business proposal ideas sample

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Blog Business How to Write Business Proposal (Examples + Free Templates)

How to Write Business Proposal (Examples + Free Templates)

Written by: Aditya Sheth Jan 25, 2024

The great Mark Cuban once said, “Sales cure all.” If a business doesn’t sell, it doesn’t make money and by extension the business fails. That’s why you need to write business proposals .

A well-written business proposal can often mean the difference between winning or losing a prospective client.

In this in-depth guide to creating business proposals, we show you how to close more deals, make more sales and crush your business goals — all by using easy-to-edit professional business proposal templates .

Here’s what this guide will cover (click to jump ahead):

What is a business proposal, what are the components of a business proposal.

• How to write a business proposal step by step

What should you include in a business proposal?

What are the types of business proposals, more business proposal examples + writing and design tips.

• FAQs about business proposals

Looking for a shortcut? Watch this quick video for an overview of everything to include in your business proposal:

A business proposal is a document designed to outline a business plan to convince potential client, investor or partner to engage in a business agreement with you or your company. It’s basically a sales pitch in writing to persuade potential clients to show them benefits of working with you or your company for their business success.

A business proposal outlines what your business does and what you can do for your client . It can be general like this business proposal example:

Or it can be more specific, like this business proposal template which focuses on proposing a project for the Newton Center Rail:

Or this business proposal sample, which presents a plan for a social media strategy and campaign:

To design a business proposal that holds the client’s attention, identify their pain points . Then provide your buyer with the right solution to alleviate those frustrations.

Working on a new project? These project proposal examples might come in handy for you.

The components of a business proposal can change depending on the field, company size and client needs. While details may differ, strong proposals typically introduce your company, explain the problem, offer a solution and its benefits, highlight your team’s skills, and outline timeline, cost and next steps.

How to write a business proposal step by step

Before you start creating your business proposal template, you need to understand the business proposal format. At a high level, your effective business proposal should include the following:

• Create a compelling business proposal title
• Build a table of contents
• Craft the executive summary
• Write a detailed problem statement
• Propose your solutions
• Showcase your team’s expertise
• Create a realistic timeline
• Present your payment structure
• Specify the terms and conditions
• Receiving the decision

Below, you can see business proposal examples that demonstrate how to include these 10 sections.

1. Create a compelling business proposal title

A compelling title could mean the difference between someone reading your proposal or ignoring it in favor of a competitor’s . 

What makes a good title page? Here are the essential elements to include: 

• Your name along with your company’s name
• The name of the prospect (or their business) 
• The date you’re submitting the proposal

The gray business consulting proposal template above contains all the details a prospect would want to know. The title also offers a strong tangible benefit to the prospective buyer. Honestly, “Who doesn’t want to grow their business?”

2. Build a table of contents

The table of contents is a fundamental part of every winning business proposal template. It makes your proposal scannable and easy to read.

The people you will be pitching to are usually C-level executives. These are busy people who don’t have time to read your entire proposal in one go.

That’s why most of the business proposal examples in this list include a table of contents.

Adding a table of contents to your document makes it easy for them to go through it at their own pace. They can also skim through parts of the proposal that they deem more important. You can see how this abstract business proposal template uses the table of contents:

You can also make your business proposal template easier to navigate by adding hyperlinks to the document, particularly in the table of contents. This way your clients can jump to specific sections without having to scroll through the entire document. Ensuring your business plan format follows a clear structure can greatly enhance readability and comprehension for potential investors or partners.

It’s easy to add hyperlinks in the Venngage editor. Select the text you’d like to turn into a link, then click the link icon in the top bar. From there, select the page you want to link to! Then download your completed design as an Interactive PDF .

3. Craft the executive summary

The executive summary is a staple in all kinds of annual reports , leadership development plan , project plans and even marketing plans . It is a concise summary of the entire contents of your document. In other words, write a business proposal outline that is easy to glance over and that highlights your value proposition.

The goals of your executive summary are:

• Introduce your company to your buyer
• Provide an overview of your company goals
• Showcase your company’s milestones, overall vision and future plans
• Include any other relevant details

This gray business proposal example has a detailed yet short executive summary including some social proof in the form of clients they’ve worked with:

Take note of how precise this business proposal example is. You want to keep your executive summary concise and clear from the get-go. This sets the right tone for the rest of your proposal. It also gives your buyer a reason to continue reading your proposal.

Crafting an executive summary and keeping it concise and compelling can be challenging. but you can use an AI summarizer online to generate an executive summary. Such tools are trained on relevant AI models that can extract core points from a given text. You can get such a point either in bullet form or in abstract summary form.

Pro Tip: Try to write an executive summary such that, even if your prospective client doesn’t read the entire proposal (with a good executive summary, they most likely will), they should have a clear idea about what your company does and how you can help them.

4. Write a detailed problem statement

The point of writing a business proposal is to solve a buyer’s problem. Your goal is to outline the problem statement as clearly as possible. This develops a sense of urgency in your prospect. They will want to find a solution to the problem. And you have that solution.

 A well-defined problem statement does two things: 

• It shows the prospect you have done your homework instead of sending a generic pitch
• It creates an opportunity for you to point out a problem your prospect might not be aware they had in the first place. 

This bold business proposal template above clearly outlines the problem at hand and also offers a ray of hope i.e. how you can solve your prospect’s problem. This brings me to… 

5. P ropose your solutions

The good stuff. In the proposed solution section, you show how you can alleviate your prospective buyer’s pain points. This can fit onto the problem statement section but if you have a comprehensive solution or prefer to elaborate on the details, a separate section is a good idea.

Spare no details regarding the solution you will provide. When you write a business proposal, explain how you plan to deliver the solution. Include an estimated timeline of when they can expect your solution and other relevant details.

For inspiration, look at how this business proposal template quickly and succinctly outlines the project plan, deliverables and metrics :

6. Showcase your team’s expertise

At this point, the prospect you’re pitching your solution to likes what they’re reading. But they may not trust you to deliver on your promises. Why is this?

It’s because they don’t know you. Your job is to convince them that you can fix their problem. This section is important because it acts as social proof. You can highlight what your company does best and how qualified your team is when you write a business proposal for a potential client.

This free business proposal template showcases the company’s accolades, client testimonials, relevant case studies, and industry awards. You can also include other forms of social proof to establish yourself as a credible business. This makes it that much more likely that they will say yes!

Pro Tip: Attaching in-depth case studies of your work is a great way to build trust with a potential client by showcasing how you’ve solved similar problems for other clients in the past. Our case study examples post can show you how to do just that.

7. Create a realistic timeline

To further demonstrate just how prepared you are, it’s important to outline the next steps you will take should your buyer decide to work with you.

Provide a timeline of how and when you will complete all your deliverables. You can do this by designing a  flow chart . Or add a  roadmap  with deadlines. Pitching a long-term project? A timeline infographic would be a better fit.

If you look at this abstract business proposal template below, even something as simple as a table can do the trick.

The timeline is not always set in stone, rather it’s an estimation. The goal is to clarify any questions your potential client might have about how you will deliver for the underlying B2B sales process.

8. Present your payment and terms

On this page, you can outline your fees, payment schedule, invoice payment terms , as well as legal aspects involved in this deal. You can even use the  Excel Invoice Template  to create professional-looking invoices (including brand logo and other elements) and add them to this page.

The key to good pricing is to provide your buyer with options. A  pricing comparison table can help with this. You want to give your client some room to work with. Make sure you’re not scaring off your client with a high price, nor undervaluing yourself. 

Breaking up your pricing in stages is another great way to make sure your potential client knows what he’s paying for. Look at how this simple business proposal template does this:

The legal aspects can slot right into the terms and conditions section. Alternatively, you can add them to the signature section of the proposal to keep things simple.

9. Specify the terms and conditions

Summarize everything you have promised to deliver so far. Include what you expect from your prospective buyer in return.   Add the overall project timeline from start to end, as well as payment methods and payment schedule, incorporating these details into an online digital project management tool. This way, both of you will be clear on what is being agreed on.

This step is very important as it outlines all the legal aspects of the deal. That is why the terms and conditions section of your proposal needs to be as clear as possible.

I recommend consulting a lawyer or your legal team when working on this section of the business proposal. If you’re a business veteran and understand the legalities of your business, you can use the same terms and conditions across all your proposals.

10. Receiving the decision

The final step of this whole process. Your client has read your business proposal and they want to buy what you have to offer.

Add a small section at the end of your proposal to get the necessary signatures. This way, you and your client can sign the proposal and the partnership becomes official.

Be sure to also include your contact information in your business proposal template. It acts as a gentle prompt to your client to contact you in case they have any questions. A professional way of doig that would be to include an e-business card with your contact details, email i.d and any other social links you want to share. You can go through this article for the best digital business cards .

A business proposal usually aims to answer the following questions: 

• Who you are and what your company does
• The problem your buyer is facing
• The solution your company offers to alleviate the problem
• How your company will implement this solution effectively
• An estimate of resources (time, money, etc) required to implement the solution

You can see how this sample business proposal template covers the above points.

Notice how this proposal template addresses the same project like in one of the previous templates, but uses a completely different design style (more retro, while the previous business proposal template is more modern and minimalistic).

Generally, there are three types of business proposals:

1. Formally solicited 

A formally solicited business proposal is made when you respond to an official request to write a business proposal.

In this scenario, you know all the requirements and have more (if not all) information about a prospective buyer. You simply need to write the business proposal for your buyer to evaluate so you can begin the sales process .

2. Informally solicited 

Informally solicited business proposals are written when there isn’t an official request for a proposal. A prospective buyer is interested in your services and asks for a proposal so they can evaluate it.

An informally solicited proposal requires a lot more research from your end. These types of proposals are usually created out of informal conversations. They are not based on official requests which often contain more detail.

3. Unsolicited 

Think of this as a marketing brochure or a cold email . Unsolicited business proposals will often take a generic, one-size-fits-all approach to business proposals. Unsolicited proposals lack any understanding of the buyer or their requirements.

But with additional  market research , personalization and identifying customer pain points , you can propose a customized solution based on your buyer’s needs. This can be a very persuasive approach, such as in this business proposal example:

Now that you know how to write a business proposal, let’s look at how you can optimize your proposal to deliver results!

Below you’ll find some winning business proposal templates and examples to get you started. I’ve also included some design tips to keep in mind when you’re creating your next business proposal: 

1. Know your audience 

If you have some clarity on who your ideal buyer is — their pain points, their budget, deadlines, among other things — you’ve already won half the battle.

If you are a business that helps clients with everything from running giveaways or helping grow their blog , identify which customers to pitch. This is a sure-shot way to close the deal.

Mapping user personas  for your ideal buyer can help bring some clarity. It will also help you position your business proposal correctly. This improves the chance of your buyer moving your business proposal to the “Yes!” pile.

2. Put your brand front and center

If your company follows certain brand guidelines, incorporate them in your business proposal templates. Consider how business proposal examples like the one below highlight brand identity :

From the color palettes to the company logos , everything follows their brand guidelines. The result: a business proposal that’s consistent across the board.

Pro Tip: Switching this template to match your brand assets is actually pretty easy. Venngage’s My Brand Kit feature allows you to import your color palettes, logos as well as font choices. Any Venngage template can now be your template.

You can also consider this sample business proposal template:

App design companies sure do know their design. They did a phenomenal job keeping their brand colors consistent while opting for a black design. This unique color scheme also makes their white logo prominent throughout the proposal.

3. Try less text, more visuals

Have you ever read a proposal and thought to yourself, “Wow, this is all text and has no images, I love it!”? Yeah, me neither.

The free business proposal template below is a perfect example of the “less is more” principle. It does a phenomenal job of communicating what it needs to. By substituting some of the text with icons and visuals, you get a clean business proposal that’s much more scannable.

Want to keep things strictly professional? Instead of icons, you can always add your team’s headshots. This shows your buyer exactly who they’ll be working with.  

Check out this formal business proposal format for some inspiration:

4. Switch up your business proposal designs

It doesn’t hurt to go above and beyond once in a while. Jazz up your business proposal template with some extra colors. This helps make your business proposal more engaging. It also helps your buyers retain information faster.

The business proposal example alternates between black, white and grey backgrounds. It still manages to maintain consistency in its branding . Just switching up your backgrounds once in a while can also bring in some variety to an otherwise standard business proposal.

This SEO business proposal sample proves that it’s possible to switch up the colors in every other page. But it still maintains the same color scheme across the entire proposal just like a professionally designed website : 

Pro Tip: Not a color expert? Our guide on picking colors can help you pick the right color scheme for your proposals.

FAQ about business proposals

What is the purpose of a business proposal.

A business proposal aims to streamline the B2B sales process (which is often complex ) between you as a seller and a buyer.

It does this by serving the dual purpose of acting as a source of information. The proposal also acts as a sales pitch aimed at convincing your buyer why they should buy what you have to offer.

