A consulting proposal is a document sent from a consultant to a prospective client describing a job they wish to take on and the conditions under which they will do so.After the consultant and prospective client have discussed the job at length, consulting proposals are usually written.It's an essential skill for all independent consultants to know how to write a good proposal.
Step 1: You should learn as much as possible about the job.
It's not a good idea to just send your proposal out to as many people as possible in order to drum up business.Each proposal needs to be tailored for the client you're trying to get.The more knowledgeable you are about the client and his or her needs, the better you can write a proposal.The most direct way to do this is to meet with the client and discuss the job proposal.Take notes and ask lots of questions to understand what the work entails.You can clarify any questions with phone calls and emails after this.It may be useful to do a little independent research as you write the proposal.If you're trying to prove why your services will help your client succeed, finding business surveys that support your point is a good idea.
Step 2: You should come to an agreement on what your role will be.
You don't want to sign on to work as a consultant only to have your clients put pressure on you to do their work.If you have a clear picture of what the client expects from you, you can say your proposal so that your work is limited to what has been agreed upon.Your precise duties, the result the client hopes to achieve, and the time frame for your work are some of the things to note.If you want to discuss a dispute between management and employees, you should speak to both the hiring client and the representatives of both parties.
Step 3: You can find the client's financial commitment.
This is the most important piece of information.If the client isn't willing to pay you what you think the work is worth, you do not need to write a proposal.Before you start writing, you should have an agreement with the client about how much and how often you will be paid.The client will need to sign and agree to hire you if you refer to the agreed-upon payment in your proposal.Secondary costs that you may have while working include gasoline, supplies, travel, and other things.It's in your best interests to get the client to agree to compensate you.If the client seems uncertain about how much you will be paid, don't write a proposal.
Step 4: If you can, get the work without a proposal.
A lot of consultant resources will offer advice on how to write a confirmation of services.A proposal that doesn't guarantee you any work is a consulting proposal.If you can, try to get the client to agree to hire you before you even write the proposal.The client will confirm that you can start working when you send it.
Step 5: Addressing the prospective client is how to begin your proposal.
If you want to do the work for the client, you should start your proposal with a short paragraph stating that you are the best candidate, and you'll get to the specifics later.It's okay to be warm and personal here, but you should always be professional.The client should be mentioned by name.First names are fine if you're friendly.If you want to show the client that this proposal is tailored to him or her, use "Mr." or "Mrs."Specific examples of what's needed in each proposal can be found in our sample documents.
Step 6: The job should be described in the first paragraph.
To show your client that you know what you need to do, draw from the discussions you have already had about the job.Show that you understand the problem that needs to be solved, the duties the client expects you to perform, and the scope of your work.You'll get to this later if you're specific about the job here.
Step 7: Explain your qualifications in the second paragraph.
You're trying to sell yourself as the best person for the job.Your training, experience, and jobs you've done in the past have gotten positive feedback, so draw attention to them.Your attitude and values should take a back seat to more concrete qualifications.You may be competing with other consultants.To provide a measurable benefit to the client in terms of money or time saved, try to paint a picture of how you will do that.This way, you can give yourself an advantage over a competitor who doesn't articulate this as well.
Step 8: Tell us about the work you propose in the next paragraph.
List, using strict terminology and specific details, what you will do to solve the client's problem.The client will see the results from the consultation.Specific about your methods and time frame here.It's a good idea to describe what you expect from the client during your work with regards to personnel, access to work sites, and equipment.List the sectors that you will have access to and the people you expect to work with full-time.
Step 9: What will you not be doing during your consultation?
If you are a consultant, you want to avoid having your responsibilities grow without getting any extra compensation.Attach the problem you are addressing to the proposal and make it clear that related issues are not included.A bulleted list makes it hard for the client to miss important information.
Step 10: You should propose a price for your consultation.
This is dependent on what you are doing and who your client is.Try to keep your rate competitive because you may be competing against other consultants.The prospective client will have to pay for any extra costs, such as meals, hotel rooms, transportation, and so on.It's a good idea to have an approval process in place so that you can present your receipts at the end of the month.This makes it harder for the client to refuse paying you because they never agreed to pay this much.
Step 11: You should close by summing up your proposal.
The goal of the concluding paragraph is to give a quick summary of what the proposal was about.Prepare for the consultation, keep your fitness up, and be confident in attaining results.As in the opening paragraph, you can refer to the client by name.Leave a space for the client's signature when you sign and date the proposal.
Step 12: Stay short and sweet.
To describe yourself and the job, keep your proposal short and to the point.Quality is your goal.If the client has to stop reading your proposal and pick up another consultant's, it is something you want to prevent.Two pages is a good proposal length for most jobs.Attach the long datasets in your proposal to the appendices to keep the proposal short.
Step 13: Your focus should be on the client.
The most important person in the proposal isn't you, it's your client.Frame your discussion about yourself in terms of how well you meet the client's needs, not how great you are.If you're not an independent consultant, avoid lengthy discussions of your work history.
Step 14: Don't use buzzwords.
Many clients spend all day hearing meaningless phrases from people trying to sound important.They should spare this tedium.Write your proposal in a concise way.Don't try to make your promises sound more exciting than they are.Make exciting promises.Each industry has its own definition of a buzzwords.These words have lost their power because of their use and vague application.
Step 15: Spelling and grammar should be paid attention to.
It's essential, but it may seem nit-picky.Even if you're not consulting for a position that requires any writing, clean, professional communication shows that you have taken the time and energy to present your best self.If you didn't pay enough attention to get your proposal right, you might be less qualified for the job.This may be the deciding factor in a competition between two consultants.After you finish your proposal, make sure to go over it a second time.If you have time, let a friend or family member edit it as well, they're more likely to see mistakes you've missed since they weren't actually involved in writing it.