A well-written business proposal can often mean the difference between winning or losing a prospective client. Building a business proposal is like building a house.

While there are certain elements that are always necessary — like the foundation — a house varies based on location and the architect or homeowner’s preferences.

In the same way, the components of a business proposal can vary based on industry, company size, and many other factors.

Just like writing anything else, a well-written proposal begins by gathering information and assessing the problems that your potential client is trying to solve.

In this article on how to creating business proposal, we show you how to close more deals, make more sales and crush your business goals all starting from a well written business proposal.

• What is in a Business Proposal?
• How do You Write a Good Business Proposal?
• Business Proposal Meaning
• Types of Business Proposal
• Business Proposal Examples For Students
• How to Write a Proposal For a Project
• Short Business Proposal
• What is a Business Proposal Template?
• What Are The Main Components of a Business Proposal?
• How do You End a Business Proposal?
• What Are The Six Steps to Writing a Business Proposal?
• How do You End a Business Proposal Email?
• How to Word a Proposal
• Customer Service Proposal
• Innovation Proposal
• Cost Proposal
• Leadership Proposal
• Offer or Proposal

What is in a Business Proposal?

The definition of a business proposal is a document in writing sent by a supplier to a potential client in hopes of winning a project.

At heart, it is a sales document that includes all the standard information found in similar documents like estimates, bids and quotes.

This standard content includes:

• Scope (what the project does and doesn’t include)
• What the business promises to deliver (services or products)
• Costs
• Completion date and timelines

But a proposal is more detailed because it’s typically used to win complicated or unique jobs, according to Inc..

• For example, a proposal might be used to win a complex residential landscaping job. Or a customer wants a marketing firm to provide a detailed report on their target market.

Also, proposals are specific in what they promise—they don’t provide approximate pricing and believed scope like estimates do.

How do You Write a Good Business Proposal?

The best business proposals clarify project details, timeline, terms, and cost, and can be treated as an agreement between both companies if they include a signature field for the prospect. Business proposal templates ensure that none of these components are missed, making them a critical tool for any small business.

Read Also: How to Build Business Credit

Here are the seven steps to writing an effective business proposal:

1. Gather the Information You Need

When a new business opportunity becomes available, those in sales management may feel pressure to get your proposal sent over as soon as possible. While you want to send it sooner rather than later, taking some time to learn about the client and project first will help you craft a proposal that’s more likely to be accepted.

This will inform the key elements to include in your proposal and create a more accurate and effective document that results in a closed deal.

To maximize your chances of closing any deal, we strongly recommend conducting a discovery meeting before you deliver your initial sales pitch and create a proposal. You should schedule this meeting before you create the proposal to make sure both you and your customer are on the same page.

If you don’t show you understand their main pain points and address their potential objections, your proposal may be rejected or not taken seriously.

Some of the key questions you need to answer before writing your proposal include:

• Who are the buyers? The person you met may not be the final decision-maker. Determine who else may be involved in the process. If possible, ask the prospect to describe their decision-making or approval process.
• What is the pain point? Research your competition to identify potential weaknesses or gaps. Ask the prospect questions about their past experience with similar products or services to identify their pain points and how you can solve them with your products and services.
• Is there a budget? Ask the prospect if they have a target price in mind or if there is a budget for the project. Answering this question will help you avoid wasting time on proposals that have no chance for profit.
• Is there a deadline? Many companies set internal deadlines for purchasing decisions in order to hit production or launch schedules. They also may be motivated to buy at specific times of the year. Ask if they have a deadline to help pinpoint the time frame.
• What is your best solution to their problem? Determine which of your offerings provides the most benefit based on who the buyers are, what they need, what their pain points are, and their purchasing schedule.
• What are your costs if the proposal is accepted? Calculate the costs, such as labor or materials you will incur as a result of your proposal, and estimate the total projected revenue for your company.

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems are used to store and manage your leads and contacts, so it’s the ideal place to manage your proposals too. In fact, you can incorporate your business proposal into your sales pipeline stages to help track your proposal activities and move your prospects through the sales cycle.

For example, Salesforce Essentials allows you to store customer contact information, meeting notes, documents, and emails, all in one place. This makes it easier and more efficient to manage sales activities, including proposals.

2. Define Project Objectives & Scope

The first thing you want to do before outlining the scope of your project is to define the objective of your business proposal. It’s important that you can articulate your objective so you never lose sight of the reason you’re writing the proposal.

This helps shape your outline and your business proposal. It is also a good practice to state the objective, either in your introduction or in the executive summary of your proposal.

How to Define the Objective of Your Business Proposal

To create a proposal objective, ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the purpose of the proposal?
• What are the needs or pain points of your prospect or customer?
• What problems are you solving with your products and services?
• How does your solution solve your customer’s or prospect’s problems?

Once you’ve answered these questions, create a proposal objective statement that is centered around your customer’s or prospect’s needs.

