November 9, 2026
How much context should I include in a proposal?
Yesterday, I said that a proposal should be able to stand on its own.
What does that mean?
A total stranger should be able to read the proposal - and nothing else! - and think:
“Yeah, this seems reasonable.”
Why a total stranger?
Because buyers often ask people they trust for a second opinion.
They might send your proposal to another executive, a colleague, or a friend and ask, “What do you think?”
They probably won’t also send your website, LinkedIn, case studies, or anything else.
(And even if they do, their confidant will probably only read the proposal.)
For the proposal to seem reasonable, that person needs to understand:
- The magnitude of the transformation between the client’s current state and desired future state
- Why the client believes you can contribute to that transformation
- To what degree the client believes you can contribute
With that information, they have something to compare your project options and prices against.
Here’s the thing...
Your proposal isn’t only for the person who was in the sales interview.
It’s also for everyone they ask for a second opinion.
So...
Don’t write it as a reminder of the conversation you had.
Write it as a complete, self-contained case for the project.
Yes, your buyer already knows the context.
But the stranger reading your proposal doesn’t.
Write the proposal for both of them.
Yours,
—J