How to craft an independent consulting proposal that wins every time.

Best-practice guidelines for maximizing your sales closure rate.

Every time you write a proposal, you’re putting your independent consulting business on the line. Are your proposals world-class in terms of their ability to get you that engagement?

While you may be expert in your field of consulting, crafting a proposal that properly sells it is an entirely different discipline, requiring additional skill sets. Here are some best-practice guidelines to help you surmount this fundamental sales challenge:

• Define your audience. This vital first step isn’t as simple as it seems. Who will be reading your proposal? The person who invited you in? That person’s colleagues, superiors, and/or direct reports? An RFP review board? The client’s purchasing authority? You may need to rank your audience in terms of “primary” and “secondary”; that is, who will be deciding, vs. who will be influencing the decision. 

• Dig deep through prior e-mail threads with the client to see who’s been cc’ed. If there’s anyone you don’t know, Google them. Check them on LinkedIn. Look at their photo; it often reveals their personality. Even personal details can help you; for example, if a key team member is a former sailor, you can make the language of your proposal more accessible by employing nautical imagery and metaphors. After you get to know the individuals, infer the nature of the team. 

• Consider their needs. Empathy is the key word here. While your proposal will certainly benefit you if you win, that’s not what your readers are thinking about. Think, hard, about the very nature of the client’s situation, and why you were invited to submit a proposal. What’s the challenge? What’s their fear if they don’t succeed? Why are you the perfect fit to help them? These questions may seem obvious, but too many independent consultants fail to consider them before plunging into the details of a proposal, losing sight of the big picture—and often dooming themselves to losing the engagement in the process. 

• Tell a story. No one wants to be sold to. But everyone wants to hear a story. Craft your proposal in just such a way. A world-class proposal is a page-turner and compelling to read. Regardless of the consulting challenge, all of the narrative elements are already there: The key characters. The problem. The complications. And the hero who comes in and saves the say—that is, you. Presenting your proposal in a story-like fashion ensures that it will be read, cover to cover, and that your readers will see your ability to frame the challenge within a cogent context. 

• Set yourself above the competition. How will the client’s experience with you be better than it would with anyone else? Remember, this is about how they will benefit, so set your experience, skills, and methodology in the proper context. Feel free to use a sidebar or inset box to set this type of information on its own so that it will stand out—and won’t impede the flow of the narrative. 

• Be careful with jargon. Remember that not everyone reading this will know all the terminology and acronyms you use every day. Always define them at the first occurrence; to do otherwise is to alienate potential future sponsors and champions. Bring these people into the fold. 

• Save the RFP details for last. If you’re responding to a detailed RFP, you can—and should—still follow the guidelines above. The only difference is that that portion will be more like the executive summary—the part that everyone actually reads. Certainly, you’ll need to include every single detail required by the RFP, following the client’s format, but put them into a separate section or appendix so that key decision-makers can get the gist of your proposal and your points of differentiation quickly, while the purchasing authority can also see that you’ve crossed every “t.”

• Consider tapping a cost-effective outside resource. Following the above best-practice guidelines will help maximize your odds of success. But they require specialized skills which may not overlap your strengths. Fortunately for you, we have been helping independent consultants just like you to turbocharge their closure rates for more than 15 years, on assignments big and small. We can work from your rough notes, a previous proposal, or even a late draft. Best of all, we’re fast, efficient, and surprisingly affordable, given the value we provide. Contact us right now and let’s discuss how we can quickly and easily make that next proposal a surefire win.