how to prepare a business proposal presentation

How to Present a Business Proposal: The Complete Guide

Benjamin reimann, business proposal | business proposal presentation | how-to | sales tips | winning business, october 7, 2021.

It’s been three long months. You’ve done your research, toiled over every sentence, spent sleepless nights formulating the perfect business proposal. Surely, that should be enough, right?

Wrong. There is one more thing you need to do. And if you get it wrong, it could mean the last three months were for nothing — you need to do a business proposal presentation.

The one thing between your business and the finish line is a compelling presentation where you communicate the key points of your proposed solution. With so much riding on this, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But don’t worry: by the end of this 8-minute guide, you’ll be an expert on how to present a business proposal.

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• What Is A Business Proposal?
• What Is the Purpose of A Business Proposal Presentation?

Open with the problem or need

Offer a solution and elaborate, finish with a call-to-action, discuss benefits over features., practice incessantly and get lots of feedback., anticipate and incorporate answers to the questions you’ll receive., ask questions throughout to involve the audience., use stories throughout your presentation., provide written copies on the day of the presentation., don’t lean on your slides as a crutch..

• Building a Slide Deck Your Clients Will Remember
• Get Your Business Off The Ground Today With Pure Proposals

How do I write a business proposal?

What is in a business proposal, how long should a business proposal presentation be.

A business proposal is a document you present to a potential client or customers that details a solution to their problem. Typically, business proposals are written documents containing information about deliverables, performance metrics, budgeting projections, expected outcomes, and more.

You’re most likely to see business proposals in a business-to-business (B2B) setting, generally to win over business clients, suppliers, and partners. A proposal can be:

• Formally Solicited: Here, you’re given a list of requirements that you must follow to a tee.
• Informally Solicited: If the client isn’t entirely sure of what the problem or pain point is, they may put out an official request for your research and solutions.
• Unsolicited: These kinds of proposals are uncommon, but they have their place in sales and marketing funnels.

Often, the business proposal process is a laborious one. An in-person presentation tends to be the final barrier to overcome when trying to close a deal with a client.

Typically, after sending a business proposal document, you’ll be called in to deliver a presentation about the proposal. The presentation is where potential clients can finally see the human element of all the documents and spreadsheets they’ve been scanning thus far.

If you can’t communicate the contents of your business proposal clearly through a presentation, then there’s a good chance the days, weeks, or months you’ve spent preparing the proposal could go to waste. A well-delivered proposal presentation will inspire your audience to act then and there to accept your proposition.

• How To Structure Your Business Proposal Presentation

The last thing you want is for your presentation to feel too robotic and formulaic. That said, there are a few essential points you should always hit on:

Let’s dive deeper into each one.

A common mistake is to start with a 30-second spiel about you and your company. The problem? Your audience (aka potential clients) probably doesn’t care about you as much as they care about their own company’s issues. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to get past this: start by detailing their problems.

By opening with the customer’s needs vs. a self-introduction, you achieve three things:

• You demonstrate a vested interest in your clients’ success.
• You’re grabbing your audience’s attention by centering them in the presentation.
• You’ve set off a narrative structure by introducing the conflict. (More on this later).

Make sure to use facts, figures, and statistics here to drive your points home.

This will be the most comprehensive section of your presentation. Draw on the data from your written business proposal to flesh out this area, including information about project details, deliverables, performance metrics, budgets, talent, and more. It’s acceptable to follow the structure of your written proposal, but try to incorporate the details into a narrative format.

You should be going into this meeting with an ask in mind — signing a contract, purchasing a bundle, scheduling the next appointment. Ideally, your presentation leads towards this CTA, so you should make it easy for your audience to follow up: include your contact information on the slide, have printed copies of the contract on hand, etc.

Now that you have a basic idea of the structure of a business proposal presentation, let’s go over some tips to elevate your presentation from good to great.

• 7 Tips on How to Present a Business Proposal Presentation

Have you ever watched an Apple keynote delivered by Steve Jobs? Controversial as the man may have been, one thing is incontestable: he knew how to give a presentation. One of Jobs’ best tricks was to highlight benefits over features. Instead of telling you about the iPod’s internal architecture for data storage, he told you how many songs it could help you fit in your pocket. In your presentation, focus less on the technical specifications of your solution and more on the benefits it will give your client.

Anyone who’s ever winged a presentation with zero preparation knows how frustrating it can be — you know you could do better if only you had more time. Avoid those feelings by practicing as much as you can: in the mirror, in the car, and ideally in front of people who will give you honest and constructive feedback. That leads nicely into the following tip:

There’s a good chance you’ll offer your audience a Q&A period at the end of your business proposal presentation.To avoid getting caught off-guard, get questions from a practice audience in advance. If you can seamlessly mold the answers into your presentation, incorporate them. If not, it doesn’t hurt to have an appendix section at the end of your PowerPoint that you can use to address your potential client’s concerns. Speaking of questions…

Every effective presentation starts with a hook: a startling statistic, the start of a story, an exciting discovery, or a question for the audience. A common mistake is to stop there. You want your audience engaged throughout your business proposal presentation, after all. Include questions and tone shifts at various points in your PowerPoint to give your audience a chance to participate and engage.

Another powerful tool to keep your audience engaged is storytelling. Remember that narrative structure we mentioned earlier? Our brains are wired to process and recall information better if it’s framed in a story. The structure up above is a straightforward iteration of that: problem, solution, epilogue. You can also use smaller stories to add credibility during your presentation: customer testimonials, past achievements, and beyond.

It would be wrong to assume that every single person you’re presenting to has read the extended business proposal. That’s why it’s an excellent idea to have printed copies of the proposal ready and available when you give your presentation. It shows preparation and consideration for your client — a winning combination.

Technology is incredible. Unfortunately, it is also unreliable. You’ve probably been in a situation where technical difficulties have sullied, even ruined, a presentation or pitch. If you grow dependent on your slides to deliver the business proposal presentation, you’ll be in trouble if (and when) you run into computer issues. Construct your presentation so that it works without any slides — it’ll keep you prepared for the worst-case scenario.

So we’ve established that over-reliance on your PowerPoint presentation is a bad idea — but that doesn’t mean you ignore it entirely. Here are five tips for selecting, designing, and building an unforgettable slide deck:

Use consistent typography. Your slide aesthetics are a crucial part of conveying professionalism and thoughtfulness to your audience. Use a legible font (Sans Serif and some Serif fonts will do the trick) with enough contrast that viewers can read if they want to.

Follow a visually appealing color palette. A well-designed slide deck will flow seamlessly with your spoken presentation, but an ugly one will distract from your speech entirely. Keep it simple and stick to three to five colors that complement each other and your brand (or even your clients’).

Vary your slide layouts. Do your best to keep your PowerPoint visually interesting. Following the same format for every slide looks boring and comes across as lazy. Try slides with lots of whitespace and a central statistic, or one that’s entirely an image. On the subject of images…

Add distinctive images over generic ones. Your viewers will remember 65% of the details you provide when an image accompanies them. Unfortunately, that effect loses power when you use grainy, low-quality, and generic photos. Choose diagrams wisely — they should complement or clarify what you’re talking about, not just show it visually.

Don’t overload with text. When most people see a slide deck filled with text, they automatically start reading it. The result? They’re no longer paying attention to you. Don’t add a word-for-word transcript to your slide — instead, summarize the key points and expand upon them verbally.

You’ve got what you need to deliver a presentation that will amaze your client — all that’s left to do is present it! Show up early, speak with confidence, and have faith: you’re going to do great!.

By now, you’ve probably realized that the business proposal process is hard work. In all honesty, you probably just want to get back to the thing you love: your company.

That’s where we come in; here at Pure Proposals, our mission is to help your business thrive using PandaDoc to boost your sales, improve customer experience, and make proposals easier.

Curious to learn more? Chat with us today !

• Frequently Asked Questions

Your first step is to determine what the company requires from you — is it a formally solicited proposal? If not, follow traditional conventions: a title page, table of contents, executive summary, statement of need, proposed solution, explanation of capacity, projected billing and budget, and final terms and conditions. Check out our dedicated post on “How to Write a Business Proposal” .

A business proposal contains information regarding a client’s issues or pain points and a proposed solution on how to solve them. Business proposals tend to be data-driven and well-researched, so they may contain diagrams, graphs, and spreadsheets too.

Depending on the situation, varying proposal lengths are appropriate. For a more casual context, a one-pager that covers the basics is all you need. A longer document (around ten pages) is a better fit in more formal settings, such as with prospective customers.

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How to Make a Killer Business Plan Presentation (+Templates)

Learn how to make a business plan presentation with tips for slide design, structure, and engaging examples, as well as templates to bring your vision to life.

7 minute read

helped business professionals at:

Short answer

What slides should a business plan presentation include?

• Opening slide
• Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
• Business overview
• The challenge you're addressing
• Market analysis
• Your solution
• Marketing and sales strategy
• Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Team composition
• Funding request and allocation

Your business plan presentation needs to be as strong as your idea

Having a well-crafted business plan is crucial, but if it's not presented effectively, it's like having a treasure map that no one can read.

Even the best ideas can fall flat if they're not communicated clearly, potentially burying your chance of getting your business off the ground.

Remember, presenting a business plan is more than just sharing facts and figures. It's about engaging your audience, whether they're investors or stakeholders, and making them believe in your vision.

But don't worry, you're not alone in this. This guide is here to help you master the art of business plan presentation. You'll learn how to structure your presentation, design slides that captivate, and conclude in a way that leaves a lasting impact and drives action.

Let's dive in!

What to include in a business plan presentation?

A business plan presentation is your chance to delve deep, showcasing not just the what and the how, but also the why of your business. It's your strategic playbook that can persuade investors, guide your team, and set the foundation for your business's success.

11 essential slides of a business plan presentation:

Opening slide: Set the tone with an engaging first impression.

Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Define what sets your business apart.

Business overview: Offer a concise snapshot of your company.

The challenge you're addressing: Describe the problem your business solves.

Market analysis: Demonstrate your understanding of the industry and market trends.

Your solution: Detail how your product or service addresses the problem you’ve identified.

Marketing and sales strategy: Outline your approach to winning and keeping customers.

Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Specify your objectives and how you’ll measure success.

Team composition: Introduce key team members, their roles, and expertise.

Funding request and allocation: Explain your financial requirements and how the funds will be utilized.

Next steps: Guide the reader on the next steps after reviewing your plan, whether it's a meeting request, further discussion, or a specific action you want them to take.

What does a business plan presentation look like?

In today's fast-paced business world, static business plan presentations are losing their edge. Imagine having to constantly pinch and zoom on a mobile device just to see the details. It's frustrating and distracting.

People also get disengaged when faced with walls of text. They're there to hear a story, not read a novel.

Interactive presentations, on the other hand, bring your business plan to life. They encourage audience participation, adapt to the flow of discussion, and make complex ideas more digestible and memorable.

You can see what an interactive business plan presentation looks like below:

How to turn a business plan into a presentation

Transforming your business plan into a presentation is a crucial step in bringing your vision to life. It's not just about having a plan; it's about presenting it in a way that resonates with investors and partners.

Start by distilling the essence of your plan, focusing on key points like your mission, market analysis, and financial projections. Use engaging visuals and a clear narrative to make complex information accessible.

For detailed insights on how to write a business plan , check out our guide.

How to make a business plan presentation in 6 easy steps

Crafting a business plan is about blending vision and strategy into a narrative that captivates your audience. With Storydoc's AI business presentation maker, creating this narrative becomes intuitive and easy.

In the guide below, we'll show you how to turn your plan into an engaging presentation in 6 simple steps. Stick around to see how seamlessly Storydoc can bring your business story to life.

1) Describe your presentation’s objective

Kick things off by sharing with our AI the type of business plan you're looking to create. This is like setting the GPS for your journey, ensuring every part of your plan is aligned with your end goal.

2) Give an overview of yourself, your organization, and your offering

Introduce the essence of your business - who you are, what your company stands for, and the unique value of what you offer. This sets the stage for a personalized and relevant presentation.

3) Select a suitable design template

Dive into our collection of design templates and pick one that resonates with your business's personality.

4) Tailor your business plan presentation to your needs

Now, here’s where you add your personal touch. Fill in your details, tweak the design, and watch the magic happen as the template adapts to your content. This is where your business plan presentation starts to take on a life of its own.

Then, you can either upload your own multimedia elements or sit back as our AI assistant generates some for you.

5) Add personalized elements

Next up, sprinkle in some personalization. It works just like personalizing a newsletter - you can insert dynamic variables that automatically fill up with your recipient's data.

This level of customization not only makes your presentation feel tailor-made for each reader but also adds a layer of engagement. As a matter of fact, it can get 68% more people to read your deck in full , and share it internally 2.3x more often!

6) Review and refine your business plan presentation

Finally, take a step back and review your plan. Ensure it looks good, flows well, and clearly conveys your message.

The beauty of Storydoc is that it's a living document – if you spot a mistake or need to update information after sharing, you can. You're in control, ensuring your audience always sees the most polished and up-to-date version of your business plan presentation.

Business plan design principles to turn average into impressive

Designing a business plan presentation is about more than just putting words on a page; it's about creating an experience that captures and holds attention. In today's digital age, the way you present your plan can be just as important as the content itself.

Let's explore how to design a business plan presentation that stands out in the modern business landscape.

1) Move from static to interactive

Gone are the days of static, text-heavy business plan presentations. Today's plans are interactive, engaging readers with clickable elements, dynamic charts, and even embedded videos.

This interactivity not only makes your plan more interesting but also allows readers to engage with the content in a more meaningful way.

Here's a great example of an interactive business plan presentation:

2) Use scroll-based design

Forget the hassle of pinching and zooming on a PDF. A scroll-based design, similar to a modern website, offers a fluid reading experience.

It's straightforward and aligns with how we naturally consume content online, making your business plan presentation easier and more enjoyable to read.

Here's an example of scroll-based design:

3) Make sure your business plan presentation is mobile-friendly

With so many people reading on their phones, your business plan presenttion needs to look good on any device.

Responsive design means your plan is easily readable on a phone, tablet, or computer, ensuring that your message is clear no matter how your audience accesses it.

4) Shift from local files to online documents

Step away from traditional Word docs or PDFs and embrace online documents. They're great for sharing, updating in real time, and collaborating with others.

Plus, they're accessible from anywhere, which is perfect for busy investors who are always on the move.

For more information, check out our comparison of the best business plan document types .

5) Embrace visual storytelling

Use visuals like infographics and charts to tell your business's story. They can turn complex data into easy-to-understand, engaging information. A well-placed visual can often do a better job of explaining your points than text alone.

Here's a great example of visual storytelling:

Best business plan software

Selecting the right tool to create your business plan presentation is vital for any startup. To ease your journey, I've compiled a list of the top business plan software, each designed to cater to different needs.

From comprehensive platforms guiding you step-by-step to dynamic tools that add interactive elements to your presentation, there's something for every entrepreneur.

The best business plan software currently available:

LivePlan.com

BizPlan.com

Upmetrics.co

GoSmallBiz.com

Business Sorter

MAUS Master Plan Lean

For a deep dive into each tool and to find the one that best fits your business's needs, explore our detailed guide to the best business plan software .

Interactive business plan presentation templates

The pressure to get your business plan presentation right can be overwhelming. After all, in many cases, you only get one shot to impress.

These business plan presentation templates offer a framework that takes care of the structure and design, allowing you to focus solely on fleshing out your strategy.

