Start by submitting your idea, materials, or draft work through the intake form "How Can We Help" or review how clients typically engage with Thought Knockout on our Products & Services page.
Include any information that clearly and accurately defines the scope of work. While your quote will restate deliverables, well-defined expectations up front lead to a more accurate quote and a more efficient engagement.
If additional detail is needed, we will follow up with specific clarification requests and, if necessary, supporting documentation. There’s no need to over-polish anything. The goal is simple:
Get your idea out of your head and into a format that can be reviewed clearly.
Once submitted, your materials will be reviewed and you’ll receive a structured quote outlining next steps.
After we have reviewed your submission, you’ll receive a structured quote outlining scope, Initial Review pricing, and recommended next steps. Work is scoped based on the type of support required, not just project size.
Each quote clearly defines:
- Scope of work and deliverables
- Fixed cost for Initial Review
- Recommended engagement type(s)
- Projected pricing for next steps
To begin, you review and accept the quote, and pay the Initial Review invoice. Once payment is received, work begins! We don't move onto a subsequent paid step until you're ready to commit, and each major step is invoiced separately.
So, what can you expect from your first quote? Well, that depends on the projected depth of engagement. You can avoid sticker-shock by clearly defining (and if needed, limiting) your project scope.
Initial Review (Required Entry Point) | Typical Range: $50 – $300 (Flat)
This is a fixed price based on submission complexity and scope. It establishes clarity, direction, and viability (basic feasibility) and is required before any additional work is quoted. If your project clearly doesn't have legs, you'll have paid for the engagement, but you'll still receive a clear, direct explanation of why it's not currently viable or workable.
Clarity & Structuring | Typical Range: $300 – $2,500+
This is used when ideas need to be shaped into something workable (organizing ideas, aligning direction, building a coherent foundation). It may include outlining, narrative structure, and positioning. The more engaging the project, the higher the quote.
Proposal / Grant QC & Refinement | Typical Range: $500 – $2,000+ per pass
This is applied to proposals, applications, and formal documentation with a focus on clarity, alignment, and reviewer-readiness. Examples include reviewing and strengthening existing materials, drafting narratives, and reporting support.
Additional services (such as strategic advisory via asynchronous brainstorming, deep-dives into policies and processes, and so forth are quoted along similar lines. Explore our Products & Services page for more details.
An Initial Review is the required entry point for all engagements. Once your invoice is paid and all supporting documentation is submitted (and any follow-up questions our team has for you are answered), your materials are reviewed with a focus on clarity, structure, and real-world viability.
You will receive:
- a clear summary of your concept
- identification of any gaps, risks, and misalignment we pick up on
- direct, actionable recommendations on next steps (whether additional engagements with Thought Knockout, or recommendations for you to take back to your own team to get moving on)
If the project has strong potential, you’ll receive a recommended path forward. If it doesn’t, you’ll still leave with a clear understanding of why.
In terms of delivery, all feedback is provided asynchronously via:
- written summary
- annotated documents (if applicable)
- recorded video explanation (when useful)
Structuring & Development is the next step when an idea has potential but needs to be organized into something clear, coherent, and workable. It is a separate paid engagement. Once engaged, your concept is developed into a structured foundation that can support execution, funding, or expansion.
You will receive:
- a clearly defined and connected narrative
- aligned direction and positioning
- a structured framework built from your existing materials
This phase focuses on turning ideas into something that holds together. It's not about starting from scratch, but rather shaping what’s already there into something usable.
If additional refinement or validation is needed, the project may move into further review and refinement work.
Again, all work is completed asynchronously, via written documents and structured outputs, annotated materials (as applicable), and recorded video explanations (when useful). We keep these clean, consistent, and right in line with what you’ve built so far.
Review & Refinement is used once materials are developed and need to be strengthened, aligned, and prepared for real-world use. It is a separate paid engagement, typically completed in focused review passes.
Each pass includes:
- detailed, actionable feedback on your materials
- identification of clarity issues, gaps, and misalignment
- targeted recommendations to strengthen structure and overall presentation
This phase focuses on pressure-testing your work and making sure it holds up (whether for funding, internal decision-making, or external review). Each pass builds on the last, depending on how far the materials need to be taken.
As always, all work is completed asynchronously, via written feedback, annotated documents, and recorded video explanations (when useful).
Ready to get started? Tell us how we can help.