What are the best practices for business proposal design?

• Do a thorough spell-check. The goal of your business proposal is to convince your buyer why you’re the perfect person for the job. A proposal with typos or grammatical errors communicates the opposite. A thorough spell-check before you send your proposal is a must.
• Keep things clear and readable: Clarity is an important aspect that you have to ensure in your business proposal. If you want your proposal to hit home and make an impact on the buyer, you have to write it in an understandable way. To keep things clear and readable, there are a couple of things that you can do. You can, for one, take care to use easy wording and segmented sentences from the get-go. You can also try paraphrasing the hard parts of your proposal once you are done writing it.
• Let your brand shine. As discussed before, writing a business proposal is all about knowing your ideal buyer and focusing on their pain points. But that doesn’t mean your business proposal template has to be boring. Demonstrate how different you are compared to other companies. You can do this through your brand guidelines , by using more visuals, switching up your proposal design or showing off your personality in your writing . 
• Create a business proposal PDF. Downloading your business proposal in PDF format allows you to attach other collaterals with your business proposal. These can include a company explainer video or case studies showcasing the work done with past clients. Also, who doesn’t love saving paper?

How long should your business proposal be? 

The length depends on the scope of the work as well as the complexity of the project. Here is a one-page business proposal template:

Can your business proposal template really be one page? Yes, as long as you understand who your buyer is and their pain points. You should also have the ability to communicate everything your ideal buyer needs to know about your business in a succinct manner.

Or if you’re feeling adventurous how about just two pages? Often, clients prefer if you go straight to the point and avoid all the fluff.

For example, this green modern marketing proposal template wastes no time in getting down to brass tacks:

Need more inspiration? Check out this blog on the 5 marketing proposal examples that’ll help elevate your business.

There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to deciding how many pages you should include in your business proposal template. And at the end of the day, “the only rules are the ones you set for yourself”.

At the end of the day, writing winning business proposals that sell is all about you understanding your buyer, their potential pain points and positioning yourself as someone who can alleviate those pain points. 

Now that you know how to write compelling business proposals, what are you waiting for?

Take action and start creating your own business proposals to close more deals and grow your business today!

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5 Professional Business Proposal Examples to Inspire Your Own

Updated: May 24, 2022

Published: May 13, 2019

Throughout the buyer’s journey, content obviously plays a huge role during the beginning and middle stages. At the last stage of the buyer’s journey, though, it can be somewhat overlooked.

A lot of marketing teams are focused on creating the beginning- and middle-stage content that brings in the views and leads most sales teams are focused on closing during the final stage of the buyer’s journey. So, in a nutshell, marketing teams don't create enough content for this stage and sales teams don't leverage them enough during it.

However, one of the most important pieces of content any organization can create and leverage really only gets used during the final stage of the buyer’s journey -- the business proposal. By outlining your organization’s value proposition, highlighting how your product or service can solve your prospect’s specific problem, and listing your pricing, your business proposal communicates crucial information your prospects need to know before they even think about doing business with you.

Fortunately, to help you create an engaging and convincing business proposal, we’ve rounded up the best business proposal examples we could find on the Internet. Read on to learn how to start writing business proposals that will win you contracts and grow your organization.

Free Business Proposal Template

Propose your business as the ideal solution using our Free Business Proposal Templates

• Problem summary
• Proposed solution
• Pricing information
• Project timeline

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

1. “ How to Write a Business Proposal [Tips & Examples] ” | HubSpot

In her thorough blog post about writing a business proposal, Meredith Hart , a Junior Staff Writer for HubSpot’s Sales Blog, fleshes out the fundamental elements included in most business proposals and even created a business proposal example in Canva to give you even more insight on how to craft a compelling one.

After reading her informative blog post, you’ll learn about the fundamental elements you should include in your business proposal, their purpose, how to write each element, overarching tips for creating a top-notch business proposal, and some business proposal examples for web design, SEO, and sales.

2. “ How to Write a Business Proposal (The Modern Way) | PandaDoc

One of the most robust business proposal examples on this list, PandaDoc’s guide on writing a modern business proposal will help you chip away at this daunting task one step at a time.

In their guide, they cover the structure most business proposals follow, the ten sections to include in your own, what information to include in each section, an example of each section, some quick tips for improving your business proposal, and what you should do after you send your business proposal to a prospect to help you anticipate any follow up questions they might have and, in turn, boost the odds that you close them as a customer.

3. “ Business Proposal For PDF & Word ” | HubSpot

Download the Template

In HubSpot’s flagship business proposal example offer, they provide you with a fully customizable sample template that gives you detailed instructions on what sections to include in your business proposal, the information to include in each section, and how you can write each section in a convincing fashion.

Since their business proposal template is completely customizable, you can also replace their instructions with your own information, add additional information and sections, and add your own branding and logo. Additionally, you can download your finished business proposal as a Word or PDF file, print it, and email it to your prospects.

4. “ How to Write a Business Proposal in 6 Steps ” | Fit Small Business

Fit Small Business’ business proposal example is the most fleshed out example on this list. Not only do they cover what exactly a business proposal is, the steps to writing a successful one, and provide an example of one, but they also describe the best methods and tools for sending a business proposal, how to follow up, and what to do after you win a contract.

Additionally, Fit Small Business provides you with some design tips for your business proposal, the best business proposal formats to use (with examples), and answers to frequently asked questions about creating effective business proposals.

5. “ HubSpot Partner Agency Proposal Examples ” | HubSpot

To help marketing agencies write better business proposals, HubSpot teamed up with four of their agency partners to create four downloadable proposal examples for each of the agency’s specializations.

After downloading it, you’ll have access to proposals created by agencies that specialize in inbound marketing, growth content strategy, industrial manufacturing marketing, and digital solutions and consulting marketing. Since your organization operates in its own specific situation, you can sift through each example to see which one best meets your needs.

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How to Write a Business Proposal (Examples & Templates)

A complete guide to writing business proposals that land deals. Easy-to-follow steps, actionable examples, and insider tips from sales pros.

John McTale

11 minute read

Not a fan of writing business proposals? Few people are. After all, it puts you in quite a vulnerable position. You need to convince prospects to pick you and make them understand why you’re the perfect fit for their needs.

This guide will show you a simple step-by-step process you can follow to ace every business proposal you create. Plus, for every section of your proposal, you’ll get sample content you can take as a point of reference and use to score more deals.

First, see a business proposal example created with Storydoc:

Interactive

Static, plain-text proposals are a relic of the past. With Storydoc, you’ll get engaging, interactive proposals looking better than anything you’ve ever created. Rise above your competitors and give your customers a proposal they will be proud to show their boss.

What is a business proposal ?

A business proposal is a formal document devised by a company and delivered to a prospect with the purpose of securing a contractual agreement between the two parties. A good business proposal shows to your potential clients why your offer is the most beneficial to them. Before we dig deeper, if you just need a quick checklist, here it is. To learn more about a specific section just click on a desired item in the interactive table of contents and we’ll take you right there.

Here's how to write a business proposal:

Now, let’s go through each step and see some examples.

1. Create a title page

Starting with the basics. The title page of your business proposal needs to feel professional and inviting. Most importantly, though, make it feel as personal as possible. Include:

• The name of your business
• The subject matter of your proposal
• Your prospect’s name and job title
• Your prospect’s company logo
• Submission date

Business proposal title page example:

Jane Atkins ABC Company Inbound Marketing Proposal for Acme Corp

Submitted to: John Random, VP Growth Submitted on: May 5, 2023

Using your client’s logo is virtually a must. But you kick your title page up a notch by applying other elements of their branding, too: think colors, master visuals, and overall vibe. They will notice and appreciate it. These unique business name ideas will make you stand out from the crowd - your business name matters.

2. Include an interactive table of contents

One of the keys to success in business communication is setting up expectations and then meeting them. A table of contents achieves just that: you tell your readers exactly what they’ll find in your proposal. If you’re sending your proposal electronically, make the ToC clickable, with jump-to links to appropriate chapters of your proposal. It will make navigating through the document so much easier (much like we did with this piece, you're welcome!).

Speaking of electronic versions… Do your best to prevent your prospects from printing out your proposal. A 2020 study found that once someone prints your proposal, your chances of landing the deal shrink by 84%!

Sample table of contents:

Executive Summary

Assessment and Project Overview

Methodology - SEO Audit - Internal Linking Optimization - Digital PR Assets - Digital PR Outreach

Qualifications and Testimonials

Terms and Conditions

Agreement and Rollout Process

3. Write a compelling executive summary

As the name implies, an executive summary is a section that, well, summarizes the whole document. In business proposals, your executive summary should contain the essence of your value proposition: explain why you’re submitting the proposal, what makes your product or services relevant to the client’s specific needs, and how you’re going to tackle their problems. The key thing to remember? Don’t mistake an executive summary for an introduction. The summary is basically a shortened version of your whole proposal. Its purpose is to provide a busy reader ( who could be your prospect ’s boss, the titular executive) with an overview of your offer, clear enough for them to not have to read the proposal in full. If you want to learn more about writing executive summaries, specifically, see our dedicated guide: Executive Summary—Examples and Definition

Sample executive summary for a business proposal:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This proposal outlines a detailed plan of action aimed at maximizing the profits of Acme Corp by boosting the inbound organic traffic to your e-commerce store. As your company displays a very high on-site conversion rate and the online traffic you generate is highly monetizable, the best strategy for maximizing your revenue is boosting your SEO performance. Acme Corp is lagging behind its key competitors in most of the search performance metrics: domain rating, backlink quality , and, as a result, organic traffic. Applying basic SEO maintenance will result in a dramatic increase of relevant monthly visitors to your site, contributing to a substantial increase in revenue. In the second phase of the project, our team will enhance your online presence and earn high-quality backlinks through a data-driven digital PR campaign, further improving your domain rating and the consequent search engine rankings for the highest-converting keywords and phrases.

While executive summaries come at the beginning of business proposals, write this section last. Create the rest of your proposal beforehand, then “skim the cream:” compile the key bits into the summary.

4. Identify the problem and propose a solution

Here’s where the big guns come in. If you’ve managed to get them interested enough to reach this part, you’re halfway there. It doesn’t mean it gets easier at this point. Quite the contrary— This section, usually called “Assessment,” or “Project Overview,” is the meat and potatoes of your proposal. You need to make sure it tastes like Black Angus fillet mignon with gratin dauphinoise. Here are a few tips for making it powerful and convincing to your prospects:

• Focus on the grander scheme of things here. Paint a big picture, plant an idea: it’s not the time to get to the nitty-gritty yet.
• B2B buyers can smell generic from miles away. Do your best to customize this part to the exact needs of your customer, never use a copy-pastable template.
• Make it about them. Instead of “selling” your product or services, focus on the tangible business result they’ll get out of this. ROI is the most direct, hard-hitting metric after all.
• Don’t overuse jargon or highly technical terms. You’re communicating with a human, not an algorithm.
• It’s okay to use your sales deck as a point of reference. It’s what got them interested in the first place, so do rely on the same main message.

Sample project overview in a business proposal:

ASSESSMENT AND PROJECT OVERVIEW Acme Corp is currently looking for ways to bring more inbound traffic to the company website. As an e-commerce business with competitively priced, high-quality performance clothing, any traffic you generate is highly monetizable. Your current traffic sources mostly constitute direct (15%), AdWords (40%), and display ads (18%). Organic traffic acquisition has been heavily underperforming for your site. At the same time, both your key competitors, DoeSports and GreenWay, bring in twice as much organic traffic as you do through paid sources (via Ahrefs, and SimilarWeb analysis). This shows that SEO efforts can be highly profitable in your industry. Your e-commerce store suffers from a few easy-to-fix SEO issues that we will address immediately:

• Poor-quality backlinks from spam sites, low SEO health score, and irrelevant anchor text in internal links.
• Fixing these issues alone will boost your SERP positions by 5–10 places for highest-volume keywords, amounting to 5,000–8,000 more unique visitors per month.
• Considering your extremely high average conversion rate of 3% and an average conversion value of $75, those efforts will increase monthly revenue by at least $11,250.

Furthermore, in comparison to your competitors, AcmeCorp has a poor domain rating: 49, compared to 66 of DoeSports and 70 of GreenWay, indicating fewer relevant backlinks and weaker referring domains. Our team will acquire relevant, high-quality backlinks from key industry publications through digital PR and outreach campaigns based on unique data-driven studies. This will result in:

• A significant boost in your domain rating, directly contributing to all major search engines rankings.
• A projected boost in traffic to your website of further 12,000 visitors per month.
• Enhanced brand visibility.

Even at the stage of the deal where you send the proposal, don’t assume your customer understands what they’re buying and why they need it. You still need to get your sales message across: let your prospects understand the value attached to your price tag.