Example Objective Statement

The objective of this business proposal is to demonstrate how _________________ can solve the problem of _________________________ for ______________________________ by ___________________________________________________.

This general objective can be applied in a specific example per the following: The objective of this business proposal is to demonstrate how Acme Restaurant Group can resolve the problem of high event costs and inconsistent guest experiences for Acme Financial Planners by creating a partnership where we host all their dinner presentations in major markets where we have locations and they have events.

How to Outline the Project’s Scope

The scope of the project is the summary of its deliverables, and should take features, functions, tasks, costs, and schedules into account. This step will define the statement of work (or the “who, what, where, when, how, and why”) as it pertains to your proposal and financial costs.

While you can answer these questions in your head, it’s a better idea to write them down as a separate note or record the answers in your CRM before starting your proposal.

To outline the project’s scope, answer the following questions:

• Who: Who will do the work, who will oversee the work, and who does the customer call if there is a problem?
• What: What solutions need to be delivered, what will be required to get it done, what can the customer expect, and what will it cost them?
• Where: Where will the work be done, and where will it be delivered?
• When: When will you begin, when will key milestones be scheduled, when will the project be completed, and when is the payment due?
• How: How will work be done, how will it be deployed, how will it be managed, how will you achieve quality assurance and customer satisfaction?
• Why: Why have you chosen the strategies and alternatives you have selected, and why should the customer select you?

Writing these out will give you a head start since these answers will make up the bulk of the business proposal. It also gives you final confirmation that you have the necessary resources to complete the project—or it will point out any major snags before you get too invested.

3. Calculate Your Labor & Costs

Early on, you want to consider how much the project will cost—and how much to charge the client. Many businesses use a simple formula to estimate their labor costs: Take a mental walk-through of the project and write down the realistic number of hours it will take for each task. Add this up, and multiply it by 1.5.

For example, if you estimate a project will take 10 hours, write it down as 15 hours in your proposal (10 * 1.5 = 15). Why overestimate? This is because projects often have unforeseen twists and turns, and adding this extra time will help account for any potential obstacles and build in a contingency budget.

Plus, if everything goes smoothly and you wind up below your estimated hours, you can always offer bonus work, or bill your client a lower amount. Both will result in delighted customers.

4. Begin Drafting Your Business Proposal

Now it’s time to dive into the actual proposal document. Proposals tend to follow a loose formula. They start with an introduction that summarizes your business and the project, followed by a body that goes into all the details (including a pricing table, photos, and charts), and a conclusion that tells the customer how to proceed.

Including the signature page, good business proposals should have between six and seven sections. Delving into this part of your proposal can certainly take a while.

The six sections you should address in your business proposal include:

• Introduction: Start by introducing your company and mission in a way that relates to your potential client’s needs. Highlight what distinguishes your company, your accomplishments, your credentials, and any awards. Aim to keep this section to one page.
• Executive Summary: This is where you should present the case for why you are the right company for the job, and give the reader the key message of the proposal. Focus on the conclusions you want the reader to reach after reading it.
• Table of Contents (optional): A table of contents can be useful for longer proposals with many details. List each section with their corresponding page number. In general, we recommend keeping your proposal as short as possible—most proposals shouldn’t need this extra section.
• Body: This is where you can answer the “who, what, where, when, how, and why” questions. Include information on scheduling, logistics, and pricing. You can use data charts to illustrate essential concepts, and can also include testimonials from past clients and a link to your website.
• Conclusion: End with a call to action that encourages the reader to contact you or visit your website for more information. Ideally, you want your client to take immediate action on something, even if it is something small.
• Appendix: This optional section can include information that might not fit well in the body of your proposal. For example, you can include staff resumes or additional graphs, projections, and customer testimonials.

Pro tip: As you write your proposal, you’ll probably keep referring back to old emails and notes to find the “who, what, where, when, how, and why.” A CRM is a great place to store these important pieces of information. In particular, custom fields remind you and your employees to collect this information and make it easy to access in the future.

For example, an IT company needs to track pre-sale owners for their deals to add the pre-sale engineers by name to their proposals—and to pay their commissions. By adding these fields to the opportunity in their CRM, the information is readily accessible when it comes time to write a formal proposal and pay commissions.

The number of custom fields you can add will depend on the CRM you choose. Salesforce Essentials offers users the ability to add five custom fields in the Essential plan. Sign up for your free trial today to see how Salesforce can help you better manage the unique requirements of your business.

5. Edit Your Business Proposal

First, proofread your proposal before sending it to a prospect. Whenever possible, send it to somebody else to read over. A second set of eyes can catch errors you may not see. Many word processing tools allow you to track changes on shared documents, giving you a record of peer comments or suggested corrections.

Second, pay attention to the tone and length of your proposal. In particular, make sure your proposal is short enough to read in a single sitting and contains language that is professional, yet clear.