Whether you're pitching to investors, partners, or stakeholders, these templates give you the confidence that your plan is presented in the best possible light.

Grab one and see for yourself.

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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• Presentations

How to Make Business Proposal Presentations in PowerPoint (+ Video)

Winning a potential client is a challenge. You need to present your solution in a compelling manner. A business proposal presentation template can help.

Do you need to impress a client to close a deal?

Everything begins with a good business proposal presentation. Maybe you're trying to sell your products or services to a prospective client. Or you might be proposing a new venture internally. Either way, knowing how to make a business proposal that stands out will help your leg up on the competition.

In this guide, we’ve outlined some valuable tips for business proposal presentations . We’ve also lined up some creative business proposal PowerPoint templates to make you feel inspired and get you started. Finally, you'll learn how to make a proposal presentation with PowerPoint.

How to Quickly Make Business Proposal Presentations in PowerPoint With Templates

Are you interested in learning how to use PowerPoint to make business proposals? Watch this quick screencast to learn all about creating proposals with PowerPoint:

Or study the complete written tutorial below.

Jump to content in this section:

Why Make a Business Proposal PowerPoint Presentation?

How to create a winning business proposal, thousands of business proposal powerpoint templates on envato elements, how to make great business proposal presentations in powerpoint quickly, 5 top business proposal powerpoint ppt presentation templates.

• More Awesome PowerPoint Templates

5 Quick Business Proposal PowerPoint Slide Design Trends for 2023

Common powerpoint questions answered (faq), learn more about making great powerpoint presentations.

A business proposal is any business offer document sent to a prospective client. Its main goal is to persuade an organization to buy your product or service over your competitors. This is why a business proposal can make or break a deal.

Usually, a proposal can be solicited or unsolicited:

• A solicited business proposal is sent to clients who have asked for a solution.
• Unsolicited proposals are more like sales documents. They offer your solutions to potential clients without them requesting a proposal.

Here’s a sample business proposal PowerPoint presentation. It comes with a clean and modern design. It's both informative and visually appealing.

A business proposal PowerPoint presentation is highly recommended because of its visual narrative. But proposal presentations don't have to be overly formal.

In fact, making a business proposal PPT presentation is complementary to that. It'll help you convince potential clients even more.

The quality of your proposal presentation affects your chances of closing a deal. Poorly designed business proposal PowerPoint presentation are simply less persuasive.

If you want to know how to make a business proposal presentation that captivates your audience, we've got you covered. Here's a guide with tips and inspiration to craft the perfect proposal presentation.

1. Study the Clients and State Their Needs

Before doing any business proposal, it’s crucial to do your homework first by knowing who your potential client is. You need a complete picture of your clients. That includes how they operate and what their business needs are. Without these, it's hard to deliver a proper business proposal presentation.

The first step is to conduct client research to develop a more detailed idea of their needs and how your services or products will satisfy them. Here are some tips to study your clients:

• Visit their website.
• Look at their social media accounts.
• Know their history, core values, etc.
• Understand their target market.
• Identify their problems.
• Check out their competitors.

Use the research to adapt your business proposal PowerPoint presentation. The tone of your contents and design elements should adapt according to your clients. Your clients will appreciate this research when they see the business proposal presentation.

2. Show How You Can Solve the Problem

What are you bringing to the table? How do you plan to solve their problems? Why should they choose your solutions over others?

Take what you’ve learned from client research and put it into your proposal presentation. The best way to show how you can solve their problem is by telling them exactly what they're in for through the first two slides.

Summarize your solution in a brief and concise manner from the very beginning. Let them know what certain aspects of your solution will help them achieve their business goals. This will keep your clients engaged with the rest of your business proposal presentation.

3. Follow a Seamless Structure

A business proposal structure will sketch how your presentation will run. Having a robust and seamless structure will help you navigate your presentation much easier. This will also prevent you from missing some important messages and so that your thoughts won’t get easily rambled.

There’s no right or wrong structure to your presentation proposal. It actually depends on how you want to tell your message across your potential clients. Here are some common elements requested in a business proposal:

• title/cover page
• executive summary
• statement of problem, issue, or job at hand
• strategy or approach to solving the problem
• company services and qualifications
• cost, payment, and any legal matters

4. Use Compelling Visuals

Instead of writing a lengthy paragraph or text-loaded slides, break down your ideas into simple words or phrases. Then, accompany your business proposal PowerPoint slides with impactful images. Photography is a powerful tool to enhance any dull slides and deliver more striking messages.

As much as possible, just keep one photo for each slide or for each point you want to relay. Too many images can also be distracting. Remember, images are just supporting materials to your main content. They act as attention-grabbing elements and will keep your contents more memorable.

5. Adopt a Consistent Color Palette

Color immediately tells you about your brand and distinguishes you from competitors. It's ideal to use your branding colors. If in case, you only have one color to use, create a color palette of at least three colors to work with. It should be complementary to your brand and must be consistent throughout the presentation.

If you’re unsure which color palette to use, Coolors can help you explore and generate the right color combinations. Although, most business proposal PowerPoint templates already have a built-in color palette that you can use. The key is to align it to your brand’s main color. Thankfully, it'll be easy to do in your PowerPoint proposal template.

6. Be Mindful of Contrasts

Contrast is a crucial design element when learning how to make a business proposal PowerPoint presentation. It plays a vital role in text legibility. There are certain colors that don’t contrast well like pink on the background and yellow for the text. Ensure that you've got enough contrast between the background color and the opposing text color.

Text legibility is also a priority when using an image as a background. A pro tip is to add a black overlay on your text with 50% transparency. This will cast a shadow on your text, becoming much easier to read. There are many proposal presentation examples with great contrast you can use as inspiration.

7. Allow White Space

It’s fun to include different design elements into your business proposal presentation. These typically make the content more attractive and compelling. But you also need to give some room for your business proposal PPT to breath.

Presentation proposal designs are effective when they're used at a minimum. Overdoing it will just make your business proposal PPT to get cluttered and harder to digest. Adding some white spaces or negative spaces into your presentation is a good aesthetic composition.

Line breaks add more white space, which gives readers’ eyes a break before going to important messages. This allows them to absorb the information better. To add more white spaces, use numbered lists and bullet points to your slides.

8. Prepare Proper Typography

How you visually deliver your content in your PowerPoint proposal template will also matter. This is where typography becomes a crucial element on how to make a business proposal. You should establish a typographic hierarchy that'll help you organize your content better. For example, you should have various font size and font family rules for headings, subheadings, body copy, etc.

This will help you differentiate certain ideas and body of thoughts easily. If all your contents have the same font family and size, this will easily ramble the messages that you want to relay. With hierarchy, your contents are quicker to scan and read.

9. Apply Varied Slide Layouts

Variety of slide layouts is also important on a business proposal PowerPoint template. Having just one slide layout across your presentation will make it dull and boring. Make sure to excite your audience by using varied slide layouts for different ideas or sections.

10. Overcome Text Overload With Iconography

The best business proposal PPT designs are visual. That means you'll need the amount of text in the business proposal document. A business proposal PowerPoint should be your guide when presenting and not a fully written document.

The use of iconography will help you lessen the number of texts in your PowerPoint. This will also help you relay your ideas much faster. Remember to align the icons to your brand and they should all be uniform in style.

11. End With a Winning Call to Action

Lastly, close your business proposal presentation with a compelling call to action. You’re proposing because you want your audience to take specific actions at the end of the presentation. 

With this, make sure that your audience knows what to do next. As much as possible, keep your call to action direct to the point and clear enough to comprehend. Don’t forget to set timelines and expectations for follow-ups.

If you're creating business proposals quite often you should consider Envato Elements. It's a one stop shop for all your creative needs. Access thousands of business proposal presentation examples, images, graphics and all sorts of design assets for a low monthly fee.

Sign up for Envato Elements and get instant access to a library of over million digital assets. That includes top modern business proposal presentation examples.

Envato Elements is a great choice if you need design assets on a regular basis. 

Business proposal PPT presentation designs will impress in 2023. The advantage of premium templates is their ease of use.

In moments, you can see how to make business research proposal presentation designs. Let’s learn how, in just five quick steps.

Planning to follow along? Head over to Envato Elements and download the stunning Business Proposal template set today!

1. Select Slides

If there’s a single key factor in any successful business proposal presentation, it’s brevity. Talk too long and you’ll lose your audience, and along with them, any chance of success with your proposal. This means it’s important to select only the slides that most benefit you.

To do so, go to View > Slide Sorter on PowerPoint’s ribbon. This shows a series of thumbnails for each slide in the deck. You can press Delete on your keyboard to remove any unwanted slides that you have selected.

Plus, you can click and drag the thumbnails to reorder the slides. This is how to make proposal presentation designs from Envato Elements work for you.

Finished? Back on the View tab, click on Normal. You’ll be ready to edit right away!

2. Add Custom Text

A proposal presentation, by definition, will be full of words. These explain your proposal in detail and communicate it to your audience.

Premium templates like this make it easy to customize this text. Notice as you work on a slide like slide 1 here that there's already text on the slide.

This text, though, is simply a placeholder. To add your own words, click on the placeholder text box until you've got the contents selected.

Start typing on your keyboard. PowerPoint adds your content into the existing text boxes. This saves you time by avoiding the need to construct sleek slide layouts from scratch. Repeat throughout your slide deck as needed.

3. Make Unique Text Effects

It’s easy to think that proposal presentation templates are static in their styling. But that just isn’t so. For example, you can add text effects to any of the words that you place on your slides. To do that, first ensure that the text is selected.

Then, go to the Home tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon. Just left of center, you’ll see the Font section. From the dropdowns, you can change things like the font size and style. Or you can click the adjacent buttons to highlight text or make it bold or italicized.

4. Change the Color Palette

Slides like slide #4 here have cool shapes in a modern color palette. But you aren’t required to use these same colors. In fact, color changes are how to do a proposal presentation that’s unique. For example, you can match your slides to your brand colors.

To do this, click on one of the shapes to select it. On the ribbon, open the Shape Format tab.

You’ll see several options here, and the one you’re looking for is Shape Fill . Open it up and choose one of the color thumbnails. PowerPoint automatically changes the color of the shape that you selected.

5. Add Images

Pictures: they’re how to make proposal presentation designs unique . To add photos here, click on one of the photo placeholders like the one on slide #4. Then, go to the Picture Format tab on the ribbon, and choose the Change Picture dropdown.

From here, click From a File. Browse to an image file stored on your computer and click to insert it. In this tutorial, we're using a warehouse image from Envato Elements.

PowerPoint will import the photo, sizing and scaling it to fit in the placeholder. It’s a very easy way to build impressive proposal presentation slides in 2023.

Designing a beautiful and compelling business proposal PowerPoint can be tough. After all, we're not all graphic designers. Luckily, highly customizable business proposal presentation templates are a major help. Great business proposal designs have the blueprint already built for you.

What's the best way to learn how to make proposal presentations? Lean on the work of others. Here are five top business PowerPoint proposal templates that you can use or draw inspiration from:

1.  PowerPoint Proposal Template

Proposal PowerPoint is a clean and scalable business proposal PowerPoint template. It has the striking colors and graphics that set it apart from the pack.

Suitable for: eCommerce, product promotions, enterprise accounts.

2.  Minimal Business Proposal PowerPoint Template

Minimal Business Proposal PowerPoint is a creative and multipurpose template. It's minimalistic so that your business proposal isn't a distraction from the content inside it.

Suitable for: Fashion, design, and IT industries.

3.  Research Proposal Presentation Template

Project Proposal PowerPoint Template is makes a data-driven presentation visually appealing. Its design is simple yet highly effective, making it a top research proposal presentation.

Suitable for: In-house special projects, small and medium businesses.

4.  Business Proposal PowerPoint Template

Business Proposal PowerPoint Template has grand and bold designs to help your proposals stand out.

Suitable for: All types of industries, small or large enterprises.

5.  Pro Business Presentation Proposal Template

Pro Business Proposal Template - (PPT) is intended for traditional style seekers. It's got a good balance of professional and modern designs. Try it if you have plenty of pictures you want to add to your presentation proposal.

Suitable for: Companies with traditional style but also want to amp up their game.

More Awesome PowerPoint Templates 

The above is just a small selection of awesome and modern proposal presentation examples. To see even more great PowerPoint templates, check out these posts:

To make sure your presentation looks modern and professional, it pays to know the current PowerPoint slide design trends. Here are five quick business proposal slide design trends to make use of in 2023:

1. Create an Impactful Cover

Your proposal cover is a great way to pique the interest of your audience and give them a quick taste of your brand. Make an impactful proposal cover by including a photo of your business or your team. Or choose another eye-catching image.

2. Go Dark Mode

Odds are you or someone you know prefers dark mode to the default look of your phone or favorite app. Applying this trend to your presentation proposal lets you create a look that works for those members of your audience. It's also a nice break from traditional white backgrounds.

3. Infographics and Charts Are Best for Presenting Data

Use plenty of infographics, charts, and other visual elements to present the data in your proposal. This will make it easier for your audience to visualize abstract ideas and make them more engaged with the proposal.

4. Go Vertical

Consider using a vertical layout for your business proposal. Since most proposals are in horizontal format, this is a good way for yours to stand out. Check out Envato Elements for vertical PowerPoint proposal templates. 

5. Enter the Third Dimension

Don't forget about 3D characters when customizing your PowerPoint presentation proposal template. Using 3D models is one of the hottest presentation trends in 2023. They add another layer to your work and makes your business more personable.

So, you’ve decided to build a business research proposal presentation in PowerPoint. But you may still have a few questions. When you think of how to do a proposal presentation, it always pays to know how PowerPoint can work for you. Here, we’ve answered five common PowerPoint questions:

1. How Do I Get Design Ideas in PowerPoint?

PowerPoint business proposal presentations lean on creative design ideas. The best way to get these ideas is through the use of premium templates from Envato Elements .

These templates have two key advantages:

• They provide design ideas.
• They save you time.

The pre-built layouts take the hard work out of the design process. Instead of beginning from scratch, you can take a layout and drop in your own content in seconds.

Learn more about PPT design ideas in our tutorial:

2. Can I Animate PowerPoint Slides Easily?

Yes! Animations prove how to do a proposal presentation that'll impress any audience. PowerPoint’s Animation tab gives you plenty of options.

Plus, Envato Elements PPT templates are often pre-animated. This saves you time, since the content you add will already be animated.

For a complete look at proposal presentation animation, check out our complete guide:

3. How Do I Make Better PowerPoint Slides?

It’s easy! PowerPoint slide designs that impress audiences aren’t difficult to build. But you need to remember a few basic rules:

• Keep slide topics short and to the point.
• Choose bold layouts and easy-to-read fonts.
• Illustrate with images, charts, and more.

Need to learn more? We've got a full PPT slide design tutorial for you:

4. What Are Infographics in PowerPoint?

Infographics are a hallmark of the best proposal presentation designs you’ll see in 2023. These are illustrations that combine information and graphics to present ideas in style.

If you need to know how to make proposal presentation designs that are sure to impress, infographics are the place to start. Find out more here:

5. Can I Share PowerPoint Presentations on Zoom?

Yes! In 2023, the ability to share proposal presentation decks online is very important. In just a few quick steps, you can prepare and share them on video-conferencing apps like Zoom. This is increasingly important in 2023 and helps set the stage for your success.