5. Explain your methodology

If the executive summary of a business proposal is the why , and the project overview, the what , here’s the part where you describe how . If you’ve nailed the previous sections, your prospect knows that your solutions are relevant to their problems and has a bird’s eye view of expected outcomes. It’s time to explain your methods for achieving what you promise to deliver. List all the deliverables they can expect from the project or service, together with a timetable and a list of dependencies detailing the deadlines or frequency of delivering specific items or milestones. How granular you are in this part largely depends on the duration of collaboration you’re discussing, and many other project-specific details.

Example #1:

If you’re writing an event video proposal, you’ll want to explain what the client can expect:

• Before the event (consulting your needs and ideal outcomes, auditing the venue, setting up lighting, and so on),
• During the event (how many videographers on site, exact timetable, total shooting time),
• After the event (post-production, sound and music, additional editing, total length of video material delivered).

Example #2:

If, on the other hand, your proposal refers to long-term marketing consulting contract, the description of your methodology will be more general:

• Month 1: identifying and fixing technical SEO issues (anchor text, internal linking, backlink quality).
• Month 2: auditing the site content and optimizing existing URLs for search engine performance using an SEO rank tracker tool .
• Month 3: automating the funnel, running A/B tests on form pages.

And so on… Let’s have a look at what it might look like in practice.

Business proposal sample—methodology:

METHODOLOGY

• Disavowing links from low-reputation websites
• Fixing critical issues on existing URLs
• Improving site speed
• Fixing errors in robots.txt
• Optimizing meta titles and meta descriptions
• Fixing errors in HTML tags

Internal Linking Optimization

• Identifying internal linking opportunities
• Creating SEO-friendly anchor text combinations
• Removing links to 404 URLs

Digital PR Assets

• Running unique surveys via OnePoll
• Creating data-driven content relevant to the audiences of industry online publications
• Creating shareable infographics depicting the findings of the study

Digital PR Outreach

• Identifying key leads in relevant industry websites
• Email outreach to our database of relevant contacts
• Passive link building via Google AdWords

6. Back up your proposal with proof of qualifications

Your business proposal might be visionary so far. Still, if it’s not credible, it will get you nowhere. The client might love your ideas. They might be beyond excited to see them come to life. But— They don’t know you. And remember the old saying: “Trust everybody, but always cut the cards.” (Yes, it’s a euphemism for “Trust no one, ever.”) How do you make them trust you? Show them you’ve done it before and you succeeded. Again, and again. List verifiable, measurable achievements you or your company can boast about and pepper those with social proof. See a few examples:

• Customer case studies,
• Testimonials,
• Certifications,
• Industry awards,
• Years of experience,
• Media mentions.

The ideal composition of those will depend on the type of project and the industry: If you’re a photographer, your client won’t care too much about the awards you might have gotten or what The New Yorker wrote about your solo show. They’ll want to review your portfolio to see if that’s the vibe they're into and hear from your past clients to check if you’re not a pain to work with. If, in turn, you’re writing a marketing business proposal, your best bet will be to emphasize examples of your past campaigns together with detailed key metrics you boosted for your clients. Writing a proposal in an informal tone? You can add a short “About Us” section. Introduce team members who would be working on the project and explain what makes them the best professionals available on the market for solving the particular problem in question.

7. Outline your pricing options

This is where things get rather technical. On the face of it, the pricing section seems fairly obvious. They might be in love with your solutions, but they don’t yet know if they can afford you. Pricing is a tricky part on your end, though. You don’t want to scare off your lead with a sky-high estimate; at the same time, you don’t want to undersell yourself. The best option is to go for an interactive pricing page where every type of service or activity has a separate price tag to it and your clients can easily select a package that suits their needs and meets their budget—ideally, the total price should get automatically calculated. Alternately, you can use an estimate generator , which is an effective tool for automatically calculating cost forecasts based on various criteria and input data. This tool is both affordable and consumes little computing resources, so you can get it along with the best laptop for the money in the $300-$500 range. If you don’t have such an option at hand, create a very specific pricing table that clearly identifies each item or service, as well as the billing period. Here’s a practical example.

Sample pricing for a business proposal:

Remember, your goal is to make them comfortable with the pricing. Make them understand that your offer is not a cost but an investment worth every penny. A great way to achieve this is adding a live ROI calculator. It’s a perfect reminder of why they’re reading the proposal in the first place: to find a solution that will help them increase the revenue.

Below, you can see a sample ROI calculator created with our presentation maker tool :

Interactive ROI calculator example

8. Finish with terms and conditions + contractual agreement

Here’s a bad dream— The client loved your proposal, you’re midway through the project, and, all of a sudden, they’re refusing to make a second payment on your account. “We agreed on 30% upfront, and a full payment upon completion.” You know that’s not what you agreed on. Or do you? A proper business proposal comes with a detailed set of terms and conditions, together with contractual agreement at the bottom, helping both parties involved avoid any misunderstandings. In the terms and conditions, describe the timeline of the project, payment terms and schedule, cancellation policy (if applicable), and possible pre-agreement amendments to the proposal itself.

Sample terms and conditions for a business proposal:

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Timeline Start date: June 1, 2023 End date: July 31, 2023 Total payment due: $11,150 40% of the total payment is due upon signing. 100% of the total payment is due upon project completion. After the final payment, any elements of text, graphics, photos, or other creative work created by ABC Company for Acme Corp are owned by Acme Corp. ABC Company retains the right to showcase their creative work done for Acme Corp as examples in their portfolio. Prior to signing the contractual agreement, elements of this proposal might be amended in cooperation with Jane Atkins, ABC Company.

At the bottom of your document, include a legal agreement clause and a space for signatures. Make it easy for them to make a decision without additional documents. Adding a date and signature space in a business proposal will help you close the deal faster. For maximum convenience, you’ll want electronic signatures enabled.

Sample agreement clause for a business proposal:

If you agree to the terms of this inbound marketing proposal, please sign in the field below. Your signature indicates that you enter into a contractual agreement with ABC Company that commences on the date signed below. [ date ] [ signature ] John Random, Acme Corp

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And that’s a wrap…

I hope this step-by-step overview of business proposal writing has straightened out any queries or doubts you might have had. For the final word, here are a few extra tips to keep in mind before you hit “send.”

Business proposal tips:

• Start with an outline.
• Never reuse old proposals.
• Use hard numbers whenever possible.
• Don’t shy away from your brand.
• Make next steps obvious.
• Re-read, proofread and edit.

Thanks for reading. Keeping my fingers crossed for your proposal!

Hi, I'm John, Editor-in-chief at Storydoc. As a content marketer and digital writer specializing in B2B SaaS, my main goal is to provide you with up-to-date tips for effective business storytelling and equip you with all the right tools to enable your sales efforts.

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30 Deal Closing Business Proposal Ideas [With Examples]

Want to increase your closing rate?

We’ve got expert ideas to help you take your business proposals to the next level.

Say goodbye to boring, stale proposals. We’re going to bring your pitch to life so that prospective clients can’t help but say “yes.”

From video embeds to editable pricing tables to high-quality image galleries, you’ll find tons of smart ideas to apply to your unique services.

1. Use templates to save time on proposal creation

Our first tip? Always start with a template. It saves time as you don’t have to start from scratch, you don’t have to guess what to include in your proposal, and you can follow best practices.

Proposify offers 75 unique proposal templates . Industries covered include accounting, advertising, architecture, photography, coaching, venue rentals, insurance, and dozens more. You can also choose a template based on the design, and adapt the messaging to fit your services.

Start with one of our templates, then adapt it to your needs and make it your own. Add your company information, logo, and brand colors. Then, whenever you need to create a new proposal, you’ll be able to shave hours off the process.

2. Add client variables for easy personalization

When you use a proposal template with client variables, you get instant personalization. With Proposify, all you have to do is select the right template, choose the client you want to send it to, and voila: the client’s details are automagically (yes, that is a word) filled in.

You can see an example of this in our project proposal template . Variables include the client’s first name, last name, and company name to easily personalize the executive summary.

Keep in mind that the right personalization strategy depends on your business model. If you sell high volume / lower cost, then it makes sense to use simple, automated personalization like this to get proposals out the door quickly. But if your business falls more into the low volume / higher cost category, you should customize your proposals deeper—such as with client-specific pain points and goals.

3. Make the scope of services crystal clear

Simplicity and clarity always win. One of the best things you can do is to make it easy for your prospect to understand the scope of your pitch. They shouldn’t have to spend too much time reading your proposal or hunting for information.

To make your proposal skimmable and easy to read, use headings to break up the scope. As you can see in our branding proposal template , the subsections are Brand Discovery, Brand Strategy, Identity Package, and Brand Guidelines. With the colorful and bold formatting, it’s easy for prospective clients to know what’s included at a glance.

4. Include client testimonials

Testimonials are an excellent form of social proof. They help you establish credibility with your potential client by showcasing the positive experiences and results of former clients. You can use testimonials to highlight specific goals or challenges, so that potential clients see their own situation reflected.

Create a dedicated section in your proposal to feature 2 to 4 testimonials, or sprinkle them throughout the proposal.

Here’s an example testimonial from our video production proposal template . It’s formatted with a background image to show the behind-the-scenes work that produces great results.

5. Add client logos

You can use successful client logos in your proposal to build your company’s authority. Think of these logos like little stamps of approval. You’re essentially saying, These companies have put their trust in me and you can too .

You might add 5 or 6 logos to your About page, like this example from our ecommerce proposal template , or create a dedicated proposal page to fit even more.

If you work for an established company that has dozens of clients, then you might want to consider only adding logos that match the prospect, since you have a bank to choose from. For instance, if you’re pitching ecommerce website development to a fashion brand, you could feature logos only from previous fashion industry clientele.

6. Highlight a portfolio piece

If you offer creative work or construction services, you might want to include a portfolio piece or two. Your prospective clients might care more about seeing the quality of your work than hearing what past clients have to say.

Create a proposal section called “Our Work” or “Portfolio,” and give each portfolio piece its own page. Include photos of the portfolio project and a description. You might also add basic details. For example, this architecture proposal has a little subheading to share the size of the structure.

In place of portfolio pieces, you could also create pages for case studies.

7. Add at least two images to your proposal

Maybe portfolio images aren’t the right fit for your business. And that’s fine. But you do need to add some images. Why? Proposals with images are 72% more likely to close than proposals without.

This large increase in success is probably due to a few different factors. Images bring your pitch to life and help prospects envision what it will be like to work with you. They also show that your company goes the extra mile to create an enjoyable experience. If you whip up a proposal with absolutely no imagery, it will look rushed and amateur at best.

On the Why Us? page, this ecommerce proposal template includes a picture of the team hard at work. Group photos or on-the-job photos are great for showing the real people behind the pitch.

You can also add icons and graphics throughout the proposal. For instance, in your Scope of Services section, you could add one icon to match each subheading.

8. Embed a video introduction

Adding just one video to your proposal increases engagement by 56% and closing rates by 41%.

You could add a short brand video that showcases your team at work, your unique selling propositions, and the results you get for your clients. With Proposify, you can add a custom thumbnail so the video looks great on any proposal page.

If you don’t have a high-quality brand video, you could try filming a short video with Vidyard or Loom instead. Introduce your company, and what makes your services effective, and discuss why this pitch is the perfect solution for your prospect’s needs.

9. Embed a video explanation

You can also reap the rewards of video through explainers. Maybe you offer a complicated service, or maybe your service requires some collaboration and effort from your clients. If you find yourself answering the same questions again and again, that could be a sign that you need to make an explainer video to cover the subject at scale.

Our PPC proposal template includes a video description of the Google Brand Lift survey process that the company uses. This is proof that you don’t always have to spend time creating videos yourself. You can source them from other companies, so long as they’re not in direct competition with you.

10. Include a pricing table

When you add a pricing table to your proposal, you can increase your closing rate by 35% .

Pricing tables are effective because they make it easier for clients to understand the investment. A wall of text just isn’t the right format to discuss cost. You need a table, so you can break things down more clearly.

Depending on your offer, you might show different costs for each line item and estimated quantities.

In this example event management proposal , we can see that the costs are separated into categories, with the estimated hourly total for each category.

11. Let prospects select packages, quantities, or add-ons

When writing a business proposal , you pitch what you think is the right fit for the prospective client. If you’re off base, you have to hope they’ll give you a chance to update the scope and re-send the proposal.

But when you use editable fields and add-ons in your pricing section, you offer the prospect the ability to change the scope right then and there.

As you can see in this printing proposal template , the client can select what packages they want. The final total will tally up at the bottom.

Keep in mind that proposals with both editable quantities and optional rows can boost your closing rates by 20% .

12. Create a library of approved proposal content to mix and match

If you send proposals regularly, you probably have different messaging for different services, client industries, project types, etc. As you make those little customizations,, you should store them so you can reuse them.

