The Definitive Guide To Freelance Proposals

A good proposal is more than just a pitch. It’s more than details about your project. It’s an opportunity to build a connection with your client and help them see how you’re the right person for the job. 

A well-crafted proposal makes all the difference in helping clients accept you as their freelancer of choice, so be sure to review these tips before sending out your next one!

This article will help you create the perfect proposal for your clients. We’re going to go over every step of the process, from writing a winning pitch all the way to negotiating deadlines and payment terms.

If you’re new to freelancing, this guide is equally important if not more so than learning how to write good code. Clients can be picky and difficult, but they can also be your best source of income if you treat them right!

Takeaways
1. Crafting compelling proposals is crucial for freelancers to attract clients and win projects.
2. Freelancers should focus on showcasing their skills and expertise in their proposals to stand out from the competition.
3. Tailoring proposals to each client’s specific needs and requirements increases the chances of success.
4. Including clear and concise details about services, deliverables, and pricing helps clients make informed decisions.
5. Following up on proposals in a professional manner shows dedication and reinforces interest in working with potential clients.

Why Do You Need A Freelance Proposal?

The purpose of a proposal is to set the stage for your project. It’s a chance to get to know your client and determine if the two of you are compatible. You’ll also use it as a way to define the scope of your project, and this can help you create a timeline that works best for both parties. 

Proposals also provide an opportunity for you and your client to work out details such as deliverables, pricing, terms, and conditions, etc., so everyone knows what’s expected before work begins on any given task or service offered by either party.

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Your Client’s Perspective

Your client will want to see that you understand their business.

They’ll be looking for a proposal that clearly shows they are dealing with an expert and not some amateur who is trying to make money off the work of others. They’ll also want to know that you have a plan, so they can see how you’ll deliver what they need and when.

Your client wants reassurance that you are professional enough for them to trust with their project, so include things like testimonials from previous clients or other evidence of past success in your proposal.

What To Include In Your Proposal

A detailed description of the project. Don’t just describe what you’re going to do, but how you’ll do it. What are the deliverables? What does a successful project look like for your client?

The project schedule. If you’re asking for money from someone else, they need to know how much time and money they’ll be committing to this project before they say yes or no!

The project budget. If your client doesn’t have enough resources or funding available right now, that’s ok! But it’s still good business practice to let them know what their out-of-pocket expenses will be as soon as possible in order to help them plan accordingly.

The project scope: both high-level and detailed descriptions are important here so that everyone involved knows exactly what is expected from this deal (and can prepare accordingly).

Deliverables: make sure these are clearly defined in the proposal so there aren’t any misunderstandings down the road about what exactly was delivered at each milestone of work being completed on time/within budget lines etcetera….

Writing Your Introduction

Your introduction is the very first thing your client will read, so ensure that it is clear and concise. The goal of your introduction is to provide enough context for the proposal to make sense without being too wordy or boring.

Let’s take a look at an effective introduction:

• “We are a team of 20+ software developers who specialize in developing custom software solutions for businesses.”
• “We have built many successful applications from scratch including CRM systems, HR toolkits, e-commerce systems, and more.”
• “Our services include implementation, testing, and maintenance of new features as well as bug fixes.”

The above example provides detailed information about what you do while also being specific about how you’ll deliver those services and what benefits they’ll provide for the client.

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Project Overview + Goals

Goals: This is a chance to explain what your project hopes to accomplish. Maybe it’s an update to the company’s website, or maybe you’re creating a new logo and brand identity. Maybe it’s something else entirely. 

Whatever the case, this is where you’ll want to get into detail about what makes your project a worthy one from the client’s perspective. What kind of impact does it have on their business? How will this work improve their bottom line? Why are they investing in this particular project? 

These are all important questions that need answering before anyone can proceed with confidence and writing them out here will help ensure that everyone involved has a common understanding of why this project matters so much for both parties involved.

Scope: This section covers how big or small your project is going to be (in terms of both time and money). 

If there are multiple parts involved, make sure they know exactly what those components entail for example, which aspects require research vs which ones require design vs which ones require development (etc.). 

What does each of these tasks entail exactly? Is there any risk associated with not completing one part before moving on to another? Does everything have an expected completion date and budget attached? 

