Each advisor wants a go-to consulting proposal template as a result of proposals are an anticipated and important a part of the consumer acquisition course of. Whether or not you’re crafting a proposal for a particular undertaking or seeking to land a long-term consumer, the method of drafting a proposal can appear moderately daunting, particularly in the event you don’t have a consulting proposal pattern that you may reference.
That’s precisely why we’re going to run you thru every little thing it is advisable submit a proposal with confidence. We’ll discover the important thing parts of writing proposals, navigating the method together with your potential shoppers, instruments that may make it easier to achieve an edge on the competitors, and give you a consulting proposal template.
Desk of Contents
What Is a Consulting Proposal?
The right way to Use a Consulting Proposal Template
What to Do Earlier than You Create a Consulting Proposal
The right way to Write a Consulting Proposal
The Finest 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 little thing that you just, as a advisor, would ship for a possible undertaking or consumer, whereas additionally working double obligation as a advertising and marketing proposal that showcases why your experiences and expertise would make you the suitable advisor for the job.
Don’t Skip: The right way to Get a Consulting Job in 6 Steps
The right way 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 at all times simpler to have a transparent imaginative and prescient of your endgame when you will have examples you may reference.
After getting your first proposal created, you’ll wish 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 consumer to consumer. That method you’ll be capable to simply and shortly spin up a brand new proposal anytime you want one, growing the ROI on the time and vitality you spend creating proposals for potential shoppers.
What to Do Earlier than You Create a Consulting Proposal
The consulting proposal comes in direction of the top of the consumer acquisition course of. To efficiently flip a possible consumer into a brand new consumer, you wish to observe these steps earlier than you pull out your consulting proposal template.
1. Get Them on the Cellphone or Meet in Particular person First
It is best to do your greatest to get your prospect on the telephone, and even higher, meet them in particular person earlier than you even speak about submitting a proposal. Listening to your voice or seeing your face will do wonders for constructing belief together with your potential consumer.
Timing is essential. Solely ship a consulting proposal after you’ve had a profitable preliminary telephone 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 instrument for successful shoppers, it’s not the one one, or the primary one you need to attain for.
Notice: 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 successful are decrease.
2. Guarantee You Absolutely Perceive Your Potential Consumer’s Downside, Desires, and Wants
You could perceive your prospect’s true needs. It’s not nearly what they inform you they need (a brand new web site). You could dig deeper to seek out the motivation behind the undertaking (a brand new web site for them to showcase and promote their paintings extra effectively).
Take notes with the intention to reference your consumer’s drawback and their needs within the proposal. This exhibits you had been listening to them and that you just perceive what’s needed to ensure that the work to achieve success. Doing so may make it easier to profit from a psychological phenomenon generally known as the chameleon impact, the place one particular person mimics the opposite to achieve empathy. It happens in social conditions the place persons are attempting to construct rapport and, apparently sufficient, is the rationale some folks decide up the accents of the locations they journey to or dwell in.
3. Create a Worth Proposition That’s as Particular as Potential
For those who 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 necessary.
On the finish of the day, the consumer needs to know what you’ll do for them. So as an alternative of claiming, “Utilizing my patent-pending enterprise streamlining formulation, I’ll conduct a enterprise evaluation that generates your optimum productiveness and group workflow,” strive, “After totally reviewing your small business, I’ll create a method doc that may prevent 20 hours a month in misplaced productiveness.”
4. Correctly Consider the Undertaking Scope/Timeline and the Worth You Present
Clearly outlined expectations will set you up for a productive consumer relationship and make it easier to keep away from undertaking scope creep. It can additionally make it easier to to precisely present estimates in your consulting charges.
You possibly can achieve a correct understanding of the scope of a undertaking by first sending a questionnaire that addresses an summary of your potential consumer’s wants. When you’ve developed a broad understanding of what the undertaking entails, the subsequent step is to make sure you schedule a telephone name to achieve a extra nuanced understanding of what’s wanted and anticipated.
5. Be Open to Making Errors
For those who’re new to consulting or freelancing, you most likely will make errors with regards to evaluating scope and timeline. That’s a pure a part of the consulting studying curve. As you get your undertaking 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 knowledge about your workflow, it’ll get quicker and extra correct every time. Be open to creating errors; you’ll be taught shortly from them.
The right way to Write a Consulting Proposal
A consulting proposal could make or break your budding relationship with a possible consumer. As you construct your consulting enterprise, you may profit from making a consulting proposal template that you may replace and regulate for every potential consumer.
Each nice consulting proposal ought to have the next parts:
- Cowl web page
- Government abstract
- Undertaking define/scope of labor
- Timeline
- Charges and cost phrases
- Consumer necessities
- Expiration date
Cowl Web page
A canopy web page is precisely that, a canopy to your proposal that shows your organization’s model, the consumer’s identify, undertaking, and date for reference.
