Resources
Proposals & Pricing
Articles about proposals & pricing for independent consultants.
Consulting Acceptance Criteria: How to Define "Done"
Learn how to write consulting acceptance criteria that define "done" objectively, prevent scope disputes, and get you paid on time with real templates.
Statement of Work vs Scope of Work: What's the Difference?
A scope of work is a section inside a statement of work — not a synonym. What each covers, which one is legally binding, and which document you actually need.
How to Calculate a Blended Rate for Consulting
The blended rate formula most consultants get wrong: worked examples, a decision matrix for when to blend, and a script for presenting one number.
What to Charge for Your First Consulting Client
Underprice your first client on purpose, not out of fear. Target-vs-launch rate math, the friend-discount rules, and a script to raise it next time.
Consulting Hourly Rate vs Project Rate
Hourly or fixed-fee decides who absorbs the scope risk. A decision matrix, worked $185/hr vs project math, and a script to position a project.
How to Price a Consulting Retainer
Stop guessing your monthly retainer fee. Three pricing frameworks - hours, deliverables, and access-based - with worked math and how to choose.
How to Raise Consulting Rates Without Losing Clients
Raising your consulting rates rarely costs the clients worth keeping. Here is the breakeven math, three rollout options, and word-for-word scripts.
The Consultant's Guide to Retainer Agreements
Retainers are consulting's highest-leverage pricing model when structured well: scope definition, billing cadence, and language that protects both sides.
How to Set Consulting Rates: A Practical Guide
A framework for setting consulting rates: when hourly works, when value-based wins, and how to build a floor rate that covers your unbilled time.
Consulting Proposal Template: What to Include and How to Close
How to structure a winning consulting proposal, from executive summary through terms: the essential sections plus formatting that helps you close.
How to Write a Statement of Work (With Examples)
How to write a statement of work: what it is, what each section does, the language that prevents scope disputes, and a complete worked example you can adapt.
Project vs. Retainer: How to Structure Consulting Engagements
Project or retainer: the operational and financial trade-offs that decide which engagement structure wins, and how to convert one into the other.
How to Price a Consulting Project: 5 Frameworks That Work
Five pricing frameworks for consulting engagements: when each wins, when each loses, and the math for choosing the right one for your next proposal.
Consulting Engagement Letter Templates (With Real Examples)
What a consulting engagement letter must include: scope, fees, and termination clauses, plus a working template for fixed-fee, hourly, or retainer work.