All these answers should be outlined here so there aren’t any surprises later down the road when things inevitably take longer than expected (which happens more often than not).

The Details Section

The Details section is where you’ll outline the project in detail and list everything that’s required to get it done. This can be overwhelming if you’re not used to writing proposals, but don’t worry it doesn’t have to be as bad as it sounds. 

Just think of completing this portion of your proposal as the beginning of a conversation. You’re providing all the necessary information so that your potential client knows exactly what they’re getting, but also leaving open space for them to ask questions or provide additional feedback on any of their concerns.

The following are some common components:

• Deliverables – What will be delivered at each milestone? For example, if we were creating a web application for an auto insurance company and our deliverable was just an MVP (minimum viable product), then we might create something like this:
• Minimum Viable Product (MVP) by [date]
• Full launch with analytics by [date]

Timeline & Deliverables

Before you send over your proposal, make sure you have a realistic timeline and deliverables. Make sure the timeline is achievable. You don’t want to give a client a deadline that you know will be impossible for them to meet. It’s important that you create an honest estimate of how long it will take for them to get results. 

There are no points for hitting unrealistic timelines or making things up on the fly once they’re hired (that’s what makes people sound like liars). Also, consider how much time and effort each deliverable should take so that there isn’t any confusion about whether something was completed or not.

Finally, make sure your deliverables are measurable so clients can see progress as they go along. If there’s no way of knowing if something has been accomplished, then there’s no way of knowing when everything is finished and this can lead to issues down the road between both parties.

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The Pricing Section

The pricing section is the most important part of your proposal. This is where you lay out all the costs associated with a project and give your potential client an opportunity to make an informed decision about whether it’s worth their money.

If you’re not already familiar with a pricing structure, there are many templates available online that can help you figure out how much you should be charging for any given type of work. 

If you want to try something new, Google “pricing grid template” or check out some examples from other freelancers on Dribbble or Behance (two sites where designers share their portfolio pieces).

Be sure to include a breakdown of every cost associated with your project including materials, labor, and overhead expenses like rent or utilities so clients know exactly what they’re paying for. It also helps if they know what they aren’t paying for! If there’s anything specific that might affect the final price (like travel time), let them know here as well.

Terms & Conditions Of Payment

A contract should be signed by both parties, and it should clearly state what is expected from each side. It’s not just a legal requirement; it also helps you keep track of what was agreed upon when things go awry. 

You want to make sure that the client understands that if they don’t pay on time or if there are any other issues with payment, then you reserve the right to terminate their service and stop working for them immediately.

This clause is essential because there’s nothing worse than waiting months for payment from a client only to find out that they’ve decided not to pay after all and now you’re stuck with no way out!

Why Hire You?

The first two sections of your proposal should cover why you are the best person for the job and how much it will cost.

Hiring a freelancer is an investment, so we want to make sure you’re as qualified as possible to deliver on what we need. 

You can do this by highlighting any past work that aligns with our needs (if applicable), highlighting any relevant skills or experiences, sharing testimonials from previous clients if they are available, and sharing your portfolio of past projects (if applicable). 

Describing any special qualifications or certifications you have (e.g., GIS certification), explaining what makes you unique compared to other contractors in similar fields, including when applicable a brief introduction of yourself and an overview of your professional background including relevant experience, education/training received from accredited institutions like universities or technical schools. 

And anything else that may be pertinent information about who you are and what makes you stand out from all other potential candidates!

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Your Portfolio

Your portfolio is the single most important tool for showcasing your work and proving to potential clients that you’re capable of completing projects successfully. If a client can’t see how well you do what you do, they can’t trust that you will deliver on their project.

You have multiple options for presenting your portfolio in this medium:

Portfolio website: This is the most common way freelancers display their work online, but it requires some technical know-how to set up correctly. 

Even if this isn’t something that comes naturally to you, there are plenty of resources out there like WordPress or Squarespace that make it easy enough for even beginners (and they look great). If nothing else, these sites offer lots of templates so all you need to do is pick one and fill in your content.

PDF: Many people like having a PDF version of their portfolio because they can easily share it via email or download it onto multiple devices at once using Dropbox or Google Drive. 

