Writing Proposals That Win

I have scaled my agency SackBerry to $ 10K / month. And, I still don’t outsource my proposals. Not because I don’t trust my team. But because the proposal is where trust begins. It’s the first time a potential client sees: – How we structure ideas – How we think – How we listen – And how capable are we This is where people decide whether or not to trust you with their business. And that decision is rarely about pricing. It’s about precision, tone, and how easy you make the yes. Here’s what I always include in my proposals: 📍 A short insight into the client's current positioning or content gaps 📍 A clear breakdown of scope (no vague terms like “strategy support”) 📍 Tiered pricing—so they can choose based on priorities, not confusion 📍 Timeline with realistic buffers (because I respect everyone’s calendars) 📍 FAQs or “what this doesn’t include” section (to avoid assumptions) 📍 Top 3 of our relevant client case studies Every detail matters. So no, I’m not ready to outsource mine yet. Because every proposal is not a pitch. It’s a signal. If you're in the service business, what's one small thing you've added to your proposal that changed the game? #SakshiDarpan #ContentBusiness #ProposalTips #ClientExperience #FreelanceToFounder #CreativeSystems #BrandStrategy #TrustBuilding

During my time at Qwilr, I’ve seen THOUSANDS of proposals. Here are 4 proposal plays that the best sellers use to close deals: #1 Lead With Problems Start your proposal by articulating your prospects' problems, ideally in their own words. Using quotes from relevant stakeholders within their organisation will grab your buyers’ attention and show you understand their problems. This immediately demonstrates that this isn’t just a generic pitch – you actually understand them and are focused on their specific issues. Doing this also puts decision-makers in somewhat of a tricky situation. They must either… 1. Disregard the opinions of their team as incorrect 2. Acknowledge they’re facing a problem, but decide not to look for a solution 3. Look for a solution (which you are providing in the rest of your proposal) Most (good) leaders will opt for the latter and will read on to better understand your offering. #2 It's Easy to Digest You MUST ensure your proposal is clear, straightforward and easy to understand. Remember, the folks who will be reviewing your proposal are incredibly busy and don’t have time to decipher endless information, searching for what is relevant for them. If your offer is easy to understand, it’s easier to say yes to. Avoid dense walls of text, and use images, graphics and interactive elements to simplify complex ideas. Always steer away from jargon. While it might showcase a level of expertise, you have to keep in mind that it’s likely a number of people will review your proposal. You need to make sure that EVERYONE will buy in. #3 Make It Relevant Buyers want to know that you’ve helped organisations that look like them, or the type of organisation that they aspire to be. Making sure that your proposal speaks to your buyers’ industry, needs, challenges and objectives will increase the likelihood of engagement Build your case by including concrete data and case studies that resonate with your client’s situation. CAUTION: It can be tempting to litter your proposal with logos and quotations from your “biggest” clients. You should not (always) do this! Instead, focus on featuring logos of similar companies or aspirational peers, not just massive brands. Remember, just because a company is “big” to you, that doesn’t mean your client will care. They want to know you can help THEM! #4 Keep Next Steps Simple It’s essential that you break down your proposal into clear, actionable steps – giving your client a roadmap on how to proceed and what will happen when they sign. You should also educate your champion on how to position the proposal to the buying committee, arming them to sell internally. Meet with them and go through your proposal, asking what needs to be removed and added (for other stakeholders) and how they plan to share it more widely. Want to send proposals that impress buyers and close deals? Try Qwilr for free at https://getqwilr.com

