Let me run a situation by you.
You get an enquiry for a fintech software project.
Say a payments company wants to build a new transaction processing platform
or a lending firm wants a customer onboarding and risk engine.
They send you a detailed requirements document.
Flows, features, integrations — everything written down.
You finally get the go-ahead to quote.
Your team then spends days on the proposal.
Understanding requirements.
Doing internal discussions.
Estimating effort.
Finalising tech stack, team size, delivery model, commercials — the whole thing.
A significant amount of senior time is invested in it.
And you know, this is probably your one real shot.
When that proposal doesn’t convert, it hurts.
Not just because the deal is gone,
But because weeks of effort and opportunity just went down the drain.
Hey there, I’m Tabish Bibikar, and I coach and mentor founders of software companies to build scale in their business fast.
This proposal problem comes up in almost every IT services coaching engagement I have.
Let’s look at what’s actually happening.
If a fintech client has taken the effort to document their requirements,
They’re not just sending it to you.
Obviously, they’re sending it to multiple vendors.
Now imagine what comes back.
Every proposal repeats the same requirements.
Everyone mentions a similar tech stack.
Everyone talks about fixed cost versus time and material.
And everyone tries to look competitive on price.
So what does the client compare?
Price.
Then you feel the client is tough, price-sensitive, or over-negotiating.
But in reality, we’ve created that situation ourselves.
We haven’t given them anything else to judge us on.
What should your proposal do differently?
Instead of just restating requirements, show that you’ve really understood how their fintech system will actually work.
For example, don’t just say
“payment processing with reconciliation.”
Show a simple functional flow —
transaction comes in,
validation happens,
settlement is triggered,
exceptions are handled.
Then show that you can think beyond today.
Explain your architecture choices.
Why does this design handle scale?
Why it’s safer from a security point of view.
Why it won’t break when transaction volumes grow.
And this part matters more than most teams realise.
Give them a glimpse of quality.
Even one or two rough UI screens —
maybe a transaction dashboard or an admin console —
helps them feel,
“Yes, these people are visualising the same level of product quality we are.”
It helps them place you on a scale.
Are you thinking like a premium fintech partner
or just another vendor?
One more thing.
Don’t force them into a yes-or-no decision.
Give two delivery options.
Give two commercial bundles.
Now the conversation becomes
“which option makes more sense,”
not “do we proceed or not.”
The goal of your proposal isn’t to be perfect.
It’s to help the client feel confident choosing you —
for your thinking, your clarity, and your quality —
not just your price.
If you’re building an IT services or fintech-focused software company
and want more practical, real-world insights like this,
subscribe to the channel and turn on notifications.
And if you want help improving how your proposals actually win deals,
reach out to me on LinkedIn.
Because proposals shouldn’t just be sent.
They should be won.