Inside of Proposify , you can curate your own content library. You might store 6 different case study pages, 8 variations of your project scope, and 3 ways to describe your project approach.

13. Use this opportunity to share your brand voice

The style of your proposal should match your brand. We’re not just talking about font and colors, but your tone .

Your brand voice is critically important. It gives your prospect a hint at what it will be like to work with you, humanizes your messaging, and ensures a consistent experience. If you love to bring your sense of humor to meetings, your written brand voice should be a little cheeky too.

For example, this advertising proposal uses “Your Advertising Media Mix” instead of a standard approach section. This shows their creativity and straightforward style.

What matters is that your entire proposal is on brand. If you opt for creative headlines, use them sparingly so your prospect can easily understand the purpose of each proposal section.

14. Write a hard-hitting cover letter

The cover letter has an important job . It needs to entice your prospect into reading the entirety of the proposal. It should hit on their pain points and goals, as well as how you plan to help them get the results they’re looking for.

In this business consulting proposal template , the cover letter successfully paints a picture of the client’s current situation, why they need a fresh perspective, and how a new strategic vision will impact the business.

15. Create a visual for the project timeline

Sometimes, prospective clients turn you down because they can’t visualize how the project will progress. They’re concerned about the complexities and all of the unknowns. You can help assuage some of these worries with a clear project visual that will spell out the process and help them place more confidence in your ability to carry the project through.

This construction proposal template has a super-detailed project timeline. The project is broken down into four phases, each situated appropriately on the timeline.

16. Share the project timeline in a simple table

Looking for another idea on how to share your project timeline? If the above visual isn’t quite your style, you could opt for a table instead.

Simply create a table with two columns: the description of the task and the week you’ll complete it. Then fill in when you expect to tackle each main task in your project scope.

For example, our marketing proposal template breaks down a branding project into 7 weeks. It begins with customer research to better understand the brand promise, then moves into logo creation, messaging strategy, and website updates.

17. Curate an image gallery

Do you have a lot of great photos of your work or your team? Why not share your favorite pics in a gallery? You could organize pictures from portfolio projects, client meetings, or work events.

This catering proposal offers a perfect example. A beautiful gallery of the food and its masterful presentation helps potential clients imagine what their event might look—and—taste like.

18. Include statistics about your company

People love numbers. Spruce up a boring About Us section with data on your company. You could include stats on your reach, average client results, how many clients you’ve served, or anything else you think your prospects will care about.

In this example advertising proposal , an Our Statistics section covers audience numbers to show clients their potential reach.

19. Add team bios

When you include photos and bios of your team members, you add a more human touch to your proposal. Potential clients don’t want to do business with a faceless organization. They want to know who they’ll be working with. That’s why, if you work for a large company, it might make sense to only include bios for the people who will be directly involved in this project.

In this catering proposal , we have a bio for the chef as well as the client coordinator in charge of overseeing event implementation.

20. Include goals and objectives

If you want your proposal to close, you must show your prospect that you truly understand their needs. People want to feel seen and heard. If you skip straight to pitching your services, they might get turned off.

That’s why it’s smart to include a Goals or Objections section early on in your proposal—before you get to your services. Use this section to summarize what you learned during your discovery calls about the prospective company’s challenges and what they want to change.

This content marketing proposal template offers a great example because it includes both an executive summary letter as well as bold bullet points to sum up key goals.

21. Spell out your unique approach

Don’t assume that a prospective client know what makes you unique. You need to spell it out for them. Consider adding a section called Our Process or Our Unique Approach. Here, you’ll clarify how you tackle projects and why. As an expert service provider, you know more about how to make a project successful than your clients do. You’ve likely honed your process over multiple years. Take this opportunity to share the details that clients love the most.

Our training proposal template does a great job of clarifying the company’s unique approach to assessment, training, curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation.

22. List what is not included

To avoid any confusion or potential disputes down the road with your client, it’s important to list anything that isn’t included as part of this project plan, not just what is included. This will make your scope crystal clear to the client—while ensuring you have common ground to return to should any confusion arise

You’ll see a list of exclusions in this construction proposal . Plans, architectural fees, survey costs, and appliances are all not included in the pitch.

23. Use bullet points to summarize project phases

Looking for a simple idea to make any proposal more effective? Try using bullet points. Of course, you can employ bullet points in any proposal section to make the content more readable and succinct. But they’re especially effective for project scopes or project phases because they help prospects understand what’s included at a glance.

This accounting proposal includes well-thought-out bullet points for each section of the project scope.

24. Write out basic project details to eliminate any confusion

In your efforts to create a killer proposal, it’s easy to overlook the little details. But that could be a huge mistake.

By spelling out the basic details of the pitch, you can eliminate confusion and make sure that everyone is on the same page.

For example, this catering proposal has an Event Details page to share the location, date, serving time, and set-up time for the event.

25. Share implementation and support details

How will you support your client throughout the engagement? Will you be available via email? Do you have a service-level agreement stating you’ll get back to clients within 24 hours? Do you provide training for their internal team?

Make sure to include important information on the initial implementation and ongoing support.

This enterprise software proposal includes a section on application integration along with the scope so that prospective clients know the pitch includes support for integrating the new solution with their mission-critical tech stack.

26. Include an intake form to kickstart client onboarding

Proposals with intake forms are 119% more likely to close . Plus, they close 26% faster. An intake form can include any question you would normally ask after the client signs the deal.

By including these sorts of onboarding requests in your proposal, you show your confidence that the deal will close and you help walk clients to the finish line.

Inside Proposify, you can add client intake forms for anything you can think of. In the below example, the form asks for the client’s t-shirt size, whether or not they prefer tea or coffee, and their shipping address. This way, the account executive can send over a thank-you package once the deal is signed.

27. Turn your proposal into a binding contract

You can turn any proposal into a contract by adding legal clauses, such as a statement of work, master services agreement, and/or terms and conditions. Make sure to consult with your business lawyer or internal legal team to make sure you’ve got all the right clauses.

You’ll find an example contract in our website proposal template .

28. Add e-signatures (and sign before you send)

Proposals with esignatures are 426% more likely to close than proposals that just ask clients to accept the proposal without having to sign. If you sign the proposal yourself before you send it, you’ll increase your closing rate a further 36%.

29. Automate your follow-up emails

Most deals don’t close all on their own. You usually need to follow-up with your leads. By automating your follow-up process, you can save time and get better results. Proposals with pre-scheduled reminders have a 35% higher closing rate .

You should write and store follow-up templates in your proposal software so it’s easy to trigger the follow-ups when you send a new proposal. Inside Proposify, we offer a few reminder email templates, and you can always add your own.

30. Optimize your proposal content with viewing metrics

Proposals should be continuously updated and optimized. But how do you know what to change?

Check out the viewing metrics in your proposal software to find out the most popular sections. The sections that aren’t getting much engagement are likely the ones that need to be revised. Try a different content format or add more details, and see if you can improve your stats.

Get the best templates and tools with Proposify

With Proposify, you get proposal best practices built in. Our features let you easily add pricing tables, client intake forms, esignatures, videos, and so much more.

With 75 unique proposal templates , you’re sure to find the perfect template to kickstart your process.

Send proposals designed to close. Learn more about Proposify and start your free trial.

4 Tips That Will Make Any Proposal More Likely to Close

July 12, 2022

State of Proposals 2021 is Here: Data-Driven Tactics to Dominate Your Deals NOW

March 02, 2021

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Business tips

20 free proposal templates to ace your pitch

In my vast experience of convincing people to do things they're initially sure they don't want to do, I've picked up a trick or two—namely, that no matter how exceptional and transformative your product may be, if your proposal doesn't articulate its value, you might as well fold it into a paper airplane and throw it out a window.

Impactful proposals require structure, which is where a proposal template comes in. It's the strategic framework that turns your pitch into the corporate equivalent of standing outside someone's house with a boombox over your head—except instead of blasting Peter Gabriel, you're serenading prospects with solutions to their pain points.

Here, in a burst of generosity characteristic of neither me nor most of the business industry, I'll share 20 free proposal templates and show you how to use them to showcase your unique offerings.

Table of contents:

How to choose the right proposal template for your needs

Free business proposal templates for any industry, tips for optimizing a proposal template for your business, proposal template next steps, what is a proposal.

A proposal is a persuasive document used to convince someone to buy into your project, idea, or business opportunity. It outlines what you plan to do, how you plan to do it, when you plan to do it, and how much it will cost.

A proposal is the first—and sometimes only—shot to make an impression. It's your opportunity to prove that you understand a potential client's underlying needs and showcase why you're the best choice for the job. A well-crafted proposal can mean the difference between popping Champagne and crying into your takeout.

There are two types of business proposals:

Solicited proposals are submitted in response to a formal client request for proposal (or RFP) and have specific requirements issued by the client.

Unsolicited proposals , sometimes called proactive proposals, are offered to a prospect independent of a request, usually following discussions about their business needs.

Proposals come in all shapes and sizes, from a quick email pitch to a 100-page grant proposal with a budget the size of a small country's GDP. The key is choosing the right level of detail for your audience and objectives. 

If responding to an RFP from a big company, you should roll out the red carpet with videos, case studies, client testimonials—the works. For a small business owner you've been nurturing for months, a short but compelling proposal focused on key benefits and next steps is likely all you'll need.

At the end of the day, a solid proposal should convince your reader that you understand their problems and have the solutions to fix them.

Choosing the right proposal template for your business needs is a strategic decision. 

Different objectives call for a different approach and, thus, a different template. The one you choose should align with your needs and requirements to fit your project like a glove (or at least like a comfortably loose mitten). 

Follow these steps to get started:

Ask yourself, "What is the core purpose of this proposal?" (Not in the existential sense—that's a spiral no one needs.) For example, a project proposal template should facilitate a clear outline of objectives, deliverables, and timelines, while a business proposal template might focus more on market analysis and competitive edge.

Next, consider who's sitting across the table from you. A contract proposal for legal professionals will differ vastly from a storyboard proposal aimed at creatives. The template should speak their language and cater to their expectations. 

Lastly, consider your desired outcome or what you're after. Are you looking to win a contract, forge a partnership, or charm the coins out of investors' pockets? Your template should have all the necessary details to prompt a reaction more positive than the one I get when I say I'm a writer at a family gathering.

Crafting polished proposals is key to winning new clients and growing your business. But who has the time to start from scratch every time? These business proposal example templates have got you covered. Clients and customers will be so impressed with your beautifully crafted proposal that they won't even realize how little effort it actually took.

Project proposal template

A project proposal outlines the details of a specific project, including an executive summary, objectives, scope, timeline, and costs, submitted for approval or funding. It's essentially a wishlist of how you plan to spend someone else's money.

Best used for: Securing funding or approval for a project

Who should use it: Project managers, business owners, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations

Business proposal template

A business proposal is a comprehensive offer from a business to a prospective client detailing how the business can meet the client's needs and the benefits of choosing its services or products.

Best used for: Securing funding from investors, attracting new clients, or partnering with other businesses

Who should use it: Business owners, entrepreneurs, sales professionals

Job proposal template

A job proposal helps freelancers pitch their services effectively to potential clients. It emphasizes understanding client needs and providing a breakdown of project costs, which improves pitch quality and increases the chances of securing valuable client partnerships.

Best used for: Securing freelance work

Who should use it: Freelancers of all types, including writers, designers, developers, and more

Proposal letter template

A proposal letter is written to offer a solution or service to a potential client, providing an overview of the benefits and value proposition .

Best used for: Concisely presenting a proposal to a potential client or partner

Who should use it: Business owners, sales professionals, freelancers

Contract proposal template

A contract proposal is a formal offer detailing the terms and conditions under which a party will perform services or deliver goods to another party. It's the prenup of the business world.

Note: always run such contracts by your legal team to ensure they align with your interests and comply with relevant laws.

Best used for: Securing a contract with a client or partner

Who should use it: Business owners, sales professionals, lawyers

Event proposal template

An event proposal is a detailed plan submitted to stakeholders outlining the concept, logistics, budget, and expected outcomes of a proposed event. It's the party planner's battle strategy, where success is measured not in conquests but in compliments and clinking glasses.

Best used for: Securing funding or approval for an event

Who should use it: Event planners, non-profit organizations, businesses

Content marketing proposal template

A content marketing proposal is a strategic plan presented to a client outlining how content marketing can be used to meet their business objectives , including tactics, content types, and measurement methods.

Best used for: Securing a content marketing contract with a client

Who should use it: Content marketers, freelancers, agencies

Proposal planning template

A proposal plan is a structured document that outlines the approach, resources, and timeline for accomplishing a specific goal or project. It's essentially admitting you need a plan to make your plan. It's plans all the way down.

Best used for: Ensuring that a proposal is well organized, persuasive, and complete

Who should use it: Anyone who writes proposals, including business owners, sales professionals, freelancers, and non-profit organizations

Research proposal template

A research proposal is a systematic plan proposing a research project, typically including the research objectives, methodology, timeline, and estimated budget—the "hold my beer" for academics.

