Writing Marketing Proposals That Align With Client Goals

In the past, I wrote proposals (or strategy docs) mostly to wow prospective clients with fancy terms, big promises, and a slick design—a nice big long deck, right? But you know what was missing? Other than self-esteem, serotonin, and dopamine? (These are the jokes, people) The practical detail that helps me actually execute once they say “yes.” I realized that if the doc doesn’t function as my own roadmap, it’s just empty fluff. Now, I treat it as both a pitch and a set of step-by-step instructions for the work ahead. I explain what I’ll do, but I also spell out the “why.” For example, if I propose a 3-month content ramp-up, I detail how it intersects with the client’s sales pipeline, brand awareness goals, or community-building strategy. Once approved, I don’t have to reinvent the wheel. The plan is there in black and white, guiding me (and them) forward. It’s like drafting your own instruction manual: “Install Part A (launch pilot campaigns) before attempting Part B (scale to broader audiences).” Clients appreciate it too. They don’t just want big promises—they want to know exactly how those promises become reality. This clarifies scope and expectations from day one. When everything’s spelled out, you avoid the dreaded “But I thought you were also handling X, Y, and Z for free” chat later on. Ultimately, this doc should serve everyone. It convinces clients you can deliver—and it reminds you how to deliver once underway. If it doesn’t accomplish both, rethink your approach. Winging it after they say “yes” only adds stress for you and risks disappointment for them. A good plan is your mutual blueprint for success—whether it’s a formal proposal or an internal strategy doc. Tips to Serve You: Create Your Own Roadmap 👉 Break down each phase in a way that aligns with your workflow. If it’s not useful to you, it won’t be useful to anyone. Set Realistic Time Frames 👉 Build in buffer time for feedback and sign-offs, so you’re not scrambling at the eleventh hour. Document the “Why” 👉 Note the reasoning behind each recommended step. Future you will thank you when it’s time to execute. Outline Dependencies 👉 Specify the assets, data, or approvals you need from others before progressing. Tips to Serve Them: Highlight Tangible Outcomes 👉 Show how your plan leads to measurable results—engagement boosts, qualified leads, community growth. Use Plain Language 👉 Ditch the jargon. If it’s complicated, clarify it. Clients want to grasp your plan quickly and confidently. Tie Back to Their Goals 👉 Connect each step to what matters most to them, whether it’s revenue, visibility, or retention. Clarify Scope and Costs 👉 No mysteries. Lay out what’s included, how long it’ll take, and why it’s worth the investment. Whether you’re writing a full-blown proposal or a quick-and-dirty strategy doc for your own team, make sure it does double duty: clarifies the vision for your clients and keeps you on track. That’s how everyone wins.

"This looks great, can you send us a proposal?" I used to get SO EXCITED hearing this as an AE ($$$$$!!!) Then I'd send over a 12 page proposal, because more information = easier yes. And then that proposal went to die in someone's inbox. Because it looked like work and nobody’s got time for that. Now when I work with sales teams, here's what we change: 1. Stop treating proposals like closing documents Conversations close deals, not PDFs. The proposal should just summarize what you've already agreed on. If you're using your proposal to convince someone, you’re skipping steps. 2. Do not send a menu Just show exactly what this customer needs, with maybe ONE other option. Make it scannable The people you care about skim for three things: what they get, what it costs, what happens next. 3. Put features/benefits in their language Instead of "Advanced analytics," try "Run monthly reporting in 30 minutes (reduced from 8 hours)” 4. Include the implementation plan Show them exactly what happens in the first 4-8 weeks. Be realistic about what you can do, and what they will need to do. Most deals stall because buyers can't visualize the path forward or it’s not believable. 5. Build it together Share the proposal draft on a call before you send it. Get their input. Handle objections in real-time. Show them what they'll achieve, how it will happen, and what they need to do to get started. My clients are doing this in ~30 minutes per proposal. ————————— 👋 Hi, I'm Monica. I help B2B SaaS founders grow revenue from $1-$10M ARR. If this is you, send me a DM. 

Here’s the proposal template that helped me close over $100 million in enterprise sales: It’s also helped my clients close more than 50% of their deals when they use it. And until now, I’ve never shared it publicly. Most sellers are great at pitching features. But the ones who consistently win big deals? They know how to tell a great story. The truth is, executives don’t buy products - they buy confidence. They buy vision. They buy a story they want to be part of. If you want to sell like a top 1% seller, you need a proposal that doesn’t just inform… it moves people. Here’s how I do it 👇 The Story Mountain Framework for Sales Proposals: 1. Exposition – Introduce the characters and setting. Start with them: → “You’re trying to expand into new markets… to grow revenue… to unify your tech stack…” Set the vision. Make them the hero. 2. Rising Action – Lay out the challenges and obstacles. → “But growth stalled. Competitors moved faster. Customer churn increased.” Quote discovery calls. Surface real pain. Build emotional tension. 3. Climax – Introduce your solution. → “Then you found a better way…” Now show how your solution helps them overcome the exact obstacles you outlined. 4. Falling Action – Ease the tension. → “Here’s our implementation plan. Here’s the ROI. Here’s how others in your industry succeeded.” Give them confidence that this won’t just work—it will work for them. 5. Resolution – End with clarity. → “Here’s our mutual action plan. Let’s get started.” Lock in buy-in, next steps, and forward momentum. This structure has helped me close some of the biggest deals of my career—including an $8-figure enterprise deal at Salesforce where I used this exact approach. I broke it all down in this week’s training—and for the first time ever, I show you the actual proposal I used AND tell you how to access my Killer Proposal Template for free. 👀 Watch the full training here: https://lnkd.in/gPY_cvv5 No more boring product pitches. No more ghosting after the readout. Just proposals that close.