Weak proposals are usually a symptom of weak discovery. Three shifts that improve qualification quality quickly.
When a proposal reads generically, the problem rarely sits with the proposal writer. It sits three meetings earlier, in a discovery conversation that stayed on the surface.
First shift: ask about consequence, not just need. What happens to the business if this stays unresolved for another two quarters?
Second shift: map the decision, not just the contact. Who signs, who influences, and what has stopped similar projects before?
Third shift: confirm understanding out loud. Summarise the problem back to the buyer before you propose anything. If they correct you, you have just saved a deal.