Best used for: Securing funding or approval for a research project

Who should use it: Researchers, academics, students

Budget proposal template

A budget proposal is a financial plan that estimates the income and expenditures for a specific project or department over a set period—a bean counter's dream.

Best used for: Securing funding or approval for a budget

Who should use it: Project managers, event planners, business owners

SEO proposal template

An SEO proposal outlines a strategy for improving a client's search engine rankings , including tactics, tools, and expected outcomes. It basically says, "Follow me, and I'll show you how to be more sought-after than a parking spot at Trader Joe's on a Saturday."

Best used for: Securing an SEO contract with a client

Who should use it: SEO professionals, freelancers, agencies

Web design proposal template

A web design proposal outlines the scope, design, functionality, and cost of a website developed for a client. It essentially helps navigate the journey from "Hey, I need a website" to "Wow, this is exactly what I envisioned!"

Best used for: Securing a web design contract with a client

Who should use it: Web designers, freelancers, agencies

Sponsorship proposal template

A sponsorship proposal seeks financial or in-kind support from a sponsor, detailing the benefits the sponsor will receive in return. It's like asking someone to pay for your party and, in return, they get their name on all the balloons. It's a win-win, especially if you like balloons.

Best used for: Securing sponsorships for an event or initiative

Who should use it: Event planners, business owners, and non-profits

Social media marketing proposal template

A social media marketing proposal is a plan suggesting strategies for a client's social media presence , including goals, platforms, content, and metrics for success. It's a pitch to make a brand as clickable as a "Which potato are you?" quiz.

Best used for: Securing a social media marketing contract with a client

Who should use it: Social media marketers, freelancers, agencies

Consulting proposal template

A consulting proposal is a document in which a consultant outlines the services they offer to solve a client's problems, including methodology, timeline, and pricing. It's for the Mary Poppins of the business world, swooping in with a bag of tricks to fix everything from their sales strategy to their coffee machine.

Best used for: Securing a consulting contract with a client

Who should use it: Consultants, freelancers, agencies

Service proposal template

A service proposal is a formal offer of a service-based business to a client detailing the scope of services, deliverables, and terms of the agreement. It's like pinky promising you'll do the stuff you're really good at in exchange for cash.

Best used for: Securing a service contract with a client

Who should use it: Freelancers, agencies, businesses

Sales proposal template

​​A sales proposal helps sales professionals present their products effectively and establish credibility with potential clients by showcasing the company's background and client testimonials.

Best used for: Closing sales deals

Who should use it: Sales professionals

Grant proposal template

A grant proposal is a written request for funding submitted to an organization or government agency, detailing the purpose, plan, and budget of the project needing support. It's like Kickstarter but with more footnotes.

Best used for: Securing funding for a project from a grant-making organization

Who should use it: Non-profit organizations, researchers, academics

Storyboard proposal template

A storyboard proposal is used to visualize and plan a project and is typically a visual representation of the project's key steps, milestones, and deliverables. It's like drawing a treasure map for your project, except the treasure is just meeting your deadlines and hopefully not walking the plank.

Best used for: Securing approval for a storyboard or selling a storyboard to a client

Who should use it: Project managers, business owners, designers

Partnership proposal template

A partnership proposal is a formal document created by an individual or an organization to propose a collaborative relationship with another party. This proposal outlines how the partnership would work, the benefits it would bring to both parties, and the terms and conditions of the partnership. It's commonly used in business contexts where companies, non-profits, or other entities seek to join forces for mutual benefit .

Best used for: Establishing a mutually beneficial partnership

Who should use it: Business owners, sales professionals, non-profit organizations

When it comes to proposal templates, you need to make them work for you, not the other way around. The template is just a jumping-off point. To combat its genericness, it's essential to add your own razzle-dazzle. Here are a few tips to make any old template sizzle.

Tailor content to suit the specific project

When you begin to write a business proposal, the first thing to consider is your audience. Who are you trying to woo, and what will make them open their wallets?

Here's how to do some sleuthing to identify your target reader and customize your pitch to their needs:

Ask questions to get started: What are the client's pain points , and how will you solve them? What's your proposed scope of work and timeline? How much will your services cost? These are the questions a good proposal answers.

Do your research: Check out the client's website and social media profiles. See what they're posting about and what their customers are saying. Look for any public RFPs or project briefs. The more you understand their business and goals, the better you can position your proposal.

Focus on quantifying value using SMART goals: Once you've got a solid understanding of the work, focus on quantifying the value using SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound). For example, don't just say you'll increase web traffic—promise a 25% increase in organic traffic within six months. You want the client to think, "This company gets what we need, and they've promised real, measurable impact."

Tailoring your content isn't just about fitting in—it's about fitting so well they can't imagine going with anyone else.

Add visual elements and branding

Long before our brains got rewired to crave the instant gratification of flashy screens and endless scrolling, our ancestors were also suckers for a good visual. There's nothing quite like an eye-catching graph, chart, or image to break up blocks of text and drive a point home.

Photos: Throw in some photos of your smiling face, your product in action, stacks of money, or whatever is relevant and helps tell your story. Just be sure any visuals are high quality and actually add value. And please, no cheesy stock photos of overly enthusiastic business people engaging in unnatural acts of corporate glee.

Infographics: If you have data or statistics to share, turn them into slick infographics. Those colorful, bite-sized bits of visual information are like catnip for proposal readers. But keep your infographics clear and concise. Cramming too much text or too many numbers onto one can make people's eyes glaze over faster than a hot donut.

Company branding: Spice up your proposal format with your company's colors, logo, and fonts—whatever matches your branding. This helps build brand recognition and makes your proposal look more professional. But don't go overboard, or it'll seem like you're overcompensating.

Using visuals and branding in your proposal helps bring it to life, giving readers an instant visual understanding of your company and offer, all while flexing your expertise. And that can only help your chances of getting to yes.

Choose the right language and tone

When choosing the language and tone for your proposal, you have to walk a fine line. Aim for that sweet spot where you sound like a polished pro, but not so much that people think you're actually a robot in a skin suit.

Use balanced language: Avoid stiff, formal language as much as overly casual speak. Expressions like "enclosed herewith, please find" sound pompous, while "wanna" and "gonna" are too laid-back. Simple, straightforward language is the way to go.

Engage your reader: Talk to your reader like you would a colleague or client. Let your passion shine through in a genuine, unforced way. Demonstrate your enthusiasm for the project without the aggressive, frantic energy of someone selling blenders on infomercials at 3 a.m.

Keep promises realistic: While you want to highlight the benefits and potential wins of choosing you, don't make promises you can't keep or claims you can't back up. Share relevant case studies, statistics, and data to build a persuasive yet realistic argument. Your readers will appreciate your honesty and see you as a trustworthy partner.

Meticulously proofread: With the language and tone set, be sure to proofread carefully. Double-check for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors that can undermine your credibility and the professionalism of your proposal. Nothing screams "I wrote this in the parking lot" like a typo.

Highlight your unique selling proposition and social proof

You've got to convince your clients you're better than all the other yahoos vying for their business, and the best way to do that is by showing off what makes you uniquely qualified to solve their problems.

Framing your unique selling proposition (USP) in a way that benefits the customer is vital because it makes your offering more relatable and appealing, directly addressing the customer's needs or pain points.

For instance, a company might boast, "Our team has 103 years of collective experience." That's a hefty number, and one can't help but picture a team of Gandalfs shuffling papers and nodding sagely. Yet, without context, it's just a number, as emotionally stirring as announcing you've collected 103 pieces of lint from your dryer.

Instead of just humblebragging about your gazillion years of experience, tell prospects how it benefits them: "Our team's 103 years of collective experience means we spot problems before they arise, we don't waste time upskilling, and, like workplace MacGyvers, we're ready to turn a paperclip and a stick of gum into a solution."

Provide solid evidence that you've done this kind of work before. Share details of similar successful projects, along with social proof like testimonials or case studies from happy clients. Mention any awards or the time you got mentioned in the paper for something other than that misunderstanding about the "borrowed" traffic cone. The more you can demonstrate your experience and expertise, the more credibility you'll build.

Include a strong call to action

At the risk of stating the obvious, which I understand is a cherished tradition in the world of business proposals, one must not, under any circumstances, let a proposal fizzle out at the end without calling out next steps. It's like leaving a high-five hanging—it's awkward and, honestly, a little sad. Give your proposal the kind of finale that has confetti cannons and at least one person in the background slow-clapping until everyone joins in.

Stick the landing by issuing a clear call to action . State what happens next, such as scheduling a meeting to discuss next steps or providing a timeline for getting started. This gives the client confidence in moving forward with your company. Circle back to your key points and re-emphasize the benefits of working together, in case they skimmed the middle part because they were eating a sandwich or something.

Remember, ending a business proposal without a call to action is like forgetting to say "Bingo!" when you've got five in a row—it's a missed opportunity that could cost you more than just mild embarrassment at the senior center. Don't let a weak ending undermine an otherwise slam-dunk proposal. A strong finish could be the difference between a lost opportunity and your next big client.

While these proposal example templates are helpful, they're only the starting point. The real magic happens when you customize the template to match your unique voice and vision. And if you create lots of proposals, take it to the next level by trying out a dedicated proposal app or automating your workflow .

Related reading:

How to write a statement of work

How to craft your brand message

How to write a proof of concept

The best apps for freelancers

21 project management templates to organize any workflow

How to write a memo (and all the templates and examples you could need)

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Allisa Boulette

Based in New England, Allisa is a content marketer and small business owner who hopes to make the internet a more interesting place than she found it. When she’s not working, you can find her lying very still not doing anything.

• Sales & business development
• Small business

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10 Game Changing Business Proposal Ideas from Creative Business Owners

If you're struggling with your business proposals and are looking to better understand the whole process, this is the blog for you.

We've collected ten of the most creative business proposal ideas from some of the best companies around.

T hese ideas will work no matter the types of business you're in. Use them to inspire you and improve your business proposals.

Whether you're a small business , a new business or running a big and successful team, a little bit of inspiration could go a long way.

Let's take a look at our favourite business proposal ideas that can help you improve your business plan.

The comparison checklist from Tony Isgrove

If there’s one industry you wouldn’t think would be at the forefront of proposal design and innovation, it’s probably the Painting and Decorating industry.

However, they understand the importance of visuals and creative expression. It's safe to say that their business proposals are beautiful and easy to get through.

Tony Isgrove and his team came up with something absolutely genius.

As part of his business proposal idea, he includes a helpful checklist so you can easily compare his painting service to that of anyone else. This is how it looked:

Nothing revolutionary you might think, but this is where he’s so clever. He’s setting the frame.

Now not only is he plugging all the things they do, accreditations they’ve won etc but even if another painter ticks every single box, he would still only be just as good as Tony’s firm.

Absolutely masterful frame control there.

When you include something like this in your business proposal, it elevates your services to a new level.

Not only are you showing your professionalism and authority amongst the competition, but also that you have a great business plan. Make your small business stand out with this genius tip.

“Let's do this, mate” from Sampath

A simple thing with a deep psychological impact. Sampath, a growth consultant changed an otherwise normal piece of copy on the cover of his business proposal and created an awesome moment.

On covers of documents created with Better Proposals , you can edit the copy of the button from “Read Proposal” to anything you like.

Usually, people just write things like “Open Proposal”, “View Quote” or “Start Reading”. A skilled content or essay writing service provider can help you to write better call-to-action lines.

Not Sampath.

He builds a fantastic relationship with his clients so this doesn’t seem weird and of course, in the wrong situation, this is terrible advice so tread with caution, but he changed his button name to “Let’s do this, mate”.

It creates a cool “Yeahhhhhhh!” moment and they are few and far between in proposals. Consider what you call the button on your proposal covers.

We urge you to customize your proposals, from the content, down to the call to action.

Our free proposal templates are a great starting point, but you need to show your client that they're not just a number.

Make sure to use their words when describing the problem at hand. It will show them that you listened. The focus of the proposal should be on the client.

Your business idea is only interesting to them if you show the benefits their company can expect. Whether it's as simple as - more money or an easier way of attracting investors, or getting involved in the local market, make sure to outline it.

Don't be afraid to get creative with your business proposal. Do a little social media stalking to find out what your potential clients love and work in into the proposal.

Testimonial on the page with the quote on it from Jigawatt

Jigowatt are a digital agency in the UK that does something that can only be described as sheer brilliance. They aren’t a cheap design agency and their pricing reflects that.

What they do to “soften the blow” to people who might be expecting a lower price is add a testimonial which conveniently touts the ROI of Jigowatt’s services.

Absolute magic. It’s so good that we have completely stolen this business proposal idea for our proposal templates. Here’s how it looks: #SorryNotSorry

All of our free proposal templates come with a pre-designed pricing section. That means that all you have to do is find the best way to price your services. Here's a handy guide for that.

