How to Send Project Proposals + What to Include
Sending a project proposal can be intimidating for a number of reasons. If you’re new to business and this is the first (or even the fourth or fifth) client you’re sending a proposal to, it can be mega nerve-wracking. You’re likely having a ton of negative and worrisome thoughts. What if they have an issue with something? What if they decide to go with someone else? Does it look okay?
These are all common thoughts to have, especially when this is such an important piece to wowing your potential clients and making it a no-brainer to work with you. After years of running as a service-based business and sending countless PDF proposals to clients, we’ve learned a thing or two about making it as less overwhelming as possible for you (and them)!
So, keep reading to find out how to send project proposals, plus what information to include!
The Proposal
When creating your proposal, it can seem really tempting to overload it with information, but if it isn’t relevant, don’t include it. Begin the proposal with a quick welcome and a brief description of your business. They’ve already met and learned about you during the discovery chat, so you don’t need to go too deeply into your background.
Then, dive right into the good stuff. Here are our suggested proposal pages, and we’ll discuss each one further afterwards:
Project goals
Your process
Package information and comparison
Add-ons (optional)
Testimonials
Sign-off
PROJECT GOALS
The name is just as it suggests– these are the goals that you and the client have for the project. If you’re designing a website, these could be something like increase website traffic, generate leads, increase awareness, increase engagement, etc. Seeing the project goals listed out can really serve to wow a client and get them excited about working with you.
YOUR PROCESS
Share a bit about your process of working on these kinds of projects. Bonus points if you can simplify it into 3 steps to make it less overwhelming for the client. An example would be something like: 1. Onboard and homework, 2. Research and development, and 3. Implement and launch. Give a brief description of each of the steps. This could be as simple as: 1. Review the proposal, 2. Sign the contract, and 3. Pay the invoice, as long as the client knows what will come next and what they can expect.
PACKAGE INFORMATION & COMPARISON
This is the part that will likely take up the most pages of the proposal, depending on how you lay them out and how many packages you choose to include. (For help with pricing and packaging, check out this post.) When listing the packages, be sure to list out what is included, the price, and any extra information that may be relevant, like the project timeline or what isn’t included.
To keep the proposal even more simple, you could choose to only include one package that you genuinely feel best suits the prospect. The reason this may be beneficial is because it shows that you were listening to their needs. Another way to display this, if you do decide to include info for all of your packages, is by showing something to signify that a package is most recommended for them.
You can also show a comparison of all of the packages side by side that lists the key differences between them and the price again to make it easier for the client to decide.
OPTIONAL ADD-ONS
If you have a-la-carte items or mini-packages that can be added on, you can add those into your proposal as well. These can serve as an awesome upsell, but you don’t have to include them if you don’t want to or don’t have any.
TESTIMONIALS
Now comes the proof that you are just as awesome as you say you are! Don’t be afraid to flaunt those kind words that past clients have left. If you have any case studies to share, one or two of those can amplify that wow factor.
SIGN OFF
All that’s left is to sign off with some kind words and any additional info, such as how to set up another call, where to get in contact if they have questions, what they should do next, etc. Express that you’re so excited to get to work with them, and your proposal is complete!
WHAT IF YOU AREN’T A DESIGNER?
We know not everyone has design knowledge, and that no matter what we say should go in your proposal, it still won’t be that simple. But what if it could be? In The Creative Template Shop, we’ve created PDF Proposal Templates that are customizable in Canva. All you have to do is change colors and fonts to match your branding and add your own images and text.
You can purchase it one-off for $47, but if you really want to get the best bang for your buck, you can become a member for the exact same price per month and not only have instant downloadable access to the proposal template, but every other template in The Shop, too.
Now, on to actually sending the proposal!
The Email
When you’re sending the proposal over, keep the email simple and straightforward. The big thing to remember here, not just for sending the proposal but for any step in your client onboarding process, is to make it as easy as possible for the client. Here’s an example email:
Hey, Name!
I really enjoyed chatting with you today, and I can’t wait to start working together! It was so much fun learning more about Business Name, and I was really blown away by [sincere flattery].
As promised, I’ve attached your custom proposal. Please look it over, and let me know which package you’d like to move forward with. Once everything looks good, I’ll send over the contract for you to sign, as well as your first invoice. Once those two things are signed and paid, I’ll begin working!
I’m here if you have any questions at all, so don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m so excited to begin working with you!
Have an awesome day,
Your Name
If you know for a fact that you aren’t the only person the prospect is chatting with, it wouldn’t hurt to give just a little more information in your email. Doing so will ensure the client doesn’t forget anything about you, what you can offer, or why you think you’re the best fit. An example of something like this would be:
Hey, Name!
I really enjoyed chatting with you today, and I can’t wait to start working together! It was so much fun learning more about Business Name, and I was really blown away by [sincere flattery].
I’ve attached a custom proposal for your review. I’d like to recap our conversation because I know you have many candidates to go through, so I want to make this as simple as possible for you on my end!
From what I’ve gathered, you’re looking for someone who can [recap what they’re looking for and what they’re struggling with].
In order to solve this issue, I would start with [briefly recap your suggestion(s)].
I believe that I could really bring value to your business. [Explain why you’re a good fit, remind them of the value of outsourcing, link to testimonials or your portfolio.]
I’m here if you have any questions at all, so don’t hesitate to reach out. If you decide that you’d like to move forward, I’ll send over your contract and invoice so we can get started!
I look forward to hearing back from you and wish you the best of luck in finding the right candidate.
Have an awesome day,
Your Name
Sign Another Client!
All that’s left for you to do is sit back, wait for your proposal to be accepted, and sign another client! If you don’t get a response within a few days, you can send the first follow-up email. After about a week or two of no response, that’s when you send the final follow-up letting them know that you’ll be moving on.
As you can see, the onboarding process doesn’t have to be a headache, and sending the project proposal doesn’t have to be so darn stressful! In no time, you’ll be so accustomed to onboarding that you won’t even think twice about this step in the process.
