Proposal Generator

When to Use

• skills/lead-intake outputs a verdict of 🟢 (≥22 points)
• Must be sent to the client within 48 hours
• Never write a proposal without conducting an interview first (that's bidding, not consulting)

Inputs

• clients/<client-name>/discovery-<date>.md (interview notes)
• docs/brand-voice.md (if it exists; otherwise use the default fallback voice)
• Relevant case studies: products/case-studies/*.md (if used)

the methodology source Proposal Philosophy

1. Start with their pain, not your features
2. Evidence > promises: use specific client quotes, numbers, screenshots
3. No pricing in the proposal: the proposal converges scope; the follow-up email discusses money separately
4. Length < 1500 words: B2B decision-makers won't read long documents
5. Give a clear "next step": don't make the client figure out what to do next

Standard Structure (8 Sections)

# <Project Name> · Proposal
To: <Client Name / Company>
From: <You> · <Date>

---

## 1. The Problem I Heard (Use Client's Own Words)

You mentioned on <date>:

> "<Quote 1 · specific scenario>"

> "<Quote 2 · urgency>"

My understanding is: **<one-sentence problem summary>**. If this is off, please let me know in your reply.

## 2. Why Solve It Now

Based on the <trigger event> you mentioned, if this problem continues,
**you're losing roughly X hours / Y dollars per week** (estimated from the data you provided).

## 3. My Proposed Solution

A <product type: tool / dashboard / automated workflow / SaaS> that specifically:
- **Core Feature 1**: <what it does, which pain point it addresses>
- **Core Feature 2**: ...
- **Core Feature 3**: ...

**What's out of scope** (to prevent scope creep):
- Not doing <out-of-scope A>
- Not doing <out-of-scope B>

## 4. Delivery Timeline

| Phase | Deliverable | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 · Core Working | <specific feature> | Weeks 1-2 |
| Phase 2 · Full Experience | <specific feature> | Weeks 3-4 |
| Phase 3 · Launch & Wrap | Monitoring / Docs / Training | Week 5 |

Weekly sync every Friday. A 30-minute demo after each phase.

## 5. Why Me

<1-2 paragraphs, referencing brand voice for personal introduction>

- Relevant experience: <1-2 items, ideally with links or verifiable results>
- Technical leverage: primarily use Claude Code for AI-native development, delivering at roughly 3-5x the speed of traditional outsourcing
- <Optional: one client testimonial from a delivered case study>

## 6. What I Need From You

- At project kickoff: <one 1-hour alignment meeting>
- Weekly: <30-minute weekly sync>
- Data / API access: <specific resources you need to provide. Must be explicit to avoid later disputes>

## 7. Next Steps

If this direction feels right, I suggest we:

1. **This week**: schedule a 30-minute call to finalize scope (I'll bring a draft)
2. **By Monday**: send you the SOW (including pricing, payment schedule, IP ownership)
3. **Upon SOW confirmation + 30% deposit**: kick off

If the direction is off, please say so. I can revise.

---

Attachments:
- <Optional: one-page relevant case study>
- <Optional: one-page technical architecture diagram>

<Your signature · WeChat / Email>

Generation Process

1. Read interview notes: clients/<client-name>/discovery-<date>.md
2. Read brand voice: docs/brand-voice.md (if it doesn't exist, prompt the founder to create it first)
3. Read 1-2 relevant case studies: products/case-studies/*.md
4. Generate using the 8-section structure above
5. Checklist:

• [ ] Quoted ≥2 client statements
• [ ] "Out of scope" is explicitly stated
• [ ] Each of the three phases has a deliverable
• [ ] No pricing numbers
• [ ] Total word count < 1500
• [ ] Next steps are concrete (with time anchors)

1. Output to clients/<client-name>/proposal-v1-<date>.md
2. Simultaneously generate a follow-up email (separate file clients/<client-name>/proposal-quote-v1-<date>.md), containing pricing + payment schedule + optional add-ons

Pricing (Follow-up Email)

Two tiers plus one optional add-on:

Addendum: On Pricing

Based on the delivery scope, here are my rates:

**Standard Plan**: <price> CNY
- Includes: Phase 1 + Phase 2 + Phase 3
- Payment: 30% deposit to start / 50% upon Phase 2 completion / 20% after acceptance
- Delivery timeline: 5 weeks

**Lite Plan** (if budget is tight): <price × 0.6> CNY
- Includes: Phase 1 + Phase 2 (excluding monitoring/training)
- Payment: 50% deposit / 50% upon acceptance
- Delivery timeline: 4 weeks

**Optional Add-on** (6-month maintenance): <monthly price> CNY/month
- Includes bug fixes, minor feature iterations, one 30-minute consultation per month

Let me know your rough budget range, and we'll settle on the best plan.

Common Pitfalls

1. Don't offer 5 price tiers: too many options = decision paralysis. Two tiers plus one optional add-on, max.
2. Don't send a 10-page PPT on the first contact: a 1500-word Word doc or markdown is best. A PPT signals you're trying to look like a big company.
3. Don't skip the "out of scope" section: skipping it guarantees scope creep later.
4. Don't promise uncertain timelines: before writing "5 weeks," break it down with a planner yourself.

Prohibited

• Sending the same template with just the client name swapped (the methodology source philosophy: brand voice makes it obvious if it's copied)
• Using buzzwords like "empower," "ecosystem," "closed loop" in the proposal
• Writing a proposal without conducting an interview