Business proposals are an important part of your business. No matter what
type of business you own—whether you run a design studio, marketing agency, or service another niche—your business proposals should look
professional.
Using a good proposal template can save you hours of work. More importantly,
the professional presentation you achieve as a result of using a template could
give you the competitive edge that wins a client's business.
In this tutorial, you'll
learn how to craft an effective business proposal. I'll also take you through
the process of customizing a simple business proposal template with MS Word
2016.
We'll be using the Sleman Clean Proposal Template, which is a a business proposal template from GraphicRiver. This modern proposal template comes packed with a number of predesigned business page layouts, includes eight color choices, and it's easy to customize all the included graphic and text options.
To customize the business proposal template I'll use the
fictitious company, "Business Name Inc." Follow the steps below to create your
own customized business proposal.
Note: All examples
given in this tutorial are fictitious and do not represent real people or real
organizations.
Elements of a Good Business Proposal
A business proposal outlines the products and services you
provide for potential clients. It outlines the client's needs and describes how
you will meet them.
An effective business proposal contains the following
elements:
eye-catching design
a place to describe your company
a way to highlight past successes such as a
portfolio section and testimonials
complete information about the proposed project
including a timeline and pricing
terms and conditions
contract page for signatures
The Sleman Clean Proposal template has all these features
and more. There’s even an invoice page for you to use when billing your client.
If possible, the appearance of the business proposal should
reflect your business style. You can do
that with this template, as it's easy to change the design. After you download the
business proposal template, you're ready to customize it for your project.
Here is a guide to help you use this business proposal
template.
1. Gather Information
It may seem like a tedious first step, but creating a business
proposal is a little like doing your taxes. It can take a lot of time to gather
the financial information and details you need. But, getting that info together now saves you time
later on.
Here's is a list of the project information you need to
create an effective business proposal:
complete contact information for your client
an overview description of the work
a detailed description of the work
an itemized list of your pricing for the project
pricing options for the client
due date of the project
timeline for the project, including milestones
business terms agreed to
payment information
Take your time and make sure that you understand the
information above before you start your proposal. If you’re unclear about
something, ask the client. It’s better to get a clear understanding of the
project now.
You'll also need some information about your own company to
include in the proposal. Here is a summary of what you need:
complete contact information for your company
(name, address, phone, email)
photos of your team and photos that represent
your business
description of your business
case studies of successful projects
client testimonials
If you want to learn more about writing business proposals, Tuts+
has some excellent tutorials on the proposal writing process. Here are two:
Joyce Akiko offers advice on the entire proposal
generation process including negotiating tips in How
to Charge Premium Prices and Write Winning Proposals.
Thursday Bram's tutorial, The
Freelancer's Guide to Writing Proposals, also discusses the proposal
writing process and provides helpful information.
After you have the information you need, you're ready to open
the proposal template.
2. Open and Rename the Template
The proposal template is in a zip file with eight subfolders
and a help text file. Each folder name
indicates the color of that template. Inside the folder you can select files
based on paper size and editing tool.
We’ll be working in Microsoft Word 2016, so be sure to
choose a file with a DOCX extension.
It’s also important to rename the template file. That way if
you have any problems, you can return to your original template
Now that you've opened and renamed the template, you are
ready to install fonts.
3. Installing Fonts
The business proposal template uses three free fonts:
Open Sans from Google
Heydings Control from Font Squirrel
Nevis from FontSpace
All the font files for this exercise have the TTF extension. If you do not already have these fonts, you need to install them now. Here's how:
Step 1: Install a Font from Google
To install a font from Google:
Click the link for the font you want to
download. Then click the checkbox next to the styles you want to use. Now click Choose on the right lower area of the page.
Now click Add
to Collection on the next dialog box and select the download arrow that appears in the upper
right corner.
In the dialog box that displays click the words
.zip file that appear in blue.
Now follow these steps:
Save the zipped font file in any folder.
Double-click the zipped file to open it.
Double-click the folder with the name of the
font and double-click the font file.
Click Install.
Caution: Be sure to open all variations of the
font. Each variation (such as bold, italic, etc.) must be installed separately.
You also have fonts to install from a couple more sources:
Step 2: Install a Font from Font Squirrel
To install a font from Font Squirrel:
Click the link for the font you want to download.
Click the button labeled DOWNLOAD TTF.
Save the zipped font file in any folder.
Double-click the zipped file to open it.
Double-click the name of the font. Click Install.
Step 3: Install a Font from FontSpace
To install a font from FontSpace:
Click the link for the font you want to download.
Click the button labeled Download.
Save the zipped font file in any folder.
Double-click the zipped file to open it.
Double-click the name of the font.
Click Install.
4. How to Change Text
Now you are ready to start changing the text throughout the
proposal. Let’s start with the cover page on the sample business proposal
template. Here’s a look at the cover page before we modify it:
Tip: Note that the
cover page includes a Valid Until date. Always set an end date for your
proposal. If you don’t, a client may ask you to honor old prices that are no
longer competitive.
