• Turns a free 30-minute social media diagnostic into a business development tool — structuring the audit, framing findings to demonstrate expertise, and scripting the transition from free audit to paid engagement. Invoke when a consultant wants to offer a free audit as a lead generation technique, when preparing for a discovery meeting with a prospective client, or when converting an audit presentation into a paid proposal.
• Use this skill when it is the closest match to the requested deliverable or workflow.

• Do not use this skill for graphic design, video production, software development, or legal advice beyond the repository's stated scope.
• Do not use it when another skill in this repository is clearly more specific to the requested deliverable.

1. Collect the required inputs or source material before drafting, unless this skill explicitly generates the intake itself.
2. Follow the section order and decision rules in this

   SKILL.md

   ; do not skip mandatory steps or required fields.
3. Read files in

   references/

   only when the body points to them or when you need the deeper framework, examples, or evidence.
4. Review the draft against the quality criteria, then deliver the final output in markdown unless the skill specifies another format.

• Do not invent client facts, performance data, budgets, or approvals that were not provided or clearly inferred from evidence.
• Do not skip required inputs, mandatory sections, or quality checks just to make the output shorter.
• Do not drift into out-of-scope work such as code implementation, design production, or unsupported legal conclusions.

• A structured markdown document, plan, playbook, or strategy ready for client-facing or internal use.

• Read

  references/proposal-frameworks.md

  when you need the deeper framework, examples, or supporting material it contains.

• Prospect business name and industry — the business being audited
• Active platforms to audit — list only platforms the prospect currently uses (do not audit dormant accounts)
• Presentation format — in-person meeting, WhatsApp call, or written email report
• Consultant's primary service — the core service to position after the audit (e.g., monthly content management, social media strategy, community management)

1. It demonstrates expertise — the consultant surfaces findings the prospect has not noticed. Every specific observation builds credibility.
2. It creates a problem → solution dynamic — every finding is a gap, and every gap is a potential service line.

• Profile photo quality and consistency across platforms
• Bio completeness — does it include a clear call to action, a link, and relevant keywords?
• Contact information — WhatsApp number, email address, physical location where applicable
• Pinned posts, story highlights, and cover photos — are they current and purposeful?
• Link-in-bio destination — does it work? Does it lead to a relevant, converting page?

• Are content pillars evident, or is posting random and reactive?
• Is the brand voice consistent across posts, or does it shift in tone and register?
• Are posts formatted for the algorithm — video, carousel — or are they single static images by habit?
• Does the copy open with a hook, or does it bury the lead?
• Do promotional posts carry a call to action?
• Is there AI-generated content that sounds generic or off-brand?

• Average engagement rate vs industry benchmark — EA context: 2–4% is healthy for most SMEs; below 1% signals a content or frequency problem
• Post frequency vs recommended cadence for each platform — note the gap
• Best-performing post type: video, carousel, static image, or story
• Worst-performing post type
• Follower growth rate: growing, flat, or declining over the last 90 days?

• Follower count vs prospect
• Posting frequency vs prospect
• Content types used vs prospect
• Most engaged post — note the post type, approximate engagement numbers, and what made it work
• One specific thing the competitor is doing better

• Is there a clear path from social post to purchase or enquiry?
• Does the link-in-bio lead to a landing page, a WhatsApp number, or just the homepage?
• Is there a lead magnet or opt-in offer visible on any platform?
• Are paid posts being run? Are they boosted posts or properly targeted campaigns?
• Is there any social commerce integration — Facebook Shop, WhatsApp Business Catalogue, Instagram Shopping?

• 0–20 — Critical: Foundational gaps across multiple areas; significant opportunity
• 21–35 — Developing: Inconsistent performance; clear areas for improvement
• 36–50 — Healthy: Strong baseline; refinement and growth strategy needed

• Not: "Your captions don't have hooks."
• Instead: "Your posts aren't stopping the scroll, which means your organic reach isn't growing even when you post consistently."

1. Quick win — something the prospect can do this week at no cost (e.g., update the link-in-bio, pin a strong post, add a WhatsApp number to the Facebook profile)
2. Medium-term action — achievable within one month at low cost (e.g., establish 3 content pillars, commit to a posting schedule, set up Meta Business Suite)
3. Strategic recommendation — requires professional help and is the natural entry point for the paid engagement (e.g., develop a 90-day content strategy, set up a conversion-optimised profile suite, launch a community management programme)

"Based on what I've found, there are three areas where I could make an immediate difference for your business. I typically work with businesses like yours on a monthly retainer that covers [describe the core service]. Before I put together a formal proposal, can I ask — what's your priority right now: more content, better reach, or more enquiries from social?"

• Opens a conversation about the prospect's real goal rather than the consultant's service menu
• Avoids quoting a price before understanding priorities
• Creates a natural path to the written proposal

biz-dev-proposal

• Conduct the initial audit discovery on WhatsApp or in person — not email. Conversion rates for professional services engagements in the East African market are higher through direct, personal communication.
• The findings presentation can be delivered verbally with a printed one-pager, or via a WhatsApp voice note summary followed by a shared document. Match the format to the prospect's communication habits.
• If the prospect is not ready to engage, close with: "Can I check back with you in 30 days?" Recurring touchpoints are how East African professional services businesses build pipeline. Do not treat a deferred decision as a lost lead.
• On WhatsApp: send the one-pager as a PDF, not as a series of text messages. A document signals professionalism and is easier for the prospect to share internally.

references/proposal-frameworks.md

• Open with the problem the audit will reveal — not the audit methodology (Sant: Primacy Principle — the client cares about the insight, not the process)
• The audit offer is a diagnostic gift, not a sales tool — position it as intelligence the prospective client genuinely needs, regardless of whether they engage (Hatton: Empathy Model)
• Apply Go/No-Go criteria before offering a free audit — invest time only in prospects who meet all three qualifying criteria (Hatton)
• Frame the audit findings as the N (Need) in NOSE — the audit surfaces the problem; the proposal that follows provides the O, S, and E (Sant: NOSE)
• The audit offer document itself is Physical Evidence — its quality and specificity demonstrate the rigour of the agency's analytical process before the engagement begins (Hatton: Competitive Advantage Equation)

references/proposal-frameworks.md

• All 5 audit areas are scored numerically (0–10 each); no area is described qualitatively without a score
• The findings presentation leads with wins before gaps — trust is established before problems are introduced
• The competitor gap section uses real, specific data — follower counts, post types, engagement figures — not hypothetical or generalised comparisons
• The transition to paid is scripted word-for-word, not described abstractly
• The full audit takes no more than 30 minutes to conduct; preparation takes no more than 15 minutes
• Delivery format guidance is specific to EA context — WhatsApp, in-person, printed one-pager are all named explicitly
• Recommended next steps follow the three-tier structure: one free quick win, one low-cost medium-term action, one professional-help strategic recommendation
• Gap statements are framed as business consequences, not technical observations