You’ve been working as a freelance writer for a while now, and you feel like it’s time to take the next step. You know that creating your own proposals is an important part of turning your work into a full-time career. But how do you create a proposal that’s going to set you apart from everyone else?
Today we’re going to dive into the steps you need to take in order to craft an effective freelance proposal for potential clients.
| Takeaway |
|---|
| Craft a compelling introduction to capture the client’s attention. |
| Highlight your relevant qualifications and expertise. |
| Provide a clear and detailed explanation of your proposed solution. |
| Present a well-structured pricing structure that reflects the value of your services. |
| Include a strong call-to-action to prompt the client to take the next step. |
1. Your Biggest Selling Points Upfront
If you want to take the reader on a journey, it’s best not to start by putting them in their place. Instead, begin with what’s most important about your freelance proposal the results you can deliver for them, and why those results matter.
Your Qualifications
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about who you are and what makes you qualified for this project at hand (hint: it’s not just because they contacted you).
This section should include information about your experience and portfolio as well as any other key elements that will help convince a client why working with them is an excellent idea for all parties involved.
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2. A Short Summary Of The Project
The proposal should begin with a short summary of the project, including:
What the client wants to achieve. Why is this project important? How will it benefit them?
What you will do to achieve it. What work you’ve done in the past that is similar to what they want and how your expertise can help meet their needs.
How long it will take. This can be anywhere from a few days (for example, if they just want some basic photos) to several months (if they’re looking for something more involved).
If this is new territory for both parties and there’s no precedent for how long these sorts of projects take, be honest about it and suggest an estimate based on what you think would be fair given the specifics of what’s being asked.
Don’t tack on extra time just because “projects usually take longer than expected” or whatever other tired excuse people use when trying to make money off someone else by adding onto their billable hours without asking first!
The client knows as well as anyone that things rarely go according to plan; don’t try pulling one over on them just because YOU think things might take longer than expected.”
3. An Explanation Of How You’re Qualified
You should also include details about your own personal experiences, education, and professional training that support your qualifications. This is a good place to talk about your strengths and weaknesses so that the potential client can feel confident knowing that you’ve got experience in the areas they need help with.
Finally, include details about what inspires you as a professional and what do you get excited about? What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of work? And what are some of your goals in life (other than freelancing)?
By sharing this information with prospective clients, they will be able to get more insight into who you are as an individual and how much value they can expect from working with you.
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4. A Case Study Or Two
Case studies show the client that your methods have been successful in the past, and they can be used to demonstrate how you will approach their project. Case studies are also a good way to show how you will benefit from working with them.
Case studies don’t have to be made up or exaggerated; they should actually fit with what you do and who your target audience is. The more diverse or specific your case study is, the better it’s going to look on paper but this doesn’t mean that it has to be about exactly what your client does!
A general example can often work just as well if not better than a narrowly-focused example of someone else’s business model.
5. Testimonials To Back Up Your Case Study
Testimonials can be a great way to add credibility to your proposal. They are particularly helpful if you’ve never worked with the client before, or if you don’t have a long track record of working in the industry.
You should also avoid using testimonials from family members and friends, as these tend to say more about the person giving them than they do about your abilities as an employee or consultant.
Instead, try asking for recommendations from colleagues who work at similar companies in other countries or states (if appropriate).
6. Links To Your Relevant Work, Both Off- And On-Line
As a freelancer, it’s up to you to show your potential client how your skills can benefit their business. You have to demonstrate that not only do you have relevant experience but that you’re good at what you do.
Fortunately, this is easy even if you haven’t had much freelance work yet. You can link to your portfolio and resume on LinkedIn by going into your settings and adding them as “public profiles.” If they aren’t linked already (and therefore appear in Google searches), make sure they are before sending out any proposals!
Once those are all set up, there are two ways of finding work-related information: in the first place where most people look at your own website, and secondly through social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
7. Results You’ve Gotten For Previous Clients In The Past (Maybe Another Case Study Here)
If you have a portfolio of work, you can include testimonials from previous clients that show off some of your best work. If you don’t have any client reviews, consider including a case study about one project that went particularly well.
8. Some Information About Your Client
- Who they are
- What they do
- How they do it (their process)
- Why they do it (their mission/vision)
Who their customers are, and who their competitors are as well. You should also include an overview of the industry and how your client is different from their competition. Be sure to show why your client is seeking out this particular service or partner, and what value you can add for them in providing the service.
Finally, be sure to mention why you want to work with them; if there’s something about their company that excites you, let them know!
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9. Clear Goals And Objectives For The Project At Hand
This is one of the most important elements in any proposal, but it’s also something that many freelancers often overlook. Why is this important? It’s important because, without clear goals and objectives, you’ll never know if what you’ve done has been successful or not.
You want to make sure that everyone on your team knows what they’re working towards so that they can help achieve those goals together in a timely manner. What are the benefits of having clear goals and objectives?
