• Opt for a clean and simple design to enhance readability and comprehension

Here’s an excellent example from PandaDoc:

The color and graphics create an eye-catching design but don’t detract from the key information.

A standout proposal remains top-of-mind, especially if competitors submit plain Google Docs without personalization or enhancements.

9. Proof, edit and send your proposal

Read your proposal before sending it to catch typos, improve clarity and sharpen your writing.

Leave it for a day or two, then return with fresh eyes to:

• Check spelling and grammar for error-free copy

• Eliminate jargon to ensure your document is easy to understand

• Double-check facts and figures for accuracy

• Ensure tone-of-voice consistency so the proposal is cohesive

Have a team member, colleague or peer read through your proposal to find errors you’ve missed. They can also spot inconsistencies and identify areas where your writing may not convey your intended message.

4 ways to convert more consulting prospects

Following the steps above will create a proposal that stands out to potential clients – but why stop there? Here are four ways to turn more proposals into actual sales deals.

1. Make your consulting proposal digestible

Clients might not have time to read your proposal from cover to cover, so write and design it in a way that clearly communicates your key points.

Create a scannable proposal that’s easy for clients to read and navigate by following these writing best practices:

• Use short sentences and paragraphs. Give every sentence a purpose and don’t write more than you need to keep the reader focused.

• Break up large chunks of text. Use headings, bullet points and tables to highlight important information and facilitate scanning.

• Use the active voice over the passive voice. Writing “I will lead this project” instead of “this project will be led by me” makes the sentence more direct and concise.

• Keep headings in the same format to increase coherence. Make every heading either a question (How can I help you?) or a statement (How I can help).

• Include graphics, graphs and charts. Visuals illustrate your points clearly and help readers quickly understand complex topics.

Ensure you also use white space effectively to improve the flow of your proposal document.

2. Tailor your proposal to the client

It’s easy to make your consulting proposal all about yourself – you’re selling your services, after all. However, you should spend most of your time discussing your prospect’s challenges and opportunities.

These tips will make your proposal more personable:

• Use the second person (“you”) to address recipients directly

• Add relevant case studies that resonate strongly with your audience

• Include the client’s logo and branding throughout the proposal for customization

• Reference the client’s language from your discovery call to ensure familiarity

Spend time crafting a personal sales email to your prospective client, too. Thank them for their consideration, reiterate their pain points and emphasize your solution’s benefits.

3. Make it easy for them to sign

Use eSignature technology to simplify the approval process and make it easy for prospects to move the project forward.

Pipedrive’s Smart Docs – a toolset that streamlines and automates the creation, submission and management of quotes and proposals – has an eSignatures feature built in.

Here’s what it looks like:

Alternatively, use Pipedrive’s integrations with tools like PandaDoc and Eurosign to let customers sign via third-party software without leaving the proposal document.

For instance, B2B consultancy Sellto reduced customer and document management costs by 58% by handling quotes, proposals and contracts entirely in Pipedrive.

4. Manage your proposals in Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a leading CRM for consultants you can use to track proposals, automate follow-ups and manage your deals.

Start by creating a new sales pipeline to monitor every business proposal you send. Create custom stages for each part of the process, including:

1. Initial meeting

2. Proposal drafting

3. Proposal sent

4. Client feedback

5. Sales negotiation

6. Final decision

Here’s an example of what your proposal pipeline could look like:

Make each proposal a deal in Pipedrive. Include relevant information like the project’s name and contact information.

Then, use Pipedrive’s Scheduler tool to create a project timeline for each proposal. Dedicate a task to each part of the process, like scheduling a call and sending follow-up emails. Use the “Owner” field to delegate tasks to team members.

Finally, create an automated email follow-up using Pipedrive’s email templates. Set it to populate with CRM data and send after a specific number of days following your proposal submission.

Pipedrive’s AI Sales Assistant lets you manage and automate the post-proposal process. The tool continuously analyzes your deals to uncover key insights that can help you convert more sales prospects.

This Pipedrive tool can:

• Predict which proposals are most likely to close so you can prioritize your prospects accordingly

• Remind you of proposals that have no activities scheduled so you can follow up accordingly

• Suggest when to send follow-up emails and automatically generate them using simple prompts

AI Sales Assistant improves post-submission productivity and effectiveness, helping you close more deals with less effort.

Final thoughts

Writing a winning consulting proposal amounts to understanding your client’s goals and selling the value of your solution. You can adapt the downloadable management consulting proposal sample to include all the essential information in a logical order.

Pipedrive’s combined features let you create personalized, high-converting proposals that are easy for prospects to read and sign.

Get started with a 14-day free trial to see how Pipedrive can save time and increase your deal win rates.