Read more on PowerPoint and Zoom here, to help share your next proposal presentation:

PowerPoint is a powerful program that allows you to create any type of presentation. There’s a lot to learn about making great PowerPoint presentations and we've got plenty of tutorials to help you:

Get Started on Your Next PowerPoint Business Proposal Presentation Now

Any good business proposal is accompanied by a powerful business proposal PowerPoint. If you want your message to be more impactful, ensure that you've got followed our above guide on how to make a business proposal presentation.

There’s a wide range of business proposal PowerPoint templates from Envato Elements. These serve as inspiration to help you get started. 

But, above all, it won’t be as effective without understanding who your prospective client is. Know what your clients' needs are and how your solution could help them. These are the two key steps to help build compelling business proposal presentation.

Editorial Note: This post was originally published in June of 2019. It's been revised to make it current, accurate, and up to date by our staff—with special help from Brenda Barron , Andrew Childress , and Nathan Umoh .  Video added by Andrew Childress . 

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Blog Business How to Write Business Proposal (Examples + Free Templates)

How to Write Business Proposal (Examples + Free Templates)

Written by: Aditya Sheth Jan 25, 2024

The great Mark Cuban once said, “Sales cure all.” If a business doesn’t sell, it doesn’t make money and by extension the business fails. That’s why you need to write business proposals .

A well-written business proposal can often mean the difference between winning or losing a prospective client.

In this in-depth guide to creating business proposals, we show you how to close more deals, make more sales and crush your business goals — all by using easy-to-edit professional business proposal templates .

Here’s what this guide will cover (click to jump ahead):

What is a business proposal, what are the components of a business proposal.

• How to write a business proposal step by step

What should you include in a business proposal?

What are the types of business proposals, more business proposal examples + writing and design tips.

• FAQs about business proposals

Looking for a shortcut? Watch this quick video for an overview of everything to include in your business proposal:

A business proposal is a document designed to outline a business plan to convince potential client, investor or partner to engage in a business agreement with you or your company. It’s basically a sales pitch in writing to persuade potential clients to show them benefits of working with you or your company for their business success.

A business proposal outlines what your business does and what you can do for your client . It can be general like this business proposal example:

Or it can be more specific, like this business proposal template which focuses on proposing a project for the Newton Center Rail:

Or this business proposal sample, which presents a plan for a social media strategy and campaign:

To design a business proposal that holds the client’s attention, identify their pain points . Then provide your buyer with the right solution to alleviate those frustrations.

Working on a new project? These project proposal examples might come in handy for you.

The components of a business proposal can change depending on the field, company size and client needs. While details may differ, strong proposals typically introduce your company, explain the problem, offer a solution and its benefits, highlight your team’s skills, and outline timeline, cost and next steps.

How to write a business proposal step by step

Before you start creating your business proposal template, you need to understand the business proposal format. At a high level, your effective business proposal should include the following:

• Create a compelling business proposal title
• Build a table of contents
• Craft the executive summary
• Write a detailed problem statement
• Propose your solutions
• Showcase your team’s expertise
• Create a realistic timeline
• Present your payment structure
• Specify the terms and conditions
• Receiving the decision

Below, you can see business proposal examples that demonstrate how to include these 10 sections.

1. Create a compelling business proposal title

A compelling title could mean the difference between someone reading your proposal or ignoring it in favor of a competitor’s . 

What makes a good title page? Here are the essential elements to include: 

• Your name along with your company’s name
• The name of the prospect (or their business) 
• The date you’re submitting the proposal

The gray business consulting proposal template above contains all the details a prospect would want to know. The title also offers a strong tangible benefit to the prospective buyer. Honestly, “Who doesn’t want to grow their business?”

2. Build a table of contents

The table of contents is a fundamental part of every winning business proposal template. It makes your proposal scannable and easy to read.

The people you will be pitching to are usually C-level executives like the CEO (Chief Executive Officer), COO (Chief Operating Officer), or fractional executives who work part-time. These are busy people who don’t have time to read your entire proposal in one go.

That’s why most of the business proposal examples in this list include a table of contents.

Adding a table of contents to your document makes it easy for them to go through it at their own pace. They can also skim through parts of the proposal that they deem more important. You can see how this abstract business proposal template uses the table of contents:

You can also make your business proposal template easier to navigate by adding hyperlinks to the document, particularly in the table of contents. This way your clients can jump to specific sections without having to scroll through the entire document. Ensuring your business plan format follows a clear structure can greatly enhance readability and comprehension for potential investors or partners.

It’s easy to add hyperlinks in the Venngage editor. Select the text you’d like to turn into a link, then click the link icon in the top bar. From there, select the page you want to link to! Then download your completed design as an Interactive PDF .

3. Craft the executive summary

The executive summary is a staple in all kinds of annual reports , leadership development plan , project plans and even marketing plans . It is a concise summary of the entire contents of your document. In other words, write a business proposal outline that is easy to glance over and that highlights your value proposition.

The goals of your executive summary are:

• Introduce your company to your buyer
• Provide an overview of your company goals
• Showcase your company’s milestones, overall vision and future plans
• Include any other relevant details

This gray business proposal example has a detailed yet short executive summary including some social proof in the form of clients they’ve worked with:

Take note of how precise this business proposal example is. You want to keep your executive summary concise and clear from the get-go. This sets the right tone for the rest of your proposal. It also gives your buyer a reason to continue reading your proposal.

Crafting an executive summary and keeping it concise and compelling can be challenging. but you can use an AI summarizer online to generate an executive summary. Such tools are trained on relevant AI models that can extract core points from a given text. You can get such a point either in bullet form or in abstract summary form.

Pro Tip: Try to write an executive summary such that, even if your prospective client doesn’t read the entire proposal (with a good executive summary, they most likely will), they should have a clear idea about what your company does and how you can help them.

4. Write a detailed problem statement

The point of writing a business proposal is to solve a buyer’s problem. Your goal is to outline the problem statement as clearly as possible. This develops a sense of urgency in your prospect. They will want to find a solution to the problem. And you have that solution.

 A well-defined problem statement does two things: 

• It shows the prospect you have done your homework instead of sending a generic pitch
• It creates an opportunity for you to point out a problem your prospect might not be aware they had in the first place. 

This bold business proposal template above clearly outlines the problem at hand and also offers a ray of hope i.e. how you can solve your prospect’s problem. This brings me to… 

5. P ropose your solutions

The good stuff. In the proposed solution section, you show how you can alleviate your prospective buyer’s pain points. This can fit onto the problem statement section but if you have a comprehensive solution or prefer to elaborate on the details, a separate section is a good idea.

Spare no details regarding the solution you will provide. When you write a business proposal, explain how you plan to deliver the solution. Include an estimated timeline of when they can expect your solution and other relevant details.

For inspiration, look at how this business proposal template quickly and succinctly outlines the project plan, deliverables and metrics :

6. Showcase your team’s expertise

At this point, the prospect you’re pitching your solution to likes what they’re reading. But they may not trust you to deliver on your promises. Why is this?

It’s because they don’t know you. Your job is to convince them that you can fix their problem. This section is important because it acts as social proof. You can highlight what your company does best and how qualified your team is when you write a business proposal for a potential client.

This free business proposal template showcases the company’s accolades, client testimonials, relevant case studies, and industry awards. You can also include other forms of social proof to establish yourself as a credible business. This makes it that much more likely that they will say yes!

Pro Tip: Attaching in-depth case studies of your work is a great way to build trust with a potential client by showcasing how you’ve solved similar problems for other clients in the past. Our case study examples post can show you how to do just that.

7. Create a realistic timeline

To further demonstrate just how prepared you are, it’s important to outline the next steps you will take should your buyer decide to work with you.

Provide a timeline of how and when you will complete all your deliverables. You can do this by designing a  flow chart . Or add a  roadmap  with deadlines. Pitching a long-term project? A timeline infographic would be a better fit.

If you look at this abstract business proposal template below, even something as simple as a table can do the trick.

The timeline is not always set in stone, rather it’s an estimation. The goal is to clarify any questions your potential client might have about how you will deliver for the underlying B2B sales process.

8. Present your payment and terms

On this page, you can outline your fees, payment schedule, invoice payment terms , as well as legal aspects involved in this deal. You can even use the  Excel Invoice Template  to create professional-looking invoices (including brand logo and other elements) and add them to this page.

The adoption of invoice templates is beneficial for small businesses as it streamlines the invoicing process and maintains professionalism in financial dealings. Also, by utilizing small business invoice templates , you can efficiently manage invoicing tasks while upholding a polished and structured approach to financial transactions.

The key to good pricing is to provide your buyer with options. A  pricing comparison table can help with this. You want to give your client some room to work with. Make sure you’re not scaring off your client with a high price, nor undervaluing yourself. 

Breaking up your pricing in stages is another great way to make sure your potential client knows what he’s paying for. Look at how this simple business proposal template does this:

The legal aspects can slot right into the terms and conditions section. Alternatively, you can add them to the signature section of the proposal to keep things simple.

9. Specify the terms and conditions

Summarize everything you have promised to deliver so far. Include what you expect from your prospective buyer in return.   Add the overall project timeline from start to end, as well as payment methods and payment schedule, incorporating these details into an online digital project management tool. This way, both of you will be clear on what is being agreed on.

This step is very important as it outlines all the legal aspects of the deal. That is why the terms and conditions section of your proposal needs to be as clear as possible.

I recommend consulting a lawyer or your legal team when working on this section of the business proposal. If you’re a business veteran and understand the legalities of your business, you can use the same terms and conditions across all your proposals.

10. Receiving the decision

The final step of this whole process. Your client has read your business proposal and they want to buy what you have to offer.

Add a small section at the end of your proposal to get the necessary signatures. This way, you and your client can sign the proposal and the partnership becomes official.

Be sure to also include your contact information in your business proposal template. It acts as a gentle prompt to your client to contact you in case they have any questions. A professional way of doig that would be to include an e-business card with your contact details, email i.d and any other social links you want to share. You can go through this article for the best digital business cards .

A business proposal usually aims to answer the following questions: 

• Who you are and what your company does
• The problem your buyer is facing
• The solution your company offers to alleviate the problem
• How your company will implement this solution effectively
• An estimate of resources (time, money, etc) required to implement the solution

You can see how this sample business proposal template covers the above points.

Notice how this proposal template addresses the same project like in one of the previous templates, but uses a completely different design style (more retro, while the previous business proposal template is more modern and minimalistic).

Generally, there are three types of business proposals:

1. Formally solicited 

A formally solicited business proposal is made when you respond to an official request to write a business proposal.

In this scenario, you know all the requirements and have more (if not all) information about a prospective buyer. You simply need to write the business proposal for your buyer to evaluate so you can begin the sales process .

2. Informally solicited 

Informally solicited business proposals are written when there isn’t an official request for a proposal. A prospective buyer is interested in your services and asks for a proposal so they can evaluate it.

An informally solicited proposal requires a lot more research from your end. These types of proposals are usually created out of informal conversations. They are not based on official requests which often contain more detail.

3. Unsolicited 

Think of this as a marketing brochure or a cold email . Unsolicited business proposals will often take a generic, one-size-fits-all approach to business proposals. Unsolicited proposals lack any understanding of the buyer or their requirements.

But with additional  market research , personalization and identifying customer pain points , you can propose a customized solution based on your buyer’s needs. This can be a very persuasive approach, such as in this business proposal example:

Now that you know how to write a business proposal, let’s look at how you can optimize your proposal to deliver results!

Below you’ll find some winning business proposal templates and examples to get you started. I’ve also included some design tips to keep in mind when you’re creating your next business proposal: 

1. Know your audience 

If you have some clarity on who your ideal buyer is — their pain points, their budget, deadlines, among other things — you’ve already won half the battle.

If you are a business that helps clients with everything from running giveaways or helping grow their blog , identify which customers to pitch. This is a sure-shot way to close the deal.

Mapping user personas  for your ideal buyer can help bring some clarity. It will also help you position your business proposal correctly. This improves the chance of your buyer moving your business proposal to the “Yes!” pile.

2. Put your brand front and center

If your company follows certain brand guidelines, incorporate them in your business proposal templates. Consider how business proposal examples like the one below highlight brand identity :

From the color palettes to the company logos , everything follows their brand guidelines. The result: a business proposal that’s consistent across the board.

Pro Tip: Switching this template to match your brand assets is actually pretty easy. Venngage’s My Brand Kit feature allows you to import your color palettes, logos as well as font choices. Any Venngage template can now be your template.

You can also consider this sample business proposal template:

App design companies sure do know their design. They did a phenomenal job keeping their brand colors consistent while opting for a black design. This unique color scheme also makes their white logo prominent throughout the proposal.

3. Try less text, more visuals

Have you ever read a proposal and thought to yourself, “Wow, this is all text and has no images, I love it!”? Yeah, me neither.

The free business proposal template below is a perfect example of the “less is more” principle. It does a phenomenal job of communicating what it needs to. By substituting some of the text with icons and visuals, you get a clean business proposal that’s much more scannable.

Want to keep things strictly professional? Instead of icons, you can always add your team’s headshots. This shows your buyer exactly who they’ll be working with.  

Check out this formal business proposal format for some inspiration:

4. Switch up your business proposal designs

It doesn’t hurt to go above and beyond once in a while. Jazz up your business proposal template with some extra colors. This helps make your business proposal more engaging. It also helps your buyers retain information faster.

The business proposal example alternates between black, white and grey backgrounds. It still manages to maintain consistency in its branding . Just switching up your backgrounds once in a while can also bring in some variety to an otherwise standard business proposal.

This SEO business proposal sample proves that it’s possible to switch up the colors in every other page. But it still maintains the same color scheme across the entire proposal just like a professionally designed website : 

Pro Tip: Not a color expert? Our guide on picking colors can help you pick the right color scheme for your proposals.

FAQ about business proposals

What is the purpose of a business proposal.

A business proposal aims to streamline the B2B sales process (which is often complex ) between you as a seller and a buyer.

It does this by serving the dual purpose of acting as a source of information. The proposal also acts as a sales pitch aimed at convincing your buyer why they should buy what you have to offer.

What are the best practices for business proposal design?

• Do a thorough spell-check. The goal of your business proposal is to convince your buyer why you’re the perfect person for the job. A proposal with typos or grammatical errors communicates the opposite. A thorough spell-check before you send your proposal is a must.
• Keep things clear and readable: Clarity is an important aspect that you have to ensure in your business proposal. If you want your proposal to hit home and make an impact on the buyer, you have to write it in an understandable way. To keep things clear and readable, there are a couple of things that you can do. You can, for one, take care to use easy wording and segmented sentences from the get-go. You can also try paraphrasing the hard parts of your proposal once you are done writing it.
• Let your brand shine. As discussed before, writing a business proposal is all about knowing your ideal buyer and focusing on their pain points. But that doesn’t mean your business proposal template has to be boring. Demonstrate how different you are compared to other companies. You can do this through your brand guidelines , by using more visuals, switching up your proposal design or showing off your personality in your writing . 
• Create a business proposal PDF. Downloading your business proposal in PDF format allows you to attach other collaterals with your business proposal. These can include a company explainer video or case studies showcasing the work done with past clients. Also, who doesn’t love saving paper?

How long should your business proposal be? 

The length depends on the scope of the work as well as the complexity of the project. Here is a one-page business proposal template:

Can your business proposal template really be one page? Yes, as long as you understand who your buyer is and their pain points. You should also have the ability to communicate everything your ideal buyer needs to know about your business in a succinct manner.

