Why you need a killer web design proposal and how to write one

Proposals can also be effective selling tools, answering clients’ questions and encouraging them to hire you. Your goal should be to create trust and show that you understand their problems and know how to solve them. In other words, you want the client to see you as the right person for the job.

The brief

It might sound like stating the bleedin’ obvious, but a killer proposal should always start with the brief. This should reiterate what a client asks you to do and explain how your expertise, experience, or people can benefit them.

“We discussed a project to redesign the Count Binface website. You made it clear how important it is for you to increase the number of newsletter and podcast subscribers and generate ticket sales for live events. Stuff & Nonsense has the experience, expertise, and people to overcome these challenges for you.”

If your client faces challenges and you can help overcome them, this high-level overview should restate those problems and the solutions you propose. If your client has wider aspirations and objectives, summarise them and briefly explain how you can help them accomplish them. Here’s an example:

“Your problem: The current website is template-based and lacks a distinctive design that would differentiate Count Binface from competing intergalactic space warriors. The content is uncompelling, and the website lacks clear calls to action, resulting in few newsletter signups.

Our solution: Design a visual identity, including colours, graphics, and typefaces. Develop engaging page designs for your content and implement a high conversion rate landing page for your newsletter.”

Scope

When describing the scope of your work, be clear about the deliverables so your client understands what you’ll deliver and what is and isn’t included. While this proposal is not a contract, it should be referenced in the Contract Killer contract, which both parties sign before work begins.

Process

Your process shouldn’t be a mystery; explaining your steps can encourage a client to trust you. These steps may also form milestones and opportunities to invoice the client throughout the project. My process includes research, workshops, content audits, copywriting and editing, creative concepts, user experience design, and prototypes, and I explain my approach to each stage:

“Prototypes: Develop HTML, Figma, or Sketch prototypes to test customer flows and user stories and finalise interactions.”

Timeline

Including a timeline in your proposal helps your client understand how long each deliverable or milestone will take to complete. You should include activities like creative concepts, research, user experience design, and technical development.

Content editing platform

If, like many of mine, your project involves setting up and using a specific content editing platform, briefly explain why it is the best choice for the client. One example might be:

“Eleventy (11ty) is an open-source static site generator software that is easy to use, fast, and flexible. It allows us to create bespoke CSS, HTML, and Javascript code, ensuring the very best accessibility and performance. Eleventy is best hosted on Netlify, with backups and version control provided by GitHub.”

Fees

Most designers I know are uncomfortable talking about money, but in a killer proposal, be clear about what your client will pay and what they will receive by itemising the deliverables and presenting them in a table format. You may choose to categorise these items by type (e.g., content creation, design, and development) or by milestones.

Payment schedule

It is your decision how you will charge the client. Many designers and developers invoice a 50% non-refundable deposit upon signing the contract, with stage payments and the balance on completion. Others invoice for each stage in advance.

Ongoing fees

List the products and services that the client will be required to continue paying for after the project is complete. These may include annual or monthly fees for domain names, email, hosting, and software platforms.

Why choose us?

It’s never a bad time to remind a potential client about your experience and expertise or introduce them to the people they’ll be working with. Briefly explain again why the client should trust you. For example:

“We started Stuff & Nonsense in 1998, and our talented team of content creators, designers, developers, and marketers have experience and expertise that businesses, charities, and organisations trust. You can see our portfolio of recent work at stuffandnonsense.co.uk/design. You’ll be working with:

Andy Clarke is our Creative Director, and they have 30 years of experience in designing products and websites for clients like you.”

Include a short testimonial from an existing satisfied client to encourage trust using social proof.

Call to action

Effective proposals don’t leave clients hanging around; they encourage them to take the next step. Let the client know what to do next, including requesting more information or clarification. Ask them to agree to the proposal and give them a date by which to respond. Outline the steps you will take after receiving agreement on your proposal. Don’t set up obstacles or reasons for a client not to move forward. Offer them ways to say “Yes” immediately, perhaps by digitally signing a PDF.

Small print

A killer proposal is designed to answer clients’ questions and encourage them to hire you, so it needn’t include your full business terms and conditions. Include only small print which relates to the proposal. An example might be:

“Prices exclude VAT at the current rate. This proposal is quoted in UK Pound Sterling and remains valid for ten days from the date we sent it.”

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Since I launched Contract Killer, I’ve lost track of the number of times people have asked me to make a proposal template for web designers and developers. I’m not sure why it took me so damn long, but now I’ve launched “Killer Proposals.” It’s a proposal template that’s an effective selling tool that answers clients’ questions and encourages them to hire you.