Pro tip: Always include keywords from your client’s project description in any filename so others searching online will find yours first!

The Cover Letter – Summarise It All Up!

In your cover letter, you should be clear on what you want, what you need, and what you can offer. You should also be clear on what you will do when it will be done, and how much it will cost. This is your opportunity to sell yourself so make the most of it!

Be Clear On Your Expectations, And Your Clients Will Appreciate It

Being clear about your expectations is, in my experience, the best way to ensure that both you and your client will walk away happy. When you start on the right foot by being clear about what’s expected of each other, there’s less room for misunderstanding or miscommunication.

Clients appreciate freelancers who set clear boundaries and guidelines for their work together; this makes them feel like they have more control over the process as well as their own time. They can also feel secure that they won’t be surprised by new fees halfway through a project if those fees are outlined from the beginning.

When a client knows exactly what they’re getting into before hiring someone, it makes their life easier too they don’t need to spend all day trying to figure out what tasks go into “designing” or “coding.”

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Conclusion

Your proposal might be the first point of contact you have with your client, and an opportunity to showcase your skills, build rapport and stand out from the crowd. But it’s easy to get lost in the details and write a proposal that gets overlooked or rejected. 

Once you nail down these three things: what you need to know about your client, what you’re proposing, and how you’ll follow through, it becomes much easier to write an effective proposal that wins clients.

Further Reading

The Freelancer’s Guide to Crafting Irresistible Project Proposals: Learn expert tips and techniques to create compelling project proposals that stand out to potential clients.

How to Write a Winning Proposal for Freelance Work: Discover the essential elements of a winning proposal and increase your chances of securing freelance work.

Freelance Project Proposals: A Comprehensive Guide: Dive deep into the world of freelance project proposals with this comprehensive guide that covers everything from structure to best practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need A Proposal?

Yes! No matter what you’re selling or offering, you should be using a proposal. A good freelance proposal can help you avoid having to do extra work for clients down the road and it can help you secure new opportunities with confidence.

How Long Should My Proposal Be?

That depends on the scope of your project and the client. In general, think about how much time it will take you to complete the job in its entirety. If it’s a longer-term project, then your proposal should be longer than if it’s a shorter-term job. 

If the client is looking for something specific, then make sure that your proposal outlines how you’ll deliver on their expectations.

How Should I Approach Pricing?

Pricing is always tricky, but there are some things you can do to make sure you’re getting paid fairly for your time and expertise. First off, make sure that your client understands what they’re asking for before quoting them a price. 

If they want something outside of your scope, be upfront about it if they insist on having it done anyway, don’t let them lowball their budget just because they think it’ll be easier for you both if they do!

What Is A Freelance Proposal?

A freelance proposal is a document that outlines the scope of your project and serves as a contract between you and your client. It’s important to understand what it means for a proposal to be “definitive” there are many different types of proposals, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for and what you need to create the best possible document.

Can I Make $500 An Hour?

Yes! Of course, you can’t expect to make that kind of money right away. It takes time to build your portfolio, but if you’re patient and put in the work, it will happen for you.

How Many Hours Per Week Should I Spend Working On My Freelancing?

We recommend at least 20 hours per week. If you’re not getting enough work done in that time, consider hiring someone else to help with your workload so that you can focus on the projects that matter most to you like the ones where you’ll be able to charge $500 an hour!

What Is A Freelance Proposal?

A freelance proposal is a document that you send to a potential client to get them interested in hiring you. It’s usually sent either before or after you’ve had a phone call or meeting with the client, depending on the client’s preference.

How Long Should My Freelance Proposal Be?

Your freelance proposal should be between 1-3 pages, with 2 being ideal. If you’re not sure how long it should be, start with 1 page and then add more if necessary based on feedback from clients.

What Should I Put In My Freelance Proposal?

Make sure that your research is thorough and accurate. Include information about the project, who will benefit from it (including an estimate of how much), and why it matters for the buyer (including any quantifiable benefits). 

Also, include any relevant data points from previous projects so that they can see that you’re experienced in this kind of work (and hopefully trust that you’ll do great work for them).