Consulting proposal template

What's in the template.

Every section below exists to answer a question your client is silently asking. Use the example copy as a starting point and replace the specifics.

1. 1

   The problem, stated sharper than they said it

   Restate their situation with more precision than they gave you. This one paragraph is the real pitch — it proves the diagnosis is already underway.

   “Revenue grew 40% last year but margin fell six points, and nobody inside the company can say which of the three new service lines is causing it. Until that's answered, every hiring and pricing decision is a guess.”

2. 2

   The approach

   Show your method without giving away the answer. Name the phases, what each produces, and who you'll need access to.

   “Phase 1 (weeks 1–2): margin decomposition across service lines — interviews with your two delivery leads plus a pass through last year's project P&Ls. Phase 2 (weeks 3–4): pricing and staffing model options, pressure-tested with your data. Phase 3 (week 5): decision workshop with the leadership team and a written playbook.”

3. 3

   Deliverables and decision points

   Consulting feels risky because it's intangible. Concrete artifacts and named decision moments make it feel like a project, not a subscription to opinions.

   “You receive: a margin-by-service-line model you keep, a written options memo with our recommendation, and the final playbook. At the end of Phase 1 we meet for 30 minutes — if the early data says this isn't worth pursuing, you can stop there and pay only for Phase 1.”

4. 4

   Timeline and your involvement

   Executives fear consultants who consume their calendar. Cap their required time explicitly.

   “Five weeks end to end. Your team's total involvement: two 45-minute interviews per delivery lead, one hour of finance's time for data access, and the final 90-minute workshop. Everything else happens without you.”

5. 5

   Fees

   Price the engagement, not your hours — and anchor it to the size of the problem from section one.

   “Full engagement: $18,000, invoiced 50% at signing and 50% at the Phase 2 checkpoint. Phase 1 alone (with the stop option): $6,000. For context: a two-point margin recovery on your current revenue is worth roughly $140,000 a year.”

6. 6

   Next step + signature

   Advisory deals go cold in committee. A signature that immediately books the kickoff keeps momentum.

   “Sign below and we'll schedule the two delivery-lead interviews this week — Phase 1 findings land on your desk fourteen days after kickoff.”