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7 crucial points to prepare a consulting proposal

Learn now in a simple and fast way how to prepare a good consulting proposal

Thiago Coutinho
Published on Dec 14, 2017  ·  Updated on Apr 23, 2021
7 crucial points to prepare a consulting proposal

Consulting is the word of the moment, isn&rsquot it? The consulting market has expanded more and more, mainly because it is a great solution in times of crisis. However, do you know how to prepare a consulting proposal?

Many people are considering the opportunity to enter this market, but they lack information on how to do this. We have articles explaining the step by step on this topic, and now I'll show you how a proposal should be and 8 tips on how to do it. Let&rsquos see?


A proposal must be ...


Complex, big, with difficult words, right? Wrong! A good proposal does not need any of this. The proposal will show everything that is planned, so it needs to be:


  • Concise: You should work out the key topics to be passed before you build the proposal.
  • Meticulous: All that is indispensable must be said in a complete and objective way.
  • Structured: The structure of the proposal should be simple and straightforward, facilitating understanding

It is simple, isn't it? A good proposal is one that can clearly convey to the client what the objectives are and how they will be achieved. And for that, we can follow 7 practical tips and easyli apply the structure of the proposal, shall we?


1 - Project Purpose


You need to have a well-defined focus. This is no secret, even so, many proposals are vague without making it clear what the target will be for the project in question. For this to happen, you need to be aware of 3 factors:

  • Project Essence: The consulting proposal must justify the reason for the project, the main cause it will address and what outcome will be delivered.
  • Straight to Point: Must have few words, focusing on the problem presented by the client and the results of their analysis. As an example: Reduction of costs by redesigning critical production processes to increase the company's sales.
  • Project Framework: Present the milestone that is tied to the central goal to determine the success of the project.

2 - Timeline


Stipulating dates to deliver each stage of the project is critical to success. Without dates, there is no commitment with the deliverables, because the human being has a natural tendency to procrastinate, leaving everything for last minute, isn&rsquot it?

It is important that there is an engagement during the project, and to ensure this, you must follow the schedule strictly, in order to meet the stipulated deadlines.

In order to do this, divide your project as planned (steps or deliveries), and expose its duration and timeline through a Gantt Chart to facilitate understanding.


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3 - Problem Analysis


This is the time to objectively show the analysis done to conclude what should be the project to be executed. This is a critical moment, decisive for the sale of the project.

The proposal needs to be clear and convincing, both content and form matter. Use diagrams and flowcharts to display points, use the tools you've already applied.



As you can see, in order to clarify the proposal, visually speaking, it is extremely important to stratify the data in a way that shows everything that has been analyzed.


4 - Detail


Present the details of the steps, what methodologies will be used in each one of them, applied tools and the description of how you will work on each step.

A very simple example of detailing that we can show is about this article you are reading. By making a detail of its structure, we can make this as visual as follows (spoiler alert):


5 - Investment


It is very important in the preparation of a consultancy proposal to clearly state the values in question. It is necessary to clearly state the investment value related to the proposed consultancy.

It can be divided as the project was planned (steps, deliveries, hours). We can exemplify this as follows:



6 - Responsibilities


This is a key point in the preparation of a good proposal. You need to define from the beginning what your responsibilities are and what are the responsibilities of the client and your team.

Let us show a simple example to contextualize this situation and make possible a better understanding of this step:



7 - Brief Presentation


Present in a brief description the curriculum of the consultants who will participate in the project, or at least the project leader to generate credibility.

Another important aspect is to objectively present the company. Do not limit yourself to placing mission, vision, and values. This presentation should be commercial and interesting. We can use the following example:

"We deliver results. We deliver much more than reports. We deliver improvements in management, providing increased financial results, as our contracts are aligned with the goals of each project. "

Consulting Proposal = The key to success!


As you can see, working out a good proposal requires study and dedication, but it's nothing impossible to do! A well-crafted proposal is key


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Thiago Coutinho
Written by
Thiago has a degree in Production Engineering, a graduate course in statistics and a degree in administration from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF). Black Belt in Lean…

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