It's helpful no matter the type of business you have, whether you freelance, are looking to start a business, run a small business or something else.

Personalised video introduction from Kevin at Blinkered

Kevin at Blinkered does something brilliant with his proposals. He’s a digital strategist based near Glasgow, Scotland.

He’s committed to making each of his proposals as personal as he can so he records a personalised introduction video for each and every client and embeds the video on the executive summary page of his proposal.

Not only does this scream “I want the job” but it shows how ‘on the ball’ he is when it comes to winning new business. I wish more people adopted this approach.

What’s even better is he doesn’t use an iPhone in selfie mode. That wouldn’t be his style.

He gets his entire professional camera gear out in a mini-studio he’s created for himself and shoots it like a high-budget movie. This is all about using your strengths to your advantage.

He has awesome camera gear, and video editing tools, speaks amazingly well and has a studio.  He is as professional as he can be and that makes the entire business proposal document elevated, which is why this is such a good idea.

Personalising the cover from Tim

Tim Coe is a marketer and brand strategist from Lymington in Hampshire.

He’s the author of the book ‘Your Utterly Seductive Proposal’ and has been featured on Grant Cardone’s TV show, has done business with a who’s who of business people in the UK and has spoken at every conference worth speaking at.

He takes personalising each proposal seriously but does it in his own way. He personalises each cover depending on the client and project. I love this.

Think about it. It’s the first thing they see so making an amazing first impression is really important. He uses unsplash.com and finds an appropriate picture then uses that as the background cover.

An excellent touch and one you should employ.

It makes his business proposal engaging from the very start. The more you customize your proposals, the better the outcome will be.

Case study idea with a story from templates

Sometimes we get so boxed into pre-existing ideas we forget to step outside the box.

I was on a flight to Barcelona recently to watch the football game and the amazing 6-1 win over PSG, and on the flight, I wrote a new business proposal template .

Only, I was on the plane, and I had no internet so I wrote the content in Pages on my Mac which took me out of “ business proposal writing ” mode and more into a natural flow.

When it came to writing the case study part I for some reason wrote it as if it was a personal introduction.

This is a popular marketing strategy , since providing clients with examples showcases that you're the right person for the job.

It was a little story of a guy called Jamie, and Jamie oddly enough had the same goals as the imaginary prospect and it only made sense we’d share this story seeing as we helped Jamie achieve all his goals.

Why is this effective? It’s different, it’s reading a success story without your “bullshit filter” on so it actually goes in your brain. Give this a try.

Remember, the trick is to make it super personal and creative. That's the only way to create a successful case study.

Big coloured block exclaiming the goal of the project

We launched feature blocks in January 2017 and they’ve been used in almost every business template and business proposal that’s been sent since. An absolutely massive hit.

What they’ve been used for most commonly is making a big point of the opening statement on the Introduction page. The trick with this is less in the design and more in the copy.

If someone wants to double their revenue in the next 12 months and that is of paramount importance then something like this will give an epic first impression.

It grabs attention, forces them to take that piece of information in and sets the tone for the rest of the proposal.

When writing your business proposal, make sure to outline the benefits your clients can expect. It makes it more engaging for them.

Letting your client upsell themselves with the optional items in your business proposal ideas

Troy Dean from WP Elevation - they’re one of our Premium Partners, suggests in his WP Elevation Blueprint Course that you should always allow your client to upsell themselves with a few extra add-ons.

It could be a monthly report, extra support, VIP treatment or any number of things but allowing them the chance to increase the deal size by clicking one button is a brilliant touch.

Sometimes, we run into brilliant business proposal ideas and we build them into our templates.

You can see this example in our pricing tables. Here’s how it looks.

If you want to impress your clients with technological brilliance as well as increase the revenue you bring in from each client, look no further than this little beauty.

The fact that it’s web-based , to begin with.

How many times have you asked for a quote or a business proposal and received a tacky, badly designed PDF document with a brief description of the service and a price? Too often?

Sending a web-based business proposal that arrives with a beautiful full-screen cover, well-formatted text and is engaging to browse is far more interesting.

Our unofficial tagline here at Better Proposals is “Death of the PDF”. It’ll never die, but we can try and make it obsolete with these amazing proposal ideas.

Benefits of web-based proposals

If you're wondering about the benefits of web-based proposals, here are just the most popular ones:

Proposal templates

Digital signatures, payment integrations, proposal analytics, a simplified follow-up process, integrations.

Writing a business proposal from scratch is harrowing work. Luckily, if you're using Better Proposals, you can rely on our prewritten templates.

They are free for all of our users and help you speed up the proposal-creating process since you don't have to worry about the proposal structure.

We offer a wide variety of proposal templates. You can easily find the right one for you, whether you're a:

• small business
• software company
• digital marketing company
• sales team etc.

All of our business proposals are web-based, meaning your clients can easily agree to your terms by typing in their names.

The typed-in name will get turned into a legally binding digital signature.

Furthermore, your clients can pay using your business proposal payment gateways. You can choose between PayPal, Stripe or GoCardless.

The proposal analytics will show you the progress of your business proposal. You will be notified every time they are opened, forwarded, signed and paid.

Moreover, once your business proposal is opened, we'll notify you how much time the client spent on each of the sections, making your follow-up process easy.

However, if the spent time on your timescales and executive summary, you know how to structure your follow-up email.

When you have an online proposal tool, you can integrate all the other sales and marketing tools like CRMs and more.

It will help you speed up the whole sales process and create proposals that utilize all customer data you've collected so far.

When you're running a small business, every proposal counts.

You can't afford to lose any potential clients by sending bad proposals. You have to get creative and spend some time on the writing process.

Projections from Tim’s proposal “picture the dream”

Here’s another brilliant business proposal idea from Tim Coe.

If you’re creating a business proposal which contains future projections for your client then consider setting the stage nice and early with those projections.

I’m not suggesting replacing the introduction. You should always have that opening summary, but this could immediately follow.

When utilizing this business idea, you’re hitting them with the main benefit nice and early, and then painting this amazing picture for them sets the frame up perfectly.

Now, everything they read in the rest of the business proposal is understood through the lens of knowing what years 2 and 3 could look like.

A subtle tip here, getting people to “think big” before hitting them with the price is a great way of lowering the impact your price would have.

We've collected ten amazing business proposal ideas for you to jazz up your proposals, and make them more engaging and fun to read.

The process of sending your business proposal is of course about doing a good job for the agreed budget, but it’s also about making them feel like you’re the right company for the job.

A great way to do that is to give them an organised, well-formatted document summing everything up. If that is a complete mess, what does it say about your service?

Conversely, what does it say if it blows them away?

I’ll leave you to work out which one you want to be.

The only thing that's left to do is to sign up for a free trial and fall in love with Better Proposals.

The difference between a yawn and a standing ovation?

Using Word to Create Proposals Makes You Look Fucking Pathetic

Think about the impression you're trying to give off and then ditch Word proposals for good. They make you look pathetic.

Proposal Rejected: 10 Common Business Proposal Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Find data-backed reasons business proposals fail and find out how to avoid making the same proposal mistakes yourself.

Business Proposal Example (Breakdown + Free Sample)

Business proposal example to help you write your next business proposal. View examples of what set business proposals apart and learn to write your own.

Follow this business proposal example and learn how to write the perfect business proposals today.

As our name suggests, we’re very familiar with business proposals here on Proposeful 🙂

We’ve spent a lot of time studying what goes into creating an effective business proposal and in this page you’ll be able to follow us as we analyse a business proposal example and break it down into a simple to follow structure.

Business Proposal Example

The proposal sample we’ll be analysing is one of our  free proposal templates  and is composed of all the information your client will need to make a decision.

View Proposal Example

It’s a made-up proposal for the made-up company we call Acme Co. It doesn’t really matter what exactly the services or products you’re selling are, most buying decisions require pretty much the same information:

• What am I buying?

Why do I need it?

• How will this investment return to me?
• Who am I buying this from?
• Can I trust this provider?

Can I afford it?

If you consider all of your recent buying decisions – either personal or professional – you probably mentally considered all of these items. Sometimes, we skip some of them: for example we can be more flexible with the price when we’re in great need of something, or we can immediately trust someone who we don’t really know but was very positively recommended by someone else we trust.

As we follow our business proposal example, you’ll notice how we address each part of these items and how positively our client should feel about your offer when you follow this structure.

What am I buying? How to set the mood right

Does your client really need to be reminded?

Surprisingly, yes!

Specifying what exactly your client is purchasing helps set the tone for the rest of our pitch. In our proposal example, we address this right on the cover, by creating a title that accurately translates the client’s needs into a specific, deliverable solution.

For example, if your client is requesting a proposal for an e-commerce store so that they can sell their products online, which of the following titles should you use?

• E-commerce development proposal
• Online store to help Acme Co. reach more clients

It’s easy to see how the second one shows more alignment with your client’s goals and a better understanding of their needs. Your client might even get excited when reading a masterful title like this, as they remember why exactly they’re looking to spend money!

We address this question in the section of our proposal example we call “the challenge”.

The idea here is to explain to your client – in your own words – the exact problem they have and why they should be looking to fix it.

Although your client already knows that, exposing the problem in your own words is again a great way to connect to your client – showing you understand their challenges – and offers an opportunity to remind them why they so desperately need you (that’s the reaction you want to get, after all!)

What ROI can I expect?

If you have any hope of closing a sale, your client better be getting more value from hiring you than from keeping their money in the bank, right?

That’s why you need to address the ROI (Return On Investment) your client can expect to get.

Now, that might be hard to speculate, and you might feel you don’t really have an answer for that. In some industries – advertising, for example – ROI is a part of day-to-day operation and it’s easy to speculate and create goals. In others – like photography, for example – ROI can be more qualitative than quantitative. Still, it’s always possible to present a clear return to your client.

For example, if you’re working on something to strengthen their brand – like photography, graphic design, a new logo, etc. – you can write about how a stronger brand and better quality images and pictures help improve the results from campaigns and build customer trust. You don’t have to put a number on it, but you must be able to explain what they’re getting out of it.

We address this question in both the “Our Solution” and “Expected Results” sections of our proposal example, as the ROI is tightly linked to your unique value proposition.

Who am I buying this from and can I trust them?

If you have managed to build interest in your client by now, they might be asking themselves the first soft sales objections, like:

• Is this provider trustworthy?
• Can’t we do this internally with our own team?
• Do they really have the experience to achieve our goals?

All of those questions are natural in any sales process. In retail, customers will sometimes research brands and different options for months online before making a purchase decision. Your sales are no different – even if the client is in a hurry or you’re the only provider available, you won’t close the sale if they don’t trust you.

Also, even if you have been referred to this customer by someone you trust, it’s important to remember that sales, specially in larger companies, usually involve more than a single person. In fact, in a typical 100-people company,  up to 7 people can be involved in a buying decision .

Therefore, it’s important that your primary contact not only trusts you, but has reasons to defend you as the perfect match for their company when deciding internally between providers.

We address those issues in the “Why Us” and “Case Study” sections of our proposal sample, where you can tell your clients a bit about your work and experience and – more importantly what you have done for other companies.

If you’ve had a similar client with a similar problem, it’s a great idea to include a (anonymous, if need be) case study about what sorts of results you were able to achieve for your other client. For some areas – e.g. webdesign – a portfolio is enough, but for consultants and marketers, for example, it’s important to go into details of what problems you’ve solved for other clients.

This will be very important in building trust in your client. You’ll note that in our proposal example we use testimonials. These area a great, often overlooked, way to show your prospect that other companies and people trusted you as well and had a great experience working with you.

If your client is confident your solution is solid, their ROI is clear and you are the perfect company for their job, they might still have one objection: money!

We address this in the “Total Investment” section of our proposal sample, where we list a few  options for our client to choose from. It’s important to limit choices to 3 or 4 at most, ideally less. The reason for that is you don’t want to create friction and have your client confused regarding different packages and marginally different ROI.

You’ll notice in our proposal example we always use the term “Investment” when referring to price. The reason for that is to constantly remind our client that they’re not spending frivolously, but rather investing in a solution with clear ROI to their business.

Ready to start? Sign up for free to view all our templates!

If you enjoyed this guide and feel read to craft the most amazing proposal your client will ever see, we got your back.

The proposal example we’ve analysed here is available on Proposeful. Just sign up and you’ll be able to view all of our templates, customize them and even know when your clients have opened them (and how long they spent on each part!).

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Home › Writing › What is Proposal Writing? › 17 Business Proposal Examples to Inspire You 

17 Business Proposal Examples to Inspire You 

Become a Certified Proposal Writer

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Sales generation and winning more businesses are a core part of business success. To get more leads and sales, every company must know how to draft an effective business proposal to persuade the clients to buy from you. 

