Your
proposition
is losing
deals before
the call.
The Proposition Architect finds exactly where and tells you what to fix first. A scored diagnostic. A named failure pattern. A ranked fix sequence.
The plumber
who solves
the problem
Think about the last time you hired a plumber. You did not search for “plumber with 20 years’ experience.” You searched for “emergency boiler repair near me.”
You were looking for someone who solved your problem not someone who listed their qualifications.
Your website currently reads like the plumber who lists their qualifications. The Proposition Architect rewrites it so it reads like the plumber who solves the problem.
Not diagnosed
from a
whiteboard
Tom Wood built, merged, and exited a compliance consultancy from founding through to market leadership. He carried a broken proposition for years before he understood what was actually wrong with it.
When he fixed it from inside a business, under commercial pressure, with money on the line the difference was immediate.
The Proposition Architect is the framework he wished had existed. He does not run workshops. He solves proposition problems.
If more than two
of these are true,
it is the proposition
You updated your website in the last 12 months and the pipeline has not improved. You are starting to wonder whether the website was ever the problem.
You are losing deals you should win, and price keeps coming up even though your work is measurably stronger than the competition.
Prospects go quiet after a promising first conversation. You follow up. You get silence. You do not know what changed.
You are generating leads but the conversations are wrong too small, outside the sweet spot, from buyers who will not commit at the right level.
Price comes up more often than it should. You know your work is better. Buyers compare you to cheaper alternatives anyway.
You are considering a rebrand, a sales hire, or a marketing push and something is telling you to get the foundations right first.
Proposition
Score
Tests whether your proposition does the five jobs required to make a buyer stop, recognise themselves, and decide they have found the right partner before price enters the conversation.
-
01
SpecificOne buyer, one problem, one moment precisely named
-
02
StandoutGround occupied that no competitor can claim
-
03
SubstanceProof narrated with outcomes, not just displayed
-
04
SignatureA named, repeatable method only you own
-
05
ShareableBuyers can repeat it, refer because of it, spread it
Architecture
Score
Tests whether the commercial foundations are built in the right sequence. Seven layers, each scored independently. Your lowest layer is your only priority regardless of your total.
-
01
The FoundationIssue-led, outcome-driven, audience-specific
-
02
The Fit TestRight situations shown not general claims
-
03
The Visible PathProgression visible, not one-off project positioning
-
04
The Right ToolsServices serve a journey, not a standalone list
-
05
The Easy YesA low-friction entry point exists
-
06
The Public ProofExpertise demonstrated publicly, not described
-
07
The Open DoorEvery question answered before it is asked
Most proposition problems
fall into one of four patterns
Trap
The proposition reflects the seller’s capabilities, not the buyer’s problem. Buyers have to translate what you do into why it matters to them. Most do not bother.
Invite
The positioning casts too wide a net. The wrong people show up. The right people do not recognise themselves. The pipeline fills with the wrong conversations.
Cabinet
Proof is displayed but not narrated. Logos, names, years of experience. No outcomes. No context. No belief created. Buyers see credentials, not evidence.
Trap
Weak differentiation forces buyers to compare on price. The cheapest wins. Margin disappears. Relationships replace positioning as the only route to a deal.
The diagnostic identifies which pattern is active in your proposition and which layer to fix first.
When the proposition
is fixed
won
A professional services director was attracting the wrong prospects, writing proposals they were not going to win. The diagnostic identified the Mirror Trap and a misaligned ICP. Targeting was fixed before any further spend.
acquisition
A regional broker had a second commercial proposition buried inside his business invisible in his website and pitch. The diagnostic surfaced it. New proposition assets and copy were designed around it.
in days
A founder was generating inbound but attracting the wrong clients. The proposition was casting too wide a net. The diagnostic identified The Wrong Invite. Rebuilt around a defined problem and a specific buyer.
What most
founders do
Take the free diagnostic. The result names something they have suspected but could not articulate. Order the Reviewed Diagnostic. Take the debrief call with Tom. Decide what comes next. Some fix it themselves. Some want Tom to build it.
Score out of 60. Named failure pattern. Priority fix sequence. Instant result. No sign-up required.
Full website read. Tom’s commentary. Proposition blueprint. Fix sequence. 45-minute debrief call.
Tom designs, writes, and builds the proposition from the ground up. Assets, copy, and handover.
For founders who want Tom’s commercial judgment available as they grow. Monthly retainer.
Three entry points
- 5S Proposition Score (out of 25)
- Commercial Architecture Score (out of 35)
- Combined score out of 60
- Named failure pattern
- Priority fix, in sequence
- Personalised AI narrative
- Full website diagnostic and commentary
- Fix sequence, prioritised in the right order
- Proposition blueprint what it should say
- Tom’s viewpoint, not just the framework
- Use Cards to support your proposition
- 45-minute debrief call with Tom
- Full commercial partnership
- Diagnosis and position foundation
- Proposition redesign and build
- Web copy, decks, case studies
- Assets and handover
- Launch support
Tom Wood built a compliance consultancy from founding through to merger and exit. He knows what it costs to carry a proposition that is not working because he carried one, fixed it under commercial pressure, and came out the other side.
The Proposition Architect is the framework he built when he could not find one honest about where founder-led businesses actually break down.
He is a fractional Commercial Director. He does not run workshops. He solves proposition problems.