Still scrambling through outdated bios or frantically pulling together last-minute case studies for an RFP or proposal? For consulting firms—especially larger ones with multiple service lines and high-stakes bids—the proposal process can feel like a big, never-ending productivity sinkhole.
Here’s the good news: proposal automation can help you get out of that abyss! Proposal automation is quickly becoming a competitive advantage for consulting firms, giving back valuable time, reducing stress on teams, and, most importantly, helping win more business.
Let’s look at a few common challenges and their solutions; and then dig into how proposal automation can transform how consulting firms operate, and improve win rates, without sacrificing the personalized touch your clients expect.
The Non-Billable Hours Dilemma
The Challenge: Non-billable work is a revenue drain on consulting companies; they need to be able to focus on billable activity and client work. For consulting firms, every hour spent fiddling with PowerPoint slides or searching for the latest “winning” executive summary eats into already tight margins; especially on fixed-fee or outcome-based projects.
The Solution: That’s why many firms are embracing automation for time-consuming, non-billable tasks such as RFP and proposal management. Proposal automation software can dramatically reduce admin overhead, freeing up consultants to spend more time doing what they do best: serving clients and winning business.
The High Cost of Manual Content Creation
The Challenge: Our latest benchmark survey showed that professional service orgs (including consulting firms) cited creating content from scratch/getting started as a top challenge. And it’s not just about how painfully slooooooow it is, the manual grind of building proposals from the ground up racks up hidden costs, like:
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Pulling high-value consultants into non-client-facing work
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Delays in submitting proposals—slowing revenue potential
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Inconsistent proposal quality that dilutes your firm’s brand
The Solution: Proposal automation tools take the heavy lifting out of content creation. Instead of starting from a blank page each time, teams can reuse curated, client-ready content that’s already been proven to work. Combine that with super-useful AI features (like auto-drafting copy or suggesting top-performing answers) and your team can respond faster, more consistently, and with greater confidence.
The Need for Insights
Challenge: To build winning proposals, firms need to know what’s working, and what’s not. Which content connects with clients? Where are prospects dropping off? What should be revised, reused, or retired? Without these insights, it’s like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping it sticks.
The Solution: Modern proposal platforms use AI and analytics to surface meaningful engagement data. You can see which pages get the most attention, which assets drive conversions, and where improvements are needed. This insight helps your team fine-tune proposals over time—so you’re not just working harder, but smarter.
Key Proposal Automation Features for Consulting Firms
Proposal automation isn’t about removing the human touch; it’s about giving your team time-saving tools that also boost consistency, and help your proposals stand out.
Here’s what best-in-class proposal automation can offer:
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A central content library where you store up-to-date bios, project case studies, service descriptions, and qualifications—no more version control chaos.
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AI-generated first drafts of executive summaries, tailored to client industry and project goals, saving you hours of blank-page paralysis.
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Dynamic templates that automatically adapt to different client needs, pulling in the right sections and formatting everything on-brand.
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Convenient search features so consultants can quickly find winning examples or thought leadership without pestering the marketing team.
When your proposal process is this streamlined, your team can focus on what really matters: building relationships, solving client problems, and winning new work.
How Automation Helps You Win Smarter
Time savings are great—but the real prize is smarter proposals that win more business. Proposal automation helps consulting firms win faster and more effectively in four key ways:
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Personalization at scale: AI helps customize responses quickly, so even last-minute proposals feel tailored—not templated.
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Faster speed to response: Respond to RFPs in hours or days, not weeks, improving your chances of making the shortlist.
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Higher proposal quality: Consistent messaging, up-to-date credentials, and polished layouts give your firm a professional edge.
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Stronger brand integrity: Every proposal stays on-brand, helping build recognition and trust with prospects.
Here’s the bottom line: the more efficient your proposal process, the more headspace your teams have to focus on strategy and creativity—where humans excel.
Ready to Win More Business?
In consulting, your proposals are often your first (and sometimes only) shot at making an impression. Proposal automation helps you make every proposal count— with less time wrangling content and more time winning business. And hey, who doesn’t want that?!
And, don’t take our word for it...
“I completed an RFI in 20 minutes using Qorus. It took my team 6 hours to complete the same document without Qorus.”
– Global Consulting Firm
If you’re ready to bring efficiency and intelligence to your proposal process, let’s talk.
