Quote Templates

A business proposal template is an editable proposal with all of the essential elements, such as the executive summary and scope of services. By using a template, you save time creating your proposal because you don’t have to start from scratch. You can update the design of the template to match your branding and then change the text and imagery to fit your pitch.

A great business proposal should contain everything you need to show your client that your company is the best fit for the job—whether that’s commercial cleaning, IT services, or accounting.

1. Cover page

The cover page is pretty simple. It should include your company name and your client’s company name. You might also put the date and the title of your pitch, such as “Civil Engineering for the Allen Street Development.” You can upload a photo background or use a block of color for a bold, simple look.

2. Executive summary

This section is sometimes called the cover letter. Here, you write a 100 - 200 word summary of the clients’ problems or needs, the approach you’re pitching, and your company’s relevant experience, achievements, or accolades.

3. Approach or solution

Use this section to go deeper into the approach you touched upon in your executive summary. Describe what types of products or services you’ll offer, why you recommend them, and what the result will be.

4. About the company

Here, you’ll offer relevant company information that will impress clients, such as a company bio with your mission statement and average client results. You might also include photos and titles of all of your employees, or just the ones who will manage this new account.

5. Deliverables

This section is your opportunity to really spell out what the client will get. Clarify the deliverables, such as a logo and brand guide for branding services or a report and recommendations for a business audit. If you don’t offer concrete deliverables, create a project timeline section instead and include the 4 - 7 main steps in the process.

6. Pricing

In this section, you’ll break down the recommended investment. For example, an interior designer might include a flat fee for the design work (ex: $3,000) an estimate for the room furnishings (ex: $30,000), and an estimate of the hourly work needed for installation (ex: 10 hours @ $200/hr = $2,000). Breaking down your pricing into its parts will increase your chances of success compared to just pitching a $35,000 estimate. Clients want to know what they’re paying for.

7. Terms and conditions

A great business proposal should include the business contract so that if a client says yes, they can sign that document to initiate the project. Your terms and conditions should include your master service agreement and any important elements of the project scope not mentioned elsewhere in the proposal, such as the number of revisions included. Make sure to have your legal team help you with this section

8. Social proof

Every great business proposal offers some form of social proof like case studies, testimonials, reviews, or star rating averages. These things help your clients trust you and envision their own future success after partnering with you.

Check out our proposal writing examples to see all of these sections in action.

To create a proposal template:

1. Pick a Template: Choose one of our ready-to-use, industry-specific templates or start from scratch to create your own.
2. Add Placeholder Text: Include placeholder text and prompts to guide your team in filling out the template accurately. 
3. Customize the Design: Modify the design elements to align with your branding and specific needs. Remember to lock any sections that you want to restrict from the sales representative's control.
4. Review and Test: Review the template for accuracy and usability, then test it with a sample proposal to ensure everything works seamlessly.

Absolutely! While we have an extensive proposal template library for most projects and industries, all our templates are 100% customizable. This means you can create and update the content to match your brand and style guidelines. You can also paste text from other programs like Google Docs and Word for an easy transition.

However, if you have a specific template you are currently using and don’t have the time to get things set up, our team of in-house designers can help. Check out our Professional Services page for more information.

Absolutely! Our proposal templates are fully customizable. You can modify the text, change the design elements, and adjust the layout to fit your specific needs and branding requirements.

Yes, you can download the proposal template as both PDF file. This flexibility allows you to share a final, non-editable version as a PDF.