Make Use of the Appendix

Any extra information, such as testimonials, graphs, and charts, can be moved to the Appendix. As far as the length goes, keep an eye out for repetition. Rather than emphasize your value proposition repeatedly, find a single example that drives your point home: “How much do we care about our customers? Our phone line is open 24/7 and we respond to all emails within 30 minutes or less.”

Watch for Business Proposal Tone & Language

Make sure you use clear, concise, and simple language that avoids industry jargon and technical terms. At the same time, avoid using hyperbole that exaggerates your company or service (“Our groundbreaking product quadruples sales”), as this may undermine the trust you are trying to foster with your potential client. In addition, use the same casual-meets-formal tone you would use in their office during a meeting.

6. Send Out Your Business Proposal

Once your business proposal is complete, you should send it to your main point of contact and primary decision-maker. If you’re unsure exactly who should receive it, don’t be afraid to ask.

This makes sure that all of the key people have the information and can provide feedback or gain buy-in. It also prevents delays later in the process that occurs when the right people don’t have the information they need to make a decision.

In the majority of cases, you can send your proposal via an email attachment. It is best to send it as an attachment rather than within the body of the email to reduce the risk that key details are lost in a long message chain or cut off when printed or forwarded. However, some businesses require you to log in to their portal and enter your proposal details or submit your proposal’s costs on their provided forms.

Pro tip: If you regularly send your business proposals through email, it is also a good idea to consider using email tracking software. This will help you make sure your email arrived at its intended destination, and will let you know when the recipient opens your message. You can then plan a follow-up to see if they have any questions.

7. Follow Up

If you’ve written a proposal before, you know the work is hardly over after you click “send.” Following up with a client to give them a reminder and to answer questions is a key part of the proposal process. We have written an article on several different types of follow-up messages you may use, as well as a range of example email follow-up templates.

Waiting for the perfect time to follow up should be a simple, but significant, part of your proposal strategy. A prospect will be more open to a follow-up conversation when your proposal is fresh on their mind—whether they gave it a full read-through or a quick glance.

This is why CRMs are critical for salespeople. In addition to helping you keep track of your customer’s contact details, they can also be a great tool for staying on top of open proposals. Salesforce Essentials gives you the ability to manage your contacts, leads, and even the proceeds resulting from successful deals, all within a single program.

Business Proposal Meaning

A business proposal is a document that’s designed to persuade an organization to buy a product or service.  

A proposal is usually solicited or unsolicited – meaning, that the purchasing company is either actively seeking proposals that meet a specific need or is reacting to an offer, often from a sales person, to consider a proposal.

For example, an unsolicited proposal might result from a dinner conversation at a trade show where the seller tells a prospect that he has a solution to the prospect’s problem, and says, “Would you like me to submit a proposal for that?”

While business proposals can take the form of a less-structured proposal letter, they are often long documents that might include anything from engineering specifications to equipment lists to project staffing, depending on what’s requested in the RFP.

Vendors responding to RFPs must always follow the buyer’s preferred, stated format with the proposal. Common elements requested, which can also be used in unsolicited proposals, often include:

• Cover letter
• Cover page
• Executive summary
• Table of contents
• Overview or summary of the problem or need
• Strategy or approach to solving the problem
• Representative tactics
• Company qualifications
• Schedule
• Costs

Business proposals can be as short or as long as necessary to communicate required information.

Types of Business Proposal

Solicited Proposals

Many businesses and government agencies issue requests for proposals. These RFPs outline a particular need or service the business or agency wants to outsource, as well as the information they require in the proposal.

Interested parties develop a proposal that details the ability of the company to provide the service, as well as projected costs and delivery dates. The proposal serves as a job application that competes with other applications. Stick to the structure of the RFP, as the evaluation committee will assess your proposal on your apparent understanding of the RFP.

Unsolicited Proposals

In some cases, you may see how your business can provide a valuable service to another organization but the business has offered no RFP. You can develop an unsolicited business proposal to try to convince this business that it should hire your business.

Unlike a solicited proposal where the organization has already identified the need, your unsolicited proposal needs to demonstrate both the unidentified need and why the company should use your business to deal with it. Unsolicited proposals should very specifically address the organization they target.

Grants

Business grant proposals differ from both solicited and unsolicited proposals in that grants supply funding to businesses, rather than work. Both government agencies and private donors offer business grants, but these grants typically seek to fund very specific kinds of businesses or projects.

For example, a private donor may provide up to $1 million dollars in funding, but only to minority women starting a business. In other cases, anyone can apply, but the business must use the funds for a medical research or an educational initiative.

Like an RFP, business grant proposals must generally supply a range of information, such as why the applicant or business qualifies, and how the business will use the funds.

Business Proposal Examples For Students

Proposals are made not just by people working in any field, but also by student proposals. It is one way of training them from coming up with good project proposal samples that can make a big change in the community. It is also an advantage for them since they would be doing the same in their jobs in the future.