Here’s the proposal template that helped me close over $100 million in enterprise sales: It’s also helped my clients close more than 50% of their deals when they use it. And until now, I’ve never shared it publicly. Most sellers are great at pitching features. But the ones who consistently win big deals? They know how to tell a great story. The truth is, executives don’t buy products - they buy confidence. They buy vision. They buy a story they want to be part of. If you want to sell like a top 1% seller, you need a proposal that doesn’t just inform… it moves people. Here’s how I do it 👇 The Story Mountain Framework for Sales Proposals: 1. Exposition – Introduce the characters and setting. Start with them: → “You’re trying to expand into new markets… to grow revenue… to unify your tech stack…” Set the vision. Make them the hero. 2. Rising Action – Lay out the challenges and obstacles. → “But growth stalled. Competitors moved faster. Customer churn increased.” Quote discovery calls. Surface real pain. Build emotional tension. 3. Climax – Introduce your solution. → “Then you found a better way…” Now show how your solution helps them overcome the exact obstacles you outlined. 4. Falling Action – Ease the tension. → “Here’s our implementation plan. Here’s the ROI. Here’s how others in your industry succeeded.” Give them confidence that this won’t just work—it will work for them. 5. Resolution – End with clarity. → “Here’s our mutual action plan. Let’s get started.” Lock in buy-in, next steps, and forward momentum. This structure has helped me close some of the biggest deals of my career—including an $8-figure enterprise deal at Salesforce where I used this exact approach. I broke it all down in this week’s training—and for the first time ever, I show you the actual proposal I used AND tell you how to access my Killer Proposal Template for free. 👀 Watch the full training here: https://lnkd.in/gPY_cvv5 No more boring product pitches. No more ghosting after the readout. Just proposals that close.

Here's why your proposal got ghosted. You nailed the pitch. Your contact loved it. But weeks pass. Silence. Then comes the rejection: “We’ve decided to go another way.” What happened? You wrote the proposal for one person. But decisions aren’t made by one. They’re made by a room full of stakeholders: → The CFO worried about ROI. → The CTO thinking about integration. → The Support Manager concerned about adoption. You didn’t address their concerns. And that’s why you lost. The fix? ↳ Write proposals that speak to every decision-maker. Here’s how: 1/ Identify all key stakeholders. 2/ Anticipate their priorities and objections. 3/ Create proposal sections tailored to each role. It’s called the Stakeholder-Centric Proposal Approach. And it turns “Let me check with my team” into “Proposal accepted.” Because the secret to winning? Make everyone feel like the proposal was written for them. Found this valuable? ♻️ Repost to your network 🔔 Follow Surabhi Shenoy for more CEO insights -- Want to become the CEO your growing business deserves? 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 —my Free Weekly Newsletter trusted by 1200+ Founders and CEOs. Every Thursday, I share 1 actionable tip to grow your business, increase its valuation, and have fun doing it. 🎁 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦: Get instant access to my 'Rapid Growth Playbook' (27 exclusive growth cheatsheets) Click "𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿" link at the top of this post👆

Here's the easiest way to get your proposals viewed on Upwork. Most freelancers don’t have a job problem — they have a proposal problem. They write long, generic messages. They copy-paste the same cover letter for every job. They still start their cover letters with: “I am excited to apply for the position of…” 😩 They forget this simple truth: You're talking to a human. Your proposal is your first impression. If it doesn't speak to the client’s exact pain point, it gets ignored especially on Upwork where the client only sees the first few lines of your cover letter as a preview but will have to click on "See More" to read the rest of your proposal. Now you have to make those first few lines captivating enough to make the client want to see more. How? 🔹 Start with a hook. Speak directly to their struggle — restate their exact problem. “You’re juggling too many priorities, missed deadlines, and a backlog of to-dos. It’s distracting you from growing your business. I can help you clear your plate.” 🔹 Show you read the job post. Mention something specific. Build instant trust. “You mentioned needing someone great with Trello and Zoom scheduling — I use both daily.” 🔹 Sell results, not skills. What outcomes have you delivered before? “In my last role, I saved the CEO 10+ hours weekly by restructuring their workflow.” 🔹 End with a CTA + a question. Make it easy to say yes. “Happy to hop on a quick chat if you’d like to explore further. What time are you available today?” 🔹 Insert clickable links to your work samples in the body of your proposal. Many clients won't download attachments, but they will click a link. Give them a fast route to see your value. 🔹 Use a P.S. — yes, seriously. Most people read P.S. sections first. Use it to reinforce your message. Show you’ve done extra research. “P.S. I visited your site @yourwebsite.com and noticed you’re planning an outreach campaign in November. I’d love to help make it a success. Reply with a few details, and I’ll bring a draft plan to our call.” Here's the final gem: Don’t just rush to be the first to apply. Be the one with the most compelling proposal. If your hook is strong and your message is clear, you’ll get noticed — even if you’re the 20th person to apply. 🔁 Found this helpful? Repost to help a brother or sister trying to crack Upwork. Which of these tips are you already using? Let me know in the comments. #Upwork #Freelancing #ProposalWriting #RemoteWork #VirtualAssistant

