A Simple Proposal Template

In many industries, responding to tenders or submitting written proposals to land contracts is an everyday part of doing business. Service companies, consultants, even custom manufacturers need to be able to write compelling business proposals as an essential part of their sales process.

The first step in successful proposal writing is to have a base template at the ready. Often, opportunities are discovered at the eleventh hour. A shoddy proposal will harm your company’s professional reputation, or if you do manage to land the contract, could be disastrous because of scope and cost miscalculations. Having the bulk of the proposal ready to go so that you can focus on the quoting component will mean you quote more frequently and with more accuracy.

A business proposal typically contains these core components:

>> Background – a restatement of the customer’s issue

>> Scope – your specific, recommended solution to the issue

>> Deliverables – an exact list of tangible results your solution provides

>> Personnel – the qualifications of your team members assigned to the project

>> Timetable – start and end dates with success markers along the way

>> Fees – your fee, and what expenses/stages are covered; don’t forget taxes, shipping and other hidden costs

>> Other Expenses – clarity on who pays for sub-contractors, time & materials sub-projects, etc. that are not a part of the outlined fee

>> Terms – billing details such as due dates, installment agreements etc.

>> Appendices – any details that add value to your proposal, for example company history if you are well-established, a customer list that demonstrates similar project experience, or strong references.

The quote is key: too high and you don’t land the project; too low and you make no profit, or worse - do it at a loss. Successful proposal writing is based on knowing the operations of your business very, very well. Consider smaller projects for you first proposals and be prepared to learn through mistakes.

In the proposal, communicate your strengths and uniquenesses, and build trust through sound business practices, professional writing and excellent presentation. Keep a focus on the customer’s needs so that they know you are there to serve them, and you’ll land more contracts.