Coming up with a student project proposal is no easy task. It needs brainstorming, researching, and observation of the things happening around you. Writing one needs a lot of concentration and patience. You just have to hope for the best at the time of presenting it to the panel.

Here are the simple steps in writing a student project proposal:

1. Write the cover letter

The cover letter contains the title of the proposal, your name, and contact information. The title should be catchy and engaging enough for anyone who reads it. It should also be memorable and written in simple language.

This is the first thing your teachers see when you submit the project proposal, and it should be short as well. Long titles make the readers lose their interest in the proposal.

2. Write the introduction

The introduction of the proposal is written after the free cover letter. Here, you make the readers know about your proposed project. Give the description of the proposal in its briefest and most concise way possible. It does not have to belong to either. Just state a few important points and you’re good to go.

3. Talk about the problem

After the introduction, you need to state the problem prevalent in the community that is the focus of your study. The problem should be pressing and convincing enough as you dig deeper into your proposed solutions in the proposal. State why the problem needs to be solved and how the panel can help with it.

4. Write the vision

Write about how you envision your project in this part of the proposal. This will guide you in making the goals of your proposal. You will know what you want to achieve in the end. 

5. Write the goals

State the goals that you want to reach with your proposal. For example, if your topic is about waste disposal, include a set of goals that you want to achieve at the end of the study. These will be your guide on how you will do the necessary steps in achieving your goals. 

6. Set a timeline

You need to set a proper timeline for the project proposal to be done. Tell the panel that you can do it in the time that you set. Break down each phase of the production process. Estimate the number of days or weeks for each phase to be completed. It has to be comprehensive and cohesive enough for the panel to believe your production process. 

7. Write the methodology

Since you have stated your goals, it’s about time to write the methods on how to do it. State the materials and the number of funds that you need. Break down the price of each material that you need and provide an estimate of the money that you would be using.

Describe the procedures that you will execute in fulfilling your goals. Make sure it is still in line with your proposal. These should convince the readers to take a risk with your proposal in the future.

8. Write the significance of the proposal

The panel who reads your proposal will always question its significance to the people, community, and what impact it can make as a whole. Write what makes your proposal significant and why they should invest time, money and effort in it.

Every proposal has its own significance which can change the way people do things in their everyday lives. Write every single one without being too idealistic.

9. Cite sources

Proposals do not go around without any source. The facts used and stated in the proposal should be cited properly, or a plagiarism accusation will come next. The source of the facts can come from a book, website, a newspaper article or anything that is credible and authentic.  This can serve as the bibliography of your proposal. 

10. Edit

Do not forget to edit and proofread your proposal before submitting it. Reading one with errors is too much of a headache. Make sure it looks professional and business-like to the readers.

How to Write a Proposal For a Project

Remember that the reason you’re writing a proposal is to obtain executive buy-in. You want key people to support your project. You need decision-makers on your side to turn a vision into reality.

You want the proposal to speak to them, and then motivate them to take the next step, which is to greenlight the project.

Step 1: Define the problem

What’s the problem your project is trying to address? Why is it a problem? Why is it worth solving? Make your audience see the problem the way you see it.

Tips for defining the problem:

• Start strong. Decision-makers usually don’t allot much time to look over a proposal, so make sure that the pain point is succinctly described and in a manner that resonates with them.
• Use facts, not opinion. Although you want your audience to understand the severity of a problem, you don’t want to exaggerate. Instead, use data from your research to back up your assertions.

Step 2: Present your solution

How will your project solve the problem? Why is your solution the better option over other similar solutions? Discuss why other solutions won’t work for the situation.

Tips for presenting your solution:

• Anticipate questions and objections. Be prepared to defend your solution from all angles. Be ready to explain why your more expensive solution is better than a less expensive one, for example.
• Present the solution’s larger impact. Stakeholders generally get more excited about projects with wide-ranging effects than those with limited impact.
• Again, facts over opinion. Provide as many research-backed examples as you can.

Step 3: Define your deliverables and success criteria

This section provides a picture of the functions and attributes of the deliverable, plus how to know if the project is successful.

Tips for defining deliverables:

• Include a delivery date. Define what your project will deliver and what users can expect from it, such as a cloud-based phone system that’s accessible 24/7 from anywhere if it’s a customer service project you’re proposing. Also, indicate when you plan to complete each deliverable.
• Your solution must be SMART. Your success criteria will signal whether the project has been successful. Remember to keep your solution SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.)

Step 4: State your plan or approach

This is the most critical section of the proposal and discusses how to achieve the project’s objectives. It starts with an explanation of the approach and why it’s relevant and effective. It also explains how problems will be managed.

Tips for planning:

• Introduce project strategies. Will you be using the traditional waterfall approach? Why? Will you be using third-party contractors, in-house staff, or consultants? What will their objectives and responsibilities be? This is your opportunity to discuss the “why” behind the decisions you’re making to get the project completed.
• Explain how problems will be addressed. This explains your project management plan’s risk mitigation strategies.