Or if you’re feeling adventurous how about just two pages? Often, clients prefer if you go straight to the point and avoid all the fluff.

For example, this green modern marketing proposal template wastes no time in getting down to brass tacks:

Need more inspiration? Check out this blog on the 5 marketing proposal examples that’ll help elevate your business.

There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to deciding how many pages you should include in your business proposal template. And at the end of the day, “the only rules are the ones you set for yourself”.

At the end of the day, writing winning business proposals that sell is all about you understanding your buyer, their potential pain points and positioning yourself as someone who can alleviate those pain points. 

Now that you know how to write compelling business proposals, what are you waiting for?

Take action and start creating your own business proposals to close more deals and grow your business today!

More business communications templates + writing tips you might be interested in…

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How to Write a Business Proposal [Examples + Template]

Published: June 10, 2024

Here’s what every new business owner needs: an extra eight hours in the day, an endless supply of coffee, and, most importantly, a really strong business proposal.

A business proposal can bridge the gap between you and potential clients. Done correctly, it will outline your value proposition and persuade a company or organization to do business with you.

Here, we’ll take a look at the various kinds of business proposals and go over how to write one. We’ll also see some ideas and examples to help guide yours.

Know exactly what you need? Jump to one of the following sections:

What is a business proposal?

How to write a business proposal, business proposal templates, business proposal examples, tips for writing a business proposal, business proposal ideas.

A business proposal is a formal document that’s created by a company and given to a prospect to secure a business agreement.

It’s a common misconception that business proposals and business plans are the same. However, a proposal helps you sell your product or service — not your business itself.

Think of it this way: Instead of assisting your search for investors to fund your business, a proposal helps you seek new customers.

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• Begin with a title page.
• Explain your why with an executive summary.
• State the problem or need.
• Propose a solution.
• Share your qualifications.
• Include pricing options.
• Summarize with a conclusion.

Before writing your business proposal, it’s crucial you understand the company. If they’ve sent you an RFP, make sure you read it carefully, so you know exactly what they want.

I recommend having an initial call or meeting with any new clients to ensure you fully understand their objectives. Ask open-ended questions to understand not just what they want but why they want it.

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to begin writing your business proposal. While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to writing a business proposal, there are several elements most proposals include. (I designed this example business proposal using Canva .)

1. Begin with a title page.

You have to convey some basic information here. Introduce yourself and your business. Be sure to include:

• Your company’s name.
• The date you submitted the proposal.
• The name of the client or individual you’re submitting the proposal to.

Your title page should reconcile engagement with professionalism. I think of it as your first tone-setter, so you need to make sure yours is sleek, aesthetically appealing, and not too “out there.”

Here’s an example of what a business proposal template looks like when done right.

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How to Create an Effective Business Proposal Presentation: Top Tips for Success

Creating an engaging business proposal and presenting it in front of your potential clients might sound like a difficult task. Knowing what to focus on, how to organize the meeting and shape your approach shouldn’t stress you out.

With our comprehensive guide, you’ll see how easy it can be to create a winning proposal. We’ll also give you tips on how to build confidence in your presenting skills and nail every public speaking event, be it around your proposal or not. 

In this article, we’ll cover the proposal presentation creation process, how to best automate it and give you other tips on how to engage your audience. 

Create a great business proposal

Whatever your topic may be, the starting process is the same - research. You need to conduct thorough research into your topic, and your audience as well. 

The questions you need answered are:

• What problem are your clients facing?
• What are your client’s goals?
• How would they like you to go about helping them achieve those goals?
• Have your clients ever worked with any of your competitors before?
• How much budget can they allocate for this project?
• When do they expect to see results?

Once you conduct your research, you can start creating a proposal presentation. In order to speed up your proposal creation process, you’ll want to look into automation software. 

Better Proposals offers a variety of prewritten proposal templates that you can easily customize to your needs. This means that you won’t have to create your presentation from scratch. 

With our beautifully designed templates, you’ll have no problem showing your solution and the benefits you’ll bring to your clients in a way that’s easy to understand for everyone. 

How to structure your presentation

Start with a short introduction. The point of your presentation introduction is to ease your clients in by explaining to them that you’ve listened and understood their issues. They will want to hear about your process and how you’ll help them achieve their goals so make sure you’re not talking too much about yourself and your company. 

Once you’ve created your introduction, it’s time to focus on your process and timescales . This is the time to go into further detail and explain exactly which steps you’re going to take in order to help your client. However, make sure that you’re keeping it easy to understand. 

Your clients won’t have the same technical knowledge as you do, so make sure to explain everything in simple terms. As important as it is to talk about your process, it’s even more important to showcase the benefits. 

That’s how you sell your services - by talking about tangle results. If you’re providing website building, explain how it will lead to increased sales and market share. 

If you’re working with a team, make sure to explain what each member will be working on a week to week basis. 

Once you’ve presented your solution, it’s time to get to the price. If you already know your client’s budget, it will be easy for you to come up with a number. But that’s not all, the way you present your price is also very important. 

Make sure you’re not using the word price and try using words like investment and ROI instead. It will make your proposal stand out and won’t cheapen your offer. Moreover, it’s important to present your price as a single number. 

If you present a few different tiered price points, it will confuse your clients. They won’t know which package to choose, since they are looking to you to explain which steps are needed in order to help them achieve their goals. 

Don’t use your presentation to try and upsell your clients. That should be done once you’ve created a relationship with them and created some results with your solution. 

Add a great case study 

Once you’ve presented your solution and price, it might be a good idea to quickly present a few case studies. They will show how you helped a client in a similar position before. It will be a good way to win over the audience, especially if you think you’ve lost them after presenting your price.

A third-party’s quote about your company will build your credibility. Furthermore, it gives you the opportunity to present the benefits your clients experienced from working with you, as well as how quickly they reached ROI. 

Better Proposals’ templates come with a prewrite structure for case studies. We know what the clients want to see and hear, which is why we make sure to provide a visually pleasing layout. 

There is no need to go into detail on how much trouble your client was in before they started working with you. Nor should you talk about the process employed to help them achieve results. In most cases, this will be similar to the process you’ve already presented to the client, so don’t repeat yourself. 

Instead, focus on the results. By this we mean:

• The benefits the client experienced since working with you . Explain a few details - do they have more time now, have they managed to focus on other parts of their business and more?
• What short and long term goals did you help them achieve?
• When did they achieve ROI ?
• A quote from the previous client.

Case studies are a powerful strategy that can help you win deals and secure more revenue. 

How to end your proposal presentation

After that, make sure to outline the next steps as well as present your guarantee and terms and conditions. 

It might sound silly, but including a clear call to action is very important. Since you’ve already created a great proposal presentation, it would be a shame not to state what needs to happen next. 

Does your client need to send any materials, do they need to pay the first fee, is there a need for a team meeting?

Whatever needs to be done, lay it out in order to make it easy for everyone to understand. 

In the guarantee section, present what you could offer the client if anything goes wrong. A popular example would be to promise a free product or service if you don’t provide them with a finished product in the agreed-upon time frame. 

Personalize your proposal for the specific audience

While you’re creating your proposal presentation, you need to keep in mind who your audience is. You need to know their needs, wants, lifestyles and behaviour. However, not only do you need to know your audience, but their audience as well. 

Who are they selling their products and services to? Firstly, distinguish between a B2B, B2C and a combination of those two types of companies. After that look for any reports that focus on their industry. If you’re selling medical equipment, find out all you can about hospitals, private clinics and any upcoming trends in the market. In addition, identify your competitors and analyze their technological stack using the technographic data insights .

You need to be able to confidently present your proposal and that confidence will come from the amount of research you conduct. 

Analyze the previous efforts your client’s company has made in order to solve the problem. If you could explain to them why it didn’t work, it would further demonstrate your expertise and that you’re the perfect person for the job. 

When using Better Proposals, you can make sure you’ll never address your clients by the wrong name. With our custom merge tags , you can name your clients, their company and brand and automatically personalize your proposals. 

That way, even if you’re recycling your proposal presentations, you can rest assured knowing you didn’t leave the names of your previous clients. 

Send out the proposal before the presentation 

It’s a good idea to send out your presentation before the meeting. 

There are three reasons for that: 

• It will give your clients enough information to think about any questions they might have.
• You can utilize proposal analytics to see exactly what your clients are interested in and shape your approach accordingly.
• If your clients agree to your terms, they can sign them then and there using the digital signature option.

Better Proposals offers a great feature called proposal analytics. They show you when your proposals were opened, by who, if they were forwarded, signed and paid. 

You will also receive notifications via email for every action your client takes. Moreover, you’ll know exactly how much time did they spend on each of the chapters. 

This type of insight will help you understand which parts of your presentation to focus more on in the meeting. Did your client jump straight to the price or did they read every section? Once you analyze their actions, you’ll have a different perspective on your presentation. 

Focus on the problem you’re solving, not your offer

Don’t underestimate the power of benefits and value you can bring to your clients. That’s what they’re most interested in. We know that it’s tempting to focus on your offer and go into great detail about how you’re the best person for the job based on your price, approach, quality of work and more. 

As important as that is, make sure your primary focus is on the problem you’re going to solve and the benefits you’ll bring them. 

Your clients won’t be that interested in your features and other technical details. They want to hear what their future will look like if they start a business relationship with you. For example, if you’re selling a meal prep kit, it would make more sense to highlight benefits like - freeing up time in your customers' days, offering a variety of meal plans and more. 

Talking about the technical aspects of your business would only be interesting to potential investors or employees. That's why it’s important to focus on the value you’re bringing to the client. 

Arrive early in a neutral setting

The last tip we have for you is to meet the client in a neutral setting. Most of the time the client will want you to come to their office. Even though you’d want to accommodate your clients, meeting them in their office might be detrimental to your deal. 

Their office is a place with a lot of distractions. Anyone can walk in and ask for input on their own work, there are deliveries going on and the phones ringing off the hook. Offices are not known as quiet places and that is why you’d want to move the meeting to a more neutral setting. 

Our advice is to choose a hotel lobby. They are usually quiet during the workday, making them the perfect setting for a business meeting. 

It’s also important to come early. That way you can choose the perfect table, order a drink (nothing alcoholic though) and relax. If you get nervous about presenting, arriving early will help you set up and focus. 

Further tips we have for anyone presenting are: 

• Rehearse your presentation in front of your colleagues.
• Plan out your pauses and the points you’ll highlight.
• Make sure to connect with your audience, don’t just look at your materials.
• Think about the possible questions they can ask you in advance so that you can prepare answers.

If you win a deal right after the presentation, you’re already in the right place to celebrate. Once everything is done, you can seal the deal with a drink or two. 

The first rule of presentations is - to prepare. The more time and effort you put into your presentation, the more confidence you’ll have in your presenting skills. With our actionable guide, you’ll quickly be able to create a beautifully designed presentation that will help you win the deal. 

Make sure you start any proposal presentation with thorough research into your potential clients. You’ll have to know the answers to all your questions about the way you would implement your solution before you start writing the proposal. 

If you use Better Proposals, you’ll love how quickly and easily you can create a document that is easy to get through and engaging. Sign up for a free trial today and find out for yourself how much our platform can help you in the proposal process.

Are your sales docs more awkward than small talk?

Every Document Is a Proposal

Whether it's a new employee or a new client, your documents say a lot about your business. If you don't see every document as a proposal, you're missing the point.

Using Word to Create Proposals Makes You Look Fucking Pathetic

Think about the impression you're trying to give off and then ditch Word proposals for good. They make you look pathetic.

Like what you're reading?

Crafting a compelling business proposal: A step-by-step guide

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera June 30, 2023

In the competitive world of business, the ability to present a compelling business proposal is paramount to success. Whether you’re vying for a new client, seeking investment, or aiming to secure a partnership, a well-crafted proposal can make all the difference. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through the process of creating an impactful business proposal, step by step. We’ll explore what a business proposal entails, discuss its important elements, and show you how Prezi, an innovative presentation platform, can help you create an engaging business proposal that leaves a lasting impression.

Understanding business proposals

To begin, let’s establish a clear understanding of what is a business proposal and why it holds significant value. A business proposal is a formal document that outlines a solution to a client’s problem or presents a business opportunity. Its primary objective is to persuade the recipient to take a specific action, such as approving a project or entering into a partnership. By effectively conveying your ideas, expertise, and value proposition, a business proposal can help you win lucrative contracts and drive business growth.

A business proposal serves as a powerful tool for establishing credibility and showcasing your capabilities. It enables you to communicate your understanding of the client’s needs, propose a tailored solution, and demonstrate how your offerings can address their pain points. Additionally, a well-crafted business proposal showcases your professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to delivering exceptional results. It sets you apart from competitors and positions you as a trusted partner in achieving your client’s objectives.

Key components of how to write a business proposal

A well-structured business proposal consists of several essential components that work together to create a persuasive narrative. Understanding and effectively incorporating these elements can significantly enhance the impact of your proposal. In order to understand how to write a business proposal you need to understand all areas, so let’s explore each component in detail.

Executive summary

The executive summary is a vital part of a business proposal, providing a concise overview that captures the reader’s attention. It highlights key points and conveys the unique value proposition of your proposal. To make it compelling, clearly showcase the benefits and advantages your proposal offers, addressing the client’s specific needs. Keep the summary concise, well-structured, and organized to ensure a quick understanding. 

Prezi’s dynamic presentation features can enhance the impact of your summary in a presentation format with captivating visuals and effects like zooming and panning. Incorporating interactive elements and embedding videos or clickable links can further engage the reader. Crafting a strong executive summary, leveraging Prezi’s tools, sets the stage for a successful business proposal presentation.

Problem statement

To craft a compelling business proposal, it’s essential to articulate the client’s pain points and challenges clearly. This showcases your understanding of their needs and positions you as the ideal solution provider. Thorough research and analysis of their industry and competitors will provide valuable insights to tailor your proposal effectively. Be specific and provide examples that resonate with their situation, emphasizing the potential impact on their business. Outline your proposed solutions and explain how they address their pain points, showcasing your expertise and past successes. By effectively articulating the client’s challenges and demonstrating your understanding, you build trust and establish yourself as the preferred partner. This strengthens the overall impact and persuasiveness of your business proposal.

Proposed solutions

When presenting your proposed solutions, it’s crucial to convey them clearly and in a structured manner. Begin by clearly outlining the precise actions you’ll take to tackle the client’s challenges and help them achieve their desired goals. Break down the process into manageable phases or milestones, highlighting the key actions and deliverables at each stage. Clearly articulate the benefits and advantages of your approach, explaining how it uniquely positions the client for success. Focus on the value your solutions bring, whether it’s increased efficiency, cost savings, improved productivity, or any other relevant benefits. By emphasizing the positive impact of your approach, you make a compelling case for why the client should choose your proposal over others.

Timeline and deliverables

When creating your business proposal, you need to ensure the timeline is realistic. This not only demonstrates your ability to meet deadlines but also highlights your efficient project management skills. By clearly outlining the key milestones and deliverables, you show the client that you understand the project’s scope and have the necessary resources to ensure timely delivery. Transparency and effective project management are highly regarded in the business world, and by emphasizing these qualities, you build trust with the client. 

Meeting deadlines is crucial, and by showcasing your track record of timely completion, you position yourself as a reliable and dependable partner for their project requirements. Your commitment to delivering on time speaks volumes about your professionalism and dedication to client satisfaction.

