What is a business proposal?

Win clients and make more sales with a professional business proposal.

When a prospective client has a need you can fulfill or a problem you can solve, send them a business proposal to get a conversation started. Business proposals are different from project estimates, so it’s important to know what they are and how to use them. These guidelines will help you get started.

Pitch new clients or projects.

Your business proposal should outline what you can do for a potential client in a clear, professional-looking document. It can include things like:

• Your experience in the industry
• How you can help the client
• What the client can expect if they work with you
• Scope of work
• Rough delivery timelines

If you receive a lot of requests for proposals (RFPs), you can create a business proposal template. This will make it easier to swap out and customize information and respond to potential clients quickly.

Before you send a business proposal, double-check that your company’s logo features prominently on the document and that all your contact information is accurate.

Save price estimates for later.

Your business proposal can be as detailed as you like, and even include a ballpark range for the total project cost or your hourly rate. However, it’s a good idea to skip the exact numbers for now. This is because you’ll need to find out more about the project to provide an accurate estimate. You can get this information from the client once they invite you to discuss their project in greater detail.

Learn how to make a professional business proposal and explore everything you can do with Adobe Acrobat Pro with e-sign today.