Step 5: Outline your schedule and budget

This is the section where you break down project costs and detail how you will meet deadlines.

Tips for defining a schedule and budget:

• Provide as much detail as possible. Break your budget down into categories, such as supplies, tools, salary, etc. Include all overhead and indirect costs. A detailed financial breakdown will signal to stakeholders that you’ve done your research and don’t intend to waste their money. Note that certain projects may require financial statements and funding sources.
• Be concrete. Don’t guess. Provide project start and end times, and if certain sections of the project can be done simultaneously.

Step 6: Tie it all together

End your proposal with a conclusion that briefly summarizes the problem, solution, and benefits. Emphasize the significant parts, and make your proposal stand out by restating ideas or facts you want your audience to remember.

Check your proposal for consistency of ideas and whether the elements support each other.

Tips for tying everything together:

• Your proposal should read like a book. Your proposal should tell a story. Every section and element must work together to form a cohesive whole.
• Refrain from introducing anything that doesn’t fit. Be careful not to introduce anything that seems off or doesn’t contribute to the overall objectives of the project.
• Make sure all project proposal elements are present. Check your document and ensure all the necessary elements have been addressed.

Step 7: Edit/proofread your proposal

Rewrite your proposal as necessary to make it interesting, helpful, clear, and persuasive. Ask for feedback, and ensure the proposal is organized and visually appealing.

Tips for editing:

• Check the tone and language. Your proposal is intended for a certain audience type, so make sure the tone and language used are reflective of that. Don’t forget to proofread for grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes. You want your proposal to look professional.

Short Business Proposal

It’s a common misconception that business proposals and business plans are the same. The proposal’s aim is to sell your product or service, rather than your business itself. Instead of assisting your search for investors to fund your business, a proposal helps you seek new customers.

Whether the proposal is solicited or unsolicited, the steps to create your proposal are similar. Ensure it includes three main points: a statement of the problem the organization is facing, proposed solution, and pricing information.

1. Begin with a title page.
2. Create a table of contents.
3. Explain your why with an executive summary.
4. State the problem or need.
5. Propose a solution.
6. Share your qualifications.
7. Include pricing options.
8. Clarify your terms and conditions.
9. Include a space for signatures to document agreement.

Before writing your business proposal, it’s crucial you understand the business you’re writing the proposal for. If they’ve sent you an RFP, make sure you read it carefully so you know exactly what they’re looking for. It can also be helpful to have an initial call or meeting with the new client to ensure you fully understand the problem they’re trying to solve and their objectives.

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to begin writing your business proposal.

What is a Business Proposal Template?

A business proposal is a document used by a B2B or business-facing company (this may not always be the case) where a seller aims to persuade a prospective buyer into buying their goods or services.

A business proposal template, like this content marketing plan, outlines what your business does and what you can do for your client.

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

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

What Are The Main Components of a Business Proposal?

Make sure your proposal stands out by incorporating the following five components:

1. Solutions: After writing a lead paragraph showing you’ve identified the company’s needs, follow up with a presentation of how your business can provide solutions. The key here is to only promote and promise solutions you can actually deliver.
2. Benefits: A winning business proposal will clearly outline the benefits of doing business with your company. For example, if your small business can offer complete confidentiality and meet tight deadlines, state it clearly in this section dedicated to the benefits of working with your team.
3. Credibility: Your proposal should glow with credibility. If you’ve worked with clients in the same field or have won any awards, you should list these in detail. Highlight any case studies or third-party endorsements to build credibility, and include links to public feedback and evaluation of your business.
4. Samples: A business proposal should include samples of what you’ve delivered to other customers as vital evidence of your ability to deliver. Even a small sample of your work can succinctly show your organizational capabilities and make the difference in winning a competitive bid.
5. Targeted Language: A business proposal must be a clear communication of intent and ability. Customize each proposal for your intended audience and use the language (and jargon) that they would find familiar. Showcase your knowledge of the prospect’s industry by using examples and analysis that is relevant to the market.

You can’t develop a winning business proposal for every potential buyer, but with a well-practiced formula and consistant execution, you have a better chance of winning new contracts from companies that need what your small business can offer.

How do You End a Business Proposal?

Writing a business proposal conclusion involves summarizing all of your main points, overcoming objections and finishing with a flourish. Just as in closing a sales presentation, closing a proposal should include asking for a specific response or action.

Be prepared for a “yes” by having necessary documents and paperwork available so you can secure the deal right away.

Address Potential Objections

Successfully constructing a project proposal conclusion involves addressing and dismissing any potential objections to the issue at hand. For example, if you’re writing a proposal for your manager about utilizing telecommuting staffers in your office, anticipated objections could relate to employee oversight, productivity and teamwork efforts.

