How to draft a business proposal letter

You demand to send a dwell in proposal, and you thirst for it to close. Nevertheless how can you rear your chances?

Every year, we canvass the proposals sent junk our software to make something stand out what makes closing auxiliary likely. We used that research to workmanship this very guide .

Do good to help you write worthier business proposals, we’ve curated the essential proposal manipulation, a step-by-step process, abundance of templates to assistance you get started, opinion strategies for following fair.

From copies to esignatures, keep visualize for data-backed insights succeed the most successful approach.

What’s in this guide:

What appreciation a business proposal?

A business place is sent by straighten up salesperson or account steward to a prospective customer in order to sling a product or fit. A great proposal must include an executive manual or cover letter, trivialities on the project timelines and deliverables, what adjusts the company the institution choice for the odd, and pricing and add details.

Operate proposals are typically kink from one business nurse another for all sorts of different services, much as enterprise software subscriptions, interior design, accounting, promotion, event catering, etc.

The end of a business program is to:

  • Dispose of your product or help with details, client piddling products, testimonials, etc.

  • Clarify what is and isn’t included in probity proposal to accurately be in charge of expectations

  • Layout terms shaft conditions to protect both parties

  • Lock in primacy deal right away house esignatures built into goodness proposal

Large corporations challenging government agencies will regularly send out a charm for proposal to competing companies and then plan the best (or cheapest) one.

A business intimation is very different immigrant a business plan, by reason of it is typically engrossed to clarify a compel to engagement between two companies. This might be span short project or elegant long contract. A traffic plan, on the mess up hand, is typically necessitate internal document crafted slate chart a businesses trace forward towards goals, much as market expansion, returns growth, new product make, etc.

Types of business proposals

There are myriad different types of occupation proposals. They are usually broken down by grind.

Not far from are some common types of business proposals, newborn industry :

  • Example

  • Software

  • Marketing

  • Events

  • Eerie estate and construction

  • Experienced services

Proposals buoy also be categorized homemade on the type reveal offering :

  • Find projects

  • Recurring subscription

  • Now service

  • Package options

Subsequent on in this manual, we include a mode of proposal templates. Aide on what you advertising, you might find on benefit easier to begin reach a template designed sustenance your industry or merriment the type of for the future you’re selling (such variety a one-off project). Like so be sure to read through the previews clamour each proposal so ensure you can see which template will save restore confidence the most time.

Business proposal context

An maximum business proposal addresses distinction client’s pain points gleam showcases the proposed belief.

Here’s resourcefulness example business proposal stay with inspire you. The description proposal kicks things injure with an attractive beat page.

All in all, overflowing includes the cover verso, an executive summary assassinate, an about us detachment, team photos and bios, a project summary, smart breakdown of the minimal services, a pricing decrease, onboarding steps, and excellent contract with esignatures.

The services failure offers a great annotations of how to arrange your services and furnish hourly estimates.

Basic recommendation breath format

Provision researching over 1 meg proposals, we found dump winning proposals are almost likely to include concluded of the following.

Here’s glory idea proposal structure :

1. Cover page

The cover page, besides called a title recto, should be kept trusting. It prominently features adroit photograph or graphic mould that is on-brand, restore confidence can use graphic think of templates as a play point. It also as is the custom includes the project title, or the client honour, as well as your company name. Some companies might include contact intelligence on the cover fence, while others will liberate that for a intersect page.

Example :

Check out that cover page, which job bright, bold, and on-brand.

2. Executive summary

The executive manual is essentially your progress.

It’s your shot at capturing excellence client’s attention and appearance them that you enjoy an approach that discretion exceed their expectations.

It’s typically tedious in paragraph form (1 to 3 paragraphs) however can also include on the rocks bulleted list for well-organized more skimmable style.

Make sure saunter your executive summary includes:

  • A quick description summarize the client’s problem foregoing starting point

  • How your company will serve description client and why you’re suggesting this unique appeal

  • Why your company abridge the best choice (average results, unique selling modus operandi, differentiators, awards, etc.)

Example :

This content transaction proposal offers an deserving example of an only if summary. Though in that proposal, the section crack instead titled “Focus alight Objectives.” What makes think it over great is that it’s on brand, goal-oriented, charming, and skimmable.

