Have you ever pitched a graphic design client without preparing a proposal for them?

 

To try the same question another way: When someone reaches out to you about your freelance services, do you send them a clear graphic design proposal to secure the contract?

 

(Forgive us for being so blunt and intrusive, but we want you to be successful!)

 

First things first: you can download the exact graphic design proposal template we use in our branding agency.

 

So if you answered with a sheepish well, no I’ve never sent out a proposal – we can show you how to get freelance clients with a stronger proposal.

 

And if you answered yes, of course, I always send a proposal – we can walk through what a top-notch proposal looks like, and you might just glean some improvements for yours.

 

And if you answered what the heck is a proposal? –  you’re in the right place and we’ll tell you!

 

In this short article, we going to explain how to super-charge your freelance business growth with an essential and easy-to-implement tool that will help you land your very next client…the tool is your proposal!

 

In case you need some evidence for why proposals are essential to your freelance graphic design success, here’s the brutal reality from the client’s side. Larger corporate clients won’t even consider you in the competition, if you are trying to pitch for the work without a proposal for their review.

 

For smaller clients, a proposal tells them you’re the professional who can help them get their business to the next level.

 

It’s dog-eat-dog out there, but we’re here to show you how to rise above the fray without wearing yourself out in the process. Follow us and secure your dream projects!

 

What is a Graphic Design Proposal?

Let’s make sure we’re all talking about the same thing. But first, let’s back up and talk about marketing. Yep. Marketing. The process of attracting and landing new clients.

 

Ideally, you have a marketing-sales pipeline. Ideally, you know exactly what happens, right from the moment a prospective client clicks on your website.

 

Ideally, you know what to say when you’re invited to speak at a Chamber of Commerce event and you’re seated beside the CEO of the biggest employer in town.

 

Ideally, you know what to fall back on when your client’s expectations don’t match yours, later on in the project, and the sparks are starting to fly.

 

Ideally, you have a proposal to send, and you know how to customize it in order to secure sales and create satisfied clients!

 

 

Your proposals are an integral part of your marketing-sales pipeline. In a smoothly operating freelance graphic design studio, every one of your clients will have received a professional proposal from you.

 

In fact, at our agency, every single client starts their relationship with us with a proposal in-hand (well, on-screen, digitally!)

 

Does issuing custom proposals sound like too much work? Hmmm… if you remember that large clients and large projects might not even consider you if you don’t have a presentation proposal for them to consider, maybe understanding this client-focused perspective will change your view of the work involved.

 

Better yet, what if we could show you how to efficiently prepare top-quality proposals in a repeatable way?

A proposal is a mark of differentiation for you, right out of the gate. If you’re just starting out, then you’ll start out on top, employing industry ‘best practices’ from day one.

 

If you’ve been in the industry for a while (and maybe you’ve heard about proposals but never written one), then it’s time to make sure your proposal is in top form. It’s never too late to start… and you will rise to the top of the crowded marketplace if you implement this one critical freelance business step.

 

So, what is a graphic design proposal?

 

It’s a clear explanation of what you understand the client’s need is, what they are expecting from you, who you are (and your team, if you have one), what services you provide, how you’re going to do it (detailed info about your design process), and what the client will receive and when.

 

 

Let’s break down the elements of a typical graphic design proposal:

• Introduction
• Summary of project details
• Timeline
• Cost
• Deliverables

 

That’s the bare basics. It’s not exactly the detailed version of what we’d suggest you submit to a potential client (more on this below), but those are the core elements.

 

Essentially, you’re going to take this core and make it so appealing and informative that the prospective client is motivated to say yes! (and they won’t ask endless questions, either).

 

Getting a yes is referred to as “closing the sale.” It means you pitched your services and they accepted. You closed the sale!

 

What’s your current closing rate? Unless you’re already close to 100%, you can improve your proposal submission process and your sales pipeline. And… we’d love to show you how!

Components for a Winning Freelancer Proposal

We’re going to show you what to put in your winning proposal, but let’s take a quick peek at an ideal marketing and sales pipeline first.

 

How do you currently attract clients? Do you have an intentional marketing plan?

 

Don’t worry, you can always start now! Don’t let the words sales and marketing intimidate you. Even if you’re a one-person-show, you need a marketing and sales plan. And, if you’re already getting bigger and want to learn how to grow your graphic design business, it’s non-negotiable.

 

Here’s the basic outline for your freelance graphic or brand design marketing and sales process, from our experience. We have a thriving, growing graphic design agency and this is the process we’ve implemented successfully (the order of the activities is important…start with #1, go to #2, and so on):

 

1. Have a great website (spend money on this, if you need to).

 

2. Have a good looking, well-curated, not-too-big/not-too-small portfolio on your website.

 

3. Know who your ideal client is.

 

4. Figure out where your ideal client hangs out (online, networking events, etc.).

 

5. Get the word out in the places where your ideal client is hanging out.

6. Have a logical flow for interested clients (do they know how to get in touch with you when they hit your website? do you have business cards for networking events? do you have a social media presence on your ideal client’s favorite platform?)

 

7. Acknowledge every inquiry (after all, who ignores potential sales?!)… but you don’t need to rush, because you have this process in place and you’ll have confidence about what to do next.

