Why it helps
You've had a good call. The client wants a proposal "by the end of the week". Your notes are a mix of their problems, your ideas and a rough price in your head. Turning that into a proper document is where the time goes, and the longer it takes, the colder the lead gets.
AI can sort your notes into a simple proposal structure: what they need, how you'll do it, what they get, when, and what it costs. It also writes down the assumptions, which is what saves arguments later. You set the price and the scope. AI just writes it up clearly.
The prompt
Copy it, swap the bits in [square brackets], and paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Copilot.
I'm a [what you do, e.g. bookkeeper / web designer / landscaper] in [town], New Zealand. Turn my notes from a call with a potential client into a short proposal. - NZ English. Plain, confident and friendly. No jargon, no hype. - Sections: The problem (in the client's words where possible), Our approach, What you'll get (deliverables), Timeline, Price, Assumptions and exclusions, Next step. - Keep it to about one page. - Use my price exactly as written, including whether it's incl or excl GST. Don't change it, round it or add any other costs. - Don't invent deliverables, results, guarantees or timeframes I haven't given. If something is missing, put [CHECK: what's missing] in the draft. - In Assumptions, list what the price depends on, based only on my notes. My notes: [paste your call notes, what you'll do, your price and timing]
Then keep chatting
Make it shorter, half a page.
Add an option B with a smaller scope at the price I give you: [price].
Write a short email to send with the proposal.
Make the problem section sound more like the client's own words.
List any questions I should ask the client before I send this.
Step by step
- Straight after the call, jot down the client's problem, what they want, deadlines, your approach, your price and anything you said you wouldn't do.
- Decide your price yourself first. Don't ask AI to price the job.
- Copy the prompt, fill in the [square brackets] and paste your notes.
- Read the draft. Fill in every [CHECK], and make sure the deliverables, timeline and price match what you'll actually do.
- Paste it into your proposal template or a doc, add your terms of business, and send it with a short covering email.
Worked example
Example details are made up. Your results will vary, so always read and check before you use them.
Watch out for
- AI is good at structure, not pricing. You set the price, the scope and the timeline. Check every number and the GST wording before you send.
- Don't let AI add promises like "guaranteed results" or "more bookings". Under the Fair Trading Act you can't make misleading claims. See consumerprotection.govt.nz.
- Privacy: you don't need the client's contact details, health details or anything sensitive from the call in the prompt. Use [client name] and add it afterwards.
- A proposal isn't a contract. If the job is big, attach your terms of business, and get legal advice if you're unsure.
Go further
Once you've got a version you like, save it as a template with your standard sections and assumptions. Next time, you only paste the new notes. After the client says yes, use the client-meeting-follow-up use case to confirm the details in writing.