Team and expertise

When presenting your business proposal, it’s crucial to introduce your team members and emphasize their relevant experience and expertise. This not only establishes credibility but also builds trust with the client. By showcasing the qualifications and capabilities of your team, you reassure the client that you have the necessary resources to successfully execute the proposed project. 

Highlighting their expertise in relevant areas demonstrates your commitment to delivering high-quality results. It also instills confidence in the client that they are partnering with a knowledgeable and skilled team capable of overcoming challenges and achieving desired outcomes. Introducing your team members adds a personal touch to the proposal, allowing the client to connect with the individuals who’ll be involved in their project. This human element fosters a sense of collaboration and increases the client’s confidence in your ability to meet their needs effectively.

Pricing and payment terms

To establish trust and foster transparency, it’s essential to clearly communicate the cost of your services in your business proposal. Provide a detailed breakdown of pricing, including any available packages or options that align with the client’s specific needs. By being transparent about the financial aspect, you demonstrate your professionalism and commitment to open communication.

Additionally, it’s crucial to outline the payment terms, such as deposit requirements and invoicing schedules. We’ll clearly state the upfront deposit amount, timing, and the frequency and method of invoicing for your convenience and peace of mind. This level of clarity ensures that both parties are on the same page regarding financial expectations and facilitates a smooth and mutually beneficial working relationship. By addressing the cost of services and payment terms in a transparent manner, you instill confidence in the client, showcasing your reliability and commitment to fair business practices.

Testimonials and case studies

Including testimonials or case studies from satisfied clients is a great way to show off your track record of successful projects. It’s like having happy customers vouch for you and share their positive experiences. 

When potential clients see these testimonials, it gives them reassurance and confidence in your abilities. They can see that you’ve helped others just like them and delivered outstanding results. It’s real proof that you’re reliable, trustworthy, and capable of meeting their needs. These success stories are like a seal of approval, demonstrating your expertise and commitment to delivering excellent service. By sharing these testimonials you’re letting your satisfied clients do the talking for you.

A step-by-step guide to writing a business proposal

Now that we understand the key components of a business proposal, let’s dive into the step-by-step process of creating an impactful proposal.

Research and analyze

In order to write an effective business proposal, start by conducting thorough research and analysis of your client’s industry, market trends, and competitors. Dive deep into their specific needs and pain points to gain valuable insights that’ll allow you to tailor your proposal accordingly. By demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of their business landscape, you can showcase your expertise and position yourself as the ideal solution provider.

Define your objectives

Clearly defining the objectives of your business proposal is crucial. Determine whether you aim to win a new client, secure funding, or initiate a strategic partnership. Aligning your proposal with these objectives ensures its relevance and effectiveness. By explicitly stating your goals, you can craft a persuasive proposal that directly addresses the needs and desires of your target audience.

Structure and format

When structuring your business proposal, consider the appropriate format and layout. While there are no strict rules, a well-organized and visually appealing design significantly enhances readability and engagement. Break down your proposal into clear sections with headings, use bullet points and subheadings for easy navigation, and incorporate visuals or infographics to convey information effectively. By presenting a professional and polished document, you create a positive impression and increase the chances of capturing the reader’s attention.

Tailor your proposal 

One size does not fit all when it comes to business proposals. Tailor each proposal to address the unique needs and challenges of your clients. Personalize the content by referencing their specific situation, pain points, and goals. By showcasing your understanding of their individual requirements, you demonstrate a genuine interest in their success. This personalized approach sets you apart from generic proposals and builds a strong connection with the client, increasing the likelihood of a positive response.

Craft a compelling executive summary 

Invest time and effort into crafting a compelling executive summary for your business proposal. This concise section serves as the gateway to your proposal, capturing the reader’s attention from the outset. Summarize the key points of your proposal in a clear and impactful manner. Highlight the unique value you bring and emphasize the benefits the client will gain by choosing your solution. A compelling executive summary entices the reader to explore the proposal further and sets a positive tone for the rest of the document.

Provide a clear problem statement

Effectively articulate the pain points and challenges faced by the client in a clear and concise manner. Show your understanding of their specific situation and make them feel heard and understood. By accurately identifying and addressing their problems, you establish credibility and build trust. This clear problem statement lays the foundation for presenting compelling solutions that directly tackle the client’s concerns.

Present your solutions 

Present your proposed solutions in a logical and persuasive manner. Outline the specific steps you’ll take to address the client’s challenges and explain how your approach will deliver tangible results. Use persuasive language to highlight the benefits and advantages of your solutions. Incorporate relevant case studies or examples to demonstrate your track record of success with examples of previous business proposals. By presenting a well-structured and compelling plan, you instill confidence in the client and increase the likelihood of them choosing your proposal.

Showcase your expertise

Highlight the expertise and experience of your team members that are relevant to the proposal. Provide brief biographies or profiles of key individuals, showcasing their qualifications and accomplishments. This establishes credibility and demonstrates that you have the necessary knowledge and skills to execute the proposed project successfully. By showcasing your team’s expertise, you instill confidence in the client and differentiate yourself from competitors. Clients are more likely to trust and engage with a proposal backed by a team of capable professionals.

Visualize your ideas 

When crafting your business proposal, don’t underestimate the power of visual aids in capturing attention and delivering your message with impact. Incorporating charts, graphs, and infographics strategically throughout your proposal can make complex information more accessible, memorable, and engaging. By leveraging visual representations, you enhance the clarity of your ideas and increase the chances of resonating with your audience.

Visual elements act as persuasive tools, helping you illustrate the value and potential of your proposal in a compelling way. They provide a visual framework that supports your written content and makes it more compelling. Whether you’re presenting data, illustrating processes, or showcasing benefits, visual aids serve as a powerful complement to your narrative, making your proposal more compelling and persuasive (view the Prezi presentation example below).

Remember to keep your visuals clean, organized, and aligned with your brand. Choose colors, fonts, and imagery that reflect your professional image and enhance the overall aesthetics of your proposal. By embracing visual communication, you not only make your business proposal visually appealing but also increase its chances of standing out and leaving a lasting impression.

Proofread and polish

Before you finalize and submit your business proposal, invest time in meticulously proofreading and polishing its content. Take a thorough look at the entire document to identify and rectify any grammar, spelling, or formatting errors. Ensuring a consistent tone, style, and formatting throughout is crucial for presenting a polished and professional proposal.

Proofreading goes beyond error correction; it helps you refine your message and ensure clarity and coherence. Use this opportunity to enhance sentence structures, rephrase complex ideas, and improve overall readability. Carefully evaluate the flow and logical progression of your proposal, making necessary adjustments to enhance its effectiveness.

Polishing your business proposal involves fine-tuning the language and presentation to make a lasting impact. Pay attention to word choice, sentence structure, and writing style, aiming for concise and precise communication. Remove any redundant or ambiguous content and ensure each section contributes meaningfully to your proposal’s objectives.

Also, make sure to watch a video on creating a business proposal presentation, where we cover 5 key steps in crafting an impactful presentation for success:

Leveraging Prezi for business proposal presentations

When it comes to presenting your business proposal, engaging visuals and seamless delivery can make a significant impact. Prezi, an innovative presentation platform, offers a range of features and tools that can elevate your business proposal presentations to new heights.

Dynamic presentations

In a business proposal presentation, leverage the dynamic and non-linear capabilities of Prezi to captivate potential investors and stakeholders, showcasing your ideas with immersive zooming and panning effects that leave a lasting impression.

Prezi will allow you to break free from the constraints of traditional slide decks, enabling you to think beyond linear narratives and instead craft a visual journey that seamlessly flows from one idea to another. By zooming in and out, panning across the canvas, and navigating through a virtual space, Prezi adds a new dynamic dimension, making your business proposal presentation more engaging, memorable, and impactful.

Interactive elements

When preparing your proposal presentation, consider incorporating a variety of interactive elements to elevate audience engagement and create a truly immersive and memorable experience. By seamlessly integrating videos that showcase your product or service, embedding clickable links to additional resources or relevant websites, and incorporating interactive charts that allow viewers to explore data in real-time, you can effectively communicate your ideas and capture the attention of your audience in a way that leaves a lasting impact. These interactive elements not only enhance the overall visual appeal of your presentation but also provide an opportunity for your audience to actively participate, interact with the content, and gain a deeper understanding of the value proposition you are offering.

Collaboration and sharing

With Prezi’s collaborative features , you can streamline the process of creating a proposal presentation by seamlessly working together with your team members . Gone are the days of sending multiple versions of the presentation back and forth via email; instead, Prezi enables multiple contributors to work simultaneously on the same presentation, fostering efficient teamwork and saving valuable time.

By leveraging Prezi’s real-time collaboration tools, team members can collaborate on different aspects of the proposal presentation, making edits, adding content, and refining the overall message concurrently. This collaborative environment encourages creativity, idea sharing, and collective input, resulting in a more comprehensive and polished final presentation.

Once your team has finalized the proposal presentation, Prezi makes it incredibly easy to share your work with clients or stakeholders for review and feedback. With just a few clicks, you can securely share a link to your presentation, allowing others to access and view it from any device or location. This streamlined sharing process ensures that your audience can conveniently review the proposal at their convenience, eliminating the need for cumbersome file transfers or scheduling multiple meetings.

Business proposal presentation templates: Streamline your proposal presentation creation process with Prezi

Creating a business proposal presentation from scratch can be made easy with the correct tools. To simplify the process and ensure a professional presentation, utilizing templates can be a game-changer. With the help of Prezi, an innovative platform offering a wide range of templates, you can effortlessly create impressive business proposal presentations that capture attention and showcase your ideas effectively.

A business proposal template serves as a framework for organizing your content and guiding the overall structure of your proposal. It saves you valuable time by providing a pre-designed layout that incorporates essential sections. By using a template, you can focus on customizing the content to suit your specific needs rather than starting from scratch.

Prezi offers a diverse collection of business presentation templates, catering to various industries and business requirements. These templates are professionally designed, visually appealing, and customizable, allowing you to make them your own with ease.

Using a business proposal presentation template not only saves time but also ensures consistency and professionalism throughout your proposal. The templates are designed with attention to detail, incorporating best practices for layout, typography, and visual elements. This consistency enhances the readability and cohesiveness of your proposal, leaving a positive impression on your audience.

With Prezi, you have the flexibility to customize any template to suit your unique brand identity. You can easily modify colors, fonts, and images to reflect your company’s visual style and create a cohesive presentation. This personalization adds a touch of professionalism and uniqueness to your proposal, making it stand out from generic, cookie-cutter proposal presentations.

With Prezi business presentation templates and editing tools, you can confidently create professional and visually stunning proposals that leave a lasting impression. 

Final thoughts

Crafting an outstanding business proposal requires careful planning, strategic thinking, and effective communication. By following this step-by-step guide and leveraging the power of Prezi, you can create business proposals and business proposal presentations that capture attention, differentiate you from competitors, and increase your chances of success. Remember, a well-crafted proposal is a powerful tool to convey your expertise, showcase your value, and win over clients. Embrace the possibilities offered by Prezi and take your business proposals to new heights. Start creating impactful proposals today and open doors to exciting opportunities in the world of business.

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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How to Write a Business Proposal – 28 Examples | Visme

Written by: Olujinmi Oluwatoni

Writing a business proposal that wins clients over is tough work. It gets even tougher when you're competing against multiple vendors for the same contract. According to a recent report by Loopio , teams on average win only 44% of their Request for Proposals (RFPs)

Here’s the silver lining. You can increase your win rate with a standout business proposal that not only grabs the client's attention but properly articulates your value proposition, unique strengths and capabilities.

However, creating a professional business proposal from scratch can be challenging, especially if you lack the necessary skills and tools.

To assist you, we’ve put together 28 business proposal templates to help you write one and increase your chances of success.

Here’s a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit business proposal templates you can edit, share, and download with Visme. View more templates below:

Table of Contents

• What is a Business Proposal?

28 Business Proposal Templates to Impress Clients

• A business proposal is a document crafted to convince potential clients, investors, or partners to take a particular action, such as purchasing a product or service, investing in a project or forming a partnership.
• Visme's template library offers a diverse selection of templates covering service, product, investment, partnership, consulting, project and bid proposals. These proposal templates are easily customizable with Visme’s user-friendly drag-and-drop editor.
• Visme also offers an array of features for creating impressive and unique business proposals, including team collaboration, online sharing, AI-powered image and text tools, custom branding, analytics, data visualizations, animation and interactivity.
• With Visme’s intuitive editor, you can seamlessly customize these templates. Tap into built-in features like hundreds of free fonts, millions of free images, vector icons, data tools, animations and more to whip up the perfect proposal design in minutes.

What Is a Business Proposal?

A business proposal is a document designed to persuade a prospective client, investor, or partner to take a specific action—whether it is buying a product or service, investing in a project, or entering into a partnership.

To craft a compelling proposal, you need to grasp the client's needs, present your solution, outline your strategy and demonstrate why you or your team are the best choice to address the problem.

Visme’s extensive array of proposal templates, combined with an intuitive editor and advanced tools, streamlines the process of creating a professional business proposal.

Hear what one of our customers has to say about Visme:

“Visme is something that I would highly recommend. It made us look a lot better in our clients’ eyes because it's something that's visually effective as a marketing tool.”

"With Visme, instead of days, a page would take us anywhere from 4-8 hours on a duplicate or templated process and even up to 72 hours for projects with unique needs and with immense input and back and forth on the design process.”

Brad Wills, Sourcing Executive at IBM's Recruitment Processing Outsourcing (RPO)! Read the full case study .

Check out these 28 business proposals professionally designed for almost every kind of business.

Service Proposal Templates

Product proposal templates, partnership proposal templates, investment proposal templates, consulting proposal templates, project proposal templates, bid proposal templates, 1. it service one-pager proposal template.

Looking for a quick and concise way to communicate the value and specifics of your IT service offering to potential clients or stakeholders? This service proposal template is your sure bet.

The minimalist design gives the plan a modern look and creates a powerful visual impact. Leverage the space to detail your executive summary , description of services, scope of work and lots more.

And if you’re tight on time, you can rely on Visme's AI document generator for instant proposal creation. Simply input your prompt, provide context, choose your preferred design and witness the tool swiftly generate your initial draft within seconds.

Check out how the AI document generator tool works here.

2. Marketing Agency Proposal Template

This comprehensive template is your ultimate tool to pitch your marketing agency's services and secure deals effortlessly.

Its sleek design, captivating visuals and icons ensure an attractive presentation. You can easily spotlight the problems you’ll address, solutions, project roadmap, services, the team, client testimonials and more.

Your brand identity conveys professionalism and makes your proposal more memorable to potential clients. To showcase your brand identity, ensure your proposal is branded using Visme's brand wizard . Simply input your web URL to automatically incorporate design elements from your website and access personalized, branded templates.

3. Clinical Laboratory Services

This template offers a framework to showcase your clinical services expertise and present your unique value proposition with clarity. The template offers dedicated sections for services, product breakdowns, certifications, locations and more.

Against a white backdrop, various shades of blue harmoniously blend to symbolize the beauty of healthcare and increase your proposal’s aesthetic appeal. The template also features captivating visuals, icons and an engaging layout.

Convert your product proposal into an engaging page-turner using Visme's flipbook effect . This allows your audience to virtually flip through pages, mimicking a real document experience.

4. Online Grocery Delivery Proposal Template

Seeking investment or partnerships for your groundbreaking online grocery delivery service? This online delivery service proposal template is your silver bullet.

