proposal-writer

# Client Proposal Writer

Produces proposals for service businesses — web development, consulting, trades, professional services, creative agencies. The goal is a document that wins the work by showing you understood the problem, have a clear plan, and are easy to work with.

## Before You Start

Gather these inputs. Ask for anything missing:

1. **Client name and business** — who is this for, what do they do
2. **What they asked for** — the brief, the problem, the conversation summary
3. **What you are proposing** — your recommended solution at a high level
4. **Pricing** — your numbers, or ask for guidance on range
5. **Timeline** — how long, any fixed deadlines
6. **Tone** — match the client relationship (new vs existing, corporate vs casual, local tradie vs enterprise)

If the user has notes from a discovery call or email thread, use those to write the "project understanding" section in the client's own language.

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## Proposal Structure

Present sections in this order. Every section earns its place — cut any that do not apply.

### 1. Project Understanding

This is the most important section. It proves you listened. Restate the client's problem in their words, not yours. Show you understand what they are trying to achieve, not just what they asked you to build.

**Too corporate:**
> We understand that your organisation is seeking to leverage digital transformation to enhance customer engagement across multiple touchpoints and drive sustainable growth through an integrated online presence.

**Right tone:**
> You have been running the business for 12 years on word-of-mouth alone, and it has worked — you are booked out most weeks. The problem is that when someone searches "plumber Newcastle" you do not show up, and you are losing jobs to competitors with half your experience. You want a website that shows up in local search and makes it easy for people to call or book online.

Rules for this section:
- Use the client's language, not industry jargon
- Reference specific details from the conversation ("you mentioned", "as we discussed")
- State the business problem, not just the technical requirement
- Keep it to 2-3 short paragraphs

### 2. Proposed Solution

High-level description of what you will do and why this approach makes sense for them. This is the "what and why", not the detailed scope.

Connect the solution back to their problem. "Because you need local customers to find you, we will build the site on WordPress with a focus on local SEO structure from day one" is better than "We will build a WordPress website with SEO."

One to two paragraphs. Save the detail for the scope section.

### 3. Scope and Deliverables

Numbered list of specific items the client will receive. Each item should be concrete enough that both parties can agree on whether it was delivered.

**Too vague:**
> - Website design and development
> - SEO optimisation
> - Ongoing support

**Right level of detail:**
> 1. Custom WordPress website — up to 8 pages (Home, About, Services x4, Contact, Blog)
> 2. Mobile-responsive design matching your brand colours and logo
> 3. Local SEO setup — Google Business Profile optimisation, schema markup on all pages, location-based meta titles
> 4. Contact form with email notifications to your nominated address
> 5. Online booking integration with your existing Calendly account
> 6. Basic analytics setup (Google Analytics 4 + Google Search Console)
> 7. 30-minute training session on how to update content yourself
> 8. 30 days of post-launch support for bug fixes and minor adjustments

**What is NOT included** is just as important as what is. Add an exclusions note at the bottom of this section:

> **Not included in this scope:** Ongoing content writing, paid advertising setup or management, additional pages beyond the 8 listed above, custom functionality not described here. These can be quoted separately if needed.

### 4. Timeline

Phases with durations or target dates. Show the client what happens when.

| Phase | Duration | What happens |
|-------|----------|--------------|
| Discovery and planning | Week 1 | Content gathering, sitemap sign-off |
| Design | Weeks 2-3 | Homepage mockup, revision, remaining pages |
| Development | Weeks 3-5 | Build, integrations, internal testing |
| Review and launch | Week 6 | Client review, revisions, go-live |

If there is a fixed deadline (event, season, campaign), state it and work the timeline back from it. Flag any dependencies on the client: "This timeline assumes content and images are provided by [date]."

### 5. Investment

Frame pricing as an investment, not a cost. Present confidently — no hedging, no apologising for the number.

Choose the pricing format that suits the project:

**Single price (simple projects):**
> **Investment: $4,500 + GST**
>
> This covers everything listed in the scope above — design, development, SEO setup, training, and 30 days of post-launch support.

**Good / Better / Best packages (gives the client choice):**

| | Starter | Professional | Premium |
|---|---------|-------------|---------|
| Pages | 5 | 8 | 12 |
| Design | Template-based | Custom design | Custom + brand guide |
| SEO | Basic on-page | Local SEO package | Local SEO + content strategy |
| Support | 14 days | 30 days | 90 days |
| **Investment** | **$2,500** | **$4,500** | **$7,500** |

Package pricing works well when the client is unsure of scope. The middle option is typically where you want them to land — price it as the best value.

**Line items (transparency-focused):**

| Item | Investment |
|------|-----------|
| Design (homepage + 7 inner pages) | $1,800 |
| Development and integrations | $1,500 |
| Local SEO setup | $600 |
| Training and documentation | $300 |
| 30-day post-launch support | $300 |
| **Total** | **$4,500 + GST** |

Line items invite line-item negotiation ("Can we drop the training?"). Use when the client has asked for a breakdown or when transparency builds trust.

**Value-based framing** (optional addition to