Who Can Prepare Quotes and Proposals for Me

Every time a lead asked for a proposal, my calendar took a hit because preparing it meant digging through old docs, scopes, and pricing notes. The work wasn’t difficult, but it was disruptive. I’d lose momentum, switch context, and spend prime hours assembling something that followed the same pattern every time.

What finally fixed this wasn’t better tools. It was giving proposal prep clear ownership with rules, templates, and boundaries, so proposals moved forward without me being the bottleneck.

Here’s how to get quotes and proposals prepared for you properly.

Step 1: Separate pricing decisions from proposal execution

This is the mental shift most people miss.

There are two very different jobs involved:

• Pricing logic and scope decisions (what you charge, what’s included, what’s negotiable)
• Proposal execution (assembling, formatting, sending, tracking, and following up)

Only the first one needs you.

Practical takeaways

• If the pricing is already defined, you shouldn’t be touching the document.
• Proposal execution is operational work, not founder work.

Step 2: Decide who should own proposal preparation

The right owner depends on how standardized your offers are.

Option A: Administrative or Sales Support Assistant

Best for:

• Fixed pricing or tiered services
• Repeatable scopes
• Medium proposal volume

They handle:

• Drafting proposals from templates
• Filling in scope and pricing
• Formatting and sending
• Tracking status and follow-ups

Option B: Operations or RevOps Assistant

Best for:

• CRM-driven sales processes
• Multi-step approvals
• Fewer errors at higher deal volume

They handle:

• Proposal prep tied to deal stages
• Version control
• Approval routing
• Pipeline visibility

Option C: Virtual Assistant with Proposal Ownership

Best for:

• End-to-end ownership
• Fast turnaround
• Minimal involvement from you

They don’t “assist.” They run the proposal lane.

Practical takeaways

• You’re outsourcing ownership, not writing.
• If no one owns proposals, you’ll always feel behind.

Step 3: Create proposal templates so nothing starts from scratch

Proposals become time sinks when everyone is treated as unique.

Create templates for:

• Core services
• Common bundles
• Add-ons or upgrades
• Renewals
• Custom but repeatable engagements

Each template should already include:

• Approved language
• Scope boundaries
• Pricing placeholders
• Terms and next steps

Practical takeaways

• Templates turn proposal work into assembly work.
• If someone has to “figure it out,” the template isn’t ready.

Step 4: Define pricing and discount rules upfront

This is what prevents endless approval loops.

Give your proposal owner rules like:

• Standard pricing per service
• Allowed discount range
• When approval is required
• How to handle custom scope requests

Example:

“Anything under $X uses Template A. Discounts up to Y% are allowed. Anything outside this gets escalated.”

Practical takeaways

• Rules preserve control without slowing execution.
• Ambiguity is what drags proposals out.

Step 5: Build a clean intake process for new proposals

Proposal prep breaks when inputs are scattered across emails and messages.

Create one intake format:

• Client name and context
• Services requested
• Timeline
• Any special notes

This can live in:

• Your CRM
• A short form
• A shared doc

Practical takeaways

• Clean inputs lead to fast proposals.
• Your job becomes filling one field, not drafting a document.

Step 6: Add approval only where it actually matters

You don’t need to approve every proposal.

Approval should be required only for:

• Custom pricing
• Non-standard scope
• Legal or compliance exceptions
• High-risk deals

Everything else should move automatically.

Practical takeaways

• Approval is a safety net, not a workflow.
• Too many approvals slow deals more than mistakes.

Step 7: Include follow-up as part of proposal ownership

Sending a proposal isn’t the finish line.

The owner should:

• Track sent proposals
• Follow up after X days.
• Log responses
• Flag stalled deals
• Close the loop (won or lost)

You shouldn’t be wondering: “Did that proposal ever go out?”

Practical takeaways

• Ownership includes follow-through.
• Silence kills deals faster than bad pricing.

Step 8: Replace checking with a proposal summary

You don’t need to be involved daily.

Ask for a simple summary:

• Proposals sent
• Proposals pending approval
• Proposals awaiting response
• Follow-ups due
• Deals at risk

Practical takeaways

• Visibility beats involvement.
• One summary keeps you informed without slowing work.

Step 9: Start with your most common proposal type

Don’t outsource everything at once.

Start with:

• One service
• One template
• One owner
• One follow-up cadence

Expand once it’s smooth.

Practical takeaways

• Narrow scope builds trust fast.
• Scale after consistency, not urgency.

Summary: Getting proposals off your calendar for good

If I were setting this up again, I wouldn’t ask “who can help me write proposals?” I’d ask, “Who can own my proposal process end-to-end?”

My non-negotiables

• Pricing decisions stay with me.
• Proposal execution is delegated.
• Templates for every repeatable offer
• Clear pricing and discount rules
• One owner responsible for prep, send, and follow-up.
• Approval only for real exceptions
• A simple summary instead of constant checking

When proposals are owned properly, they stop hijacking your calendar, and deals move forward without you having to assemble documents at the last minute.