The striking blend of lemon, blue and white gives it a great visual appeal. Each page also boasts engaging culinary visuals, icons and a refined layout that complements the content.

With detailed market analysis, innovative strategies and detailed financial projections, this template helps you present a compelling case. The best part is that the template design is fully customizable to suit any product or brand.

With our interactive features like hover effects or clickable pop-ups, you can provide more information, such as technical details or testimonials, without overwhelming the reader.

5. Consumer Product One Pager Proposal

Utilize this concise yet impactful one pager proposal to secure funding for your consumer product venture. This template allows you to distill your product's essence, market potential and competitive edge into a compelling one-page format.

It features captivating visuals, icons and harmonious color combinations, delivering a compelling presentation.

Personalize the template with your text, images, brand elements and more. You can streamline editing using Visme's dynamic fields , which eliminate the need to manually enter key information when customizing it for other clients.

Just create custom fields like company name, address, contact details and other information and automatically fill in the relevant fields with a single click.

6. Mobile Game Development Proposal Template

Looking for a way to capture potential clients' attention and secure software development projects? Start with this mobile game development proposal template. Its vibrant purple, orange and white scheme, complemented by compelling visuals and bold icons ensures your proposal stands out.

The template features sections to emphasize critical elements like introductions, overviews, goals, why to choose your services, action plans and more.

You can add more pages and customize the visuals, icons and layout to suit your brand’s needs.

7. 3D Modeling Software Proposal Template

Make a bold impression on your prospective software clients with this innovative proposal template.

The proposal boasts a captivating cover page, vibrant colors and stunning 3D visuals. It's structured with sections covering company overview, problem analysis, proposed solutions, delivery timelines and more.

Struggling with what to write in different sections? Leverage Visme’s AI writer for your initial draft. Simply provide instructions and the tool will generate well-written content matching your desired style and tone. Additionally, you can use this AI to refine, summarize, or edit your content effortlessly.

8. Jet Skis Proposal Template

Present your physical products to potential clients or investors effortlessly with this stylish proposal template.

This template comes with high-resolution stock photos, appealing vector icons and data widgets. It includes sections highlighting the advantages of your service, an overview of available models, pricing options and testimonials from satisfied customers.

Although this template was designed for water sports products, it can be customized for any brand or product.

If you want to change the visuals, explore Visme's extensive library of premium stock photos to find what suits your needs.

Learn more about how to create a product proposal in this complete guide .

9. Finance Consultancy Partnership Proposal Template

If you’re in search of a finance consultancy partnership proposal template that's straightforward and professional, then this proposal fits the bill. It features a clean, authoritative design using a white and green color palette.

All sections are neatly organized to present your firm's background, partnership model, client benefits, partner responsibilities and more. Leverage Visme analytics to track how your proposal is performing. You can easily monitor engagement metrics such as unique visits, average viewing time, duration, IP addresses and other analytics.

10. Lifestyle Brand Collaboration Proposal

Create impactful collaborations to elevate your lifestyle brand with this exquisite proposal. Its vibrant colors, dynamic layout and striking visuals make it iconic. The template provides a clear structure to showcase your brand's mission, project scope, responsibilities, terms and more.

Utilize Visme's intuitive editor to effortlessly customize colors, fonts and other elements of this template to fit your brand identity.

11. Payment App Brand Collaboration

Attract potential partners to your software brand using this well-structured collaboration proposal template. Each page employs a logical hierarchy in typefaces, fonts and elements to ensure an engaging reading experience.

You can highlight crucial aspects such as project objectives, payment app features, statistics and more with meticulous detail.

Visme’s data visualization tool will provide a clear and detailed presentation of statistics and figures in this proposal. You can access an extensive array of charts, graphs, maps, widgets and more from Visme’s library.

12. Non-profit Brand Collaboration

If you’re eager to team up with impactful organizations and expand your brand's reach while making a difference, this template is your blueprint.

With a sleek and modern design, a soothing color palette and exciting visuals, it’s sure to attract the reader's attention.

This template encompasses all essential sections to showcase your offerings, including a summary, project overview, plan, co-branding prospects, benefits, terms and beyond.

To get feedback about your proposal from coworkers quickly, you can invite them to your Visme project using Visme’s collaborative features . The workflow management tool also allows you to assign roles, establish deadlines and streamline approval processes effortlessly—all in one place.

Read this guide to learn more about how to create an effective partnership proposal.

13. Restaurant Investment Proposal

Attract prospective investors and secure funding for your culinary venture using this sophisticated investment proposal template.

Its combination of vibrant color schemes, icons and captivating images creates an impression of a refined restaurant.

Utilize its various sections to highlight your executive summary, target audience, competitive edge, business model, financial projections, SWOT analysis and other crucial details.

The template also incorporates charts to depict your target audience and financial projections. Visme enables you to seamlessly link real-time data from 3rd-party apps like Excel or Google Sheets and import tables, charts and graphs into your projects.

14. Project Investment Proposal

Showcase your project's potential to investors with this sleek investment template. Its elegant design incorporates a striking blend of black and yellow, exuding professionalism.

The template includes sections such as executive summary, project goal, target community, use of funds, assessments and more.

Customize this template by using images or videos to showcase your prior projects. This visual showcase will offer investors a glimpse of your work, significantly increasing your chances of winning.

15. Prime Real Estate Investment Proposal

Position your company as a trusted business for real estate investments with this stunning template. The layout, colors and captivating real estate imagery create a compelling visual narrative.

The template captures everything you need to show investors that you’ve done your homework. It includes an executive summary, overview, gallery, risk assessment, investment rationale and more. You can also include video testimonials of prior clients to gain potential investors’ confidence.

Each page of this document can be easily customized using Visme's user-friendly drag-and-drop editor.

16. Startup Investment Proposal

Starting a business? Utilize this startup investment proposal to highlight your idea's potential and leave a lasting impact on investors. The distinctive color scheme of yellow, white and navy blue blends to evoke a sense of innovation.

It includes clear sections to highlight your executive summary, market analysis, competitive advantage, business model and more.

In addition to your proposal, you can use Visme’s presenter studio to record your elevator pitch and share it with potential investors. This adds a personal touch and helps you engage busy executives.

17. Business Consulting Proposal

Win client's trust to hire your consulting services with this cutting-edge template proposal.

This design boasts a sleek color scheme of grays and blacks contrasted with a pristine white background, ensuring an attention-grabbing visual. It encompasses all crucial aspects, from an executive summary to project timelines, pricing models and compelling testimonials, to effectively showcase your expertise to potential clients.

You can link the icons, objects or text to a website or document for seamless navigation and engagement using interactive links.

18. IT Consulting Proposal

Craft a compelling pitch for your IT consulting service with this detailed consulting proposal template. It provides a structured framework to articulate your goals, expertise, services, recommendations and project details effectively.

Packed with captivating visuals, refined fonts, modern design elements and versatile layouts, this template ensures your proposal shines among competitors.

Personalize it to match your company's processes by incorporating text, applying your branding and expanding or adapting sections as needed.

19. Social Media Consulting Proposal

Whether you're an established social media agency or a freelancer looking to land your next big client, use this template to confidently pitch your social media consulting services.

With its sophisticated mix of blue and white hues, complemented by well-organized layouts and interactive icons, this template adds a touch of elegance to your presentation.

It covers crucial areas such as market analysis, personalized strategies, content planning and measurable objectives to craft a persuasive argument.

Make this template yours by swapping out the placeholder text and adjusting the visual elements until you're satisfied with the look and feel.

20. Marketing Consulting Proposal

Secure lucrative marketing projects confidently with this modern consultant proposal template. Its contemporary layout, crisp imagery and fusion of vibrant color themes project a high level of professionalism.

This template provides comprehensive coverage for essential aspects like the executive summary, "why choose us" section, project scope, deliverables, timeline, budget and more.

Lacking visuals for your projects? Utilize Visme's AI image generator to create relevant, high-quality, original images that breathe life into your design. Simply type in your prompts to generate professional-grade photos, paintings, pencil drawings, 3D graphics, icons, abstract art and more in seconds.

21. Web Development Proposal Template

You’ll require a standout proposal to win clients in a highly competitive web development industry. This sleek proposal can be your game-changer.

With an exquisite design layout, vector icons and a vibrant color scheme blending yellow, blue and white, this proposal immediately captures attention. The sections within cover the project overview, portfolio, website structure, timeline, budget breakdowns and more.

If you need to enhance your existing images and give them a professional look, you can utilize our AI Image Edit Tools within the Visme editor. The wizard allows you to remove backgrounds, unblur, or enlarge small images for optimal presentation.

22. Roofing Proposal

Whether you're a seasoned roofing contractor or a startup, this template will equip you to stand out and secure your roofing projects effectively.

The template utilizes a minimalist design with well-organized sections, ensuring your proposal looks both professional and visually appealing. Key sections such as project scope, materials, timelines, safety protocols and cost breakdowns lets you showcase your expertise and reliability.

Personalize the template by substituting the placeholder text and fine-tuning the visual elements until it suits your needs.

23. Construction Proposal

Utilize this refined template to leave a lasting impact and win your upcoming construction or renovation projects. Its blue, yellow and white color scheme radiates professionalism, while its captivating visuals and elegant layout effortlessly highlight your content.

The template features sections such as project scope, timeline, materials, costs and service specifics which underscore your expertise and dedication to top-notch work.

Share and download this proposal in various formats—PDF, PNG, JPG and GIF—or generate a link to share it with the client.

24. Architectural Proposal

Seal prestigious architectural deals confidently with this sleek architectural proposal template.

The template boasts high-resolution graphics, smart design elements, and engaging fonts. It includes sections for project goals, milestones, budgets and ample architectural images that add visual appeal.

Customize this template using Visme's built-in design assets or upload your own. You can use the shortcut feature for quick access to design elements on Visme. Simply type '/' to search and locate what you need in seconds.

25. Bid Proposal

If you would like to craft a winning bid proposal and enhance your business opportunities, this professional proposal template is perfect.

This template stands out with its captivating design layout, refined color scheme, and an impressive selection of fonts, icons, and images. It features a formal letter, budget breakdown and project commencement and completion terms.

What sets this template apart is its adaptability to suit any industry. Every aspect of this template is also customizable, allowing you to modify content, colors, fonts, shapes and logos to align perfectly with your brand identity.

26. Lawn Care Proposal

Communicate your expertise and dedication to impeccable lawn care with this stunning lawn care bid proposal.

This expertly crafted template boasts a captivating cover page and is filled with captivating fonts, high-definition images of lush greenery and dynamic vector icons.

You can customize every aspect of this template effortlessly. If you want to switch up the images, Visme offers an extensive array of top-notch images and design elements, from 3D icons and shapes to animated graphics, ensuring your proposal stands out vibrantly.

27. Fintech Agency Bid Proposal

Whether your agency specializes in digital banking, blockchain, payments, or other fintech solutions, this template equips you to stand out in competitive bids.

With a striking color palette of black, lemon and white, this template achieves a great balance—bold enough to captivate attention yet professional enough to exude credibility.

You can leverage the sections to highlight your firm's background, methodologies, budget and delivery aspects. The project timeline page is also particularly beneficial to provide clients with a clear glimpse of the project's completion date.

You can seamlessly integrate videos of client testimonials, your services, or a compelling brand narrative, enhancing your proposal's impact.

28. Marketing Campaign Bid Proposal Template

Looking to create a captivating bid proposal for marketing services? This template fits the bill.

The template boasts a lively color palette blending violet and white, setting the stage for a professional presentation.

It includes a succinct summary of your response to the RFP, featuring the challenge and proposed solutions, a compelling "why choose us" section and the estimated budget.

To further elevate engagement, Visme’s interactive features allow for linking specific sections to pricing pages, product page or terms and conditions. You can also employ hover effects or popups to reveal supplementary company information, enhancing the viewer's experience.

Read this article to discover professional bid proposal templates to win new clients.

Business Proposal FAQs

Q. what is the difference between a business proposal and a business plan.

A business proposal is a document crafted to persuade a prospective client to choose a company for a particular task or project. It outlines the specific project or service, pricing, deliverables and the value the company can provide.

On the other hand, a business plan is a comprehensive document that serves as a roadmap for an organization's future, guiding decision-making and operations. It outlines the company's objectives, strategies, market analysis, financial projections and operational details.

Unlike a business plan, which is internally focused, a business proposal is tailored externally to win a specific opportunity or contract.

Q. How Many Pages Should a Business Proposal Be?

Generally, a business proposal can range from 1 to 20 pages. However, there's no strict rule on length. The length of a business proposal can vary based on the specific requirements of the project or the expectations of the recipient.

Shorter proposals (one to five pages) are suitable for simpler projects or when the recipient specifies a brief document. More complex projects might require longer proposals with detailed sections on various aspects like methodology, timelines, pricing and terms.

Q. What Is the Basic Format for a Business Proposal?

A typical business proposal usually follows this basic format:

• Cover Page: This page includes your proposal title, company name, submission date and contact information.
• Executive Summary: Your executive summary section gives a brief overview of the proposal, highlighting the key points, objectives and why the proposal should be considered.
• Introduction: This section introduces the company and its background.
• Problem Statement or Needs Assessment: This section describes the client's issue or need that the proposal aims to address. This section clarifies the problem and its significance.
• Proposed Solution or Methodology: Utilize this section to highlight the company's approach to solving the client's problem. You can detail the services, products, or methodologies offered.
• Timeline or Work Plan: Your timeline section should present a schedule or timeline of how the proposed solution will be implemented, including milestones and deadlines.
• Budget or Cost Proposal: Provide a breakdown of the costs associated with the proposed solution, including fees, expenses and payment terms in this section.
• Company Expertise, Experience and Accolades: Give a compelling overview of the company's expertise, experience, relevant projects and qualifications that make it suitable for the project in this section.
• Conclusion/Next Steps: Summarize the key points and reinforce the benefits of choosing your company. Then end with a clear call to action.

Q. What Are the 3Cs of a Business Proposal?

The 3 C's of a business proposal are clarity, compelling and competitiveness. Let's take a brief look at each component:

Your business proposal should be clear and easy to understand. It should articulate the problem, proposed solution, methodology and terms in a straightforward manner. You should also avoid buzzwords and stick to languages and examples that resonate with the client.

Your proposal should be engaging, well-structured and crafted in a way that maintains interest throughout. It should incorporate visuals like images, icons, graphs or charts to complement the text and make the proposal visually appealing. You can also use storytelling techniques to illustrate the problem, the solution and the positive impact your proposal will have.

Competitive

Your proposal needs to be persuasive. It should convince the recipient that your company's solution is the best fit for their needs. This involves showcasing expertise, providing evidence of past successes and demonstrating the unique value your company brings.

Q. How Do I Write My Business Proposal?

Here are some steps to help you write an effective business proposal:

• Understand who your audience is and what their needs are
• Design a compelling cover page, title page and table of contents
• Write your executive summary
• Clearly define the client's problem or needs.
• Propose a solution (product, features and benefits)
• Showcase your company's background, team expertise, experience and qualifications.
• List deliverables, milestones, and timelines
• Provide a detailed budget and payment structure
• Include quotes from satisfied clients or references and evidence of your track record
• Write a conclusion and appendix

Visme's proposal templates come with pre-made sections to make the proposal creation process easier and more efficient. With our intuitive editor, you can customize these sections, add or remove sections as needed to fit your specific needs.