Government Abstract
An govt abstract supplies a one-page overview of the complete undertaking. The manager abstract ought to broadly spotlight the consumer’s points and challenges, and the way you propose on tackling or addressing them. Consider it as a distillation of an important info, a “too lengthy, didn’t learn” abstract for executives who may not have the time or inclination to learn the complete proposal.
Undertaking Define/Scope of Work
The undertaking define states what you’ll (and won’t) do for the proposed charge. Clearly describe the scope of labor, together with the scope and amount of deliverables, time frames, and another needed expectations for the work. You wish to be ultra-specific as a result of in the event you encounter scope creep, you’ll have this doc for reference.
For those who’re being employed to write down for a consumer’s weblog, make sure to define what number of phrases you’ll write, what number of revisions are included, and many others. For those who’re being employed as a life coach, specify what number of teaching calls are included, how lengthy every name might be, if there might be any electronic mail assist allowed, and many others. You don’t wish to go away any room for confusion right here otherwise you may lose out on money and time.
Deliverables
You may additionally discover it needed to stipulate deliverables. Deliverables are the identifiable finish merchandise you’ll be “delivering” to the consumer.
Whereas there might be a number of overlap between “deliverables” and “undertaking define/scope of labor,” the distinction between the scope of labor and deliverables is perhaps greatest defined with an instance.
Let’s say you’re a contract copywriter being employed to write down an e-book to generate leads for a corporation. Your scope of labor part may embody issues like studying extra concerning the firm’s model, researching rivals, writing the e-book, and revising it.
Your deliverable, nonetheless, is perhaps a ten,000-word e-book, absolutely formatted and delivered through Google Docs.
Timeline
An excellent consulting proposal manages expectations so no undesirable surprises pop up. A part of that requires outlining whenever you anticipate to finish the undertaking.
In your timeline part, reply the next questions:
- When does the undertaking start?
- When does the undertaking finish?
- Are there any milestones in between?
With lengthy initiatives, it may be useful to have checkpoints for accomplished work. This might help you handle your time and construct confidence within the consumer that issues are going as deliberate.
You may as well use milestones to launch partial cost of funds. Simply make sure to not pin your self down with too many milestones, to permit some flexibility in your workflow.
Charges and Cost Phrases
Make it clear what your charges are and what they embody. Additionally, specify due dates, accepted cost strategies, and cost phrases. For instance, in the event you require a 50 p.c preliminary cost, be sure you clearly state that you’ll not start work till the consumer has submitted the primary cost.
Be taught Extra: Consulting Charges: How A lot Ought to You Cost as a Advisor?
Consumer Necessities
Many instances, when there are delays on consulting initiatives, the bottleneck lies with the consumer. For instance, each net developer is aware of the ache of being stalled on a construct as a result of they’re ready on belongings from the consumer. If any a part of your job may very well be stalled as a consequence of consumer delays, be sure that to listing it within the consumer necessities.
Expiration Date
Placing an expiration date on the proposal protects you from having a potential consumer come to you three months later wanting to just accept your proposal. By that point, you is perhaps absolutely booked or your costs is perhaps increased. A consumer can’t fairly anticipate you to drop every little thing and fulfill the undertaking in your proposal in the event that they don’t act shortly. That’s why it’s strongly beneficial that you just present the consumer with a proposal expiration date.
Optionally available: Contract Phrases
Some consultants will ship over a proposal for the consumer to signal and approve first, then will ship over a separate contract for the consumer to signal. Having your proposal work as a contract, too, can prevent time and vitality—two important commodities for any entrepreneur.
For those who 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. For those who need assistance, use a proposal template from any of the companies talked about above.
Consulting Proposal Template
Observe 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]
Government 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.]
Undertaking 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 Cost Phrases:
[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 Phrases (Optionally available):
[Add any terms and conditions here if you choose to make yours a proposal-contract combination.]
The Finest 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 straightforward to get your paperwork e-signed. You possibly can both kind, draw, or add your signature to the service after which “stamp” your signature onto any doc.
For those who use the free model, you may signal as much as 5 paperwork for signing each month. That restrict is lifted with their Primary 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 electronic mail to your consumer through its platform. As a bonus, you’ll get electronic mail notifications when your proposal is seen, and your consumer can e-sign and pay you on-line.
AND.CO presents a free plan which helps 1 consumer and their branding watermarked in your paperwork. Their PRO plan lifts the consumer restrict, removes watermarking, and lets you edit their contract templates for $18 a month.
