What Are the Examples of Business Proposal?
A business proposal is a document used by businesses to seek new clients and projects. It can be unsolicited or formally solicited.
An effective business proposal starts with a clear problem statement. It then outlines how you can solve that problem. Then, it concludes with a call to action to encourage the prospect to take the next step.
The Executive Summary
As the name suggests, this section sums up your proposal, letting your prospective client know why you are sending it to them. It should explain the problem or need that prompted you to submit this proposal, and what makes your solution the best possible choice. It should be clear and concise, but also specific enough to entice your prospective client to continue reading the rest of the document.
This is also a good place to provide your prospective clients with the details of how your business operates, and any qualifications or specializations you have in your field. This will give them a sense of your professionalism, and it can help to ease any nerves that might have been caused by the executive summary, especially if you are sending an unsolicited business proposal examples.
Depending on the size of the project you are proposing to take on, this section may also contain a timeline that sets out how long it will take you to deliver your services. It is important to be realistic, but also to show that you are committed to the project and will do your utmost to ensure it is completed in a timely manner. This will reassure your prospective clients that you are serious about the work, and will keep them from stalling in negotiations.
The Solution
The solution is the section of your proposal where you describe how you would go about solving the client’s problem. This is a great place to highlight your strengths, and give them a bird’s eye view of what to expect. You can also include a timeline, and the frequency of delivery and payment terms.
Proposal to Payment
The next step is to get into the details of how you will deliver on your promise. It is important to be as transparent as possible here, and this includes a full breakdown of the project scope and cost. Make sure that your prospects are comfortable with this, and it may help to include a live ROI calculator.
It’s also worth mentioning that the way you present the pricing is just as important as the price itself. You don’t want to scare off your prospects with a sky-high estimate, but you also don’t want to undersell yourself.
A good tip to follow here is including different forms of social proof, such as customer testimonials and case studies. This will help you build trust and demonstrate that you are the right partner for the job. It will also be useful to add a table of contents, so that prospects can quickly navigate to the part of the proposal they need. This will save them time and frustration, and it will ensure they read your entire proposal.
The Table of Contents
A table of contents helps your proposal look professional and organized. It also makes it easier for your client to find specific information as they scan the document. A table of contents can also make it easier for different stakeholders to parse your proposal if it is passed around.
The problem and solution pages are where you explain to your prospective client why they need your services and how you will solve their problems. You want to use this section to showcase your expertise, and also to help your prospective client understand that your company is the best fit for their project.
Start by identifying the client’s challenges, and then offer a solution to each one. Then outline how you will accomplish your plan, and be sure to provide an easy-to-read timeline for each of the goals and objectives. This is an important part of the business proposal, and it helps demonstrate that your prospective client can trust you to complete your work on time.
This business proposal example illustrates how you can effectively communicate your solutions without getting too bogged down in the details. It begins with a catchy headline and a clear executive summary, but then moves on to show the prospective client how your content marketing agency will help them achieve their goals. This section is also effective in showing that your agency’s approach is unique, and avoids hacky advertising cliches that may alienate your prospect.
The Appendix
The business proposal is all about convincing your prospect to choose you for a project. This means you should be able to explain why you’re the best choice for them and how your solutions will benefit their company. It also means providing them with a detailed proposal document that covers all the deliverables and financials of the project.
This example from Social Portal Consulting presents the client specifications and solutions with efficiency, clarity, and professionalism. It starts by introducing the client, Graphic Bean, and its goals before detailing how SPC can help it achieve these. Then, it outlines an easy-to-follow timeframe for the project goals and objectives while keeping the client abreast of how payments will happen across the process.
While the table of contents and executive summary are essential elements in every business plan, an appendix is where you can include more detailed documentation such as credit history documents, intellectual property diagrams or applications, a sample contract, and customer or expert endorsements. These additional documents should be clearly labeled so readers can reference them as needed within the proposal body. They should also be high quality, legible, and legally sound. Lastly, you should include a confidentiality statement here as some of these materials may be privileged and confidential in nature.