To change text:
Click any area with text so you can see the text
box.
If you want to make the text box larger, drag
the sizing handles.
Now, click within the text box.
Select and highlight the text you want to
change.
Type your information over the highlighted
text.
If you want to change the font size, right-click
the highlighted text. And the font dialog box displays.
Here is what the sample business proposal business proposal
template cover looks like after I customize it:
The process for changing text is the
same throughout this simple business proposal template. Use it anywhere you
want to replace the proposal template’s default text with your own information.
Next we’ll discuss updating the
header and footer information.
5. Customize a Header or Footer
The business proposal
template has a header and footer for all left pages and another header and
footer for all right pages. The process for customizing a header and footer is
basically the same. In this template, we'll focus on changing a header.
Now we'll customize both the right and left header and footer with
your own information. First scroll down to page 2 (a left page). Notice that the header area is grayed out while the body
text of the proposal is not.
Double-click in the header area. The header area
is no longer grayed out. Now change the header text as described in the
instructions for changing text (see part 4).
The new information now
appears on every left page throughout the whole business proposal.
Tip: It’s a good idea
to include your phone number and email address in the header or footer. That way, if the
client has questions, they don’t have to search the proposal for your contact
information.
The default information still appears on the right page. To
change it:
Scroll down to page 3 (a right page).
Repeat the process described above for the right
page header. The new information now appears on every right page throughout the
business proposal.
To customize a proposal footer instead of a header,
double-click in the footer area instead the header area. Follow the process
above to update the footer text.
Next we will look at changing images throughout this simple
business proposal template.
6. Update Photos and Pictures
Attractive images strengthen your company’s brand. Including
the right pictures in your business proposal is important. This business proposal template allows you to
add graphics or pictures in the following sections:
About Us
Our Team
Our Portfolio
Portfolio Detail
Case Studies
Here are two Tuts+ tutorials to help you get better photos:
Cameron
Knight's tutorial includes guidelines on how to
take good profile shots for the team member section.
This
tutorial from Jennifer Carrigan explains how to create product shots.
Let’s start by updating the photo on our sample About Us page. The gray box is a placeholder. To replace it with one of your own photographs double-click on the gray box until you see graphic sizing handles.
Now right-click the graphic to display the popup menu. Then select Format Object > Fill. The Format Shape menu displays on the right side of the page. Right-click the graphic to display the popup menu. Select Format
Object > Fill. The Format Shape menu displays on the right side of the
page.
Now select Picture
or texture fill. The gray image temporarily fills with a texture. In the middle of the menu you see the option to Insert picture from. Your options are File, Clipboard, or Online.
For this sample business proposal template we are going
insert a picture of a group working. Here's how to insert a photo:
Select File.
Windows Explorer opens. Go to the folder where you have your photo saved and select
the photo.
Click Insert.
Your photo replaces the shape with textured fill. The photo retains
the shape and size of the placeholder. You can resize if needed.
You can replace
any gray placeholder box in the proposal template with your own photo or
image.
7. Updates to Graphics
You now know almost everything you need to know about
customizing this simple business proposal template. Nearly all your information
can be added to the proposal using the steps above.
However, there are a few specialized pages you’ll also want
to update. The Market Map page is one of those pages:
The Market Map is a good way to show where your clients are
located if you have an international client base. Each graphic bubble
represents a market share for that location.
To update the map to show where your own clients are located
you need to do three things:
move a graphic
change the size of a graphic
change the text in the graphic headline
I’ll walk you through those three tasks using our fictitious
company.
Step 1: Move a Graphic
Let’s start by moving a graphic bubble.
On the current map, the largest bubble represents the United
States. I want it to represent South America instead.
To move the bubble, first click on the text (the numeral “1”). Then hold down the Control key and click on the
circle image. Sizing handles appear around both the text and the image.
With both the image and the text selected,
carefully drag the bubble to the new map location. In the case of our example,
South America.
Caution: Do not drag a
sizing handle or you will resize the bubble.
Step 2: Change the Size of a Graphic
We are ready to change the size of a bubble. My example
company has more clients in England and fewer in Japan, so I will change the
size of those bubbles.
Click the circle image you want to change and handles
appear around the image. Note: You
can only change one circle image at a time.
Caution: Be careful not to click on the text box since the text remains
the same size.
Now click a corner handle and drag diagonally to
make the bubble larger. Adjust the location of the text box by dragging
it to the center of the circle.
Step 3: Change the Text in a Graphic
The final step is to change the text in graphic headings on
the page. Now click the box where you want to change the text.
Highlight the text you want to change, as shown above. Now type your information over the existing text. Here is the Market Map page after customization:
8. Change a Table
Another specialized page you’ll want to change is the
Project Timeline. The Project Timeline is great way to view the project
schedule quickly.
The project timeline is actually a table. We’ll go through
the process of adding a task to the table so that you can see how to modify the
timeline.
