Launched your own business and looking to make an impact in your target market? Well first off, congrats! We’re here to help you on your journey into entrepreneurship. It’s time to work on building those all-important relationships. Business proposals are the best way to persuade an investor or client to form a business relationship, purchase your product, or invest in your project.
In this guide, we explore how to write a business proposal step-by-step, with a free example that you can customize to engage your audience straight away!
What is a business proposal?
Great question, and it’s one that many people ask. A business proposal is a detailed pitch you make to potential clients or investors, showing them why they should go for your idea, product, or service. It’s basically a way to say, “Here’s what my company can do for you and why it’s unique!”
A good business proposal will outline your value proposition and clearly explain how your product/service solves your audiences’ problems or provides them with game-changing benefits. You know your offering is great, but they don’t know that yet. This allows you to demonstrate your expertise and build trust.
A business proposal is often the first impression someone has of your business so crafting a compelling, clearly articulated one is key to setting yourself apart from the competition. Plus – they’re a great way to lay the groundwork for a successful partnership.
How to make a business proposal: A step-by-step guide
Ready to start impressing business prospects? Follow these key steps.
1. Research your client
The first step in writing a business proposal is understanding your audience. Be sure to thoroughly research your potential client or investor and gather data that reflects their needs, pain points, and objectives. Consider defining project goals that show how your solution resolves these issues.
Base your proposal around these needs to show you’ve done your homework and genuinely understand their position.
It also helps to start with a bank of data that you can transform into something more engaging! Research your competitors, look at market trends, and collect case studies.
2. Structure your proposal (+Business proposal example!)
A well-structured business proposal will ensure that no important details get overlooked. Here’s how to create a business proposal with an example outline you can copy into a document:
- Title page. Start with the title of your proposal, then your company’s name, the client’s name, and the date you’re presenting.
- Table of contents. This section should outline everything in your document to help your readers quickly navigate it.
- Executive summary. Sum up the main points of your proposal, including the problem and solution alongside any other benefits. Keep it as streamlined as possible to engage readers straight away.
- Introduction. Present your business as well as your mission statement and core values. You can also briefly mention your experience to build rapport and credibility.
- Problem statement. Lay out what you believe to be the client’s primary problem or requirement.
- Proposed solution. Explain how what you do will address the client’s needs and problems including the specific methods you will use and deliverables you will complete.
- Benefits: Highlight the benefits that your product or service will bring to your client.
- Pricing: Give a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with your proposal.
- Timeline: Include a complete timeline of your project detailing any major milestones and deliverables.
- Call-To-Action: Round up your proposal with a summary of the key points in your business proposal and a strong call to action that outlines what next steps you would like them to take.
- Appendix: Include any extra details or important information that supports the business proposal. These might be case studies, customer testimonials, or even technical specifications or diagrams depending on your sector.
Key areas to consider:
Be sure to keep these pointers in mind when creating your proposal.
Writing style and tone
Getting the right tone of voice is an important part of how to write a business proposal. You should sound professional and approachable while leaving out complex jargon to avoid creating distance with your client. Our advice: write clearly and use short sentences.
Design tips
Here are the key considerations when designing your template:
- Choose your colors carefully, making sure your selection reflects the nature of your brand. Take a look at Picsart’s range of email headers for inspiration.
- Ensure the layout of your proposal is clear and easy to read, with headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break up text and improve scannability.
- Include any images or data in your appendix. You can use Picsart’s infographic templates to stand out from the crowd.
For more tips on creating engaging business materials, check out our in-depth guide on digital marketing for small businesses.
How to create a business proposal with Picsart
Want to craft a business proposal but you’re short on time? Well, you’re in luck because Picsart offers professional templates to create all kinds of business-related documents, from business cards to invoices. It doesn’t stop there because the real time saver when it comes to business proposals is our AI Writer. You’ll get a good outline to start from and only need to customize it to fit your exact business needs. Here’s how you can use it:
- Head to the AI Writer.
- Type a text prompt in the box “Tell us what you want to create” and add more details in the box below.
- Hit “Generate” and, if you want to see more versions, select “Generate More”
- Select “Copy” and you’re ready to use the caption in your designs!
Using Picsart is great if you’re asking how to make a business plan for a small business. It means you don’t need a full marketing team with graphic design expertise and sales writing skills to create a professional-looking business proposal.
Ready to try out our all-in-one platform? Head here.