Crafting the perfect corporate training proposal. A Deep dive into proposal components Writing proposals is a chore. What to include? what not to include? Having written hundreds of them, here's what I include and why: 1. Executive Summary: ↳ Think movie trailer, not dry summary. Captivate with the vision, not just the facts. 2. What We Heard: ↳ Mirror their language, not yours. Show you've listened, by reflecting their words, not just their needs. 3. The Opportunity: ↳ This isn't just a gap to fill. It's a launching pad for their potential. Highlight the transformation, not just the transaction. 4. Consultation Service: ↳ Position this as a partnership, not a service. Emphasise collaboration, not just consultation. 5. Approach and Methodology: ↳ Innovate, don't regurgitate. Present methodologies that are as unique as their challenges. 6. Project Roadmap: ↳ This is the journey, not just the route. Make it visual, engaging, and clear. 7. Investment: ↳ Transparency builds trust. It's not just about costs; it's about value creation 8. Terms: ↳ Make this easy to say 'yes' to. Simplify legal jargon into clear commitments. 9. The Team: ↳ Sell the dream team. Highlight unique strengths and past successes as a cohesive unit, not just individual CVs. 10. Case Studies/Testimonials: ↳ Show, don't tell. Use stories of transformation and success that resonate with their specific context. Each section of your proposal should not just inform but also engage and inspire. Think beyond the conventional and inject each part with a strategy that shows you're not just a provider, but a partner in their success. What are your top tips for great proposals? #ProgrammeBuilder #OfferActivator #BusinessDevelopment #LearningAndDevelopment #TrainingAndDevelopment #Facilitation #Workshops

Many leaders undermine themselves without realizing it. But it happens in every email they send. I've coached dozens of leaders who wonder why their emails get ignored. But the pattern is obvious: They write like they're asking for permission instead of leading. Your words decide how people see you. Here's how to write like a leader, not an intern: 1/ From Hesitant → Confident ❌ “When you get a chance” ✅ “I’d appreciate your input by Friday.” 👉 Shows urgency without sounding demanding. 2/ From Passive → Proactive ❌ “Just following up” ✅ “Following up to ensure this is on your radar.” 👉 Turns a reminder into a strategic nudge. 3/ From Uncertain → Direct ❌ “I hope this is okay” ✅ “Here’s what I’m proposing.” 👉 Moves from seeking permission to leading the decision. 4/ From Polite → Professional ❌ “Sorry to bother you” ✅ “I wanted to bring this to your attention.” 👉 Removes apology and adds authority. 5/ From Casual → Clear ❌ “Whenever you have a moment” ✅ “Please review at your earliest convenience.” 👉 Keeps courtesy but reinforces accountability. 6/ From Generic → Intentional ❌ “Thanks so much in advance” ✅ “Thank you, I look forward to your feedback.” 👉 Ends with confidence, not hope. 7/ Lead With Purpose ❌ “Just a quick note to ask” ✅ “Reaching out to request your input on…” 👉 Opens the conversation with clarity and intent. 8/ Speak With Confidence ❌ “I’m not sure if this makes sense” ✅ “Here’s my initial thought, open to your perspective.” 👉 Balances authority with openness. 9/ Make Meetings Matter ❌ “Do you have time to discuss this?” ✅ “Would you be available for a 15-minute sync?” 👉 Protects time and drives purposeful collaboration. 10/ Move Ideas Forward ❌ “I think we might want to” ✅ “I recommend we proceed by…” 👉 Turns uncertainty into decisive leadership. 11/ Keep Momentum High ❌ “Hope you’re well, just wanted to touch base” ✅ “Checking in on progress on our last discussion.” 👉 Reinforces consistency and forward movement. You don't have to write longer emails. You need to write clearer ones. You don't need to use more words. You just need to use better ones. ♻️ Repost and follow Justin Bateh, PhD for more.

