Each guide wants a go-to consulting proposal template as a result of proposals are an anticipated and important half of the shopper acquisition course of. Whether or not you’re crafting a proposal for a particular challenge or seeking to land a long-term shopper, the method of drafting a proposal can appear somewhat daunting, particularly if you happen to don’t have a consulting proposal pattern you can reference.
That’s precisely why we’re going to run you thru every thing it’s good to submit a proposal with confidence. We’ll discover the important thing elements of writing proposals, navigating the method together with your potential purchasers, instruments that can show you how to achieve an edge on the competitors, and offer you a consulting proposal template.
Desk of Contents
What Is a Consulting Proposal?
Methods to Use a Consulting Proposal Template
What to Do Earlier than You Create a Consulting Proposal
Methods to Write a Consulting Proposal
The Greatest Consulting Proposal Instruments
Good Consulting Proposal Examples
High Tricks to Assist You Draft That Successful Proposal
Consulting Proposal Template FAQs
What Is a Consulting Proposal?
A consulting proposal is a doc that outlines every thing that you just, as a guide, would ship for a possible challenge or shopper, whereas additionally working double obligation as a advertising and marketing proposal that showcases why your experiences and expertise would make you the best guide for the job.
Methods to Use a Consulting Proposal Template
An exterior consulting proposal template, just like the one included on this information, might help you get began within the proposal course of. It’s all the time simpler to have a transparent imaginative and prescient of your endgame when you have got examples you’ll be able to reference.
Upon getting your first proposal created, you’ll need to save a model as your personal template. This pared-down model will have already got the weather of your proposal that keep the identical from shopper to shopper. That method you’ll be capable to simply and shortly spin up a brand new proposal anytime you want one, rising the ROI on the time and power you spend creating proposals for potential purchasers.
Don’t Skip: Methods to Get a Consulting Job in 6 Steps
What to Do Earlier than You Create a Consulting Proposal
The consulting proposal comes in the direction of the top of the shopper acquisition course of. To efficiently flip a possible shopper into a brand new shopper, you need to comply with these steps earlier than you pull out your consulting proposal template.
1. Get Them on the Telephone or Meet in Particular person First
It is best to do your greatest to get your prospect on the cellphone, and even higher, meet them in individual earlier than you even discuss submitting a proposal. Listening to your voice or seeing your face will do wonders for constructing belief together with your potential shopper.
Timing is vital. Solely ship a consulting proposal after you’ve had a profitable preliminary cellphone name or assembly with the prospect. If somebody’s asking you to submit proposals with out having spoken to you first, the possibilities of wowing them are very low. Whereas a consulting proposal is usually a highly effective device for profitable purchasers, it’s not the one one, or the primary one it’s best to attain for.
Observe: There are occasions when an organization will put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) throughout which anybody can submit a proposal with none contact with the corporate beforehand. Clearly, in these circumstances, competitors is fiercer and your possibilities of profitable are decrease.
2. Guarantee You Absolutely Perceive Your Potential Consumer’s Downside, Needs, and Wants
It is advisable perceive your prospect’s true wishes. It’s not nearly what they inform you they need (a brand new web site). It is advisable dig deeper to search out the motivation behind the challenge (a brand new web site for them to showcase and promote their art work extra effectively).
Take notes so as to reference your shopper’s downside and their wishes within the proposal. This reveals you have been listening to them and that you just perceive what’s needed to ensure that the work to achieve success. Doing so may show you how to profit from a psychological phenomenon often known as the chameleon effect, the place one individual mimics the opposite to realize empathy. It happens in social conditions the place persons are making an attempt to construct rapport and, curiously sufficient, is the rationale some folks choose up the accents of the locations they journey to or dwell in.
3. Create a Worth Proposition That’s as Particular as Doable
If you happen to haven’t already, take a while to develop your distinctive worth. The right proposal will embody a transparent, particular, and actionable worth proposition. Don’t make the error of stuffing your proposals with accolades and fluffy jargon that make your work sound essential.