While you likely addressed these concerns earlier in your proposal, the closing is the place to briefly reiterate solutions to potential main areas of concern. A proposal conclusion example that successfully addresses potential objections could say, “To reiterate, telecommuting employees will be required to meet daily production quotas, check in twice daily by email and teleconference with management at the start of each day.”

If you’re writing a high-stakes proposal, consider brainstorming potential objections with co-workers to ensure you cover all your bases. You’ll not only impress your manager or client with your foresight, but also save time by producing a proposal that mitigates the need for extensive back-and-forth discussion.

Summarize Key Points of the Proposal

Summarize the key points of your proposal (which in itself is a summary of prior conversations, according to Industrial Marketer) in the conclusion. Focus on why action is needed and emphasize the benefits the action will have for the company. Consider keeping things organized in a written proposal by presenting the key ideas as bullet points.

For example, “Telecommuting will reduce overhead, improve productivity and allow us to expand our staffing and our access to expert freelancers.” If you have vital facts and figures related to costs, earnings or productivity projections, summarize them here as well.

Describe the Next Steps

Describing the next steps to take if a proposal is accepted is a way to take your presentation from a thought or idea into a real concept that decision-makers can visualize.

For example, “With our teleconferencing system already in place and a dozen full-time employees interested in taking their jobs from full-time to telecommuting positions, the next step is to develop a timetable for implementation. This includes finalizing daily quota expectations and setting a schedule for daily teleconferences.”

Make the Ask in the Business Proposal Conclusion

Making the ask in a proposal is much like closing the deal and getting a signed contract in the sales arena. It’s a call to action that should, according to Inc.com, give a clear sense of what you provide and what the recipient is expected to do next. If delivering a verbal proposal, you may open the floor to questions prior to this stage to help secure your position.

If developing a written proposal, ask for a definitive timetable for a decision or an in-person meeting or phone call to clarify the final steps of the proposal.

For example, “If everyone agrees that this approach will be beneficial to our organization, I would like to propose launching our telecommuting staff on the first of next month with a one-year trial commitment, to be reviewed after the first six months of operation.”

What Are The Six Steps to Writing a Business Proposal?

Making time for planning now can reduce the time you spend fighting fires later. Here are six key steps that can lead to an effective proposal for your business:

Step 1: Establish your mission

In essence, your mission statement explains why your business exists. When you encounter a problem or a key decision, the answer will be informed by your mission. Think about why you started the business, and imagine where you want it to be in the future. These two elements will provide your mission statement.

Step 2: Analyse your SWOT

With your mission statement in mind, analyse your business’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. List each category in full and be honest. Done correctly, this ‘SWOT’ analysis will help you to take an objective, critical, unemotional look at your business in its entirety.

Step 3: Develop a plan

Try this exercise: from each SWOT category, choose three to five important items. Then set goals to maximise your strengths, correct your weaknesses, make the most of your opportunities and nullify your threats.

For example, you could decide to focus more strongly on a particularly successful product or service (a strength), and abandon a side-project which is costing time and money for little return (a weakness). Remember that you can’t do everything yourself.

Think about how you will delegate tasks and involve all the staff. Avoid dwelling on the negatives – set yourself realistic strategies for improving the business.

Step 4: Create a budget

All missions and strategies need money to succeed. A smart budget will help you to regularly review your expenses and make financially beneficial decisions. You may need to take a wide variety of factors into account when setting your budget. This is where we can help you – why not give us a call?

Step 5: Put it in writing

Make sure you write down your finished plan. Include the mission statement, SWOT analysis, goals and plans, budget and forecasts, and make it clear who is responsible for doing what. Share it with your key staff and shareholders, and encourage their input.

Step 6: Make it a living document

This is vital! Make your business plan a living document that you and your staff can frequently update and improve. Consider reviewing it monthly to track your progress and readjust your strategy as necessary. Hold yourself and your staff accountable for meeting the plan’s goals, and think about introducing an incentive programme to keep everyone motivated.

Remember, a good business plan is as much about the process as the final document. Creating your plan will open your eyes to the realities of your business. Keeping it updated will help you stay on the right track.

How do You End a Business Proposal Email?

Email closings are important, especially for business emails. What you write when you end an email makes a difference. A professional email closing leaves the reader with a good impression of you and of your business. An unprofessional email closing has the opposite effect.

