Proposals

How to Write a Business Proposal [Steps, Tips, & Templates]

You need to send a business proposal, and you want it to close. But how can you improve your chances?

Every year, we analyze the proposals sent with our software to discover what makes closing more likely. We used this research to craft this very guide.

To help you write better business proposals, we’ve curated the essential proposal format, a step-by-step process, plenty of templates to help you get started, and strategies for following up.

From images to esignatures, keep reading for data-backed insights into the most successful proposals.

How to Write a Software Proposal (With Examples)

The software—or SaaS (software as a service)—industry provides customers with a unique mix of both products and services.

Many software companies offer implementation services, custom integration projects, employee training, and customer success manager check-ins. Large enterprise and government organizations tend to need many of these services in addition to the software subscription in order to help them get results from the platform.

For those reasons, software proposals are commonplace. Large companies are more likely to purchase software from a proposal than a one-size-fits-all subscription on the company’s website. A software proposal can clarify what an engagement includes while also selling a prospective customer on the fact that they will be fully supported in their quest for ROI.

How to Write a Proposal for a Project (With Examples)

An excellent project proposal should address the client’s main concerns and goals, sell your unique approach, and clarify the project process.

If the project is crystal clear to both you and your client, you can reduce confusion, scope creep, and complaints.

In this guide to writing proposals for projects, we dive into what this type of proposal must include and how to write one. Plus, we showcase excellent examples to copy and data-driven best practices to follow.

What’s in this guide:

• What is a project proposal?

• What to include in a project proposal

• How to write a project proposal

• Examples of project proposals

• Tips for writing a project proposal

Looking for proposal templates, automated follow-ups, and closing insights? Get a custom Proposify demo.

7 Essential Tips for Expert Proposal Follow-ups

Follow-ups are a normal part of sending proposals. But wouldn’t it be better if clients just said “yes” straight away?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. Proposals with reminders are more likely to close.

We analyzed over 1 million proposals sent with our software to get to the bottom of whether or not follow-ups really work, how to send effective follow-ups in less than a minute, and what you can do to close deals quicker with no follow-ups required.

Get all of our data-driven proposal tips in The State of Proposals 2022.

How to Create a Business Proposal That Closes Deals

When it comes to business proposals, there’s always room for improvement.

Small tweaks can make a big difference towards whether or not a client says “yes”—and how quickly they sign off.

Last year, over 1 million proposals were sent with our software, and we analyzed them to uncover trends. We dove into the details of what successful proposals have in common, as well as best practices that our users rely on.

We found out that winning proposals are interactive and feature multimedia content. In this post, we cover smart tips for creating proposals, based on our research.

For all of our the best proposal strategies, download The State of Proposals 2022.

Winning Proposal Structure Tips (What The Research Says)

We have the data on what actually improves the chances of a business proposal being accepted.

1,026,891 business proposals were sent with our proposal software in 2021, and our data team analyzed them to find out what successful proposals have in common.

We discovered both the proposal structure and the design elements that winning proposals share—including a way to boost your closing rate by an impressive 72%.

So keep reading for our data-driven tips on creating better proposal content.

To get all of our data-driven proposal strategies, make sure you download The 2022 State of Proposals.

How to Create a Quote Template

When you're a sales leader at a service company, your job is to win new business. That usually involves the use of a quote. And let's be honest, most of those quotes start with a template.

A poorly-designed quote template can turn away even the most interested prospects, while a well-designed one can help you close deals faster than ever before. But how do you know which type of quote template will work best for your business?

Proposal Writing Examples to Help You Win Your Contracts In 2022

At first glance, writing a professional-quality proposal can seem intimidating.

But it's really not that bad—especially when you have some expert proposal writing examples for inspiration.

Read on to find proposal writing examples for the most popular proposal sections, including the cover page, executive summary, deliverables, pricing, and more.

Electronic Signatures: 4 Ways to Get Your Contracts and Docs Signed

Printing, signing, scanning, and sending back your proposals was a pain.

But, if we’re being honest, eSignatures can feel like a pain sometimes, too.

In this article, we aim to explore step-by-step how to get electronic signatures on your documents with a handful of main tools. No matter if you’re using Microsoft Word, a PDF, Google Docs, or Proposify proposal software, this article covers how to implement an electronic signature on each.

How To Write A Proposal: Data-backed Best Practices For 2022

Business proposals are sometimes perceived as a necessary evil in sales. Whether you're writing a proposal for a huge new contract or simply pitching to a potential lead, writing sales proposals can be daunting.

After all: with how hard you've worked to get the potential customer to this part of the process, a lot rides on your ability to get them to cross the finish line.

What if we told you that writing a smart, data informed business proposal could be the highlight of your sales process that also helps you to close more deals and increase revenue?