 

8. Consult with the client – Find out their need – Understand them and their project

 

9. Vet the inquiry…is this a client you want?

 

10. Send a customized proposal (use our proposal template to save a ton of time on this step!)

 

11. Follow up (close the sale)

 

12. Do it again!

 

13. Take a holiday

 

14. Do it again 😊

 

Did you notice where your proposal fits in? (Step #10.) Did you work on their customized proposal before Step #10? No, you did not!

 

Did you send a proposal to a random inquiry that didn’t give quality contact info through your website? Nope. (You screened for this in Steps #7 to #9.)

Did you sell your services to everyone who went on your website? Nope.

 

Did you close on more than 90% of your proposals? (We’ll let you answer this with your experience, but just know that that our agency closing rate is in the high 90s!)

 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take heart! (We’re touching on the essentials your business needs to have in place if it’s going to succeed and grow…running a profitable freelance business isn’t about your design skills as much as it’s about your business’s professionalism.)

 

If you just can’t imagine jumping into a marketing-sales strategy or if you can’t figure out why we think a proposal is so important… we have help available, don’t panic!

 

Our Money-Making Freelance Bundle online course is a clear, step-by-step presentation of everything you need to know about running a profitable graphic design business. It’s based on the lessons we’ve learned as we went from hundred-dollar logo design services to a starting package price north of $10k!

 

Before we move on, let’s look at your proposal’s details. We outlined the core elements, but here’s the nitty-gritty you want in each proposal.

• Top notch (graphic design!) digital presentation and delivery
• An opening page that’s catchy and professional
• A description of the overall process the client will be part of
• A clear explanation of your understanding of the client and their business/project goals
• Introduction of your graphic design team (or yourself if you’re a solo freelancer)
• Examples of previous client work and an explanation of how those clients benefited in the same way your new client will
• A description of the specific components of your services (what they will get and how you will give it to them)
• Timeline and pricing
• Review of next steps (referring back to the overall process again)
• Appreciation and classy professionalism

 

It needs to look great (of course!) and have a feel that defines your business and appeals to your client. Professional, succinct, complete, answering all the obvious questions upfront, clear, positive, moving towards closing the sale. That’s it!

 

And we have a piece of really good news. Here’s a hint… you need to customize each proposal for every client and project – but you can use a client proposal template to do it.

Pitfalls to Avoid with Your Design Proposals

Before we talk about how to design your proposal template, let’s take a look at some of the things you don’t want to do! What are the pitfalls to the proposal process?

 

Too Much

You don’t want to put everything into a proposal. Remember, it’s a project proposal, not your website. It’s not even your portfolio (which the prospective client will have already seen on your website). Clear and straight-forward is the goal. Messy and over-the-top will get tossed out.

 

Too Little

Make sure your proposal has all of the components we listed. If you leave something out, all you do is add to the questions you will get from the client (assuming they were impressed enough by your skimpy proposal to ask questions!).

Too You

Your proposal describes your services, sure, but it’s primarily about your potential client. It shows you are listening, that you understand, that you know about them and what they are looking for. It’s focused on their perspective, not yours.

 

Too Scattered

Your proposal needs to be professional. If you were a florist, you wouldn’t have a dusty, half-dead looking bowl of plastic fruit on the counter. You need to show off that you know your stuff.

 

Too Passive

The proposal is part of your sales process. Sales are proactive, not reactive. Your proposal needs to be professional, to the point, and bold. It’s not an essay or an apology, it’s an advertisement for how great your design services are!

 

Too Soon

One important point to emphasize is that the proposal is what secures the client and launches the beginning of a new project. You don’t work on the project before the proposal has been accepted (and a contract signed).

 

The proposal is not a proposal of what the finished design package will look like… don’t confuse the proposal with the project!

The Advantage of Using a Graphic Design Proposal Template

We happen to know that you could start sending out great proposals… immediately! It’s true. It’s not hard. And there are two ways to get there. One’s easy. One’s harder. It’s your choice.

 

First Way:

We have a Client Proposal Template that is affordable and you can customize it. Our package walks you through how to use the template and what exactly to put in each section based on your business.

 

Once you fill in the details about your business and services, you can customize the template with the details from the next client you’re pitching. So easy. Just drop your logo, colors, and font into our template, and you’ll be ready for your next graphic, web, or brand design client.

 

Second Way:

You use the tips from this article and create your own proposal. Not hard, but is it worth the extra effort and doubt over whether you’ve created it in a way that works?

It’s up to you, but we created our Design Proposal Template to give you the tools you need. Even this blog is our effort to help us all ride the wave in our industry… we want you to feel the success we’re enjoying!

 

Before we close, let us tease out what happens after your proposal template is in place and landing clients. If your closing rate is rising and you’re pre-booking solidly, what comes next? You’ll have upped your game, so now what happens?

 

You raise your rates! Yep. You’ll grow. And we can show you how to increase your rates in ways that make sense. Check out our article We’ll Show You How to Raise Your Freelancing Rates! for our step-by-step advice.

 

Closing sales with proposals that wow your clients is one way to increase your freelance business’s profitability, and raising your rates is another. In combination, they are a one-two punch that will have you fulfilling your freelance lifestyle dreams.