What percentage of your client proposals do you email over without walking your B2B prospects through them?
If the answer is anything other than zero, that’s a problem.
For executive coaches, consultants, and professional service providers who sell their expertise to corporates and other organizations, proposals should never be sent and hoped for. Every proposal should be walked through with the client — whether they ask for that conversation or not.
Always remember: This is your sales process, not theirs.
Let’s clarify language for a moment. When we say “present,” we’re not talking about a formal, polished performance. We’re talking about a guided walk-through — a live conversation where you reconfirm the recommendations, the engagement scope, the investment, and the intended outcomes.
All of which your prospect should be familiar with because you co-created those things with the prospect just days earlier. This is just the final version with the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed.
If that sounds like a lot of work, let’s look at the alternative.
When you email a proposal instead of walking it through, two things almost always happen:
- The proposal isn’t rejected; it just sits. And sits. And sits.
- And worse, internal discussions happen without your input.
Bottom line: Momentum fades while you wait for a response that may never come.
Conversely, when you lead the proposal conversation, you maintain context, control the narrative, and keep the decision moving forward instead of letting it quietly stall.
In this blog, we share a proven 5-step process to give you the best chance of having your proposals accepted and moving forward.
Why Does Sending a Proposal Often Slow the Decision Down?
When a proposal arrives over email, decision-makers are forced to take the conversation offline, discussing it internally across multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
This often leads to conversations you’re not a part of taking away any influence or expert guidance you could have exerted during the sales journey.
- A Gartner study found that 74% of B2B decision makers demonstrate unhealthy conflict during the decision process. The less clarity teams have with a proposal, the higher the risk of proposals not pushing through.
Conversely, the same study found that buying groups with a higher consensus among themselves are 2.5x more likely to move forward with a proposal.
What Is The Best Way To Present a Business Proposal To A Client?
Always treat business proposals as conversations. Decision makers don’t want to feel like they’re being sold to. They want it to be a partnership both sides are invested in.
A live proposal conversation allows you to:
- Clarify assumptions before they turn into objections
- Read hesitation in real time
- Reinforce why certain choices were made
- Adjust details and close gaps collaboratively instead of defensively
Check out this video for a more in-depth discussion on why this is so important:
The 5-Step Process To Present A Successful Business Proposal
1. How Do I Set Up The Proposal Meeting?
Getting the logistics right sets the tone for the entire conversation. A well-planned meeting shows professionalism and respect for everyone’s time, and gives you a better chance of approval. Here’s what to do:
- Book a primary and backup time slot: Decision makers are busy, and unexpected crises happen. Having a backup time ensures you don’t lose momentum or have to start from scratch.
- Allow enough time (1–3 hours, depending on complexity): A rushed meeting signals that your proposal isn’t important. Plan for enough discussion and real-time adjustments
(Think that’s too long? Compare it to months and months of time that ends up being wasted on a project or initiative where a step was missed or something was done that’s unnecessary or duplicative, all because thorough conversations weren’t had early on.) - Know who will attend and why: Understand each participant’s role, decision-making authority, and what perspective they bring. This helps you anticipate questions and highlight relevant sections.
Expert tip: Research attendees’ LinkedIn profiles to find points of common ground, such as shared experiences or mutual connections. It’s a small touch that builds rapport and shows you’ve done your homework.
2. Do I Prepare Proposal Materials for In-Person Meetings?
Remember this conversation is a walkthrough of what was built collaboratively during the co-creation step of the sales process. That means there will be a lot of details to cover, so having something visual for decision makers to review is important.
- Print single-sided, spiral-bound copies for in-person meetings: This allows attendees to make notes directly on the proposal and keeps everything organized. It also gives a professional touch that’s memorable.
- Avoid colored backgrounds on slides: While colorful slides can look fun, they can be harder to read or annotate. White backgrounds are clean and allow decision makers to take down notes. (This is something you really want them to do! as it increases their emotional connection to the materials.)
- Don’t send slides in advance: Whether meeting in person or virtually over Zoom, do not send the slides ahead of time. In the event that your initial meeting doesn’t push through, you don’t want to give decision makers the excuse of not scheduling another meeting with you since “they already have everything they need.”
- This is something we discuss further in our blog, “How Can You Send Consulting Proposals Without Getting Ghosted?”
Expert tip: Bring extra copies for latecomers or additional decision-makers. You never know who might join at the last minute, and having extras makes it easy to include them seamlessly.
3. How Do I Start A Business Proposal Presentation?
Your opening sets expectations and builds confidence. Start strong by:
- Thanking participants and expressing excitement: A little genuine enthusiasm goes a long way. Letting them know you value their time and the opportunity helps set a positive tone.
- Reconfirming meeting length and constraints: Schedules can change. Knowing upfront if someone must leave early or join late allows you to prioritize discussion points and avoid being cut off mid-conversation.
- Asking attendees which parts of the proposal matter most to them: This shows respect for their priorities and ensures you’re not wasting time on areas that aren’t relevant to the decision-making process.
- Sharing your priorities and goals for the session: Communicate clearly what a successful meeting looks like from your perspective and what you hope everyone walks away with.
Expert tip: Treat the meeting like a flight plan. Just like a pilot guides passengers from takeoff to landing, guide participants through the proposal so everyone knows where you’re headed.
4. How Do I Present a Business Proposal Effectively?
It’s difficult to lead an engaging conversation if your head is buried in your own slides or lost in your thoughts. Preparation is key.
- Know your proposal inside and out: Every section should have a purpose and a rationale. If a stakeholder asks a question, you should be able to answer confidently and provide context.
- Ask targeted questions to key stakeholders: Generic “any questions?” will only get you blank stares or awkward head shakes. Instead, direct your questions to individuals: “Sarah, how do you feel about this approach?” or “Doug, how would your team respond to this timeline?”
- Keep attendees engaged: Highlight elements that matter most to each person’s responsibilities and priorities. This ensures that everyone feels heard and invested in the discussion.
Expert tip: Engage participants early in the meeting, not just at the end. This makes the conversation dynamic and collaborative, allowing you to adjust the proposal in real time if needed.
Why Should I Call Out People By Their Names?
Several scientific studies show that using a person’s name in a conversation helps capture and maintain their attention and create a sense of recognition. Communication experts explain that when someone hears their name, it naturally draws their attention and contributes to engagement (Inc.)
5. How Do I Wrap Up A Business Proposal Meeting?
You need around 10-15 minutes, independent of Q&A time, to:
- Confirm next steps: Ask what needs to happen immediately after the meeting, such as if you need another meeting or completing a round of internal approvals.
- Do you need to set up: Any kickoff meetings, team onboarding, or system access to get started quickly?
- Clarify timelines: Confirm deadlines and any key milestones so everyone leaves the meeting on the same page.
Expert tip: Be as specific as possible. Iron out any details that you can, and if you’re unsure about anything, always ask. Decision makers are more likely to approve proposals when they aren’t mentally in the place of, “We still need to figure some things out on our end.”
How Can Boutique Consulting Firms Work Confidently With Decision Makers?
If you’re running a boutique consulting or professional services firm and want to work confidently with organizational decision makers, presenting your proposals effectively is just one piece of the puzzle.
At BoldHaus, we work with self-employed experts and boutique-firm CEOs who want:
- Lead generation strategies designed for discerning B2B decision-makers — not social media scrollers
- High-integrity strategies to close high-paying deals and retain right-fit clients long term
- To scale revenue and impact while maintaining a freedom-based lifestyle
- To keep more of what they earn — and build generational wealth
The BoldHaus Collective is where this work happens.
Ready to get started?
Learn more about the BoldHaus Collective here.