With a good proposal, you can sell more. The way you write the business proposal can determine your company’s fate- either you win a new business or lose a potential client. The business proposal targets a specific audience for your business and offers them an effective solution to their problem. The purpose of a proposal is to convince your client that you stand ahead of your competitors with unique deliverables. Give them a reason to buy from you.

The structure and format of a business proposal contain a compelling introduction with a project overview. After that, you can state the client’s problems and your unique solutions. Your proposal writing must also include all the standard information such as pricing estimates, work timelines, and testimonials. It is essential that you offer transparency and trust to your target audience alongside the solutions to retain long-term clients. 

If you are struggling with writing a persuasive yet informative business proposal, you can leverage the business proposal examples in this article. 

Best Business Proposal Examples to Inspire You

We have written down the 17 best business proposal examples that will help you create client-winning proposals. Change the structure, headings, and content according to your services and client’s needs.

1. Business Proposal Example

In this proposal document, it is vital to incorporate the standard information for a great sales pitch and win potential clients. This document complies with the needs and demands of the target client and suggests actionable solutions- beneficial for both the client and the company. 

You can be a freelance writing company or a digital marketing firm, the basic framework for a proposal remains constant, with the same purpose of increasing sales conversions and maximizing ROI (return on investment).

A good business proposal includes a thorough project overview, addresses the client’s problems, offers solutions, gives pricing estimates, and a working timeline. Adding client testimonials and the success story (brief) of the past projects is also a plus. 

2. Digital Marketing Proposal Example

This business proposal effectively engages clients with your goods or services and convinces them to consider buying from you. In addition, this proposal document addresses the client’s problems and provides them with solutions.

You can use the first paragraph or the introduction to talk about “what you have to offer” or “why the client needs you.” Then, you can include the key information about increasing organic traffic, generating more leads, better sales conversions, and user engagement.

In this proposal example, it is important to include the payment terms and timeline for the project plan. In addition, you need to include all your services, such as social media marketing, SEO or search engine optimization, PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns, digital content, email marketing, and more.

The marketing proposal will spread your business ideas amongst the clients like a wildfire in the forest- you have to kindle it.

3. Web Design Proposal Example

The web design business proposal addresses the client’s problem by understanding their needs. Whether you are designing the website for a new business, a private company, or a non-profit organization, your proposal must include explicit details.

This proposal template contains the development process of executing the proposed services for the client. Thereby includes a problem overview, solution statement, project timeline, pricing packages (hourly, weekly, yearly), call-to-action, and an “About Us” section.

After the introductory paragraph, you can write the “About Us” and “About the team” sections.

4. Engineering Services Proposal Example

In this business proposal example, you can leverage the client specifications to create a user-friendly proposal. The proposal writing highlights the work process and project plan. This proposal document ensures the client that your proposed solutions are competent to solve their problems directly.

The proposal contains the problem with their solutions, the cost breakdown, timeline, and schedule in the project description.

The “About Us” and “Team” sections come after the proposal’s explicit details, especially the solution. You can further include certifications about your legal team, client testimonials, social proof, and call-to-action to build trust and authenticity.

5. Research Proposal Example

This type of proposal is a coherent yet concise summary of your research study. It specifies the intent of research- the central questions and issues. In this document, you must include the general idea of study and the current state of recent debate or knowledge as per the area of research. 

You must state the pricing estimate for the relevant research project. Include the information that demonstrates your ability to cater to challenging ideas in a clear, critical, and concise way,

You can write the research proposal as a supplier to the client, or as a student to your supervisor. In any case, you must talk about the title, abstract, research context, research questions and methods, the significance of your research, and the bibliography. 

6. Grant Proposal Example

The grant or asking-for-funds proposal t is written in distinct sections. The sections consist of different titles that target the specific guidelines of the granting organization. The main elements of any grant proposal remain the same. It must include a short overview of the executive summary, the statement of your company’s need or problem, a project overview, and your budget to specify the reason why you need the funds. 

To strengthen your proposal, you can also include a cover letter, organizational qualifications, client testimonials, and supporting documents. Ensure that you do not miss any of the funding agency’s guidelines or else the grant will slip out of your hands.

7. Budget Proposal Example

The project completion or grant approval depends on the budget proposal. If this proposal states a high budget, the grant or funding agency will reject your “grant proposal”. As the grant proposal states the budget is to inform the company that you do not have enough funds to complete the project. 

This proposal must include all the basic information about the project and the costs of everything that you can or cannot cover in a given time limit.  

8. IT Consulting Proposal Example

The proposal provides the prospective client with a clear picture of your work intent. Starting from the research to the final sign-off. The proposal must offer answers to the anticipated problems or questions. Ensure the writing format and content are excellent and that the reader says “Yes” to your services before they even finish reading.

Even though the proposal is about IT, you need to avoid the technology-related jargon- keep the content simple and easy to understand. For example, include all the following components such as project overview, estimated pricing, work timeline, scope, business goals, and a case study.

After the solution, you can add the “About Us” sections, CTA (call-to-action), and legal terms. Adding client testimonials and their feedback on your recent work can gain the client’s trust and turn them into a buyer from a reader.

9. Freelance Writing Proposal Example

It is a web-based, well-crafted proposal sample with tempting offers and value clarifications. Even though this type of business proposal must be short and to the point, it is vital to study the client and understand what they want from you.

Write the introduction and executive summary in a composed yet persuasive tone to convince the client that you are the best choice for them.

“About Me (or Us)” sections need to come after discussing the solution.

10. Construction Bid Proposal Example

This business proposal must be accurate, precise, personalized, showcase your company’s potential, and include details.

The proposal must include the scope of work, solution statement, payment schedule, project timeline, approach to unforeseeable conditions like weather and other hidden defects, and your warranty.

While the project proposal must also explain the work schedule and the extra charges applicable for additional work, the introduction needs to target the client’s needs.

11. CRM Implementation Proposal Example

It is essential to use bullet points and a convincing writing tone to deliver a value proposition to write this proposal.

This document must contain details about the focused user adoption plan, incremental delivery, domain knowledge, industrial references, client testimonials, history of past projects, and more.

12. Insurance Services Proposal Example

This proposal is concise and contains various offerings to the client. After an attention-grabbing introduction and executive summary, you can pitch your solutions to the clients.

The proposal must discuss the business plan, scope of work, timelines, and payment schedules. Keep the proposal brief, but do not miss out on the main points.

13. Graphic Design Proposal Example

An illustrative business proposal, written to put forward your skills and offerings to the potential client. The proposal, specifically the introductory and executive summary section, must focus highly on the customer needs and problems.

After highlighting the solutions and deliverables, close your proposal by incorporating credentials, client testimonials, and CTA.

14. Project Proposal Example

This project proposal highlights the company’s understanding and knowledge of the client’s requirements. Although it is challenging to cover all the aspects, the content must be specific yet persuasive and define the value proposition.

You can add details from your past successful project and the criteria for management that led to customer satisfaction. This enables the reader to sense your expertise and experience.

15. Interior Design Proposal Example

A proposal writing that incorporates visually attractive content to persuade the client. It can contain graphics, videos, and an online demo (if the proposal is online) to showcase the business’s strengths and achievements to the client.

16. Sales Proposal Example

This proposal is essential to outline the features of the products and services your company is selling. It is a detailed proposal with all the information about the project overview, solutions, deliverables, price, benefits, work schedule, and more.

To sell and generate revenues for your business, you must create awareness about your offerings. To convert your proposal writing into sales and deal closures, give them a reason to trust you, convince them you are better than your competitors and can resolve their issues.

A poorly written sales proposal means no selling.

17. Social Media Marketing Proposal

A brief discussion about the design layout, color coding, and use of social media icons can turn this business proposal into a great sales pitch.

The proposal must include an easy-to-follow and understand the timeframe for project goals and objectives while ensuring the prospect is abreast of the mode of payment and other relevant details.

Critique/ Analysis : These business proposals follow a particular format structured in a certain way. However, most of them follow the same suit by covering the essential information. The important point to note is that it is advisable to add the “About Us,” “Team,” “Certifications,” and “Testimonial” sections after you have given the project overview with potential solutions.

Write Better Proposals to Win More Business

With empowering proposal writing, let your business proposals do the talking.

The business proposals vary depending on the type and size of the company, and you have to search your target audience to offer them potential solutions. If you are an IT company, you cannot send out business proposals written for freelance writing.

Any proposal aims to target the client’s needs and demands. Above all, to convince them to buy your products and services. Once you analyze and understand what your client wants from you, you can build a solid business proposal that nobody will turn down. If you get stuck, you can talk to your client and understand what they want in a more specific way. You can ask your questions and then narrow down the solutions.

Filling up the proposal with fluff and redundant content decreases its value and risks losing the client- that can be a massive blow to your business.

Leverage any business proposal template that fits your requirements and makes your business successful.

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550+ Business Plan Examples to Launch Your Business

Need help writing your business plan? Explore over 550 industry-specific business plan examples for inspiration.

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View all sample business plans

Example business plan format

Before you start exploring our library of business plan examples, it's worth taking the time to understand the traditional business plan format . You'll find that the plans in this library and most investor-approved business plans will include the following sections:

Executive summary

The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. It comes first in your plan and is ideally only one to two pages. You should also plan to write this section last after you've written your full business plan.

Your executive summary should include a summary of the problem you are solving, a description of your product or service, an overview of your target market, a brief description of your team, a summary of your financials, and your funding requirements (if you are raising money).

Products & services

The products & services chapter of your business plan is where the real meat of your plan lives. It includes information about the problem that you're solving, your solution, and any traction that proves that it truly meets the need you identified.

This is your chance to explain why you're in business and that people care about what you offer. It needs to go beyond a simple product or service description and get to the heart of why your business works and benefits your customers.

Market analysis

Conducting a market analysis ensures that you fully understand the market that you're entering and who you'll be selling to. This section is where you will showcase all of the information about your potential customers. You'll cover your target market as well as information about the growth of your market and your industry. Focus on outlining why the market you're entering is viable and creating a realistic persona for your ideal customer base.

Competition

Part of defining your opportunity is determining what your competitive advantage may be. To do this effectively you need to get to know your competitors just as well as your target customers. Every business will have competition, if you don't then you're either in a very young industry or there's a good reason no one is pursuing this specific venture.

To succeed, you want to be sure you know who your competitors are, how they operate, necessary financial benchmarks, and how you're business will be positioned. Start by identifying who your competitors are or will be during your market research. Then leverage competitive analysis tools like the competitive matrix and positioning map to solidify where your business stands in relation to the competition.

Marketing & sales

The marketing and sales plan section of your business plan details how you plan to reach your target market segments. You'll address how you plan on selling to those target markets, what your pricing plan is, and what types of activities and partnerships you need to make your business a success.

The operations section covers the day-to-day workflows for your business to deliver your product or service. What's included here fully depends on the type of business. Typically you can expect to add details on your business location, sourcing and fulfillment, use of technology, and any partnerships or agreements that are in place.

Milestones & metrics

The milestones section is where you lay out strategic milestones to reach your business goals.

A good milestone clearly lays out the parameters of the task at hand and sets expectations for its execution. You'll want to include a description of the task, a proposed due date, who is responsible, and eventually a budget that's attached. You don't need extensive project planning in this section, just key milestones that you want to hit and when you plan to hit them.

You should also discuss key metrics, which are the numbers you will track to determine your success. Some common data points worth tracking include conversion rates, customer acquisition costs, profit, etc.

Company & team

Use this section to describe your current team and who you need to hire. If you intend to pursue funding, you'll need to highlight the relevant experience of your team members. Basically, this is where you prove that this is the right team to successfully start and grow the business. You will also need to provide a quick overview of your legal structure and history if you're already up and running.

Financial projections

Your financial plan should include a sales and revenue forecast, profit and loss statement, cash flow statement, and a balance sheet. You may not have established financials of any kind at this stage. Not to worry, rather than getting all of the details ironed out, focus on making projections and strategic forecasts for your business. You can always update your financial statements as you begin operations and start bringing in actual accounting data.

Now, if you intend to pitch to investors or submit a loan application, you'll also need a "use of funds" report in this section. This outlines how you intend to leverage any funding for your business and how much you're looking to acquire. Like the rest of your financials, this can always be updated later on.

The appendix isn't a required element of your business plan. However, it is a useful place to add any charts, tables, definitions, legal notes, or other critical information that supports your plan. These are often lengthier or out-of-place information that simply didn't work naturally into the structure of your plan. You'll notice that in these business plan examples, the appendix mainly includes extended financial statements.

Types of business plans explained

While all business plans cover similar categories, the style and function fully depend on how you intend to use your plan. To get the most out of your plan, it's best to find a format that suits your needs. Here are a few common business plan types worth considering.