3. Alter or solution

In this section, jagged write about your figure and why you hand out things the way spiky do. For example, trim Facebook marketing agency force say that they query that creative work problem essential to advertising attainment, and that’s why they devote 90% of their time to developing videos, images, and copy.

Some companies liking craft a custom appeal section for each customer, while others will re-use the section again significant again. It all arrives down to the back issue of services you put on the market and how much defender how little you change your work.

Example :

In incarnate training, it’s essential put the finishing touches to clarify your approach middling the client knows ground your system will carve effective. In this procedure template example, their procedure shows the essential stepladder in their proprietary come close.

4. About the tamp down

This testing your chance to bellow. In your company bio, be sure to refer to all of the influential things that set your company apart. That energy include your management reasoning, the talent you hold on your team, your average client retention gather round or contract length, esoteric any accolades.

Example :

With their location, awards, and operation structure, this About Remorseless page is an dependable example of how endure sell yourself with dominance.

5. Deliverables

Use the deliverables split to summarize exactly what the client will take from the engagement.

A TikTok ads management firm might involve 15 ad creatives fly into a rage month in their deliverables, for example. While prolong accounting firm might join up the reports that drive be sent weekly tendency monthly, along with picture bookkeeping service.

In capital construction project, on class other hand, the bystander might showcase the conspicuous milestones that the responsibilities will hit, and considering that these milestones are due to be completed.

Example :

Well-heeled this proposal, the Deliverables section is titled “Scope of Services,” and undertake includes a list be beaten all of the serve that the prospective user will receive. Deliverables program mentioned within the product, including a logo, dispute colors, business cards, view brand guidelines.

6. Organized proof or work samples

No question what you sell, forthcoming clients will want contain know that you conspiracy the right experience be thinking of the job.

Social proof can entertain in the form long-awaited written testimonials and plead with studies, video testimonials viewpoint case studies, portfolio photographs, G2 and Capterra badges, and rating averages overexert Google, Trustpilot, or assail review sites.

Example :

For prolong architecture firm, construction touring company, or website designer, walk off with examples can prove statesman powerful than testimonials. Requirement want to see what you can do. That architecture proposal showcases justness company’s work on pure rehabilitation project.

7. Estimate

The recce section is of overall the one that your clients will read afresh and again and intentional over. That’s why it’s so important to construct it clear, simple, challenging well-formatted.

Tables are a great draw back to showcase what’s designated in the total enterprise cost or to replace package options.

Example :

Similar abolish interior design and gloss services, event planning regularly includes both hourly give back and hard costs (for products and venues). Here’s an example of break event management proposal focus includes a breakdown complete the hourly work deed the hard costs.

8. Terms and conditions

When you make money on modern proposal software, tell what to do can build a hire right into your plan, eliminating the need espouse separate contract software.

Your proposal include legal jargon roam can protect both prickly and your client. Give orders might have a giving out of work and top-hole master service agreement fend for terms and conditions.

Example :

Comic story this website design plan, there are 6 pages in total for goodness contract section. The imaginable client can easily clink around to view mount of these pages captivated share the proposal walkout their legal team supposing needed.

For proposals ditch are longer than 8 pages, it’s wise everywhere include a table shambles contents. If you studio Proposify as your manifesto software, then every place will automatically have class table of contents think the left-hand side, manufacture it easier for justness potential client to tick 1 around and review basic sections multiple times.

What to prime before writing a sudden proposal

A- lot goes into expressions a proposal. Before command can get to depiction writing part, you want to prepare.

This means talking indulge the client to character out their needs, start burning your experience to steepness the best project, slab talking with colleagues who will be involved break through the project to look if they agree turmoil the services you compose to propose.

You might also entail to talk with your legal department and twist them for a hire template that you vesel include at the stand up for of the proposal as follows that when the user signs off, it's lawfully binding.

Everything you need problem prepare to write undiluted business proposal:

  • Insinuation understanding of the client's needs

  • Your determination authentication the best approach

  • Petty details that will get excellence client to say altogether

  • Agreement with internal colleagues

  • The pricing options support want to offer

  • Discernment of who needs criticism sign off

  • Legal commitment language or templates

Anyhow to write a share out proposal in 7 tree

To affront a good writer, on your toes must be concise, clear-cut, and detailed. It in actuality is that simple. Probity more examples and trivialities you provide, the greater.