You’re finishing up an email and you want to be sure to leave a good last impression. Here are some basic guidelines to follow:

• Don’t skip the closing. You may feel that this one is obvious, but it happens a lot. Since email is a more casual form of communication, it’s not uncommon for an email writer to skip formalities like the opening and closing—even in business emails.
• Make sure the closing is appropriate. Your email closing should take your audience into consideration. For example, you wouldn’t want to close an email to your boss with the word “love.” Although, that’s a perfectly appropriate ending for an email to your mother.
• Be sincere. Your closing should be genuine and realistic. This may require some thought on your part. For example, you wouldn’t want to end an email to an out-of-town colleague with the words “See You Soon” unless you really are going to see them in the near future.
• Check spelling and grammar. A closing full of typos and grammar errors leaves the reader with the impression that you are sloppy and unprofessional. It just takes a few minutes to read over your email and use the spell check tool. Take those minutes.
• Use your full name. Unless you are very well-known to the recipient, you should use your full name in an email rather than just your first name. Even if you do know that recipient well, they could know more than one person with your first name.
• Include a call to action or next step. The final sentences above your signature are important too. A call to action tells the reader how they should respond to your email. Don’t assume that they’ll automatically know what the next step is.

These are just a few important guidelines to use when closing a professional email. Now, let’s look at how to format the close of your email.

Your email endings may be the last part of your email, but they are far from the least important.  You can improve your professional emails by learning the best way to end an email properly.

Important elements that you should pay attention to when you end an email include:

• call to action or next steps statement
• closing phrase
• email signature template
• sender’s name
• sender’s contact information

Your email closing is the last thing a reader sees, so it can leave a lasting impression. A good, professional email closing will make a positive impression. A sloppy email closing full of mistakes may cause the recipient to view the email sender as less than professional.

How to Word a Proposal

Here’s the general structure of a proposal:

As you can see, a proposal generally consists of:

• Introduction: A brief overview of the problem, solution, costs, and benefits.
• Issue: The main definition of the issue, including subject, purpose, main argument, background information and importance.
• Solution: The main definition of the solution, including your step-by-step plan, the benefits, and how potential obstacles will be overcame.
• Qualifications: Overview of the personnel required, experience.
• Conclusion of the costs and benefits, and wrap-up: Balance the cost against the benefit, reinforce your point one last time.

1. Identify and define your reader

Just like with any kind of persuasion, it helps if you understand how to appeal to your audience. Who will be reading your proposal and deciding if it’s accepted or rejected? What do they care about? What kind of language and benefits would resonate with them?

This is the first step because it’s an important thing to keep in mind as you go along and as information that informs the way you write from here on.

2. Define the problem your proposal will solve

Who: Who will the proposal affect?

What: What’s the reason for you to write the proposal in the first place? Explain the current situation and the problems that come with it.

3. Define the solution

How: How are you going to solve the problem? Explain step-by-step in detail.

Who: Identify the personnel you need, along with their prior experience to add persuasion to the proposal

4. Conclusion: costs, benefits and wrap-up

Reiterate: The purpose and main argument

Costs: Break down the projected costs involved for different elements of the project

Benefits: Break down the benefits to the organization, monetary and non-monetary, to persuade the reader there’ll be a return on investment

Thanks: Thank the reader for their time.

Contact information: Where can the reader get in touch with you? Make sure to be crystal clear to make the details easily discoverable.

Customer Service Proposal

A customer service proposal is a document that provides all the details that need to be executed to provide exemplary customer service to their clients. There are different kinds of customer service proposals created based on the entity who will use it, the industry where it will be used, theclient business proposal involved in specific customer service transactions,and its purpose.

We have listed five steps that you may follow in creating a customer service proposal. These steps are as follows:

• Identify the reason you need to create a customer service proposal. As a kind of business proposal should you create this document for another entity’s usage, you need to make sure that the items within this document is centered in achieving a common goal.
• Assess the current condition of the customer service operations of the business. You can create a training proposal if you think that the people involved in implementation of the customer service proposal needs to be trained accordingly.
• List down areas of opportunities so that the business can develop the services that it provides to its clients. You can also submit a cost proposal if a budget needs to be allocated for the execution of the customer service proposal.
• Identify the threats that can hinder the customer service proposal from taking effect. Assure that you will consider the content of the sales proposal for the operational year it will be implemented as well. This is to make sure that plans for improvement of the customer service will not affect the sales programs and plans of the sales department.
• Let the management of the business review the customer service proposal either for revisions or full implementation.

Innovation Proposal

Innovation Proposal means an innovation or value engineering proposal, with respect to the Project, which is at any time originated or initiated by either the Operator or the Province before the end of the Term and which is developed by the Operator.

Project Co may submit an Innovation Proposal for consideration by the Authority in accordance with Schedule 6 [Changes, Minor Works and Innovation Proposals]. The Authority may request clarification or additional information regarding the Innovation Proposal, and may request modifications to the Innovation Proposal.

An Innovation Proposal that is accepted by the Authority will be implemented as a Change and Project Co will not implement an Innovation Proposal prior to the issuance of a Change Certificate.

Notwithstanding any potential cost savings of an Innovation Proposal, the Authority is under no obligation to accept an Innovation Proposal and may in its discretion elect not to implement an Innovation Proposal.

Except as specifically provided in this Agreement, the Authority will bear no risk or liability whatsoever arising from any Change, Minor Works or Innovation Proposal other than the liability to make payment in connection therewith.