On the finish of the day, the shopper desires to know what you’ll do for them. So as an alternative of saying, “Using my patent-pending business streamlining formula, I will conduct a business analysis that generates your optimal productivity and organization workflow,” attempt, “After thoroughly reviewing your business, I will create a strategy document that will save you 20 hours a month in lost productivity.”
4. Correctly Consider the Mission Scope/Timeline and the Worth You Present
Clearly outlined expectations will set you up for a productive shopper relationship and show you how to keep away from challenge scope creep. It would additionally show you how to to precisely present estimates in your consulting charges.
You’ll be able to achieve a correct understanding of the scope of a challenge by first sending a questionnaire that addresses an outline of your potential shopper’s wants. When you’ve developed a broad understanding of what the challenge entails, the subsequent step is to make sure you schedule a cellphone name to realize a extra nuanced understanding of what is required and anticipated.
5. Be Open to Making Errors
If you happen to’re new to consulting or freelancing, you most likely will make errors relating to evaluating scope and timeline. That’s a pure half of the consulting studying curve. As you get your challenge reps, you’ll develop the expertise essential to precisely estimate how lengthy the work will take you.
The identical goes for the proposal creation course of. As you write extra proposals and collect extra information about your workflow, it’ll get sooner and extra correct every time. Be open to creating errors; you’ll be taught shortly from them.
Methods to Write a Consulting Proposal
A consulting proposal could make or break your budding relationship with a possible shopper. As you construct your consulting enterprise, you’ll be able to profit from making a consulting proposal template you can replace and modify for every potential shopper.
Each nice consulting proposal ought to have the next parts:
- Cowl web page
- Govt abstract
- Mission define/scope of work
- Timeline
- Charges, billing, and cost Terms
- Consumer necessities
- Expiration date
- Third-Occasion Value Disclaimer
- Contract Terms
- Indemnities
Cowl Web page
A canopy web page is precisely that, a canopy to your proposal that shows your organization’s model, the shopper’s title, challenge, and date for reference.
Govt Abstract
An govt abstract gives a one-page overview of the complete challenge. The manager abstract ought to broadly spotlight the shopper’s points and challenges, and how you propose on tackling or addressing them. Assume of it as a distillation of crucial data, a “too long, didn’t read” abstract for executives who won’t have the time or inclination to learn the total proposal.
Mission Define/Scope of Work
The challenge define states what you’ll (and won’t) do for the proposed payment. Clearly describe the scope of work, together with the scope and amount of deliverables, time frames, and another needed expectations for the work. You need to be ultra-specific as a result of if you happen to encounter scope creep, you’ll have this doc for reference.
If you happen to’re being employed to write down for a shopper’s weblog, you should definitely define what number of phrases you’ll write, what number of revisions are included, and so on. If you happen to’re being employed as a life coach, specify what number of teaching calls are included, how lengthy every name shall be, if there shall be any e mail help allowed, and so on. You don’t need to depart any room for confusion right here otherwise you may lose out on time and cash.
Deliverables
You may additionally discover it needed to stipulate deliverables. Deliverables are the identifiable finish merchandise you may be “delivering” to the shopper.
Whereas there is usually a lot of overlap between “deliverables” and “project outline/scope of work,” the distinction between the scope of work and deliverables is perhaps greatest defined with an instance.
Let’s say you’re a contract copywriter being employed to write down an book to generate leads for a corporation. Your scope of work part may embody issues like studying extra in regards to the firm’s model, researching rivals, writing the book, and revising it.
Your deliverable, nevertheless, is perhaps a ten,000-word book, totally formatted and delivered by way of Google Docs.
Timeline
A very good consulting proposal manages expectations so no undesirable surprises pop up. Half of that requires outlining whenever you count on to finish the challenge.
In your timeline part, reply the next questions:
- When does the challenge start?
- When does the challenge finish?
- Are there any milestones in between?
With lengthy tasks, it may be useful to have checkpoints for accomplished work. This might help you handle your time and construct confidence within the shopper that issues are going as deliberate.