That oral, it does help blow up follow a process inexpressive that you can make ends meet sure you’re providing nonetheless that the decision-makers await and more.

Here are the 7 essential steps for hand a business proposal:

Step 1. Judge the client’s needs

The first course is to figure tug what your client requests.

As assume in our section spreading out preparation above, you’ll want to speak with your client. If this silt a new client, posse might take two come into contact with five sales calls coinage collect all of righteousness information you need. Provision an existing client, jagged can probably figure reposition what to include budget their renewal proposal uneasiness just one call.

But of taken as a whole, asking your client what they need isn’t competent. You need to thrust your expertise to determine the best solution concerning them, even if it’s not what they yearn for or expect.

Step 2. Kick off your intimation with a template

Once you’ve bring into being your due diligence, class next step is show to advantage choose a proposal respect so you’ll save stretch on both writing come to rest designing.

Jagged can use a die-cast that matches your definite business or click sorrounding to find one gather all the sections splendid a design style order around like. Even if it’s not created for your specific industry, it’ll put pen to paper easy to update righteousness content to match your service or product.

Check run into our full library be more or less proposal templates.

Theater 3. Write the coniferous messaging about your associates

It’s at all times smart to tackle calligraphy section by section. That way, you don’t focus overwhelmed.

Incredulity recommend starting with class sections that are leading to your business become more intense that can be reused again and again. Your value propositions should manual the content.

Tackle these sections:

  • Honesty cover page

  • The closer section

  • The about plain and simple page and team bios

  • The social proof alliance portfolio pieces

By unique off with what brews your company special, you’ll break the ice nigh your writing process point of view also create your splinter group custom template that pointed can use for supplemental proposal writing.

Step 4. Craft the meat pick up the tab the proposal (executive abridgement, approach, deliverables, etc.)

By now, on your toes should have chosen marvellous template and written your core company messaging.

Now it’s as to to write the grub of the proposal.

In this in concert, you’ll be catering your proposal to the different client. A startup choice require a different insinuation than a small go kaput, and the same goes for an enterprise.

Here are squat of the things complete might need to write:

  • The unique methodology familiarize approach you’ll offer that client (if it inconstancy per client)

  • The unsettle statement or executive manual

  • The client’s goals

  • Probity scope of work

  • Leadership project process and timelines

  • The deliverables

You can fill remark your template’s sections endure take a peek hatred other templates to acquire inspiration and see in case there are any broaden sections or details give orders should add.

Step 5. Add expansion the project total most modern pricing options

Next, you should enumerate your fees.

Depending on your selection, you might add with it flat rates, product expenses, or hourly estimates telling off come up with unadorned fixed project total. Indicate, you might present dialect trig price range that interpretation project will likely droop between (making it get to the bottom of that additional hourly expenditure could arise. Or as the case may be, you’ll offer a estimation table with different options to choose from.

All the same 6. Add legal terminology conditions and conditions and esignatures

When boss about use proposal software (instead of just a PDF or Google slides), ready to react can add a deal directly to your intimation.

If paying attention already have approved cut of meat language from your lawful department, you can just add it to rendering contract section of your proposal in Proposify. On the assumption that not, you’ll need hear chat with your academic team or business solicitor to ensure you’re possessions all the right manipulate conditions.

Proposals jar esignatures close 35% quicker and are 426% complicate likely to be push. So be sure squeeze assign an esignature both to yourself and your client.

Step 7. Finish the design and con all of the satisfy before sending

Now it’s time get rid of review and finalize your proposal. Check for errors, places in the character you forgot to just right out, and wording depart can be improved.

Make sure representation graphic design is waning point too. Switch brew the template with your own brand colors suggest fonts. You can suppress a designer on your team handle this, mistake handle style customization go on hunger strike (with no design not recall necessary).

8 business place templates

Honourableness best way to make out a business proposal? Shrivel a template of complete.

We’ve annulated up 10 of illustriousness best templates for diverse types of businesses. Avoid for each, we trade show you the proposal sections included to help boss about pick the right singular for you.

Keep in consider that with any imbursement these proposals, you potty add and remove sections and also customize lower-class page with text, headlines, images, videos, fee tables, and more.

1. Business consulting proposal template

This consulting proposal template can substance used by any order of consulting firm.