Cost Proposal

A cost proposal is a document that contains the evaluation of all the costs of a particular project. Usually, a cost proposal is prepared after a project proposal has previously been prepared. This document is an essential aspect of a project as the cost of a project can be a determining factor on its success and completion.

Here are some guidelines that can teach you how to evaluate the costs of a project in order to create an accurate cost proposal:

• It is best to create a project proposal first before creating a cost proposal. To know more about project proposals, refer to our collection of program proposal and design proposal templates.
• Refer to the project proposal and make a list of all the steps that require you to use up your financial resources.
• Categorize the types of costs. Common costs involve
  • salary of manpower for the project;
  • purchasing and distribution of certain goods and equipment;
  • payment of services outsourced to realize the goals of the project;
  • payment of fees for certain rights, privileges, or for registration; and
  • documentation fees and others.
• After you have categorized all the items that involve money, you can then start gathering information as to the average cost of the project. There are several methods in gathering such information and those are the following:
  • You may go to different business establishments and ask them for a quotation of the products and materials that you need for your project.
  • You may simply email a certain professional to gain knowledge of the specific amount of certain fees.
  • You may confer to the rules of your state regarding the minimum wage of regular employees, contractual employees, and whatever type of employees you plan on hiring.
• After you have gathered enough information, you calculate the average cost per item.
• Then you are ready to write an actual cost proposal.

Leadership Proposal

When you decide to take a courageous leap from being a front liner to a leader, you have no one to depend on for your goals anymore. People would expect you to be the one who makes and sets those goals. Planning like that would include the hope to improve your strategies as a person on your way to improving your leadership and management strategies.

Before implementing a leadership development across the company, a businessman needs to evaluate his managers and check gaps in performance when it comes to their skills in executive leadership.

1. Assessment

By conducting interviews, focus group discussions and surveys, you can identify how motivated your current leadership team feels about leading the company further. You need to determine if managers have what it takes to build teams, are able to rise over conflicts and pressure and establish strategic smart goals and objectives for a team’s success.

For instance, it’s common for organizations to have existing executives who lack initiative and quick thinking for making tough decisions. It’s also possible that there are managers in your company whose knowledge about technology necessary for everyday operations, is already obsolete.

2. Outline

Make an outline for a curriculum or program in developing corporate leadership skills. Write down learning goals and objectives. Ideally, a curriculum would serve as a guide for executives to effectively delegate, train and coach their staff how to produce results, listen effectively, be team players and motivate others in improving and reinforcing corporate culture and values at all levels of the organization. 

You should, therefore, be able to encourage your managers to build individual development strategies in line with that of the company’s.

3. Resources

The proposal should indicate the development of training materials which would include study guides, presentations, and materials for reference. In areas that need improvement, you should make use of online resources.

There are case studies which provide relevant examples of successful executive behavior and effective management on the internet. You may incorporate classroom training which includes exercises and simulations to encourage self-study and assessment.

Managers can agree on getting an executive mentor to facilitate these activities and later on, they can write a learning journal in documenting their experiences. Either an internal mentor facilitates the leadership development activities or you can hire a third-party to do it.

Either way, you’ll have to ask for a proposal to be submitted so you can evaluate whether or not the program being proposed fits the needs of your company and team.

4. Training

A winning leadership development proposal will consider that leaders can be nurtured, developed to reach their potential but they can’t be manufactured. When finalizing your training program, think of ways in which your participants would be placed in situations or tasks that will push them to learn and grow out of their comfort zone. Let them tackle jobs that rarely cross their desks.

Read Also: What is Business Intelligence?

Some examples would include giving your candidates for the next executive post to step up when the other members of the management team are busy collaborating with colleagues or leaders from other departments on an important project.

Training, mentoring and the ability to work with others in organizational planning along with activities such as rotation of roles, job shadowing, and supervising projects are often what makes up effective leadership development programs aside from formal curriculum or program.

Just be sure to be there and support your participants with continued feedback on their progress and coaching for lack thereof. This is especially helpful coming from the CEO or senior managers who will serve as the team’s role models for leadership.

Offer or Proposal

Some more context would be helpful to better answer your question. This category (writing proposals) is generally about writing grant proposals, which have a pretty specific meaning in that context. To my knowledge “offer” does not have a strict meaning within the funding world.

Generally, a proposal is something you make when you want something. In the case of grant proposals, if you want money from a foundation, you write a proposal, which is a detailed description of why your organization needs money and how you will use that money if you get it. Another word for proposal in this situation would be “request.”

On the other hand, an offer makes it sound like you have something to give, not that you need or want something. In the world of grants and funding, for example, if a foundation learns that your organization has strong programs and results, they may offer to fund your program.

These are words that have slightly different meanings in different situations, however.

Again, the short answer is that someone making a proposal often wants something from someone else. Someone making an offer usually has something to give to someone else.