The course “Consultant Behaviour” was offered to Master’s students following the Master in Management from ESCP Business School as part of the specialization “Consulting dynamics and practices”. It aims at providing, through a transversal approach, a deep knowledge of the Consulting practice and the different aspects of the consulting work. This session focuses on the consulting commercial proposal with a comparison between two different styles (an MBB and a hybrid consulting company) to understand the differences consultants may face in their careers.

1. Spring 2021
1
Consulting Behaviour
Stream A7
Dr. Benjamin Lehiany
& Stéphane Lesage
Session 4:
The commercial proposal

2. 1. The consulting industry,
actors & hot topics
2. Consulting jobs &
careers
2
3. The mission lifecycle &
consultant toolbox
4. The commercial
proposal
5. The Consultant posture,
ethics & time management
COURSE STRUCTURE & CONTENT

3. 3
The mission life-cycle
The big picture
PRE-SALES
• Prospection
• Promotion
• Call for tenders
POST-MISSION
• Satisfaction survey
• References
QUALIFYING THE NEEDS
• Transform needs into opportunities
• Screen decision process & budget
• Commercial proposal:
• Approach and action plan
• Quotation
PITCH & SELECTION
• Pitch front of the client to
introduce approach, action plan
and submit a quotation
• Selection of the consulting firm
• Bargain before the deal
EXECUTION
• Data collection
• Analysis, Diagnosis
• Project management
• Conclusions and deliverables
CLOSING
• Internally: return on experience /
Knowledge Management
• Externally: Identification of new
needs / joint opportunities

4. 4
What’s the commercial proposal ?
A consulting proposal is a document sent to a potential
client that acts as a sales pitch. It outlines how the
consultant would handle a specific project and under
which conditions. A consulting proposal is also a
marketing document that shows why the consultant’s
experience and skills make them the best fit for the job.

5. 5
The commercial proposal
General structure
Context &
understanding.
• Summarizing key external &
internal factors (strategic
diagnostic).
• Qualifying the need (c.f. SCQ
and Pyramid structure).
Targets & objectives.
Aligning on key objectives and
questions to be addressed (c.f.
SCQ framework).
Methodology &
planning.
• Describing the approach
• Listing the main streams
• Describing deliverables
• Planning & action plan
Governance & Team.
• Profiles and expertise of the
team
• Governance of the project
(steering & decision bodies,
roles and rules)
Financial offer.
• General estimation of the
budget & workload
• Firm commitment
• Payments due dates
Why choosing us?
• Track record
• Knowledge & Know-how
• Reputation
• Differentiation
It’s a contract!

6. 6
Illustration
MBB and Hybrid styles
Remarks about the following illustrations: MBB versus Hybrid company:
• The purpose is purely illustrative – not comparative.
• In fact, both proposals are not comparable as the missions are very different: MBB's proposal is answering a
financial / technical requirement for a Portuguese client in the financial sector; the hybrid company’s proposal is
answering a management / qualitative requirement for a French client in the luxury sector.
• MBB's proposal was made in 2010; Hybrid’s proposal in 2019.
• We have extracted some slides in order to illustrate each step of a proposal. The complete proposals are of
course seamless and perfectly coherent.
• Note that MBB's proposal is made of 117 slides with many financial graphs and tables. Onepoint’s proposal is
made of 45 slides with many immersive examples and pictures.
• The proposals are strictly confidential. Therefore, they have been anonymized.
• Both proposals have been selected. Thus, they can be both considered as relevant examples.
MBB Hybrid company

7. 7
1. Context & understanding
• Summarize your
understanding of the context
and the key issues
• Introduce your knowledge
of the client environment
• What is at stake?

8. 8
1. Context & understanding
MBB style
• A lot of text!
• A lot of data!
• (Almost) no
mistake (see in
red)
• Your slides must
be perfect!
• Generic title
Very small mistake.
Your slides must be perfect!

9. 9
1. Context & understanding
MBB style
• Context of the
requirements
• Generic titles
• MBB's strengths
for this project

10. 10
1. Context & understanding
MBB style
• Macro-
environment
analysis
• Nothing but a
PESTEL analysis
(without saying
it!)
• Qualifying title

11. 11
1. Context & understanding
MBB style
• Growth strategy
• Strategic scope
and
diversification
opportunities
• Qualifying title

12. 12
1. Context & understanding
Hybrid style
• A lot of text!
• No data!
• Friendly design
(image)
• No mistake!
• Qualifying title

13. 13
1. Context & understanding
Hybrid style
• A lot of text!
• No data!
• Friendly design
(image, quotes…)
• No mistake!
• Qualifying title
The
client
logo

14. 14
1. Context & understanding
Hybrid style
• Friendly design
(image, quotes…)
• No mistake!
• Qualifying title
The
client
logo

15. 15
2. Target & Objectives
Aligning on key objectives
and questions to be
addressed (c.f. SCQ
framework).