Honeybook
Honeybook is a paid service that permits you to create proposals and contracts, ship them for e-sign, get notifications once they’ve been seen, and settle for funds on-line. It’s slightly extra dear at $40 per thirty days or $400 yearly, however it 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 consumer CRM options which are much like Honeybook. With Bonsai, you may create proposals, electronic mail them to be signed, obtain notifications once they’re seen, and receives a commission on-line. Their freelance service proposal templates are fantastically designed, and there are a selection of selections.
Bonsai’s primary “Workflow” plan prices $19 a month and presents every little thing it is advisable get going.
Higher Proposals
Easy but highly effective, Higher Proposals is a paid proposal writing software program that’s fashionable for its trackable proposals and exquisite, trendy consulting template design. You’ll get notifications when your proposal is seen and e-signed, and you will 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 may merely fireplace up Microsoft Phrase, Google Docs, or another phrase processor, and sort up your consulting proposal. Google Docs really presents a couple of actually nice undertaking 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. Evaluation 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 powerful cowl web page. It begins with addressing the consumer and their wants, outlines the PR advisor’s distinctive expertise and the way that may assist the consumer, after which closes with expressing confidence within the advisor’s talents. Get the complete PR proposal template right 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 complete template right here.
Net Design Consulting Proposal Instance
This net design proposal template from Proposable shows the distinction between the Scope of Work part (right here, referred to as “Undertaking Particulars”) and the deliverables part.
Whereas the scope of labor will embody issues equivalent to figuring out the positioning hierarchy, creating web page mock-ups, and coding the positioning, the deliverables are a totally practical web site and a WordPress function that enables the consumer so as to add weblog posts.
You will get the free net design proposal template right here.
web optimization Consulting Proposal Instance
This web optimization consulting proposal features a contract on the finish, whereupon signing binds the consumer to pay and units phrases for termination. You will get the free web optimization proposal template right 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 Funding” part and clearly outlined the phrases of cost (“A deposit of $2,000 is due upon signing”). You will discover the free content material advertising and marketing proposal template right here.
High Tricks to Assist You Draft That Successful Proposal
Now that you just’ve discovered the weather of a successful proposal and seen some examples, you may nonetheless have a couple of hesitations as you start drafting your consulting proposal. For those who take nothing else, maintain these parting phrases of recommendation:
- When doubtful, maintain it easy: Most 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, this can be a enterprise proposal firstly. The content material of your proposal is an important factor.
- Count on negotiation and requests for edits: It’s extraordinarily widespread for a consumer to wish to ask questions concerning the proposal and even edit it. That’s okay! Be open to negotiation, and don’t fear if the proposal must undergo a few rounds of edits.
- Observe up, it doesn’t matter what: For those who ship the proposal and listen to crickets, don’t panic! Observe up in an electronic mail to the consumer and ask if they’ve any questions or want to hop on a name. Typically, a consumer might want to rigorously assessment the proposal, share it with colleagues, and talk about its contents, so it would take a while. That’s why, as we talked about earlier than, you need to put an expiration date in your proposal so issues don’t drag on for too lengthy.
Maintain Studying: Need to Turn into a Advertising and marketing Advisor? Right here’s The right way to Do It
Consulting Proposal Template FAQs
How lengthy ought to a consulting proposal be?
There is no laborious and quick rule concerning the size of a consulting proposal. Nonetheless, it wants to incorporate a canopy web page, govt abstract, scope of labor, deliverables, timeline, charges and cost phrases, consumer necessities, and expiration date. We propose making a proposal that displays your model and, concurrently, is personalized for a consumer. For instance, in the event you’re serving to seek the advice of with a enterprise proprietor you have labored with earlier than, the proposal might be easy. Whereas in the event you’re pitching a company for the primary time, you may wish to add some further particulars.
What ought to I do if the consumer has questions or issues about my consulting proposal?
More than likely, they may, and that is an excellent factor. The extra you may make clear your relationship earlier than beginning the work, the much less doubtless you’ll have mishaps throughout a consultancy. Be open, sincere, and clear about what you may ship. If the potential consumer is not happy, you is perhaps higher off shifting on.
How ought to I current my finances in a consulting proposal?
As clear as you presumably can. No person likes working with a advisor that sends an bill with an surprising charge. Embrace due dates, cost strategies, and phrases. It is useful to incorporate case research of earlier work, so your potential consumer sees the whole value of your worth. For instance, for a similar-sized enterprise, I spent three months and helped 10x their promoting program. The overall quantity of that consultancy was 30 hours at x {dollars} per hour.
Construct Your Consulting Company
When drafting your proposal, think about the place your consumer is now and the place they wish to be. Consider your proposal because the plan that outlines the way you’ll get them there. Do that, and also you’re one step nearer to touchdown your subsequent consulting consumer. To learn to begin and develop your digital company or consulting enterprise, watch our free coaching.
