The Consultant's Handbook: A Practical Guide to Delivering High-value and Differentiated Services in a Competitive Marketplace

CHAPTER FIVEPROPOSING A CONSULTING SERVICE

Having established the objectives, scope and requirements associated with a potential consulting assignment, a written proposal will be submitted to the client containing an outline of the intended project, with accompanying commercial terms.

Proposal development calls upon the skill of good business writing and the careful selection of relevant content. For many assignments multiple consulting firms may be under consideration. A clear approach for achieving the assignment's objectives will therefore be required, emphasizing the credentials of the consulting firm and any differentiators that position it as an ideal partner to take on the work.

Chapter 1 contrasted the activities of consulting and selling and introduced the concept of consultative selling. Experience suggests that consultants who have gained a clear understanding of a client's needs through a structured dialogue and subsequently propose a well-tailored solution are likely to stand in a favourable position. Think about all of the information that you have collected in discussions with clients, both verbally and in documented form, and use it wisely.

Clients have reported a notable variation in the quality of the proposals that they receive from different firms. Some demonstrate a better understanding of their business needs than others; some consider the needs of all stakeholders concerned, whilst others do not; some proposals are structured, concise and easy to interpret, ...