| Category | Proposals & Pricing |
|---|---|
| Time to Run | 30 min |
| Difficulty | Deep Work |
| Output | Document |
| Client-Facing | Yes — goes directly to client |
You just wrapped a diagnostic call. The prospect described three problems, you identified the real one, and they said the magic words: "What would it look like to work together?" Now you need to send something that turns that momentum into a signed engagement — before the urgency fades and they start shopping alternatives.
Run this when you need to present a formal proposal after a diagnostic or discovery call. The gap between verbal agreement and signed contract is where most deals die. This skill builds the bridge — a structured document that names the problem, frames your solution, scopes the work, and makes the investment feel inevitable.
Copy the skill file below and save it as proposal-builder-SKILL.md. Upload it to a Claude project or paste it at the start of a conversation, then provide your inputs.
---
name: proposal-builder
description: >
Builds a structured client proposal after a diagnostic or discovery call.
Run when a prospect asks about working together and you need a formal
document that converts verbal interest into a signed engagement.
metadata:
author: "Kathryn Brown, Practice Builders"
version: "1.0.0"
date: "2026-04-25"
---
# Proposal Builder
Transforms diagnostic findings into a client-ready proposal that names the problem, frames your solution, scopes the engagement, and presents the investment.
**Core Principle: Lead with the problem the client described, not the solution you want to sell. The proposal is a mirror first and a pitch second.**
## What This Skill Does
**Job 1: Problem Framing** — Takes the raw constraint identified in the diagnostic and reframes it in the client's language. Not your consulting jargon — the words they actually used. This is the section the client reads to confirm you heard them.
**Job 2: Solution Architecture** — Maps your proposed approach to each dimension of the problem. Every deliverable traces back to something the client said hurts. Nothing in the proposal exists without a reason the client would recognize.
**Job 3: Investment Presentation** — Structures the fee so it sits next to the problem's cost, not in isolation. The investment section reads as a resolution, not a price tag.
### Section 1: Situation Summary
Write 2-3 paragraphs summarizing the client's current state. Use their words from the diagnostic — if they said "we're drowning in onboarding," write that, not "the client experiences operational friction during client intake." Name the specific constraint, its symptoms, and its cost (in time, money, or missed opportunity).
This section exists to prove you listened. The client should read it and think: "That's exactly right." If they have to translate your summary back into their experience, you've already lost credibility.
Format: Prose paragraphs. No bullets. No headers. Direct second person ("You described...," "Your team currently...").
### Section 2: Proposed Approach
For each deliverable or workstream, write a short block (3-5 sentences) that includes:
- What you'll do (specific action, not vague promise)
- Why it matters (traced to something from the Situation Summary)
- What "done" looks like (the deliverable or outcome)
Number each workstream. Keep them in logical sequence — the order a client would expect work to unfold.
Watch for: vague deliverables like "strategic assessment" or "optimization plan." If you can't name what the client holds at the end of that workstream, rewrite it until you can.
### Section 3: Scope & Boundaries
Create a two-column table:
| Included | Not Included |
|----------|--------------|
| (specific items) | (specific items) |
Be explicit about what's out. Most scope disputes come from assumptions, not bad faith. If you're not doing implementation, say so. If you're not training their team, say so.
Include: number of sessions, hours of access, deliverable formats, revision rounds.
### Section 4: Timeline & Milestones
Present a simple table:
| Week/Phase | Milestone | Deliverable |
|------------|-----------|-------------|
| (timing) | (what happens) | (what the client receives) |
Every milestone should be verifiable. "Complete discovery" is not verifiable. "Deliver findings brief" is. The client should be able to look at this table and know if you're on track at any point.
### Section 5: Investment
State the fee clearly. No burying it. No apologizing for it. Structure:
- Total investment amount
- Payment terms (e.g., 50% at signing, 50% at midpoint)
- What triggers payment (milestone or date)
- Any options or tiers, if applicable
If you offer tiers, limit to 2-3 and make the differences concrete. Tier names should describe the scope difference, not the value judgment ("Core Engagement" vs. "Extended Engagement," not "Basic" vs. "Premium").