I was Wrong about Influence. Early in my career, I believed influence in a decision-making meeting was the direct outcome of a strong artifact presented and the ensuing discussion. However, with more leadership experience, I have come to realize that while these are important, there is something far more important at play. Influence, for a given decision, largely happens outside of and before decision-making meetings. Here's my 3 step approach you can follow to maximize your influence: (#3 is often missed yet most important) 1. Obsess over Knowing your Audience Why: Understanding your audience in-depth allows you to tailor your communication, approach and positioning. How: ↳ Research their backgrounds, how they think, what their goals are etc. ↳ Attend other meetings where they are present to learn about their priorities, how they think and what questions they ask. Take note of the topics that energize them or cause concern. ↳ Engage with others who frequently interact with them to gain additional insights. Ask about their preferences, hot buttons, and any subtle cues that could be useful in understanding their perspective. 2. Tailor your Communication Why: This ensures that your message is not just heard but also understood and valued. How: ↳ Seek inspiration from existing artifacts and pickup queues on terminologies, context and background on the give topic. ↳ Reflect on their goals and priorities, and integrate these elements into your communication. For instance, if they prioritize efficiency, highlight how your proposal enhances productivity. ↳Ask yourself "So what?" or "Why should they care" as a litmus test for relatability of your proposal. 3. Pre-socialize for support Why: It allows you to refine your approach, address potential objections, and build a coalition of support (ahead of and during the meeting). How: ↳ Schedule informal discussions or small group meetings with key stakeholders or their team members to discuss your idea(s). A casual coffee or a brief virtual call can be effective. Lead with curiosity vs. an intent to respond. ↳ Ask targeted questions to gather feedback and gauge reactions to your ideas. Examples: What are your initial thoughts on this draft proposal? What challenges do you foresee with this approach? How does this align with our current priorities? ↳ Acknowledge, incorporate and highlight the insights from these pre-meetings into the main meeting, treating them as an integral part of the decision-making process. What would you add? PS: BONUS - Following these steps also expands your understanding of the business and your internal network - both of which make you more effective. --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

Every single sales team I’ve evaluated has one thing in common Their lowest score is on the closing competency. Most teams lose the deal long before they ever talk numbers. If your sales reps can’t clearly articulate the client’s pain, connect it to a specific solution, and build a narrative that positions your offer as the only logical next step. They’re not closing. They’re just quoting. ❌ Combining discovery and proposal into one call short-circuits the sales cycle and kills momentum. ❌ Leading with company-centric messaging instead of client pain points loses buyer interest early. ❌ Generic, uncustomized pitch decks fail to engage and don’t advance the deal. When I coach leaders through this, their close rates go up because the conversation shifts from "here’s what we do" to “here’s how we help you.” Here’s how I coach teams to flip the switch: Customize the proposal based on THEIR stated needs and pain points Start with their top 3-5 challenges (from discovery) Confirm you captured them correctly, it builds buy-in Connect ONLY the relevant solutions to each challenge Limit your company’s slides to 2- 3 slides with clear value proposition, this isn’t about you Share a relevant testimonial right before presenting pricing THEN present pricing once they see the value. If your team is stuck in the present and pray proposal cycle, let’s talk. It’s time to teach your sellers how to connect, position, and close with purpose.