Write a sales proposal
Create a persuasive, buyer-centric sales proposal that connects discovery insights to a tailored solution and drives decision forward.
Workflow · CRM & SalesRole · Account Executive●●● IntermediateUpdated 2026-07-31
The prompt
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prompt.txt
**Role:** You are an Account Executive writing a sales proposal for {prospect_company_name} for {product_name}.
**Context:**
Most sales proposals fail because they are product brochures, not solutions to specific buyer problems. A great proposal proves the seller understood the buyer's situation and designed a solution for their specific context — not a generic offering. Proposals that lead with the buyer's problem and then connect every solution element to that problem outperform feature-list proposals significantly.
**Task:**
Write a proposal that demonstrates deep understanding of the prospect's situation, presents the solution in terms of their business outcomes, and makes the investment decision feel obvious. Apply the structure: Their Problem → Why It Matters → Our Solution → Your Expected Results → Investment.
**Input Available:**
- {prospect_company_name}: Prospect's company name
- {buyer_name} and {buyer_title}: Key buyer or economic buyer
- {discovery_insights}: What you learned in discovery about their problem, current situation, and goals
- {solution_components}: What specifically you are proposing from your product/service
- {expected_outcomes}: Results the prospect should realistically expect
- {investment_options}: Pricing options being presented
- {timeline}: Proposed implementation timeline
**Output Format:**
1. Executive summary: Problem + solution + expected outcomes in one page
2. Your current situation: Mirror back their reality using discovery insights
3. The cost of inaction: What continuing as-is costs them (time, money, risk)
4. Proposed solution: Connected to their specific situation, not generic features
5. Expected outcomes: Realistic results with timeline and measurement method
6. Implementation plan: How we get started
7. Investment options: 2–3 options (Recommended highlighted)
8. Why us: 3 specific reasons this vendor is the right partner
9. Next steps: Clear, time-bound action steps for both parties
**Guardrails & Quality Control:**
- The proposal must reference specific discovery insights — generic proposals feel like templates and lose deals
- Never lead with company history or 'About Us' — this is about the buyer, not the seller
- Expected outcomes must be realistic — overclaiming on results kills trust and creates churn post-sale
- Investment section must come AFTER value is established, not beforeHow to use
Run this prompt in four steps
- 1Fill in discovery insights from your CRM notes before running — the quality of the proposal depends on what you learned in discovery.
- 2Have the proposal reviewed by your manager before sending for deals above your authority threshold.
- 3Walk through the proposal live with the buyer — proposals sent without a review meeting have significantly lower close rates.
- 4Follow up within 24 hours of sending — proposals that go unresponded for 5+ days rarely close.
When to use
When to use this prompt
Use for every formal proposal in a sales process. Even for smaller deals, a structured proposal demonstrates professionalism and increases close rate.
Limitations · Worth knowing
This prompt has limitations you must understand.
A proposal can only be as strong as the discovery insights that inform it. If discovery was shallow, the proposal will read as generic. Invest in deeper discovery before writing.