Guide · Sales & Clients
How to Write a Business Proposal
Write a business proposal in this order: restate the client's situation and objective in their words, recommend one approach, list concrete deliverables and exclusions, present two or three priced options, show the timeline and dependencies, then close with a single dated next step. Keep it under six pages and put credentials at the back.
Updated August 2026
Step by step
1. Start from the client's words, not your service list
Open with two or three sentences summarizing their situation using the language they used on the call. A buyer who reads their own problem accurately described on page one assumes the rest of the document is credible.
2. State the objective and how success is measured
Name the outcome and the measure: enquiries per month, hours saved, sites covered, audit passed. Proposals without a measure become price comparisons, because price is the only quantity on the page.
3. Recommend one approach and explain the shape
Give a recommendation, not a menu of philosophies. Break it into phases so the client can see sequence and effort. Two paragraphs per phase is plenty.
4. List deliverables and exclusions
- Deliverables as countable outputs with quantities.
- Exclusions covering adjacent work clients commonly assume is included.
- Third-party costs, licenses and travel named explicitly.
- Number of revision rounds where relevant.
5. Price with two or three options
Options move the conversation from whether to which, and reveal budget without asking again. Differentiate on scope rather than on quality, and make the middle option the one you expect to deliver.
6. Close with a dated next step, then follow up on that date
End with one action: a decision call on a named day, or a written go-ahead by a date. Add a validity period to the pricing. Then actually follow up on the date you named; most lost proposals are simply never chased.
Worked example
Example
Worked example: proposal outline for a landscaping maintenance contract
- Page 1 — situation: three sites, inconsistent contractor quality, complaints from tenants. Objective: zero tenant complaints and a documented monthly report.
- Page 2 — approach: site audit, standardized maintenance schedule, monthly reporting.
- Page 3 — deliverables: twice-monthly visits per site, seasonal planting twice yearly, monthly photo report. Exclusions: tree surgery, irrigation repairs, waste licenses.
- Page 4 — options: Essential $780/month, Standard $1,140/month, Full $1,690/month including seasonal planting and reactive callouts.
- Page 5 — timeline: audit week 1, first full cycle week 3, first report end of month 1. Dependencies: gate access codes, tenant notice.
- Page 6 — next step: decision call Tuesday 9 April, pricing valid 30 days.
Common mistakes
- Leading with company history.
- Sending a single price with no alternatives.
- Omitting exclusions and absorbing the difference later.
- Writing twenty pages when six would be read.
- No expiry date and no follow-up plan.
Use the free template
Frequently asked questions
- How quickly should I send a proposal after the meeting?
- Within two to three working days. Attention decays quickly, and speed is read as competence.
- Should I send a PDF or a document?
- PDF for the final version so formatting holds and the content is stable. Keep an editable source for the next one.
- What if the client asks for a lower price?
- Reduce scope rather than rate. Cutting price without cutting deliverables teaches every future client that your first number is negotiable.
- Does a proposal replace a contract?
- No. A proposal sets out intended work and price. Contractual terms should be prepared or reviewed by a qualified professional.
Related resources
Client Intake Form
A client intake form collects the information you need before quoting or starting work: who the client is, what outcome they want, the constraints, budget range, timeline and who decides.
Open Free templateBusiness Proposal Template
A business proposal template gives you a repeatable structure for pitching work: a short summary of the client's situation, your recommended approach, exactly what is delivered, what is excluded, pricing, timeline and the next step.
Open Free templateScope of Work Template
A scope of work document states exactly what will be delivered, what will not, who does what, when each milestone lands and how changes are handled.
Open GuideClient Onboarding Process
A reliable client onboarding process runs over roughly two weeks: send a welcome message and a single consolidated asset request on day one, hold a kickoff with a circulated agenda within five working days, confirm communication and approval expectations in writing, and deliver something visible inside the first two weeks..
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