Q. What Are 5 Things All Proposals Should Include?

The five key elements every proposal should include are:

• Project background and objectives
• Problem statement
• Project scope and plan
• Timeline and budget
• Conclusion and next steps

Q. What Are the Do’s and Don'ts of Proposal Writing?

When it comes to proposal writing, there are some do’s and don'ts to keep in mind to ensure that your proposal stands out and increases your chances of success.

• Understand the client's needs and tailor your proposal accordingly. Start with a catchy and attention-grabbing introduction.
• Clearly articulate your value proposition, unique strengths and capabilities.
• Use visuals and graphics to make your proposal more engaging and memorable.
• Include testimonials or case studies to demonstrate your track record.
• Provide a detailed and realistic project plan, timeline, and budget.
• Proofread and edit your proposal thoroughly before submitting it.
• Don't use a generic proposal template without customizing it to the client's needs.
• Don't overpromise or exaggerate your capabilities.
• Don't use jargon or technical terms that may confuse the client.
• Don't submit a proposal that is too long or too short.
• Don't forget to follow up with the client after submitting the proposal.

Q. Which Phrases Are Best Avoided in a Proposal?

• "I think," "I'm not sure," "I believe," and similar phrases can seem hesitant and unconfident. Instead, state your ideas and arguments with conviction.
• "The best," "the greatest," or "the top-ranked"—empty"superlatives like this can come across as exaggerated and lacking credibility.
• "This might be a stupid question, but..."—never apologize for asking a question or suggesting an idea. It's important to demonstrate confidence in your abilities and ideas.
• Jargon or technical language that the client may not understand; keep in mind that the proposal may be read by individuals who are not familiar with your industry or field. Use plain language and avoid technical terms that may be confusing.
• "Trust me"—this phrase can sound condescending and unprofessional. Instead, provide evidence and data to support your arguments and proposals.
• "Our competitors are terrible." Avoid speaking negatively about your competitors. Rather, focus on highlighting your own strengths and unique selling points.

Create Professionally Engaging Proposals & More with Visme

An engaging and professionally crafted proposal increases your likelihood of closing deals or securing business partnerships.

With Visme’s proposal maker , creating an impactful proposal can be a walk in the park. It offers professional templates and robust editing tools designed for various proposal needs.

Moreover, Visme provides features like real-time collaboration, interactive data visualizations, online sharing, AI tools, analytics and graphics, elevating your proposal to new heights.

Sign up for Visme today to start creating winning proposals.

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Home Blog Business How to Write a Project Proposal and Present it to Stakeholders

How to Write a Project Proposal and Present it to Stakeholders

Every manager or executive has at some point of their career the need to create a project proposal (or initiative, we will use both terms instinctively in this post). In this opportunity we will briefly define the concept, how to write it and more importantly how to present it to an audience. Persuasion is key. Being able to transmit the right message behind the proposal will help you engage your audience with your ideas.

What Is a Project Proposal?

A project proposal is a document that details a new project idea. Its main objective is to communicate the idea, and what is needed to make it happen. In its most basic form, it contains a title, initial and end dates, objectives, goals and the overall main achievement pursued at completion of the project.

Formal project proposals have clear sections that have been proven to effectively communicate a project idea. The basics include context about the problem or pain trying to solve, a high level action plan, and the required resources to execute it. We’ll give you more detail into how to write project proposal categories later on in this article.

Note that a business project proposal is not the same thing as a complete project plan , in terms of project management . The project proposal includes a lot of details in many of the same categories as a project charter or a complete project plan. However, it is not the same document. The project proposal is not a detailed execution plan. There are lots of details that may change between the proposal presentation and the final, approved project plan.

Types of Project Proposals

There are many different kinds of project proposals, since there are many different kinds of projects. For the sake of keeping the article with a reasonable length, we will exemplify Business Project Proposals.

Business project proposals range from formal to informal and vary greatly depending on the industry and company where they are defined. This article focuses on business project proposals, though a lot of the basics and recommendations also apply to different categories.

Situations that Require to Write a Business Project Proposal

Projects intake vary depending on the management frameworks applied by every organization. But there are common management practices that trigger the need for project proposals.

The most common place for project definitions and ideation is during Corporate Planning. Independently of the size of the organization, planning is a practice that every professional organization carries out. Could be defined as Corporate Planning, or just Growth planning, but the time of the year where executives prepare their forecast and plan for the future is the main event where initiatives are defined. In order to evaluate them objectively, project proposals are created. Based on the proposals, the executives decide which projects they will sponsor. With this in mind, it is important that the document is formal, informative, but also persuasive.

How to Write a Project Proposal

The following paragraphs describe the common sections of a professional project proposal document. Keep in mind that this guide does not pretend to be exhaustive and is understood that you’ll need to evaluate adjustments to this outline in order to make it work for your industry, field, and department.

Step One: Define the Purpose around a Problem or Pain

No executive team will approve or fund a project if it’s not solving a realistic problem, situation. While it may sound negative, in business a lot of decisions are made around addressing pains, both organizational and client-facing. This step aims to show stakeholders why your project is important and what are the stakes if they don’t approve it.

Since your problem statement is the very first section of your project proposal, it has to be strong. If you don’t make your audience start believing in the need for a new initiative at this point, it will be very hard to change their minds later on. Don’t exaggerate the problem, since that is easy to discover later on, but be emphatic about why this is a problem that needs fixing. Backup your claims with facts, figures, and business cases. The cost of “ not doing ” is also a strong argument.

Here are some questions to consider when defining the problem:

Step Two: Introduce The Solution

Now that you’ve hopefully convinced your audience of the existence of a problem, you now have to introduce the proposed solution. The next several steps will help you specify some of the more tangible components of the “how”. On this step, however, you’re still at the dazzling and inspiring stage.

That means your introduction to the plan should focus on its benefits.

How is this going to address the problem and what is your organization going to get out of it? Think increased profits, lowered costs, new products on the market, more satisfied clients, increased brand awareness, etc.

What is the anticipated impact of your project or idea? Focus on wide-ranging effects for a more impressive presentation.

Step Three: Specify Deliverables and Success Criteria

Deliverables are the results of your project. Think about it as the components, both tangible and intangible, that you’ll be delivering. Include the functions and characteristics of each deliverable, such as what it will do, how it will work, and what benefit it will have. Include details such as due date and key tasks required to successfully carry out each deliverable.

Alongside the definition of deliverables are the success criteria. It’s important to specify how you’ll know if each deliverable has been successfully created, as well as the project as a whole. Whenever you’re presenting objectives or criteria for evaluating success, use the SMART goals approach. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. You can try using a roadmap template to visualize these deliverables and delivery dates.

Step Four: Outline Project Resources

In order to execute a project, you will require resources. Generally in a project proposal you will divide this definition in two. First, an overall estimation of resources in a common language , financial . So you will translate every resource into budgeting terms and define an investment number. Then, you will break down these financials into: assets (i.e.: technology, infrastructure), human resources, services (i.e.: advertisement, consultancy).

Step Five: Outline your Schedule

In this section you will combine deliverables and resources to generate a high level roadmap. Main points to highlight are start and end of the project, delivery dates and resources usage times. In this way you will materialize the proposal in high level activities.

Step Six: Executive Summary

Once the detailed version of your project proposal is complete, it’s time to summarize the presentation into an executive summary. This summary will include a high-level list of each key element of your proposal. The idea of the executive summary is to be able to summarize in one page all the proposal, in a way an executive can grasp the overall scope.

How to Present a Project Proposal to Stakeholders

Your project presentation will follow the basic steps detailed above. Here is a project proposal example structure using project proposal templates to help you get started on your presentation.

Slide 1: Cover Slide with Project Name

Like in all presentations, you don’t dive into the main part of the presentation without introducing the name of the project and yourself as presenter. Covers slides provide some visual stationary previous the presentation kick off. As a recommendation, set a project name that will make it memorable.

Slide 2: Table of Contents

Audience members will have an easier time paying attention if they know what to expect from your proposal presentation. See the following slide for a common project proposal table of contents format. When presenting it, do not dive into details. The agenda slide is aimed to set a mental state in the audience on the structure of the information will follow. It is a presentation best practice to prepare the audience.

Slide 3: The Problem

Summarize your problem statement in one or two sentences. Be BOLD . When creating this problem summary, make sure to touch upon what the problem is, why it is a problem, how this problem manifests, who this problem affects, and what is the fallout of this problem. Make sure your message is directed to the real pain to solve. Avoid repeating the detailed problem definition; the audience can drill down in the documentation for the facts behind your statements.

Slide 4: The Solution

As the first slide that formally introduces your projects proposal, this slide should briefly communicate what it is you are proposing to do. You can frame this slide in terms of the solution to the previously mentioned problem or you can introduce it as your plan. Either way, make sure this project introduction is no more than 1-3 sentences long. You’ll have time to specify other details in later slides. At this point of the presentation, your audience curiosity starts to peak, and you need to build your persuasive speech.

Slide 5: Goals and Benefits

For this slide, you want to briefly list the main goals for what you want to achieve with your project, as well as the top benefits your project will generate for the organization. While there may be a much larger list of these two components in your project proposal document, you’ll want to present the most important/relevant here. Try to group goals and benefits into categories. Remember that what you put on your PowerPoint slides is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to your presentation. You can and should give more details in the spoken part of your proposal presentation.

Slide 6: Deliverables and Success Criteria

Without going into too much detail, list deliverables, due dates, and criteria for acceptance for your main deliverables.

Slide 7: Project Management Strategy

State the project management strategy you’re planning to use to manage the project. You can’t assume everyone in your audience will understand what each project management strategy entails, so you should also provide a brief description of your choice. These templates detailing the Scrum , Kanban , and Waterfall methodologies can give you ideas of how to summarize your chosen methodology.

Slide 8: Budget

The budget slide remains pretty simple. Report both the total budget you anticipate for the project as well as a general breakdown of the budget into the main categories. Providing the percentage of each category of the budget is helpful for stakeholders to conceptualize it. In the Project Proposal Presentation template we have included a project budget slide (in slide #9) with a data table that can be used to present the Budget information.

Slide 9: Project Requirements

Other than budget, what’s needed in order to complete your project? Will you need human resources, specific software, equipment, or a special location in order to execute your project? Add a simplified list here of the main requirements.

Slide 10: Project Proposal Timeline

You will not be able to present the entire project timeline in a simple project proposal presentation. However, you should present an overview of the timeline, including major phases and deliverables. Instead of presenting a simple chart with deliverables and dates, we recommend placing your timeline of deliverables and phases in an actual calendar. This puts your timeline in a visual context of quarters, months, or weeks, allowing audience members to have a clearer concept of how long this project will take.

Slide 11: Conclusion

Close your project proposal with a very short summary of the project, similar to what you wrote previously when introducing your solution. The point of this is to remind your audience of the overarching reason for this presentation, especially after going over potentially less-than-inspiring details like budget and requirements.

Slide 12: Thank You Slide

Don’t forget to thank your audience for listening to your project proposal. Add your contact information in case this project proposal is sent over email and reviewed individually.

Final Words

In this article we had reviewed the definition of project proposal, its main structure and a guide on how to present it to your stakeholders. For further reading about presentations skills , here is a guide to improving your public speaking skills that will help you present your project proposal even more effectively. Hope you had enjoyed the reading.

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Project Execution, Project Management, Project Planning Filed under Business

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How to Present a Proposal

Last Updated: February 22, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Michael McCutcheon, PhD . Dr. Michael McCutcheon is a career coach, psychologist, and award-winning public speaker who specializes in procrastination elimination, goal achievement, and increasing life satisfaction. With a background as a counseling psychologist, he guides clients toward becoming more aware of their desires and anxieties to break old patterns, create new habits, and achieve life-changing results. He also helps clients improve organization skills, embark on a new career, get promoted, get admitted into graduate schools, and transition from school to the working world. He is a published author and lecturer in graduate psychology courses at New York University (NYU), a position he has twice won the Teaching Award (2014 & 2019). His work has appeared in the press as a lifestyle and career expert for The Washington Post/The Associated Press, The New York Post, Scholastic, Lifehacker, and The Coca-Cola Company. He has served as a contributing writer for Out Magazine and featured panelist on National Public Radio (NPR). There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 56,399 times.

Presenting a business proposal requires more than simply reading a transcript of the proposal text. Gaining the confidence of your audience requires tact, research, and a whole lot of preparation. If done correctly, your presentation can inspire your listeners to adopt your proposal.

Preparing the Proposal

• If possible, talk to someone who has already seen the proposal, and gauge their interest.
• Check recent news stories which indicate the current financial state of the company or individual you're targeting.
• Think about the audience's values, goals, and ideals. Your proposal should address not just their economic needs but their corporate mission, too.

• Your written proposal should not be identical to your oral presentation. Simply reading the proposal word for word will bore your audience. Your oral presentation should use the proposal text as a foundation but should also expand on your main points without lingering on every detail.

• An improper or incomplete proposal submission may jeopardize your chances of not only having your proposal approved but also receiving future RFPs. Use care when crafting your submission.

Making the Pitch

• This is especially important when conducting an RFP presentation.

• Slide shows can help listeners retain information and better understand the main points of your proposal.
• You can use the slide show to supplement or replace your own notes. They can keep you on track and keep your audience engaged.

• Before you begin, try breathing in and out slowly for a while.
• Assume your audience is receptive, not hostile, to your proposal.

• Avoid interjecting filler words like "uh" or "um" into your presentation.

Sealing the Deal

• If you get an off-topic or difficult question, address it honestly, but artfully try to redirect the question back to why your proposal is a good one. [11] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source

Expert Q&A

• Don't feel defeated if your proposal is not accepted. Think of it as a learning experience, and try to identify points which could be stronger next time. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Pay attention to the details. This applies to both the written proposal and your oral presentation. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Dress professionally for your presentation. First impressions are important. A sloppy appearance could hurt your proposal's chances of success no matter how good your presentation is. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Do not take beta-blocker drugs in an attempt to relax before your presentation. You run the risk of becoming a little too relaxed and doing or saying something you'll later regret. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ Michael McCutcheon, PhD. Career Coach & Psychologist. Expert Interview. 14 October 2020.
• ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/7-steps-to-a-winning-business-proposal/299681
• ↑ http://www.fripp.com/selling-your-way-to-success-how-to-present-your-proposal-at-an-executive-meeting/
• ↑ Paul R. Timm, How to Make Winning Presentations, https://books.google.com/books?id=qqScv8LU9noC&lpg=PP1&dq=winning%20presentations&pg=PT60#v=onepage&q=winning%20presentations&f=false
• ↑ Thomas Leech, How to Prepare, Stage, and Deliver Winning Presentations, https://books.google.com/books?id=GEJn-UPf1cEC&lpg=PP1&dq=winning%20presentations&pg=PA80#v=onepage&q=proposal&f=false
• ↑ https://hbr.org/2010/11/how-to-get-their-approval.html
• ↑ https://hbr.org/2010/11/defend-your-research-people-often-trust-eloquence-more-than-honesty/ar/1

About this article

To present a business proposal, make sure to speak in a clear, audible voice to command your audience’s attention, and avoid using distracting filler words like “uh” and “um.” Additionally, emphasize the main points rather than reading your proposal word for word, since your audience will have the text before them. You should also use visuals, like PowerPoint slide shows, to help the audience have a better understanding of your main points. Then, end your proposal by reiterating your main points in a simple, straightforward way. For more advice, like how to write your proposal with inspiring, optimistic language, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Business Proposal Presentation Template

Crafting an impactful business proposal has never been simpler. Introducing our business proposal presentation template, where stunning design meets all the requirements to capture your audience and win them over. 