16. 16
2. Target & Objectives
MBB style
• A lot of text!
• One general
objective
• Specific sub-
objectives
• Generic title

17. 17
2. Target & Objectives
Hybrid style
• Key success
factors
• Three objectives
• Friendly design
• Qualifying title

18. 18
3. Methodology & Planning
A clear methodology
• Describes the structure of
your approach and objectives
• Lists the main stream
• Describes deliverables
(as far as possible
illustrated with concrete
examples)

19. 19
3. Methodology & Planning
MBB style
• Nothing but a
GANTT Chart!
• Generic title
the client

20. 20
3. Methodology & Planning
MBB style
• A detailed GANTT
Chart!
• Generic title

21. 21
3. Methodology & Planning
MBB style
• Clear detailed
methodology
• Illustration with
visuals
• Qualifying title

22. 22
3. Methodology & Planning
MBB style
• Detailed output
• Phases of the
project
• Again, a lot of
content!
• Generic title

23. 23
3. Methodology & Planning
Hybrid style
• Friendly design
• Few text, no data
• Qualifying title
The
client
logo

24. 24
3. Methodology & Planning
Hybrid style
• Nothing but a
GANTT chart!
• Qualifying title

25. 25
3. Methodology & Planning
Hybrid style
• Zoom on the
workshops
• Detailed
deliverables
• Illustrative visuals
The
client
logo

26. 26
4. Governance & Team
• Profiles and expertise of the
team
• Governance of the project
(steering & decision bodies,
roles and rules)

27. 27
4. Governance & Team
MBB style
• Detailed roles and
responsibilities!
• This is key to
prevent potential
conflicts.
• Generic title

28. 28
4. Governance & Team
MBB style
• MBB's
proposal includes
the CVs of all
team members
• Skills oriented

29. 29
4. Governance & Team
Hybrid style
• Team oriented
• No CVs but stories
• Friendly design
• Qualifying title

30. 30
5. Financial offer
• General estimation of the
budget & workload
• Firm commitment
• Payments due dates

31. 31
5. Financial offer
Outlook
• Budget is usually established by the Partners (especially for the daily fees).
• Pertinence of the different project phases (in line with the planning) allows accurate workload
quantification and quotation
• Be aware the quotation will be challenged by the client’s purchaser dept.
• BILL TYPOLOGIES
Billed to the workload = client will be charged depending on the actual attendance of
the consultant(s)
Flat rate bill = the amount of the bill is predetermined for the execution of the project
(whatever the actual workload => be careful to size appropriately the intervention).
Success fees = the conditions of the invoice are predetermined in advance (whatever
the actual workload) as a percentage of the performance attributable to the mission.
!

32. 32
5. Financial offer
MBB style
MBB’s pricing is highly confidential. The invoice is based
on daily fees and workload. The final price may increase
with travel and other expenses.
“It’s a lot of money but it is not expensive.”

33. 33
5. Financial offer
Hybrid style
• General
estimation
• Proposal with
various options
(incl. min
commitment).
• Travel and other
expenses to be
defined

34. 34
6. Why choosing us
• Track record
• Knowledge & Know-how
• Reputation
• Differentiation

35. 35
6. Why choosing us
MBB style
MBB's “Why choosing us?” section includes 52
slides (out of 117). It covers:
• MBB's strengths for this specific project
• Relevant case experience
• MBB's global presence
• Key references in the financial sector
• A presentation of MBB's strategy
• MBB's approach to strategic projects
• MBB's publications
• MBB history
• …

36. 36
6. Why choosing us
Hybrid style
The hybrid company’s “Why choosing us?” section
includes 9 slides (out of 45). It covers:
• A presentation of the hybrid company
• A presentation of its partnership with another company
• A presentation of their strategy and approach to consulting
• A presentation of their ecosystem
• A presentation of the Innovation Business Unit in charge of the project.

37. 1. The consulting industry,
actors & hot topics
2. Consulting jobs &
careers
37
3. The mission lifecycle &
consultant toolbox
4. The commercial
proposal
5. The Consultant posture,
ethics & time management
COURSE STRUCTURE & CONTENT
Next session
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