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What is a professional proposal?
A professional services proposal, or consulting proposal, is a digital or printed document that details a project set out by a business to meet a challenge or need of a potential client.
There are all kinds of proposals for professional services, and most fall under two categories: Solicited and unsolicited project proposals.
Solicited proposals: A customer reaches out to your business and asks for a proposal to solve XYZ. This is also known as a request for proposal or RFP. They may be an existing client that has worked with your business before, or they may have found your business from a web search or through word of mouth.
Unsolicited proposals: A proposal sent directly to prospective clients from your business, like a cold call or email. Unsolicited proposals are often more general than solicited proposals as the potential client’s needs are unknown.
No matter the type of proposal you create, it should answer a handful of standard questions like:
- Who you and your business are
- Why you’re creating a proposal
- What you aim to achieve with your proposal
- When you expect to complete the project
- How you expect to complete the project
A professional proposal strategy is essential whether you’re a large or small business, as it’s critical to have a game plan when you need to present to a prospective client.
It may seem like a lot of work to drum up a consulting proposal template out of thin air, particularly when there are so many sample proposals for services out there, but with some planning, you can create a template that sees you through almost every new client proposal.
Advantages of using a professional services proposal template
So, now you need a proposal for the services template. Where do you start?
You could create one from scratch, but this would require a fair bit of work on your part. It’s also easy to miss elements of a proposal when you start from square one.
Your best bet, which will save you time and money, is to use a professional services proposal template, particular one included as part of professional services proposal software.
Not convinced? Here are just a handful of the many benefits of using professional proposal software and templates:
- The templates are already created, so you can get started right away without having to create sections — not to mention design them. Simply find the best template for your business, like a marketing consulting proposal, and get started entering all your information.
- Any proposal software worth its salt will give you the option to customize any and every field. This is important when you’re creating proposals for different clients with different needs or if your business is creating business consulting proposals to suit different departments.
- Not everyone is a graphic design wizard; if you are, you still may not have the time to create a design out of thin air for your new proposal template. A huge benefit of professional services proposal templates is that there are dozens (if not more) of professionally designed templates to choose from, so finding one for your business is hassle-free.
- What is the number one reason to choose professional services proposal software? The time you’ll save! You won’t have to brainstorm, choose fonts, and design your templates. You can pick the proposal template for services you like, fill it in, and customize it to ensure the main selling points of your proposal pop. Simple! This will free up time to focus on other tasks in your workflow.
Frequently asked questions about professional services proposals
How can you write a professional services proposal?
Once you’ve selected your proposal software — or better still, a comprehensive document workflow solution — and decided on a professional service proposal template, you’ll still have to write your winning proposal.
With a template on hand, the proposal process is easier and can be boiled down to these steps:
- Do a bit of research. You need to have information about your prospective clients, like the client’s name, the company name, and other relevant team members. The conversations to gather this information will also help you define different aspects of your proposal and dig into what expectations are for the project and their estimated budget.
- Organize all the information into a rough outline that may include:
- Introduction
- Project summary
- Concept
- Needs
- Objective
- Methods
- Fees and payment terms
- Conclusion
- Start entering project details into your business proposal template. Go through each section and include graphs, pictures, testimonials, and case studies relevant to the project.
What should you include in a proposal for services?
Here’s a look at what you can include in your proposal for professional services, but remember, your final proposal structure should be tailored to your business, specific project, and prospective client.
Executive summary: A short, catchy intro that precisely defines what you will do to solve the client’s problem.
Project scope: Spell out how you’ll achieve the client’s desired results and the scope of work involved. Consider using sections like the concept, needs, and objective to create structure.
Project costs: Estimate what the project will cost and break these costs down for the client. Include any work you’ll need to contract out.
Delivery: List projected completion dates for each phase of the project and the method of delivery.
Terms: List your terms for taking on the project, completion of the project, and any fees. You may want to consider having an attorney review it before it’s sent to the client.
How do you write a proposal for consulting services?
Similar to any professional services proposal, an effective consulting proposal defines the relationship between you and the prospective client.
First, you’ll want to reach out to your client and gather all necessary information about their business and goals.
Next, you’ll want to create your proposal template and write up your client’s consulting project goals and desired outcomes. All this information should come from your chats with the client.
Finally, make sure your client sees in the proposal how you’ll be helping them achieve their goals and the value you bring to their endeavors, which they may not find elsewhere.
With these fundamentals, the rest of a consulting services proposal is just gravy and can follow the structure of a typical business proposal.