Whether you’re pitching to investors, seeking new partnerships, or securing project contracts – allow this template to showcase your professionalism, expertise, and brand. 

Our business proposal template can also help you:

• Introduce your project to stakeholders
• Clarify objectives and overall goals
• Identify your target audience

How to use our template to create a business proposal presentation

This proposal presentation serves as an opportunity to boost sales, attract new investors or audiences, and showcase your planning skills. Say goodbye to cumbersome formatting with this template that provides key sharing and summary points for whoever you’re pitching to. Those slides include:

Pro tips for building a business proposal deck

Tailoring the template to your own business is simple. Whether you need to secure funding, win a contract, or solidify partnership opportunities, you can bring these plans to life with this customizable template and our entire library of professionally designed template slides. As you use this template to build your own business proposal presentation, keep these tips in mind:

Tailor your presentation to your audience’s preferences and level of sophistication. Consider factors such as level of technical expertise and knowledge of the industry or competitors.

Ensure your message can be easily understood by your audience. Use clear, concise language with ample white space to improve comprehension.

Images, icons, charts, graphs, and animations enhance the visual appeal of your proposal. However, avoid overcrowding the slides as it can distract from the main content.

With Beautiful.ai’s analytics feature, you can gather insights and identify areas for improvement. Things like slide click through rate, time spent on each slide, and any other feedback you’ve gathered can help when analyzing the success of your presentation.

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6 Tips for Your Next Proposal Presentation

Shortlisted after submitting a proposal? Use these tips to create an effective proposal presentation and better align sales and proposal teams.

Proposal generation is often a key role in sales enablement. Frequently, after a proposal is submitted, the RFP issuer invites shortlisted bidders to present their proposal on-site. As a result, proposal teams and sales must work together to create a high-quality proposal presentation.

Proposal presentations are critical. This is an opportunity to address questions that the selection panel has. Additionally, the selection panel may compare your presentation to your competitors to sift out who is more technically competent.

No matter the purpose, proposal presentations require proposal teams and sales to align. Here are 6 tips for your next proposal presentation:

1. Define Your Agenda

Prospective clients and investors frequently ask for a presentation post-proposal submissions. Most often, they need to gain a better understanding of the proposal. Sometimes, they want information clarified. Other times, there was a question left out of the RFP that they now need to be answered. And, sometimes, they want to compare your proposed plan against that of a competitor’s.

In other words:  Your audience has an agenda. So should you!

Define your agenda before constructing your proposal . The order of presentation slides should easily unfold once an agenda is defined — no matter if the goal is to offer an opportunity or to solve a challenge. Be clear about the presentation’s agenda during delivery. It’s helpful to include an agenda slide that entails:

• Introductions
• Company history
• Defining the proposed plan
• Spelling out benefits
• Opportunity for questions

2. Start with a Story

What’s more compelling: A story? Or slide after slide of data? “While clients value data, they are also realistic about what data can – and cannot – tell them,” states John Hall of HubSpot , “They’ve seen many projects fail despite the glowing research results and they’ve seen projects succeed despite the lack of any data to back it up.”

Introduce the slides of data, charts, and graphs with a story. Storytelling has a positive impact on content. In fact, the human brain reacts considerably different when presented with facts versus stories. By sheer human nature, leading with a story will cause the selection panel to be more interested in the contents of your proposal presentation.

3. Think Lean

Lean thinking improves interactions with clients. Lean is commonly applied as a model for manufacturing systems . Lean thinkers drive value by eliminating practices that don’t add value to customers. Forbes contributor, Hakan Ener, suggests applying lean thinking to your proposal presentation. Avoid simply jumping to long-term projections of the future.

When speaking with potential business investors, clients, or partners, only ask for the resources that will cover the next phase of your action plan. Ask yourself if your presentation talking points provide immediate value.

4. Create a Gleaming Presentation

A proposal presentation is similar to a job interview. If you’re supposed to dress for the job you want, your presentation should be dressed for the business you want to win.

A poorly designed proposal presentation can detract from your talking points. A proposal presentation that is haphazardly thrown together could be perceived as indicative of poor quality to your business offering as well. Some of Small Business’ general best practices in presentation design include:

• Limiting ideas to one per slide
• Using a large font size
• Keeping a consistent, subtle background
• Ordering slides to the defined agenda
• Presenting easy-to-read charts, graphs, and tables

Lost on where to start in design? Check out these tips and tools that can help you create a killer presentation.

5. Ask Questions

A proposal presentation doesn’t mean you should talk, talk, talk. In fact, too much talking can do damage to your proposal. A few minutes into the start of the presentation, pause and ask the selection panel or client a question.  

A Stanford GSB lecturer and public speaking expert, Matt Abrahams, outlines two primary purposes of asking your audience questions :

• Questions connect with the audience.
• Questions build your confidence.

For example, you can ask polling questions: Does this align with your needs?

6. Provide Handouts

Printed presentations help guide the selection panel. They can follow along, write notes, and bring home the information presented — including data, charts, graphs, and tables. Other beneficial handouts include supporting marketing collateral or sales literature in addition to the proposal itself. These handouts should contain compelling content and graphics that effectively reinforce your points.

Yet another benefit, printed materials solidify your proposed plan. Handouts can further define any resources needed or associated costs. Be sure that handout information doesn’t contradict with what’s in the already submitted proposal.

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How to Create and Present a Project Presentation

Knowing how to deliver a successful project presentation is a must have skill for professionals, whether in corporate, academic or business settings. It is more than just sharing a slideshow and information. To get success, you must know how to craft a compelling narrative that effectively conveys your ideas and plans. In this article, I will provide insights on how you can create and deliver memorable project presentations. Keep reading to learn more!

What is a Project Presentation?

A project presentation is a formal activity where stakeholders and team members gather to review and oversee the project from initiation to completion. It involves presenting a slide deck, that outlines the project’s key details.

So how do you ensure you create a successful project presentation? Follow these steps:

1. Understand Your Audience

Even before you start crafting your presentation, first take a moment to think about your audience. Who are they? What do they know about your topic? What are their interests and concerns? No matter the type of presentation you are about to create, tailoring your presentation to your audience’s needs will make it more relevant and engaging.

The audience can include team members who will work on the project who need detailed information about the requirements, roadmap, work breakdown structure and deliverables. And of course, it will also include the project stakeholders who authorize resources and expenses. Stakeholders need details on the project scope, budget, timing, risk assessments, and how you plan to address those risks. Think of all this before you head out to start creating your presentation.

2. Now Define Your Objective

Think about the main goal of your presentation. Are you trying to inform, persuade, or motivate your audience? A clear objective will guide the content and structure of your presentation. While creating your presentation, make sure every part of your presentation aligns with this objective.

3. Structure Your Presentation

Your presentation must be well structured, as a well structured presentation is much easier to follow. Generally your presentation must contain the following elements:

• Introduction : Start with a hook to grab your audience’s attention. This catches the audience’s interest and makes them curious to know what’s coming next. Introduce yourself and outline the topics you will cover in the presentation.
• Main Content : Next, in the main content, divide the content into clear, logical sections. Each section should cover a key point or idea.
• Conclusion : Summarize the main points of your presentation, restate your objective, and end with a strong closing statement to make your presentation memorable.

Talking about structure, here’s what your slideshow must contain the following:

Executive Summary

First of all start with an executive summary to introduce the presentation and provide context. Learn more about executive summaries in this article here .

Project Overview

Next up, provide a brief background about your project, its objectives, and goals. Include a quick overview of the timeline with start and end dates. Find timeline templates for your presentation here .

The Project Process Model

Talk about the chosen project process model, such as Waterfall, Scrum, or Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). Explain how it will guide all the activities through the project lifecycle.

The Project Scope

Discuss the project scope, including requirements gathering, work breakdown structure, and scope management plans.

The Project Resources

Present a budget breakdown next. Tailor this section to your specific industry.

The Project Roadmap

You can use visual layouts to present the project roadmap, highlighting milestones and time estimates for your project. For ongoing projects, mark the current progress on the roadmap. To get started with this, check out some of these roadmap presentation templates .

The Project Activities Plan

After that, you can detail the project activities plan using a Gantt Chart and Costs Report. Break down each phase into specific tasks, their duration, and allocated resources.

The Project Risks

In the next section you can dedicate a few slides to identify, assess, evaluate, and mitigate project risks. Visualize your risk assessment with a risk matrix and explain your mitigation strategies.

Quality Control

Outline the quality control techniques you will use, such as Six Sigma , ISO 9000, or Total Quality Management (TQM) and include a slide to visualize the quality control process. You can do so very easily with templates found on our website.

Project Execution and Monitoring

Explain how you are going to monitor activities and measure deliverable outcomes. Use dashboards to present progress reports, performance KPIs, and status updates.

The Project Team

Include a stakeholder map or org chart to introduce the management team, sponsors, main stakeholders, and implementation teams. Provide background on each person’s role in the project. To get started, check out some of these org chart presentation templates .

Tips For a Successful Project Presentation

Create engaging content.

First and foremost, your content should be clear, concise, and engaging. You do not want your audience to lose interest during your presentations, especially during something as important as a project presentation. Here are some tips to help you create content that captivates your audience:

• Tell a Story : Use storytelling techniques to make your points more relatable and memorable.
• Use Visuals : Use less text and more visual aids like slides, charts, and images can help illustrate your points and keep your audience engaged. Make sure your visuals are high-quality and relevant to your content.
• Include Data : Data and statistics can add credibility to your presentation. So make sure to use them to back up your points. But do not overuse them and overwhelm your audience with too much information.

Pay Attention to Slide Design

Your slides should complement your presentation, not distract from it. Here are some design tips:

• Keep it Simple : Use a clean, consistent layout. Avoid clutter and unnecessary elements.
• Limit Text : Use only a few words on your slides. You are not supposed to read aloud your slides. Your slides are only supposed to support your presentation.
• Limit Fonts : Stick to 2 fonts, and use them throughout your presentation for a consistent look.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practice is key to a successful presentation. Make sure you create your slides well ahead of time to make more time for rehearsals. You can make slides a lot faster simply by using presentation templates instead of creating slides from scratch.

Rehearse your presentation multiple times to become familiar with the content and flow. Practice in front of a mirror, record yourself, or present to a friend for feedback.

Prepare for Questions

Always be ready for questions from your audience. Think about potential questions and prepare your answers. This will help you with confidence, and you’ll be able to answer any question easily.

Creating and presenting a successful project presentation is an art that combines clear communication, engaging content, and confident delivery. By following these steps and continually refining your skills, you can deliver presentations that inform, persuade, and inspire your audience. Happy presenting!

At SlideBazaar, we help you create engaging and memorable presentations. Choose from our collection of professional templates or opt for our custom design services for a personalized touch. Your presentations deserve to be elevated to new heights, and we’re here to help you achieve just that!

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More From Forbes

How To Start A Business Plan: A Step-By-Step Guide

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Creating a business plan is a critical first step for any entrepreneur. Knowing how to start a business plan will help you create a roadmap, guiding your business from startup to growth and beyond. Whether you're looking for investment, trying to set clear goals, or simply organizing your thoughts, a solid business plan can make all the difference.

Here is a guide to help you get started on your business plan:

1. executive summary.

What It Is: This section summarizes your business plan as a whole and outlines your company profile and goals.

What to Include:

• Business name and location
• Products or services offered
• Mission statement
• The purpose of the plan (e.g., seeking funding, guiding the startup process)

Tip: Keep it concise. Although it's the first section, it's often best to write it last, after you’ve detailed everything else.

2. Company Description

What It Is: This section provides detailed information about your company, including who you are, what you do, and what markets you serve.

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• Your business structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation)
• The industry and marketplace needs your business meets
• Your business’s objectives and how you stand out from competitors

Tip: Use this section to highlight your company’s strengths and what makes you unique.

3. Market Research

What It Is: Market research demonstrates your understanding of the industry and target market.

• Market size and growth potential
• Target customer demographics
• Market trends and outlook
• Competitive analysis, including strengths and weaknesses of competitors

Tip: Include data and statistics to back up your findings and show that you’ve done your homework.

4. Organization and Management

What It Is: This section outlines your business’s organizational structure and management team.

• Organizational chart
• Information about the ownership of the company
• Backgrounds and qualifications of the management team
• Roles and responsibilities within the company

Tip: Highlight the skills and experiences of your team that will help the business succeed.

5. Products or Services Line

What It Is: Here, you detail the products or services you offer or plan to offer.

• A description of each product or service
• The lifecycle of products or services
• Research and development activities, if applicable
• Intellectual property, such as patents or trademarks

Tip: Focus on the benefits your products or services bring to your customers.

6. Marketing and Sales Strategy

What It Is: This section explains how you will attract and retain customers.

• Marketing strategies, including advertising, promotions, and public relations
• Sales strategies, including sales processes, channels, and tactics
• Pricing strategy and how it compares to competitors

Tip: Ensure your marketing and sales strategies are aligned with your market research findings.

7. Funding Request

What It Is: If you’re seeking funding , this section outlines your requirements.

• Your current funding needs
• Future funding requirements over the next five years
• How you intend to use the funds
• Potential future financial plans (e.g., selling the business, repaying debt)

Tip: Be specific and realistic about how much funding you need and how it will be used.

8. Financial Projections

What It Is: Financial projections provide a forecast of your business’s financial future.

• Income statements
• Cash flow statements
• Balance sheets
• Break-even analysis

Tip: Use realistic and conservative estimates. Consider hiring a financial professional to help with this section if needed.

9. Appendix

What It Is: The appendix includes any additional information that supports your business plan.

• Resumes of key management team members
• Permits and leases
• Legal documents
• Detailed market research data
• Product photos

Tip: Only include essential information that adds value to your business plan.

Final Tips for Creating a Business Plan

Creating a business plan requires clarity and precision. First and foremost, keep your business plan clear and concise. Avoid using jargon or complex language that could make the plan difficult to read or understand. Your aim should be to communicate your ideas effectively and efficiently.

Next, be realistic in your approach. Ensure that your goals and financial projections are attainable based on your research and understanding of the market. Overly ambitious projections can undermine your credibility and potentially lead to unrealistic expectations.

It's also essential to remember that a business plan is a dynamic document. As your business grows and market conditions change, you should revisit and revise your plan regularly. This helps you stay aligned with your goals and adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

Finally, seek feedback from experienced business professionals. Having someone with business experience review your plan can provide valuable insights and help identify any potential issues or areas for improvement. Their feedback can enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of your business plan.

By following these tips, you'll be better equipped to create a robust and effective business plan that can guide your business towards success.

The bottom line is that starting a business plan may seem challenging, but with careful planning and attention to detail, you can create a comprehensive guide to steer your business toward success. Use this step-by-step guide to ensure that all essential components are covered, giving your business the best possible start.

Melissa Houston, CPA is the author of Cash Confident: An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Creating a Profitable Business and the founder of She Means Profit . As a Business Strategist for small business owners, Melissa helps women making mid-career shifts, to launch their dream businesses, and I also guide established business owners to grow their businesses to more profitably.

The opinions expressed in this article are not intended to replace any professional or expert accounting and/or tax advice whatsoever.

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