ASI Advisor increases proposal win-rate by 143%

The results

Win rate: 35% to 85% (143% increase)
Revenue impact: $1.5M+ additional annual revenue potential
Time savings: 75% reduction (6 hours to 2 hours per proposal)
Capacity gained: 14+ hours weekly (equivalent to 18 working weeks annually)

Michael Holdway's recruitment business, Searchlight Group, achieved these results by implementing an ASI Advisor trained on his proposal methodology and client psychology.

This transformation is especially significant given Searchlight works exclusively with government and not-for-profit clients—formal evaluation processes, strict scoring criteria, and zero tolerance for “salesy” persuasion.

“Working with an ASI Advisor has been a revelation,” Michael says. “When I re-read my old proposals and the ones written with my ASI Advisor, I know which proposal I'd go with if I were the client.”

The challenge

Michael was caught in the proposal hamster wheel: every submission required hours of work and produced inconsistent results.

Bloated proposals

“I had this tendency to keep throwing stuff in… and before you know it, the proposal is 15–18 pages long instead of six.”

Generic positioning

He often reused the closest existing proposal, including “a list of 60 roles I've filled,” with no time to refine examples.

Inconsistent quality

Output varied based on available time and energy—not ideal for rigorous procurement environments.

Capacity constraints

Six hours per proposal limited business development bandwidth.

Why not just use ChatGPT?

Consumer AI tools produce generic, machine-sounding text that lacks understanding of the business, the client, or the procurement psychology behind government decisions.

These tools prioritise output, not outcome. Automated mediocrity is still mediocrity.

What ASI Advisor provides

Michael's ASI Advisor is trained on Searchlight's business model, successful proposals, and the regulatory and political dynamics of public sector procurement.

Strategic RFQ analysis

Goes beyond stated requirements to identify unstated priorities, risk concerns, and evaluation psychology.
“That analysis is absolutely on the money,” says Michael.

Targeted proposal development

Produces responses that address both explicit criteria and implicit concerns with appropriate professional tone.

Persuasion framework integration

Applies subtle, proven persuasion principles without triggering sales resistance.

The result: proposals written in Michael's own voice—clear, strategic, and compelling.

Implementation: genuine partnership

Michael’s experience demonstrates that ASI Advisor is a collaborative tool—not a replacement.

Refining strategic instructions

“Over time, I've learned how to tighten the instructions I give the ASI Advisor.”

Managing strategic iterations

Adding an extra 15 minutes of refinement often produced a dramatically stronger proposal.

Understanding AI partnership

“It's the two of you working together… the chemistry.”

The transformation

Win rate: 35% to 85%

With an average of 100 proposals per year valued at $53,950:

• Before: $1,888,250 annual revenue
• After: $4,585,750 annual revenue
• Conservative estimate: $1.5M+ additional annual revenue

Time savings: 75% reduction

“If I, on average, would spend six hours… I probably do one now in two.”
Sometimes even 90 minutes.

This freed at least 14 hours weekly—nearly two working days.

Quality improvements

• Strategic targeting: Proposals match both stated and unstated needs.
• Consistent professionalism: No more rushed inconsistencies.
• Improved structure: “Much better than me writing verbose narratives.”
• Relevant evidence: Automatically selects the strongest examples.
• Multi-stakeholder appeal: Addresses evaluation committees, not individuals.

Capacity expansion

“Winning more work creates capacity issues, but I'm not moaning about that… I've been able to push away jobs I don't want.”

The competitive advantage

The proposals now address explicit requirements whilst strategically positioning Searchlight as the lowest-risk, highest-value choice.

Michael’s post-win conversations reveal something important:
Clients can’t articulate why they chose Searchlight—they simply felt it was the obvious choice.

The techniques influencing decisions are subtle and strategic—making them extremely difficult for competitors to identify or replicate.

Competitors can observe the outcomes, but not the mechanics behind them.

What this means for professional services

Michael’s transformation demonstrates how firms can use strategic intelligence to create competitive advantages that operate below competitor awareness.

The numbers speak clearly:

• 143% increase in win rate
• $1.5M+ additional revenue
• 14 hours weekly capacity gained
• Proposal time cut by 75%

The deeper transformation is strategic sophistication—doing things not just faster, but better.

Find out if an ASI Advisor solves your proposal problem

Book a 15-minute call with Steven Lewis to discuss your current proposal situation — win rates, time investment, quality consistency — and determine whether an ASI Advisor gives you the strategic capability Searchlight gained.

In that conversation, we'll examine your competitive context, your team's capabilities and where you would most benefit from AI-powered advice and execution.

You'll discover whether an ASI Advisor trained on your business would elevate your marketing and cement your positioning or whether another approach fits better.

You'll leave knowing whether an ASI Advisor is the solution to your proposal challenge and, if it is, exactly what implementation looks like and what results you can expect.