From Crickets to Clients: Proposal Strategies That Actually Work

You hopped on a discovery call, asked thoughtful questions, spent hours crafting a polished proposal—and then… nothing. No reply. No feedback. Just silence.

If you’ve ever been ghosted after sending a proposal, you’re in good company. Sophia, a listener from Melbourne, asked this exact question on a recent episode of the Boss Responses Podcast.

“I keep getting ghosted after sending proposals. I take the time to put together detailed plans for potential clients, but I never hear back. Is there something I should be doing differently?”

Short answer? Yes.

Longer answer? It’s probably not the proposal itself—it’s the system around it (or lack thereof).

Let’s break down why proposals often lead to crickets and how to stop spinning your wheels and start closing with confidence.

The Real Reasons You’re Getting Ghosted

Proposals don’t fail in a vacuum. Most ghosting happens because of gaps in process, mindset, or clarity. Here are the usual suspects:

1. You Treat the Proposal Like a Pitch, Not a Process

If you’re “sending a proposal” and hoping the client magically gets back to you, you’re putting your business fate in their inbox. Proposals shouldn’t be a desperate last step. They should be part of a bigger, intentional client journey.

2. You Didn’t Pre-Qualify the Lead

If you’re writing proposals for anyone who shows mild interest, you’re wasting your time. Not every inquiry deserves a detailed plan. You need a system to vet leads before you ever write up an offer—more on that below.

3. You Didn’t Show the Value Clearly

Clients rarely ghost because the price is too high. They ghost because they don’t see the value. If your proposal just lists deliverables without tying them to outcomes, you’re asking them to do all the mental math—and they won’t.

4. You Didn’t Make It Easy to Say Yes

Was there a clear next step? A decision deadline? Did the decision-maker even see the proposal? If you didn’t guide the client through the process, they might have gotten overwhelmed, distracted, or confused—and moved on.

Two High-Conversion Alternatives to the “Send and Wait” Method

Luckily, there are better ways to handle proposals. Ways that center clarity, confidence, and client respect. On the podcast, host Treasa Edmond and guest co-host Jamie Brindle shared two successful, but very different, systems. Let’s break them down:

Option 1: Treasa’s Structured Proposal System (95% Close Rate)

Treasa works with high-value, high-touch projects like ghostwriting and content strategy—and she’s crafted a repeatable system that converts.

Here’s what it looks like:

• Pre-qualification first. If someone isn’t a good fit, she doesn’t accept the discovery call booking.
• Discovery call = strategy session. She asks deep questions about goals, success metrics, project direction, desire outcomes, decision-makers, and timelines. If she feels the client is a good fit, she pre-schedules a call to go over the proposal.
• Proposal = choices. Most of Treasa's proposals have three tiers:
  1. What the client thinks they want
  2. What she recommends based on what they actually need (often at the upper end of the client's budget)
  3. The “everything and the kitchen sink” option (highest value)
• Branded and brief. She uses a polished template, never spends more than 30 minutes writing it, and customizes it to the client’s branding.
• Loom walkthrough. She records a short video to explain the proposal and sends it in the email along with the proposal—because the decision-maker is often not on the discovery call. That pre-scheduled follow-up call happens a day or two after the proposal is delivered.
• Expiration date. Every proposal has a deadline. After that, pricing and availability are re-evaluated.

Why it works:

It’s clear, confident, and client-centered. Clients feel guided, not sold to. And Treasa isn’t guessing—she’s walking into the proposal already knowing what the client needs and how they think.

Option 2: Jamie’s Real-Time Sales Call (No Proposal Needed)

Jamie, on the other hand, rarely writes proposals at all and still converts with ease. His approach is conversational, consultative, and fast.

Here’s how it works:

• Live strategy during the discovery call. Jamie walks the client through all the key questions on the call—success metrics, fears, decision-makers, timeline.
• Real-time pricing. He determines a fee range based on what he’s hearing, then narrows it down as they talk.
• Buy-in on the spot. He asks if they’re ready to move forward right then and there.
• No ghosts. Because they’ve agreed live, there’s no post-call mystery. If they’re not a fit, it becomes clear quickly.

Bonus tip:

Jamie keeps a cheat sheet up on his screen—a choose-your-own-adventure doc with go-to questions, responses, and pricing cues. It’s not a script, but it’s a safety net that lets him stay nimble and confident.

Why it works:

This method removes the black hole of follow-up. It also keeps the emotional energy of the conversation alive—something that can easily die when the momentum gets delayed by long docs and email chains.

Which One Should You Use?

The answer depends on you. Your service. Your comfort level.

• If you need more time to think, customize, and present—go with Treasa’s method.
• If you thrive on real-time connection and high-trust consults—lean into Jamie’s style.
• If you’re not ready for either, start by building your own process and practicing it. Discovery call roleplays, cheat sheets, follow-up templates… all of it helps.

But whichever method you choose, make this your new mantra:

“I don’t send proposals to people I don’t want to work with.” — Treasa Edmond

That boundary alone will save you hours—and a whole lot of heartache.

Ready to Stop Getting Ghosted

Start by auditing your current proposal system. Ask yourself:

• Do I have a clear process from first call to close?
• Am I qualifying clients effectively?
• Is my value unmistakably clear?
• Have I made it easy to say yes?

And then—whether you send a branded doc or close live on the call—lead with clarity, confidence, and care. Clients feel that. And they respond.

Nee help with your proposal process? Book a 60-minute strategy session with Treasa to iron out the kinks in your system.