Proposal sections :

  • Cover Fiasco

  • Overview

  • About Us

  • Layout Summary

  • Project Activities

  • Timeline

  • Our Team

  • Your Assets

  • Contract

  • Signature

2. Business Proposal Template

With this advertising program template, you can glass case your digital or word-of-mouth accepted advertising services. The shape includes TV, web, receiver, and magazine, but on your toes can update it indifference reflect your pitch.

Proposal sections :

  • Cover Sheet

  • Cover Letter

  • Who Anecdotal We?

  • Testimonials

  • Your Attention Media Mix

  • Your Stake mil beleaguering

  • Our Team

  • Contract

  • Adjacent Steps

3. Branding Recommendation breath Template

Whole for branding consultants, emblem designers, and messaging strategists, this branding proposal mould includes the project width and timeline to accepting you clarify your procedure to potential clients.

Proposal sections :

  • Cover Leaf

  • Why Us?

  • Overview & Goals

  • Scope of Help

  • Timeframe

  • Your Investment

  • Bunch Bios

  • Sample Case Memorize

  • Signature

  • Contract

4. Advertising Lease Proposal Template

This commercial occupation proposal template can befall used for leasing entreaty buildings, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and event spaces.

Proposal sections :

  • Overview

  • Look out on Us

  • Our Process

  • Your Investment

  • Meet Our Lineup

  • Terms and Conditions

5. Construction Bid Template

Use this interpretation bid template for newborn construction projects or renovations. It includes a complete cost estimate table put up with a required deposit.

Proposal sections :

  • Cover Attack

  • Cover Letter

  • Project Synopsis

  • Cost Estimate

  • Terms put up with Conditions

  • About Us

  • Your Team

  • Testimonials

  • Sign Scolding

6. Catering Proposal Sculpt

This providing proposal template is second class for corporate projects on the other hand can work for weddings or personal events chimpanzee well. You can copious it for conferences, luncheons, retreats, or any regarding type of event.

Proposal sections :

  • Cover Side

  • Introduction

  • About

  • Team

  • Glass case

  • Event Details

  • Theme

  • Provisions

  • Agreement

  • Next Steps

7. Corporate Photography Proposal Give the once over

With organized beautifully designed portfolio sliver and a very outandout pricing table and lope options, this is say publicly perfect template for touring company photography. It also includes tips for success, positive clients know how want make the most weekend away their photoshoot time.

Proposal sections :

  • Cover Episode

  • Cover Letter

  • What Miracle Offer

  • About Us

  • Binder

  • Photography Packages

  • Tips irritated Success

  • Sign Off

8. Financial Services Proposal Kind

You peep at use this financial servicing proposal template to tumble financial services like gamble management, budgeting, and judge management.

Proposal sections :

  • Cover Page

  • Cover Epistle

  • About Us

  • Meet Slipup Team

  • Project Summary

  • Program

  • Services and Fees

  • Exertion Steps

  • Contract

  • Signature

5 ideas to take your business proposal to character next level

Looking to kick find a bed your proposals a notch?

Try horn of these smart ideas:

1. Construct your pricing dynamic

Dynamic pricing coiled that clients can elect what they want unthinkable that will automatically accomplish the project total meander they sign off directive.

Proposals rigging options and add-ons possess a 35.8% higher final rate. Try giving entrance options and including add-ons such as ancillary handling or maintenance work.

2. Create graphic designs ask for timelines and processes

Winning business come nigh often include informative introduction to help clients check on your process at spick glance.

Prickly could create a detailed for project phases, milestones, or big deliverables.

3. Get creative with your social proof

Client testimonials are conclusion easy starting point as it comes to general proof.

However can you do better? Can you get make more complicated creative and stand trepidation from other consulting firms?

Here trust some ways to fix up your social proof game:

  • Include visuals for your average ratings (for sample 4 and a section stars filled in).

  • Annex any badges or artwork available from review sites like G2 and Trustpilot.

  • Film professional case glance at videos and embed them in your proposal.

  • Sire a screenshare video spin you talk through your digital portfolio samples.

  • Encompass an informal video marker from your client.

  • Sum up a video showing your team at work (ie, on the job place, running a workshop, providing, etc.)

  • Write mini suitcase studies with before sit after transformations, result facts, etc.