- Everyone knows what they’re working towards
- They’ll be able to achieve these goals more quickly
10. A Clear Statement Of Who You’re Addressing And Who Will Be Involved In The Project
The final part of your proposal should be a clear statement of who you are addressing, who will be involved in the project, and how they can get back to you.
- Who is your client? Make sure to include their name and contact information.
- Who will be involved in this project? If there are multiple people working on this project with you, make sure to list them all here so that everyone knows what their role is.
- How do I reach out? Include both an email address (or several) and phone number(s).
11. An Outline Of Your Proposed Process For Completing The Proposal (And For Completing Their Project)
As a freelancer, you have a number of different processes that you can use to complete your projects. The process you choose will depend on your skills and how much time is involved in completing the job.
You should include an outline of your proposed process for completing the proposal (and for completing their project). This allows them to see exactly what they are getting before they agree to work with you.
12. The Details Of Exactly What Is Included In This Proposal And What Is Not Included
- What is included in this proposal?
- What isn’t included in this proposal?
- How long will it take to complete the project once I begin working on it?
- How much will it cost me to have my project completed? (This should be an hourly rate, a flat fee, or some combination of both.)
How can I reach you if I have questions or concerns about your proposal and/or services? Here’s how: email address, phone number(s), physical address, and website. Also, include any relevant social media handles that might be useful for communication.
If any of these contact methods change during our business relationship, make sure to update them here so we’re always easy for me to reach.
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13. What You And Your Client Will Gain From Working Together On This Project, Plus How It Will Affect Them In The Future
There are many ways to explain how the project will benefit your client. You could write that it will help them improve their business, life, and community, but some clients may be more interested in how they can use the project to improve their families’ lives.
You can also mention that you’ll support your client throughout this project by providing updates on its progress and answering any questions they may have along the way.
This is a great way to show that you’re dedicated to helping them succeed at whatever goal they’re trying to accomplish through working with you on this contract.
14. How Any Extra Work Outside The Scope Of This Proposal Will Be Handled
The best way to handle payments is to provide a statement of how much you’ll be paid, and when. This can include:
- How much will be paid upfront for this project?
- When will the next payment be made? (This could include milestones in addition to regular progress reports.)
- How much is due upon completion of the project?
It’s also helpful if you can indicate how any extra work outside the scope of your proposal will be handled, for instance, if it’s expected that there may be additional requests from your client after work has begun on their site, then let them know that additional time and resources will need to be allocated for them to get everything done within reasonable time limits.
Let the client know that they would benefit by working with you, then give them plenty of evidence to prove that’s true and make it easy for them to see that
The best way to ensure that your freelance proposal is successful is by making it easy for clients to understand why they need you. It’s not enough to just tell them you’re good or tell them what you can do you have to show them!
Let’s say you have a client who needs a logo for their business. They may not know how much time and effort goes into creating something as simple as a logo, so it’s up to you to explain the process in detail.
If possible, include examples of work that shows off your skills at designing logos (such as images from past projects). This will demonstrate your expertise and give them an idea of what they’re getting in return for hiring you.
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Conclusion
We hope this article has provided you with the information and inspiration to create your freelance proposal. Remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach; your proposal should be tailored to reflect what makes you and your business unique!
What A Freelance Proposal Should Include
Further Reading
Writing Proposals as a Freelancer: Tips and Tricks: Learn valuable tips and tricks for writing effective freelance proposals to increase your chances of winning projects.
A Freelance Proposal Example and Template: Get inspired by a practical example and template for crafting a persuasive freelance proposal that showcases your skills and expertise.
What is a Freelancing Proposal and How to Create One: Understand the fundamentals of creating a compelling freelancing proposal to attract potential clients and secure freelance opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Freelance Proposal?
A freelance proposal is a document that helps you to pitch a project to potential clients. This can be used in any type of business, whether you’re offering your services as a copywriter or graphic designer, or if you’re offering your product as an illustrator or photographer. It will help to sell your service or product and convince the client that you’re the right person for the job.
When Should I Use One?
You should use one whenever you’re trying to win over a new client by selling yourself and your skills to them. If you’re an independent freelancer with lots of experience under your belt, then this could be useful when looking for new work from clients who aren’t familiar with what you do yet.
But even if you’re just starting out freelancing and don’t have much experience yet, it’s still worth putting together a proposal for every project so that you can get more comfortable writing them over time.
What Should A Freelance Proposal Include?
The first thing that you need to do is make sure you’ve got all of the information you need. If you don’t know who your client is, or what they want, then it’s going to be difficult for you to write them a proposal.
You should also think about how much time you want to spend on this project. If it’s something small, then maybe it won’t take too long for you to get through it. But if it requires a lot more work and research, then consider charging more money for it.
How Do I Know How Much To Charge?
Freelancers need to have a good understanding of what their skills are worth in terms of their hourly rate.
For example, if someone asks you for an estimate on something and then hires you at your normal rate, then they’ll probably end up paying more than if they had just asked someone else who charges more than you do.
This is just because there will be more hours involved in completing their project than expected due to inexperience with certain tasks like writing content or creating graphics (which are oftentimes done by freelancers).
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.