When to do something different
| If this is true | Do this |
|---|---|
| You write one or two proposals a year | Skip the setup. Keep one good template and a checklist of what every proposal must include. |
| Your past proposals live in Microsoft 365 | Copilot can read them in SharePoint or OneDrive once your IT provider has folder permissions right (more on getting proposals out of Copilot). Claude and ChatGPT business plans do the same job with files you give them. |
| The RFP includes confidentiality terms or client information | Read the terms and your AI policy before uploading anything. Use a business account, never a personal one. |
| The buyer publishes how answers are scored | Give the AI the scoring rules with the questions, and have a person check each answer against them. |
How to set it up
- Collect three proposals you approved and sent. Use the versions that actually went out, from your sent email, and skip drafts that never left the building.
- Let the AI interview you. Ask it to question you about what separates a strong proposal from a weak one, then about what you like and dislike in each of the three. Talking works better than typing here, so use voice input if your tool has it.
- Turn them into reusable sections. Every proposal is a little different, so one fixed template rarely fits. Save the pieces you reuse as separate sections: who the client is and what they want, the scope, how the work runs, the timeline, the price and terms, and the past work you can point to.
- Start each new proposal with the reader. Have the AI work out who will read it, what outcome they want, what they need to see, the objections they are likely to raise and what is missing. Then it picks the sections and writes the draft.
- Review what only you can judge. Scope, price, what you are promising and whether this client is a fit. Tell the AI what you changed and why, and save that feedback with the sections so the next draft starts closer.
- Keep a rough score. For the next few proposals, note how long one used to take and how long it takes now. A ballpark is enough to decide whether to roll it out to the rest of the team.
What it looked like at one firm
Client-reported result. A fractional HR firm we coach built this in Microsoft Copilot over nine coaching sessions. By their own estimate, a standard proposal went from about two hours to 20 to 30 minutes plus review. For a large RFP, the first working draft went from several days of writing and formatting to about an hour, with more time spent refining it afterward. They said their time moved from building documents to reviewing scope, pricing and how they positioned the work. These are their estimates, not our measurements, and results vary by task, firm and the person doing the work.
What still needs a person
- Price and scope. The AI can lay out options. You decide what to charge and what is included.
- Every promise. Dates, staff, results and anything the client could hold you to.
- Past work and references. Check that each project, name and number is real, and that you have permission to use it.
- The last read. Read it once as the client would, out loud if it is a big one.
Common questions
Will the client be able to tell AI wrote it?
Clients notice generic writing, whoever wrote it. A draft built from proposals you have already sent uses your words and your way of laying things out, and a person reads every proposal before it goes.
Is it safe to put an RFP into ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot?
Use a business plan your IT provider has set up, never a personal account, and read the RFP's confidentiality terms before you upload anything. Our AI policy guide covers what staff can put into AI.
Which AI tool is best for proposals?
Usually the one your team already opens every day, because people use what is in front of them. If your past proposals live in Microsoft 365, Copilot is usually the easiest start. The setup steps on this page matter more than the tool.
How long does the setup take?
Plan on a few working sessions spread over a few weeks before drafts need only light edits. The firm described on this page built theirs over nine coaching sessions, alongside other work.
We only write a few proposals a year. Is it worth it?
Probably not worth the full setup. Keep one good template and ask AI to tighten each draft. The setup pays back when proposals are weekly or monthly work.
If you want help
I coach leaders to set this up in Claude, ChatGPT or Copilot, in person in Delta and across Metro Vancouver, or by video. For one leader's own proposals, Solo is CAD 1,800 and runs 30 days. For a team that writes proposals together, Fractional starts at CAD 6,000 a month.
Not sure proposals are the right place to start? The free AI Opportunity Map takes about 5 minutes and shows which tasks at your firm AI could help with. Or book a 30-minute call and bring a proposal you wrote recently.