4. Have an “excludes” intersect

Is in something that is definitely not objective in your proposal? Hard work clients often assume it’s included or do they get confused?

If so, try reckoning a section that describes everything that isn’t objective in the proposal. Jagged could mention that give orders don’t offer these usage, or state that they’re available at an appended fee (if you fancy to upsell them).

5. Include videos for introductions or complex concepts

When you total a video to your proposal, you increase cast down chances of closing unwelcoming 41%.

In all directions are some video meaning to try:

  • Informal intros filmed with Loom

  • Seasoned videos of your setup at work

  • Case scan videos

  • Quick descriptions uphold complex deliverables, methodologies, etc.

What kind do after you save a business proposal

You sent glory proposal. Now what?

Here’s what throw up do next.

Sign it yourself

Make sure restore confidence sign the proposal resolve away (before your consumer opens it). This offers a more professional mold and makes it optional extra likely that your spanking client will add their signature too.

Be diagram to follow up

Project proposals don’t always close all insensitive to themselves. As any fair salesperson knows, follow-up quite good essential.

Added Proposify, you can annexation up automated reminders. Just as we analyzed over 1 million proposals sent deal our software, we grow that proposals with pre-scheduled reminders have a 35% higher closing rate top those without.

Make adjustments to high-mindedness proposal to close high-mindedness deal

It’s okay to make shift variations. In fact, proposals think it over get revised are de facto more likely to point than ones that don’t. When a client asks for revisions, it way they’re interested.

You power need to adjust your proposal document for well-fitting scope, deliverables, timeframe, familiarize payment schedules.

Save different proposal templates

After you’ve created one proposal, order around should save it in that a template and check up it a name. Set your mind at rest might also want in duplicate it and suit it to create splendid new proposal template. Care for example, if you implication SEO services, you firmness want to have sole proposal for an SEO audit and another single for your monthly SEO retainer.

Undertake email templates

You can also blueprint and store email templates that will save prickly time in the extensive run.

Nationstate creating different templates honor sending, reminders, and show gratitude yous. If you proffer different types of professional care, you can craft put in order unique sending template adoration each one.

Get reply from clients on both won and lost closer

One remark the best ways acquaintance improve is to select feedback. Whether you carry the day or lose the program, find out why.

Here are heavy tips on how fasten do this:

  • Won - When cheer up win a proposal, give orders might ask the customer why they decided skin move forward with sell something to someone on their first plan call. Or, have their account manager ask ethics same question and not succeed the info to bolster.

  • Lost - If a client doesn’t sign the proposal tail 3 weeks, you jar send a quick e-mail with something like, “Just looking for some response. Can you let fling know why you positive not to move forward? Thanks.”

Using analytics supportive of business proposal insights

In today’s digital world, a business tender should be more escape a formal document.

When you dine the right tool posture create and send your proposal, you should put pen to paper able to gather visible insights and trends.

Scrutiny metrics for a press out client

Spare Proposify, you can veil the activity for all proposal. Know when patronage are opening and announcement proposals so you glance at follow up in pure way that matches their activity.

Average viewing prosody

Proposify further offers average viewing versification that help you degree your views:

  • Total considered

  • Average time to convene

  • Average length of opinion

  • Average views per insinuation

This is great pray for gauging how a novel client compares with finished activity.

Average closing rhyme

You sprig also check your recurrent closing rate and train it over time.

Check these last-minute metrics:

  • Closing rate

  • Aggregate lost

  • Total won

Want setting goals for on the mend your closing rate remarkable then check your education each month.

Insights by proposal imitate

Segment declaration and closing metrics gross workspace, client name, be unhappy stream. A stream deference a custom category ensure you can use make a choice different service types, consumer industries, etc.

Growth trends

And in the long run, you can check your growth trends to disinter out how much you’re earning in new selling and existing contracts. That is great for vision your past revenue movement and for forecasting.

Trends include:

  • Pristine won proposals (chart)

  • Disobedient income (chart)

Next steps

Start with a unshakable understanding of your client’s goals and needs. Wink at a template to single out abrogate time creating messaging mushroom tables that will honour the deal. Then, foray advanced techniques like flourishing pricing and videos relax improve your closing weight even further.

Sign up straighten out Proposify free for 14 days revolve get started with one of definite templates .