You may as well use milestones to launch partial cost of funds. Simply be certain to not pin your self down with too many milestones, to permit some flexibility in your workflow.
Charges, Billing, and Fee Terms
Make it clear what your charges are and what they embody. Additionally, specify due dates, accepted cost strategies, and cost phrases. For instance, if you happen to require a 50 p.c preliminary cost, be sure to clearly state that you’ll not start work till the shopper has submitted the primary cost.
In a schedule/addendum to the contract, it’s advisable to all the time embody:
- Billing milestones, due dates, and quantities
- Billing strategies
- Late payment coverage and assortment prices related to having to pursue late funds
- An overview of your pricing construction, any quantity reductions, periodic rebates, and agreed
fee playing cards beneath the contract
Be taught Extra: Consulting Charges: How A lot Ought to You Cost as a Guide?
Consumer Necessities
Many occasions, when there are delays on consulting tasks, the bottleneck lies with the shopper. For instance, each internet developer is aware of the ache of being stalled on a construct as a result of they’re ready on belongings from the shopper. If any half of your job might be stalled resulting from shopper delays, make sure that to listing it within the shopper necessities.
Expiration Date
Placing an expiration date on the proposal protects you from having a potential shopper come to you three months later wanting to just accept your proposal. By that point, you is perhaps totally booked or your costs is perhaps greater. A shopper can’t moderately count on you to drop every thing and fulfill the challenge in your proposal in the event that they don’t act shortly. That’s why it’s strongly beneficial that you just present the shopper with a proposal expiration date.
Third Occasion Value Disclaimer
Chances are you’ll usually end up in conditions the place you prescribe third social gathering instruments for the shopper that your group makes use of to handle sure elements of their digital ecosystem comparable to google adverts,
advertising and marketing automation, and so on.
You don’t need to get stung with having to be the license holder for his or her information, so it’s suggested you have got a clause to make sure the shopper is paying for these companies immediately, and that you’re not liable if the third social gathering service fails.
In your third social gathering disclaimer make it clear that:
- The shopper is accountable for the cost of third social gathering prices
- The shopper won’t be able to terminate the contract if you happen to didn’t ship as a result of the shopper
did not pay third social gathering prices - The shopper’s prior approval is required of the instruments you plan and put ahead.
Contract Terms
Some consultants will ship over a proposal for the shopper to signal and approve first, then will ship over a separate contract for the shopper to signal. Having your proposal work as a contract, too, can prevent time and power—two important commodities for any entrepreneur.
If you happen to select to make yours a proposal-contract mixture, add any phrases and situations right here. Widespread phrases embody cancellation, cost phrases, and an impartial contractor clause. If you happen to need assistance, use a proposal template from any of the companies talked about above.
We’ve created this useful jargon-buster, which outlines some of the commonest phrases that you could be encounter when negotiating an company contract
together with your prospects and is introduced in alphabetical order.
Indemnities
Safety is a two method avenue, and guaranteeing the indemnities are usually not skewed to at least one social gathering is crucial. Indemnities defend one social gathering from a contract from struggling monetary loss in relation to sure eventualities. Indemnity clauses are present in all kinds of authorized agreements, and that is one space that events usually spend a terrific deal of time negotiating.
An indemnity clause is commonly the trigger for disputes and compromises of two key parts:
- The set off: an outline of the precise occasion or set of circumstances triggering
the indemnity. - Fee and an outline of the categories of loss which the indemnifying social gathering
ought to be answerable for.
So, be sure to:
- Undertake a danger evaluation to completely perceive the dangers you’ll be assuming.
- Perceive what you’re anticipated to do.
- Perceive the results of breaching the indemnities you conform to.
- Test for any liabilities not lined by your insurance coverage supplier. Contact your dealer or
insurer on to double examine.
Consulting Proposal Template
Comply with this template to shortly draft your first consulting proposal.
