How to write a project proposal

[mmarkin]

Hi.

I have already posted this thread in the coffee lounge yesterday but I was advised to move it here (actually I deleted the old one). Here it goes.....

I got contacted by a client with information on what they want as a web site and was asked to submit a proposal. I am not very experienced and would like to know what exactly do I have to include in this 'proposal.' Thanks alot.

Mikhail

[iCEBERG2000]

yo, seen this been moved. verey good, you did get my response in the coffee lounge then?

[NETbreed]

Hiya,

In short, a proposal is what you'll do for the client, how long it'll take you to do it, what you need from them to be able to do it, and by when, and finally how much it's going to cost. It's basically sketching an outline for the project so that both you and the client know what you're getting out of the deal, and to make sure that all necessary bases have been covered.

As a practical example, imagine I'm a cabinet maker and someone has asked me to make them a cabinet. I set off building them a lovely full-height cabinet in mahogony with glass doors costing about £500. When I deliver the finished article I find that the client was thinking of a half-height pine cabinet with solid doors and wanted to pay no more than £200. Whoops!

What I should have done was to sit down with the client and go over exactly what they wanted, and I tell them that it's going to cost £250 and that I need specific measurement from them of the place they want this cabinet to fit in. This all gets noted down in a proposal, so that we both know what to expect.

This protects the both the client (from me saying "but I'm sure you said you wanted the thing covered in pink fur") and me (from the client coming over half way through and changing his mind about those bicycle wheels he originally wanted on the cabinet). Some would split all this into two documents - a 'proposal' and an 'agreement' - but the whole lot has always been part of my proposal document.

If you're after professional proposal and contract documents (and you should *always* have a contract) then you could do worse than to check out http://www.proposalkit.com/ You could also search this forum for the word 'contract' or 'proposal' and you'll find plenty of links to generic documents available for free (though I'd advise you to get these checked over by a lawyer).

I hope this helps!

Regards,

Steve

[Agent_Coop]

That's right...and amongst Proposal Kit products is also a client interview process (which you can even set up as a form on your website) which is designed to stimulate this kind of pre-project discussion.

Can be invaluable.

[Geoff Edwards]

...and it's exchanges like this that keep me coming back to The Boardroom. Thanks guys.

[mmarkin]

Originally posted by iCEBERG2000
yo, seen this been moved. verey good, you did get my response in the coffee lounge then?

iCEBERG: I have read your reply and greatly appreciate it. Thanks a bundle.

Thanks to everyone else too.

Mikhail

[Jake_Knight]

I would also recomend some visuals. You can talk all you want to about how you will do this and how something else will look, but maybe draw up a storyboard, or rough sketches/printouts of some graphics. Let the client know that your creative juices are flowing in his favor.

JK