What is a healthy proposal win rate?

For inbound leads, 40-60%; for cold or competitive RFPs, 10-25%. Below 20% on warm inquiries usually signals a qualification problem: you are proposing to people who were never going to buy.

How do I cut the cost per win?

Qualify harder before writing (a 15-minute call kills bad fits cheaply), template the 80% that repeats, and charge for detailed scoping on large projects. Winning more of fewer proposals beats sending more.

Should I ever charge for a proposal?

For serious scoping work, yes: call it a paid discovery or roadmap engagement. Clients who refuse to pay for a plan tend to be the ones who dispute invoices later. Small quotes stay free.

Small business

Proposal win rate calculator

Every proposal you write is unpaid work bought with your hourly rate. This prices the chase: what a proposal costs, what a win really costs once the losses are amortized, and what is left of the project after.

Your numbers

Currency

Proposals sent

Over the last quarter or year, whatever window you trust.

Proposals won

Same window.

Hours per proposal

Scoping call, drafting, follow-ups. Be honest.

Your hourly rate

What that time would have billed.

Average project value

Typical revenue from a won proposal.

Results

Win rate25%

Cost per proposal: $400
Real cost per win: $1,600
Expected revenue per proposal sent: $2,000
Project value net of the chase: $6,400

Estimate

workingfigures.com/calculators/proposal-win-rate-calculator

The formula

Cost per win = proposal cost × sent ÷ won. Expected value per proposal = win rate × average project. When cost per win approaches project value, you are buying work at retail.

What this ignores

Proposal quality differences, relationship value of near-misses, and selection effects: a low win rate sometimes means brave targeting, not bad proposals. Read the trend, not one quarter.

FAQ

What is a healthy proposal win rate?: For inbound leads, 40-60%; for cold or competitive RFPs, 10-25%. Below 20% on warm inquiries usually signals a qualification problem: you are proposing to people who were never going to buy.
How do I cut the cost per win?: Qualify harder before writing (a 15-minute call kills bad fits cheaply), template the 80% that repeats, and charge for detailed scoping on large projects. Winning more of fewer proposals beats sending more.
Should I ever charge for a proposal?: For serious scoping work, yes: call it a paid discovery or roadmap engagement. Clients who refuse to pay for a plan tend to be the ones who dispute invoices later. Small quotes stay free.