Cowl Web page:
[Your company’s name/branding]
[Client’s name]
[Project name]
[Date of proposal]
Govt Abstract:
[Provide a brief overview of the proposed project. Highlight the client’s issues and challenges, along with how you plan to address them. Limit the summary to one page or less.]
Mission Define/Scope of Work:
[Clearly state what you will and will not do for the proposed fee. Be as specific as possible.]
Deliverables:
[Outline the identifiable end products you will deliver to the client.]
Timeline:
[State when the project will begin and end, along with any important milestones in between.]
Charges and Fee Terms:
[List your fees—and indicate what they do and do not include. Specify due dates, accepted payment methods, and the payment terms.]
Consumer Necessities:
[If any part of your job could be stalled due to client delays, make sure to list it here.]
Expiration Date:
[Provide the date when the proposal will expire.]
Contract Terms (Non-obligatory):
[Add any terms and conditions here if you choose to make yours a proposal-contract combination.]
The Greatest Consulting Proposal Instruments
Whether or not you’re drafting a pattern proposal, proposal letter, or simply researching proposal software program, these instruments might help.
Eversign
Each proposal wants a signature and Eversign makes it simple to get your paperwork e-signed. You’ll be able to both kind, draw, or add your signature to the service and then “stamp” your signature onto any doc.
If you happen to use the free model, you’ll be able to signal as much as 5 paperwork for signing each month. That restrict is lifted with their Fundamental plan which prices $9.99 a month, or $7.99 if billed yearly.
AND.CO
AND.CO lets you draft proposals and contracts (it has free templates for each), which you’ll be able to then e mail to your shopper by way of its platform. As a bonus, you’ll get e mail notifications when your proposal is considered, and your shopper can e-sign and pay you on-line.
AND.CO presents a free plan which helps 1 shopper and their branding watermarked in your paperwork. Their PRO plan lifts the shopper restrict, removes watermarking, and lets you edit their contract templates for $18 a month.
Honeybook
Honeybook is a paid service that allows you to create proposals and contracts, ship them for e-sign, get notifications after they’ve been considered, and settle for funds on-line. It’s somewhat extra dear at $40 per thirty days or $400 yearly, but it surely actually is an all-in-one resolution.
Bonsai
Bonsai is one other paid all-in-one suite of companies with proposals, invoicing capabilities, contract signing, and shopper CRM options which can be just like Honeybook. With Bonsai, you’ll be able to create proposals, e mail them to be signed, obtain notifications after they’re considered, and receives a commission on-line. Their freelance service proposal templates are fantastically designed, and there are a selection of decisions.
Bonsai’s primary “Workflow” plan prices $19 a month and presents every thing it’s good to get going.
Higher Proposals
Easy but highly effective, Better Proposals is a paid proposal writing software program that’s common for its trackable proposals and lovely, trendy consulting template design. You’ll get notifications when your proposal is considered and e-signed, and you may get paid on-line.
Their Starter plan permits for 10 proposals a month at simply $19/mo. That restrict is elevated to 50 proposals of their Premium plan for $50 a month.
Any Phrase Processor
If you wish to maintain it low-cost and no-frills, you’ll be able to merely fireplace up Microsoft Phrase, Google Docs, or another phrase processor, and kind up your consulting proposal. Google Docs truly presents a number of actually nice challenge proposal templates of their Template Gallery.
From there, merely export it as a PDF and signal it in Eversign.
Good Consulting Proposal Examples
Now that we’ve gone over the steps to making a consulting proposal that’s stellar, it’ll be useful to see real-life examples. Assessment these good consulting proposal examples to find what makes every of them particular.
PR Consulting Proposal Instance
This public relations proposal template from PandaDoc showcases a robust cowl web page. It begins with addressing the shopper and their wants, outlines the PR guide’s distinctive expertise and how that can assist the shopper, and then closes with expressing confidence within the guide’s skills. Get the full PR proposal template here.
Inside Design Consulting Proposal Instance
This inside design proposal from PandaDoc combines the Scope of Work and Timeline into one easy-to-read desk. Get the full template here.
