Consulting proposals are different from service proposals. You're not selling deliverables—you're selling expertise, transformation, and outcomes.

This template is designed for management consultants, strategy consultants, business coaches, and advisors landing $10K+ engagements.

Consulting Proposal Template

[Your Firm Name/Logo]

Strategic Consulting Proposal

Prepared for: [Client Company Name]

Prepared by: [Your Name], [Your Title]

Date: [Date]

Proposal Reference: [#2026-XXX]

Executive Summary

[Client Company] is facing [specific challenge] that is impacting [revenue/operations/growth]. Based on our assessment, addressing this challenge represents a [$X] opportunity.

This proposal outlines a [duration] engagement to [primary objective], resulting in [expected outcome].

Engagement Overview:

Duration: [X weeks/months]
Investment: $[XXX,XXX]
Expected ROI: [X]x return within [timeframe]

Situation Analysis

Current State

Based on our initial discovery session on [date], [Client Company] is experiencing:

Key Challenges:

[Challenge 1 with specific impact]
[Challenge 2 with specific impact]
[Challenge 3 with specific impact]

Contributing Factors:

[Factor 1]
[Factor 2]
[Factor 3]

Impact Assessment

These challenges are currently costing [Client Company]:

Area	Current Impact
Revenue	-$[X] annually in lost opportunities
Efficiency	[X] hours/week in wasted productivity
Market Position	[Specific competitive disadvantage]

Desired Future State

By the end of this engagement, [Client Company] will have:

[Outcome 1]
[Outcome 2]
[Outcome 3]

Proposed Approach

Methodology

We will employ our proven [Framework Name] methodology:

Phase 1: Discovery & Diagnosis (Weeks 1-2)

Stakeholder interviews ([X] sessions)
Data analysis and benchmarking
Current state documentation
Root cause identification

Deliverable: Diagnostic Report & Findings Presentation

Phase 2: Strategy Development (Weeks 3-4)

Solution ideation workshops
Option evaluation and prioritization
Business case development
Implementation roadmap creation

Deliverable: Strategic Recommendations Report

Phase 3: Implementation Planning (Weeks 5-6)

Detailed implementation plan
Change management strategy
Success metrics and KPIs
Team alignment sessions

Deliverable: Implementation Playbook

Phase 4: Execution Support (Weeks 7-12)

Bi-weekly progress reviews
Issue resolution support
Team coaching
Course correction as needed

Deliverable: Monthly Progress Reports

Engagement Team

Role	Name	Responsibility
Lead Consultant	[Name]	Overall engagement leadership, strategy development
Senior Consultant	[Name]	Analysis, workshop facilitation, deliverables
Project Manager	[Name]	Timeline, coordination, client communication

[Include brief bios or link to team page]

Timeline

Phase	Duration	Key Activities	Deliverables
Discovery	Weeks 1-2	Interviews, analysis	Diagnostic Report
Strategy	Weeks 3-4	Workshops, planning	Strategy Document
Planning	Weeks 5-6	Roadmapping	Implementation Plan
Execution	Weeks 7-12	Implementation support	Progress Reports

Investment

Option A: Full Engagement

Component	Description	Investment
Discovery & Diagnosis	Stakeholder interviews, data analysis	$XX,XXX
Strategy Development	Workshops, recommendations	$XX,XXX
Implementation Planning	Roadmap, change management	$XX,XXX
Execution Support	6 weeks coaching and oversight	$XX,XXX
Total Investment		$XXX,XXX

Option B: Strategy Only

Component	Description	Investment
Discovery & Diagnosis	Stakeholder interviews, data analysis	$XX,XXX
Strategy Development	Workshops, recommendations	$XX,XXX
Implementation Planning	High-level roadmap	$XX,XXX
Total Investment		$XX,XXX

Note: Travel expenses billed at cost. Virtual delivery available at 15% discount.

Payment Terms

40% upon contract signing
30% at Phase 2 completion
30% upon project completion

Expected Outcomes & ROI

Based on similar engagements, [Client Company] can expect:

Metric	Current	Target	Value
[Metric 1]	[Current]	[Target]	$[Value]
[Metric 2]	[Current]	[Target]	$[Value]
[Metric 3]	[Current]	[Target]	$[Value]
Total Annual Value			$[Value]

ROI Calculation:

Engagement Investment: $[XXX,XXX]
Expected Annual Value: $[X,XXX,XXX]
ROI: [X]x return
Payback Period: [X] months

Why [Your Firm]

Relevant Experience

We've delivered similar results for:

[Client A] - [Industry]

Challenge: [Similar challenge]

Result: [Specific, measurable outcome]

[Client B] - [Industry]

Challenge: [Similar challenge]

Result: [Specific, measurable outcome]

Our Differentiators

[Differentiator 1]: [Brief explanation]
[Differentiator 2]: [Brief explanation]
[Differentiator 3]: [Brief explanation]

Assumptions & Dependencies

This proposal assumes:

Access to key stakeholders for interviews within first two weeks
Availability of relevant data and documentation
Executive sponsor participation in key workshops
Decision-making within two weeks of recommendations

Terms & Conditions

This proposal is valid for 30 days
Scope changes require written change order
Confidentiality maintained per standard NDA
IP developed during engagement belongs to [Client/Joint/Consultant]

Next Steps

Review & Discussion: Schedule call to address questions
Acceptance: Sign proposal and return
Contract: Execute formal consulting agreement
Kickoff: Schedule project kickoff within 2 weeks

Acceptance

By signing below, [Client Company] accepts this proposal and authorizes [Your Firm] to proceed with the engagement.

Client Signature:

Name:

Title:

Date:

Consulting Proposal Best Practices

Start with Business Impact

Notice the proposal leads with financial impact: "$X opportunity" and ROI calculations. C-suite executives think in dollars, not deliverables.

Offer Options (But Not Too Many)

Two pricing options work best:

Full engagement (what you want them to buy)
Scaled-down version (gives them control)

Three is okay. More than three creates decision paralysis.

Show Your Methodology

Clients hiring consultants want to know you have a structured approach. Name your methodology—it creates perceived IP and justifies premium pricing.

Build in Checkpoints

Long engagements should have phase gates. This:

Reduces client risk perception
Creates natural upsell moments
Provides clean exit points if needed

Include Assumptions

"Assumes access to stakeholders within two weeks" protects you when the client causes delays. It's professional risk management.

Consulting Pricing Strategies

Value-Based Pricing

Price based on outcomes, not hours. If you'll save them $1M, charging $100K is a bargain.

Formula: Expected value to client × 10-20% = your fee

Tiered Pricing

Offer good/better/best options. Most clients choose the middle, and some trade up.

Retainer Model

For ongoing advisory work: monthly fee for availability + hourly/daily rate for project work.

Success Fees

Base fee + percentage of results achieved. Aligns incentives but requires measurable outcomes.

Common Consulting Proposal Mistakes

No ROI case

If you can't show the math, you'll compete on price

Too much about you

The first half should be about their situation

Vague deliverables

"Strategic guidance" means nothing; "Strategy document with implementation roadmap" means something

No urgency

Include expiration date and context about why acting now matters

Buried pricing

Decision-makers flip to price first; make it easy to find

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Last updated: January 2026

Consulting Proposal Template: Land High-Ticket Clients