We’ll add a “Proofreading” task after the “Designing”
task. The new task adds a week to the project. Here is the process we’ll go
through:
add a row and column to the table
adjust row and column widths
change the formatting of a table cell
Let’s get started.
Step 1: Insert a Row
We need to make the table larger to accommodate our new
task.
Click in the table so that you see handles
around the box that contains the table. Move the cursor down on the line below the “Designing” and “Printing” rows on the left. On this table, that is roughly beneath the “P”
in the “Project Timeline” heading. The row division is highlighted with a plus
symbol on the left.
Now click the plus symbol. A blank row that matches
the “Designing” row displays. Type the title “Proofreading” in the new row. However,
now your table is too tall for the space.
Step 2: Adjust Row Heights
To resize the table to fit the
space, select the entire table. It is highlighted in
gray.
Now select Table
Tools > Layout > Distribute Rows. Now type .3" in the Height box and press Enter. The rows in the table are adjusted to a new
height and the table fits in the space.
Note: Depending on how
many rows you add; you may need to enter a different row height. You may also
need to adjust the font size.
Step 3: Insert a Column and Adjust Column Width
We need to insert a column for the extra week that
proofreading adds to the project.
The process for inserting a column is basically the same as
the process for inserting a row. The difference is that instead of clicking
between rows we will click between columns. In this case, click between the
columns for weeks “5” and “6” to insert our new column and click on the plus symbol to insert the new column.
If your table is too wide for the space, then highlight all the week columns. Do not highlight
the column containing the tasks.
Now select Table
Tools > Layout > Distribute Columns. Type .5 in the Width box and press Enter. Relabel the last two columns “6” and “7.” Your Project Timeline now looks like this:
Notice that the Designing and Proofreading task rows are
identical. We’ll have to change the table cell formatting to fix that.
Step 4: Change Table Cell Formatting
To change the formatting of the appearance of the Timeline,
we need to change table cell formatting. We need to remove the color from a
cell and add color to a cell.
Click in the table box. Select the cell or cells you want to change. In
this case it is the two cells in the row labeled “Proofreading.”
Click Table Tools > Design > Shading > No Color. The red shading of the cells is gone. Follow the same process to remove the shading from the cell under the new column in the row labeled “Printing.”
To add shading to a cell in our new column select red instead of selecting no color. Red coloring is added to the cell.
Use these steps to update any other tables in the proposal,
as needed.
9. Export Your Proposal
You are now ready to export the proposal to a PDF file so
that you can email it to your client. A PDF file protects your proposal
information so that it doesn’t get changed while the client reviews it.
To export your proposal file to PDF, use the following
steps.
Click File > Export > Create
PDF/XPS.
Click the Create
PDF/XPS icon. The Publish As dialog box displays. Select the folder where you want to store the
proposal.
Tip: It’s a good idea to rename your proposal and add the date. This
helps reduce confusion if there is more than one version of the proposal.
Now click Publish.
You are ready to email the PDF file of your business
proposal to your client. Good luck!
Business Proposal Template Examples
Here is a quick-fire showcase of five additional high-quality sample proposal
templates—giving you a few more quality options to consider using. Each of these simple business proposal templates will
help you create an effective and attractive business proposal. They are also just as easy to customize as the template we worked with in this tutorial.
1. Full Business Proposal Template Package
This template has numerous page options, such as executive summary, about us, objectives, market analysis, project timeline, team, clients, case studies, services, estimates, and more. It's a clean design with multiple options. It's packaged with Word, Excel, and InDesign files.
2. Simple Business Proposal Template
This sample proposal template is a clean and attractive template that includes icons and badges. It comes with 16 unique business page layouts in Word and InDesign formats. Chose from one of five color schemes.
3. Clean Project Proposal Template
This comprehensive template includes 44 pages with fully editable graphs and charts. The proposal includes
an edit guide to help you customize this proposal template for your needs. It can be edited in can be edited by Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Microsoft Word.
4. Business Project Proposal Template Word
This simple business proposal template included a number of project files to help you make the sale, such as project descriptions, timelines, budget breakdowns, project milestones, as well as project contract and invoice. Also, this template lets you create a business proposal with style. The attractive images you add will help you sell your product or services.
5. Lupa Project Proposal Template
This simple proposal template makes a good use of color for an attractive presentation. You
can easily change the color to suit your own taste. There are a multitude of page layout options which will help you close the deal. With this template, you can show a potential client why they should work with you. You can feature your services, processes, team, company details, case studies, and more.
All of these simple business proposal templates can be
customized in Microsoft Word to include your custom business and project information.
Get Started With a Quality Business Proposal Template!
A quality business proposal template helps you make an impactful impression and finalize deals with potential clients. It saves you time and will help you create a professional business proposal every time. If you know the steps
to take, it’s easy to customize a business proposal template to fit your needs.
Graphic Credit
Documents icon designed by Garrett Knoll from the Noun Project.