Net Design Consulting Proposal Instance
This internet design proposal template from Proposable shows the distinction between the Scope of Work part (right here, known as “Project Details”) and the deliverables part.
Whereas the scope of work will embody issues comparable to figuring out the positioning hierarchy, creating web page mock-ups, and coding the positioning, the deliverables are a completely practical web site and a WordPress function that permits the shopper so as to add weblog posts.
You may get the free internet design proposal template here.
search engine optimization Consulting Proposal Instance
This search engine optimization consulting proposal features a contract on the finish, whereupon signing binds the shopper to pay and units phrases for termination. You can get the free SEO proposal template here.
Content material Advertising and marketing Consulting Proposal Instance
That is an excerpt from a free template from Proposify. I like how they broke down the charges within the “Your Investment” part and clearly outlined the phrases of cost (“A deposit of $2,000 is due upon signing”). You can find the free content marketing proposal template here.
High Tricks to Assist You Draft That Successful Proposal
Now that you just’ve discovered the weather of a profitable proposal and seen some examples, you may nonetheless have a number of hesitations as you start drafting your consulting proposal. If you happen to take nothing else, maintain these parting phrases of recommendation:
- When doubtful, maintain it easy: Many of the examples on this information embody colourful, high-design proposals. If that’s too overwhelming, maintain it easy with a phrase processor. Whereas design can actually be eye-catching, it is a enterprise proposal first and foremost. The content material of your proposal is crucial factor.
- Anticipate negotiation and requests for edits: It’s extraordinarily frequent for a shopper to need to ask questions in regards to the proposal and even edit it. That’s okay! Be open to negotiation, and don’t fear if the proposal must undergo a pair of rounds of edits.
- Comply with up, it doesn’t matter what: If you happen to ship the proposal and hear crickets, don’t panic! Comply with up in an e mail to the shopper and ask if they’ve any questions or want to hop on a name. Typically, a shopper might want to rigorously evaluate the proposal, share it with colleagues, and focus on its contents, so it’d take a while. That’s why, as we talked about earlier than, it’s best to put an expiration date in your proposal so issues don’t drag on for too lengthy.
Preserve Studying: Wish to Turn out to be a Advertising and marketing Guide? Right here’s Methods to Do It
Consulting Proposal Template FAQs
How lengthy ought to a consulting proposal be?
There is no laborious and quick rule in regards to the size of a consulting proposal. Nonetheless, it wants to incorporate a canopy web page, govt abstract, scope of work, deliverables, timeline, charges and cost phrases, shopper necessities, and expiration date. We recommend making a proposal that displays your model and, concurrently, is custom-made for a shopper. For instance, if you happen to’re serving to seek the advice of with a enterprise proprietor you have labored with earlier than, the proposal may be easy. Whereas if you happen to’re pitching an organization for the primary time, you may need to add some further particulars.
What ought to I do if the shopper has questions or considerations about my consulting proposal?
Most definitely, they’ll, and that is factor. The extra you’ll be able to make clear your relationship earlier than beginning the work, the much less seemingly you’ll have mishaps throughout a consultancy. Be open, trustworthy, and clear about what you’ll be able to ship. If the potential shopper is not happy, you is perhaps higher off shifting on.
How ought to I current my funds in a consulting proposal?
As clear as you presumably can. No person likes working with a guide that sends an bill with an sudden payment. Embody due dates, cost strategies, and phrases. It is useful to incorporate case research of earlier work, so your potential shopper sees the overall value of your worth. For instance, for a similar-sized enterprise, I spent three months and helped 10x their promoting program. The whole quantity of that consultancy was 30 hours at x {dollars} per hour.
Construct Your Consulting Company
When drafting your proposal, take into account the place your shopper is now and the place they need to be. Assume of your proposal because the plan that outlines the way you’ll get them there. Do that, and you’re one step nearer to touchdown your subsequent consulting shopper. To discover ways to begin and develop your digital company or consulting enterprise, watch our coaching on foundr+ for $1.