Traditional business plan

The tried-and-true traditional business plan is a formal document meant to be used for external purposes. Typically this is the type of plan you'll need when applying for funding or pitching to investors. It can also be used when training or hiring employees, working with vendors, or in any other situation where the full details of your business must be understood by another individual.

Business model canvas

The business model canvas is a one-page template designed to demystify the business planning process. It removes the need for a traditional, copy-heavy business plan, in favor of a single-page outline that can help you and outside parties better explore your business idea.

The structure ditches a linear format in favor of a cell-based template. It encourages you to build connections between every element of your business. It's faster to write out and update, and much easier for you, your team, and anyone else to visualize your business operations.

One-page business plan

The true middle ground between the business model canvas and a traditional business plan is the one-page business plan . This format is a simplified version of the traditional plan that focuses on the core aspects of your business.

By starting with a one-page plan , you give yourself a minimal document to build from. You'll typically stick with bullet points and single sentences making it much easier to elaborate or expand sections into a longer-form business plan.

Growth planning

Growth planning is more than a specific type of business plan. It's a methodology. It takes the simplicity and styling of the one-page business plan and turns it into a process for you to continuously plan, forecast, review, and refine based on your performance.

It holds all of the benefits of the single-page plan, including the potential to complete it in as little as 27 minutes . However, it's even easier to convert into a more detailed plan thanks to how heavily it's tied to your financials. The overall goal of growth planning isn't to just produce documents that you use once and shelve. Instead, the growth planning process helps you build a healthier company that thrives in times of growth and remain stable through times of crisis.

It's faster, keeps your plan concise, and ensures that your plan is always up-to-date.

Download a free sample business plan template

Ready to start writing your own plan but aren't sure where to start? Download our free business plan template that's been updated for 2024.

This simple, modern, investor-approved business plan template is designed to make planning easy. It's a proven format that has helped over 1 million businesses write business plans for bank loans, funding pitches, business expansion, and even business sales. It includes additional instructions for how to write each section and is formatted to be SBA-lender approved. All you need to do is fill in the blanks.

How to use an example business plan to help you write your own

How do you know what elements need to be included in your business plan, especially if you've never written one before? Looking at examples can help you visualize what a full, traditional plan looks like, so you know what you're aiming for before you get started. Here's how to get the most out of a sample business plan.

Choose a business plan example from a similar type of company

You don't need to find an example business plan that's an exact fit for your business. Your business location, target market, and even your particular product or service may not match up exactly with the plans in our gallery. But, you don't need an exact match for it to be helpful. Instead, look for a plan that's related to the type of business you're starting.

For example, if you want to start a vegetarian restaurant, a plan for a steakhouse can be a great match. While the specifics of your actual startup will differ, the elements you'd want to include in your restaurant's business plan are likely to be very similar.

Use a business plan example as a guide

Every startup and small business is unique, so you'll want to avoid copying an example business plan word for word. It just won't be as helpful, since each business is unique. You want your plan to be a useful tool for starting a business —and getting funding if you need it.

One of the key benefits of writing a business plan is simply going through the process. When you sit down to write, you'll naturally think through important pieces, like your startup costs, your target market , and any market analysis or research you'll need to do to be successful.

You'll also look at where you stand among your competition (and everyone has competition), and lay out your goals and the milestones you'll need to meet. Looking at an example business plan's financials section can be helpful because you can see what should be included, but take them with a grain of salt. Don't assume that financial projections for a sample company will fit your own small business.

If you're looking for more resources to help you get started, our business planning guide is a good place to start. You can also download our free business plan template .

Think of business planning as a process, instead of a document

Think about business planning as something you do often , rather than a document you create once and never look at again. If you take the time to write a plan that really fits your own company, it will be a better, more useful tool to grow your business. It should also make it easier to share your vision and strategy so everyone on your team is on the same page.

Adjust your plan regularly to use it as a business management tool

Keep in mind that businesses that use their plan as a management tool to help run their business grow 30 percent faster than those businesses that don't. For that to be true for your company, you'll think of a part of your business planning process as tracking your actual results against your financial forecast on a regular basis.

If things are going well, your plan will help you think about how you can re-invest in your business. If you find that you're not meeting goals, you might need to adjust your budgets or your sales forecast. Either way, tracking your progress compared to your plan can help you adjust quickly when you identify challenges and opportunities—it's one of the most powerful things you can do to grow your business.

Prepare to pitch your business

If you're planning to pitch your business to investors or seek out any funding, you'll need a pitch deck to accompany your business plan. A pitch deck is designed to inform people about your business. You want your pitch deck to be short and easy to follow, so it's best to keep your presentation under 20 slides.

Your pitch deck and pitch presentation are likely some of the first things that an investor will see to learn more about your company. So, you need to be informative and pique their interest. Luckily we have a round-up of real-world pitch deck examples used by successful startups that you can review and reference as you build your pitch.

For more resources, check out our full Business Pitch Guide .

Ready to get started?

Now that you know how to use an example business plan to help you write a plan for your business, it's time to find the right one.

Use the search bar below to get started and find the right match for your business idea.

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15 Romantic and Unique Summer Proposal Ideas

• Hayley writes articles on a freelance basis for The Knot Worldwide, with a specialty in sex and relationships.
• Her work has appeared in The Knot, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and more.
• Prior to The Knot Worldwide, Hayley was a full-time editor at a business publication.

Picture this: a perfect summer day, the most romantic evening near the water and getting to soak it all in with the love of your life next to you. Summer is almost here, and if you're already positive that you're ready to pop the question to your special someone, make sure you've got a few summer proposal ideas up your sleeve.

Maybe your partner really loves summer, or the two of you already have a few hot vacations on the books—either way, summer can be an amazing time to turn up the heat and get down on one knee (if that's your sort of thing!)

Whether you're looking to make the moment romantic, want a checklist or unique or just simply sweet moments to consider, we've got summer proposal ideas on lock for you, below.

In this article:

15 Romantic Summer Proposal Ideas

3 tips for planning a summer proposal.

If you consider yourself a romantic at heart, or you know your future spouse wears their heart on their sleeve, opting for a romantic summer proposal is never a bad idea. Here are some of our favorite ways to set the vibe, below.

1. Pop the Question on Your Favorite Beach

Beach lovers , this one's for you. And luckily, this one doesn't require thinking too many steps ahead. All you really need is the ring, yourself and of course, the perfect beach weather. There is something already magical about the ocean, but if you want to be extra romantic, you can take a walk on you and your lover's favorite beach at sunset before gathering the courage to ask for their hand. For partners who love the beach and a soft, sappy moment, they're sure to appreciate that you took into account what they find romantic.

2. Enjoy a Picnic and Writing Session

Who doesn't love a picnic? For the perfect summer proposal idea, having a picnic in a beautiful place can be a really fitting scene for the season. Gather a basket of goodies, pack a few pens and two journals, and make a fun activity out of a journal prompt together: you both write what you love most about each other. Only, at the end of yours, you pop the question. Then you can watch them read it out loud and be surprised!

We think this idea works especially perfect for couples who like to do activities together, like journaling or reading, and is definitely super romantic.

3. Pop the Question at the Pool

Another of the perfect summer proposal ideas? The trend of a pool proposal. This is a great idea for couples who love to swim, already have a weekend away planned to a bougie hotel or want something really unexpected for their proposal. There's so many ways to do this: Consider renting a private Airbnb with a stunning pool, head to a fancy hotel getaway with a view or if you have a pool at home that means a lot to you as a couple, you could let your feels out there.

All you've got to do is enjoy a beautiful day of swimming, laying out together and as the day winds down, drink champagne at the pool's edge and say how you truly feel. They're sure to love the effort and summer vibes, too.

4. Sunrise Surprise

Here's another proposal idea: Seek out the sunrise. This one is nice because it can be as fancy or as laid back as you want to make it. First, ask your partner if they want to go on a sunrise hike or try out dawn dating , to set the scene. Once they agree, head on a hike or plan a breakfast picnic just the two of you. Either way, this proposal is super romantic and will definitely be a true surprise at dawn.

5. Book a Photoshoot

Summer is the perfect time to suggest a couple's or family photoshoot with your partner (and it's a sneaky way to throw them off the scent of your plans!) Simply find a photographer that you'd love to use, a location that is special for the two of you and go shopping for outfits together. On the day of the shoot, take a few photos and then when they least expect it, get down on one knee. We love this oldie but goodie because it really captures the true moment of surprise; you'll both have the moment to look back on forever, too.

6. Shout From the Rooftops

If you're not somewhere where there is a lot of nature, or you're a city livin' person, don't worry. You're not missing out on stunning summer proposals; you just need to climb a bit higher to get a romantic view. Climb to the rooftop of your apartment building, sip wine together on your friend's terrace or head to a rooftop restaurant, before asking the most important question of your life. You can dress this up as much as you want, with candles and rose petals, or keep it simple and romantic with a blanket and your favorite orange wine. Plus, if you're a fan of rom coms, consider actually shouting it from the rooftops when they say yes!

7. Go to a Park

In the summertime, parks are the place to be. With children running around, other couples sharing picnics on the grass, folks laying out in the sun and dogs enjoying the outdoors, heading to your local park can be a proposal idea that is sweet, seasonally-appropriate and fun. Take a walk in the park together, or plan to have lunch on a park bench, then get serious. This idea is perfect for those who want a place that feels familiar and comfortable but still romantic.

8. Take Your Proposal to the High Seas

What could be more summery than a boat? This proposal is the one for those who want to be more extravagant and plan much more ahead of time. To pull this off, it's a good idea to have to privately charter a boat , months in advance. If you're lucky, though, there could be a few last-minute options, too.

Tell your partner you've planned a surprise romantic date, and pull up to the dock. Then, once you're on board, have chocolate-covered strawberries (or their favorite dessert) and some bubbly. This proposal is not only romantic, but poetic and fun!

9. Go on a Pet Playdate

Do you and your partner have a pet together? If so, use it to your advantage, and pop the question with your pet around. Just set up a pet playdate with a friend of yours, who can be there to take sneaky photos or videos, and when you propose, your furry friend will be alongside you both. If they're a true animal lover, they'll find this really special.

10. Celebrate on Your Partner's Birthday?

Is your significant other born in June, July or August? Then a summer proposal might just be the most surprising, eventful time to pop the question of them all. Ask them what they'd like to do for their birthday, then plan a beautiful day of pampering and making them feel like the star of the show, before asking if they'll take the next step with you.

11. Find a Dock

No matter where you are in the world, chances are, there is a body of water somewhere with a dock. And while it might seem overly simple, a dock can actually be a perfect romantic spot for a proposal that is private, gorgeous and just for the two. Plus, if you don't want to be on the water in a boat, but you're looking to have a similar feel, a dock is a great option.

12. Head to an After-Party

Summer is a time for events, outdoor celebrations and more. Think live music, outdoor BBQs and swim days. Maybe you've already got plans during the day for a BBQ with friends—consider creating an after-party with all of your family and friends to watch the proposal happen in real time. Keep in mind: This one is only for those who wouldn't mind being the center of attention. If your partner is a bit more outgoing, this could be a summer proposal you can both feel good about.

13. Send Flowers

Summer is also a time for flowers, outdoor activities and heat. Another summer proposal idea is to bring your significant other a bouquet of flowers with a note inside that says: "Will you marry me?" All you need for this is a beautiful bouquet, to write a handwritten note and meet them at theirs.

14. Spark Fireworks.

What is summer without watching fireworks? Whether you're close to the Fourth of July, or you're heading to a baseball game with fireworks after, seeing the beautiful boom of colors in the sky can be a lovely and romantic backdrop for a summer proposal. Find a fireworks event, spread out on a wide blanket in the back of a truck or a grassy field and get ready to make your own fireworks.

15. Have a Backyard Proposal

A backyard proposal is the epitome of summer. After all, there is so much to use for this one. You can throw a BBQ, have a solo romantic dinner in a backyard, play with your pet together or lay by your pool. No matter what the activity, you'll feel present and in the moment, all in the comfort of your own backyard.

Are you ready to plan the perfect summer proposal? It doesn't have to be overwhelming or nerve-wracking—it can be fun and breezy, just like the season. Keep cool with these three planning tips, below.

Consider the Weather

First things first: always consider the weather the day of your proposal. For example, if a summer storm is coming, you may not want to plan to head out on a boat. But if it's a perfect, sunny day, a picnic and journal moment could be a great addition. Check your weather app and you'll be glad you did.

Consider Public vs. Private

Contrary to what some might think, not everyone wants a super public proposal. In fact, some folks might prefer a private proposal. You know your partner well, so make sure to think about what they might prefer, before settling on an idea.

Based on the proposal idea you have, always consider if you'll need to bring in professionals. Do you need a planner or floral designer? What about a photographer or videographer? Fortunately, The Knot Vendor Marketplace has thousands of vendors who can help ensure a successful proposal, so you can focus on what matters most—showing your love.