### Section 6: Next Steps
Three clear actions:
1. What the client does to accept (sign, reply, schedule)
2. What happens immediately after acceptance (your first action)
3. Target start date or scheduling link
Include a validity window: "This proposal is valid for 14 days." This creates natural urgency without pressure.
### What to Skip / What to Watch For
**Leave alone:** Don't include case studies, testimonials, or your bio in the proposal itself. If the client is at the proposal stage, they already believe you can do the work. Adding proof at this point signals insecurity, not confidence.
**Watch for:** If you're spending more than 30 minutes on this, you're either unclear on the scope or trying to over-justify the fee. Both are signals to revisit the diagnostic notes, not to write more.
## Quality Check (Internal — never shown to the user)
| Check | Question |
|-------|----------|
| Mirror test | Does the Situation Summary use the client's actual language from the diagnostic? |
| Traceability | Does every deliverable in Proposed Approach connect to a problem named in Situation Summary? |
| Boundary clarity | Would a reasonable person reading Scope & Boundaries know exactly what's included and excluded? |
| Action clarity | Are Next Steps specific enough that the client can act without asking a follow-up question? |
| Fee confidence | Is the investment stated plainly without hedging language or apology? |
**Enforcement protocol:** (1) Run all five checks. (2) Identify the weakest section. (3) Rewrite it. (4) Verify the rewrite actually improved clarity and specificity. Present only the finished proposal.
## Rules
- Never use "we believe" or "we feel" — state what you'll do, not what you believe
- Every deliverable must name what the client holds when it's done
- Dollar amounts use numerals, not words (\"\$5,000\" not \"five thousand dollars\")
- No jargon the client didn't use first — if they said \"fix our intake,\" don't write \"optimize client acquisition workflows\"
- Proposal should fit on 2-3 pages when formatted — if it's longer, you're padding
- Include the validity window in Next Steps — 14 days default
- Never badmouth competitors or alternatives, even implicitly
- Scope table must have at least 3 items in each column
## Output Format
# Proposal: [Engagement Name]
**Prepared for:** [Client Name]
**Prepared by:** [Your Name]
**Date:** [Date]
## Situation
[2-3 paragraphs. Client's words. Their problem. The cost of inaction.]
## Proposed Approach
**1. [Workstream Name]**
[What you'll do. Why it matters. What \"done\" looks like.]
**2. [Workstream Name]**
[What you'll do. Why it matters. What \"done\" looks like.]
**3. [Workstream Name]**
[What you'll do. Why it matters. What \"done\" looks like.]
## Scope & Boundaries
| Included | Not Included |
|----------|--------------|
| [Specific item] | [Specific item] |
| [Specific item] | [Specific item] |
| [Specific item] | [Specific item] |
## Timeline
| Phase | Milestone | Deliverable |
|-------|-----------|-------------|
| [Timing] | [What happens] | [What client receives] |
## Investment
**Total:** [Amount]
**Payment Terms:** [Structure]
[Tier options if applicable]
## Next Steps
1. **To proceed:** [Specific acceptance action]
2. **Upon acceptance:** [Your first action]
3. **Target start date:** [Date or scheduling link]
*This proposal is valid for 14 days from the date above.*
## What Makes This Different
A standard proposal template starts with your credentials and ends with a price. This skill starts with the client's problem — in their words — and builds every section as a response to something they said. The result is a proposal that reads like a plan they'd write for themselves, with your expertise structured into it. Clients don't push back on proposals that feel like their own idea.
---
Copyright (c) 2026 Kathryn Brown, Practice Builders
This skill is licensed for your personal and business use. You may run this skill inside your own practice and share the outputs it produces with your team and clients. "Your practice" includes employees and contractors engaged to perform work for your business under your direction — virtual assistants, operations support, bookkeepers, and similar team members.
You may not share, distribute, resell, or repackage the skill file itself — including this SKILL.md document, its prompts, frameworks, and structure — with anyone outside your practice. This includes peer practitioners, other consultants who would use it in their own client work, and anyone outside your operating team. Written permission from Kathryn Brown ([email protected]) is required for any redistribution.
This skill is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, express or implied.