January 2026


You've spent hours perfecting your proposal. The services are outlined, pricing is competitive, and credentials are impressive. And yet… nothing.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: your proposal probably looked and sounded exactly like every other proposal that landed on their desk.

‍Most firms approach proposals the same way they approach their morning coffee order: functional, predictable, and utterly forgettable.

When you're competing for high-value work, generic just doesn't cut it.

Ask yourself: "How many proposals have we submitted this year that we will be remembered for?"

It’s about the client

Here's what happens in the first thirty seconds of someone opening your proposal: they're scanning for the basics. Cost. Competency. Proof you can deliver. All legitimate things to look for.

But that’s cold.

Keep it warm.

The real cut-through happens when you break up those proposal mandatories with something unexpected, something with a sense of warmth. Client-centric words that speak directly to their world. Partnership language that gives a sense of 'together, we are a strong team'. Illustrations that reflect them back to themselves. Moments where they see themselves in the proposal and think: "These people get it. They get us."

The client needs to feel understood. Special, even.

That's when they stop scanning and start seeing you as the firm for them.

What does this look like in practice?

• Stunning visual communication that guides the reader through the pages by creating hierarchy, order and flow to the content.
• Custom illustrations and powerful, engaging words that get to the heart of who they are. Their industry. Their challenges. Not stock imagery that screams "I could be anyone's proposal."
• The final page of your proposal with a minimal line art illustration and a handful of powerful words that speak directly to them. A personalised sign-off of sorts. Use words that position you as their partner, not their vendor.

When everyone else is reciting credentials, create an emotional moment they can't ignore.

Don’t just land the proposal in their inbox. Land it in their gut.

Visuals and words matter

If you're still sending out proposals that look and sound like everyone else's, you're leaving money on the table.

High-value proposals deserve high-value treatment:

The container matters

If your proposal uses default PowerPoint templates with your logo slapped on top, you're underdressed. You are signalling that you don’t value the opportunity.

For everyday proposals, outsource to template specialists to build a strong base.

The richness matters

Design isn't just about making things look pretty. It's about creating communication that flows and drives an emotional resonance with the reader.

For high-value work, outsource to design professionals to elevate and resonate.

The resonance matter

Consider custom illustrations. They elevate high-value work to achieve a sense of ‘wow’. Get further cut-through by positioning powerful creative wording alongside illustrations that land in their decision-making gut.

For the highest-value work, outsource to a design studio to create a unique experience.

The uncomfortable question

How much time is spent on the wording of the proposal, while ignoring the visual component?

People see the visual before any words are read.

This tells me that BOTH MATTER.

If you're losing high-value contracts because your proposals don't stand out, the ROI of investing in specialist design and tailored creative is blindingly obvious.

It only takes one successful proposal to pay for itself many times over.

Feel it

Great proposals do more than inform. They make the client feel something.

That emotional resonance – the sense that you truly understand their world, that you're ready to partner with them – is what separates a good proposal from a winning one.

Reputation and referrals get you to the table. Emotional connection wins the client over.

Make your proposals count.