How Proposals Work

Every proposal follows the same structure. Consistency makes them fast to produce and easy for clients to read.

Structure#

1. Cover — client name, project title, proposal reference, date, validity date
2. The problem — their situation restated in their own terms. This is the most important section; it proves comprehension before any solution is proposed.
3. Proposed approach — architecture in plain language, with the key technical decisions named and justified
4. In scope — explicit list of deliverables
5. Not in scope — explicit list of exclusions. Never omit this.
6. Milestones — name, deliverables, duration, calendar dates, payment percentage
7. Price and terms — total, currency, payment schedule, what triggers each payment
8. Assumptions — what must be true for the timeline to hold, including what is needed from the client
9. Next steps — exactly what happens if they accept

The recorded walkthrough#

8–12 minutes, screen recording the proposal, reading from a prepared script.

Structure:

• Restate the problem as understood — 1 min
• Walk the proposed architecture — 3 min
• Walk scope, emphasising exclusions — 2 min
• Walk milestones and dates — 2 min
• Price and terms — 1 min
• Close: what happens next — 1 min

Script it. Do not improvise. The script is written before recording and read while recording. This is what worked on the first engagement and it is the method, not a crutch.

No editing. One take is fine. Minor stumbles read as human; a heavily produced video reads as marketing.

Validity#

Every proposal expires. Default 30 days. This creates a natural reason to follow up and prevents a six-month-old price being held against you.

Follow-up#

Three days after sending, if no reply:

Hi [name] — just checking the proposal reached you. Happy to adjust the scope if the shape isn't right, or answer anything in writing. No rush.

One follow-up. Then one more after two weeks. Then let it go.