Proposal Writing – Make the Next Step Easy
Day 14 of 30 · Build Your Sales – 30 Days to More Deals
A strong proposal is a decision document: outcomes, plan, proof, and risk control.
Learning goal
- Write a 1-page proposal structure you can reuse.
- Align scope to success criteria and timeline.
- Reduce risk with options and assumptions.
Why it matters
- Proposals fail when they are product brochures, not decision support.
- Clarity reduces back-and-forth and accelerates closing.
- Options give control without discounting.
Explanation
1-page proposal template
- Problem + impact (from discovery)
- Outcome (what changes, measurable)
- Approach (steps + responsibilities)
- Timeline (milestones)
- Proof (case, reference, pilot plan)
- Risks + assumptions (what could block success)
- Commercials (price + terms)
- Next step (meeting + decision date)
Guided exercise (10–15 min) — Write a proposal skeleton
- Pick one active opportunity.
- Fill the 1-page template with bullet points.
- Add 2 options (Starter vs Standard) without changing core outcome.
Independent exercise (5–10 min) — Risk line
Write 3 “risk + mitigation” bullets (e.g., stakeholder availability → weekly check-in).
Self-check
- My proposal reads like a decision document.
- Scope is tied to success criteria.
- Next step is explicit and scheduled.