Draft a client proposal for [CLIENT AND PROJECT] based only on the discovery details and approved materials below. The client's stated situation and goals are [CLIENT NEEDS AND GOALS]. Our recommended scope is [SCOPE AND DELIVERABLES]. The commercial terms or pricing context are [COMMERCIAL TERMS]. The proposed timeline, client responsibilities, and assumptions are [TIMELINE AND ASSUMPTIONS]. Use this tone: [TONE AND FORMAT REQUIREMENTS]. Write a 900- to 1,300-word proposal with these sections: 1. Executive summary: three short paragraphs that reflect the client's stated problem, desired outcome, and why this approach fits. 2. Objectives and success measures: distinguish client goals from measurable indicators; flag any metric that is not agreed. 3. Scope of work: organize deliverables by phase, state what is included, and list explicit exclusions.
4. Approach and collaboration: explain milestones, review points, client inputs, and decision owners.
5. Timeline and dependencies: use a simple table with phases, timing, dependencies, and acceptance criteria.
6. Investment and commercial notes: use only the supplied pricing and terms; do not invent rates, discounts, legal language, or payment schedules.
7. Assumptions, risks, and next step: identify conditions that could change scope and give one specific acceptance or kickoff action.
Use concrete language from the discovery notes, but do not fabricate client quotes, credentials, case studies, outcomes, commitments, or technical capabilities. If an important fact is unclear, insert [CONFIRM: question] rather than guessing.
Before answering, self-check that every deliverable has an owner or acceptance criterion and that all claims are supported by the supplied material. Ask up to 3 clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [CLIENT AND PROJECT] | Name the client and the project the proposal covers. | Harbor & Pine Hotels — guest booking funnel audit and redesign plan |
| [CLIENT NEEDS AND GOALS] | Paste verified discovery notes about the client's problem, priorities, and desired outcome. | Marketing director reports a high mobile drop-off rate and wants a prioritized plan before the January booking push; no conversion target has been agreed |
| [SCOPE AND DELIVERABLES] | List the proposed work, phases, deliverables, and exclusions. | Analytics review, five stakeholder interviews, mobile funnel audit, prioritized backlog, two design concepts; excludes implementation and paid-media management |
| [COMMERCIAL TERMS] | Provide approved pricing, package details, payment information, and term constraints. | Fixed fee of $18,000; 50% at kickoff and 50% on final presentation; proposal valid for 30 days |
| [TIMELINE AND ASSUMPTIONS] | State target dates, client inputs, dependencies, resourcing assumptions, and risks. | Four weeks from access to analytics; client provides analytics access, interview scheduling, and brand guidelines within five business days |
| [TONE AND FORMAT REQUIREMENTS] | State the desired voice, brand requirements, and any required proposal format. | Direct and consultative; client-ready Google Doc; use short paragraphs and one timeline table |
How to use
- Paste discovery notes and approved commercial details, including exclusions and client responsibilities.
- Read the objectives and scope sections against what was actually discussed; replace every [CONFIRM] marker before sending.
- Have the commercial owner check payment, liability, privacy, and procurement language before sharing.
- Follow up with: “Create a one-page executive version for [STAKEHOLDER] that preserves the exclusions and assumptions.”
Variations
One-page proposal
Use this when a prospect needs a concise decision document.
Write a one-page proposal for [CLIENT] for [PROJECT]. Their verified need is [NEED], the recommended scope is [SCOPE], investment is [PRICE], and next step is [NEXT STEP]. Use sections for situation, recommended work, deliverables, timeline, investment, and decision. Limit to 500 words. Include exclusions and dependencies in brief bullets. Do not invent outcomes, client quotes, payment terms, or capabilities; mark missing facts as [CONFIRM]. Ask up to 3 questions only if a required input is missing.
Statement of work
Use this after a proposal is approved and a more precise scope document is needed.
Draft a statement-of-work outline for [CLIENT PROJECT] using [APPROVED PROPOSAL DETAILS]. Include objectives, detailed deliverables, out-of-scope items, project governance, client responsibilities, milestones, acceptance criteria, change-control process, fees, and assumptions. Use [LEGAL OR PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS] but do not create legal commitments absent from the supplied terms. Mark ambiguities for counsel or commercial review. Ask up to 3 questions only if required inputs are missing.
Proposal revision
Use this after client feedback changes the work or commercial terms.
Revise this proposal section: [CURRENT TEXT], based on client feedback: [FEEDBACK]. The approved revised scope and terms are [APPROVED CHANGES]. Return a clean replacement section followed by a change log showing scope, timeline, pricing, assumptions, and exclusions affected. Preserve all unchanged terms and flag any requested change that lacks approval or creates a delivery dependency. Do not infer agreement from a preference. Ask up to 3 questions only if required inputs are missing.
Tips
- Anchor the proposal in the client's own stated problem, but distinguish their desired outcome from a result you are contractually promising.
- Make exclusions visible beside scope; buried exclusions are a common source of delivery disputes.
- Give each phase an acceptance criterion, such as an approved backlog or delivered workshop, rather than treating effort as the deliverable.
- Treat pricing, liability, security, and payment language as controlled commercial terms, not prose for an AI to improvise.
FAQ
Should a proposal include pricing before the scope is final?
It can state an approved estimate or package, but note the assumptions that make it valid. Avoid presenting unapproved terms as final.
How detailed should the scope be?
Detailed enough that both sides can identify included deliverables, exclusions, dependencies, and acceptance. It does not need to prescribe every internal work step.
Can AI write the legal terms in a proposal?
It can format approved language, but legal and commercial terms should come from your organization and receive the required review.