Free takeaway: Proposal template

Worked example to compare with: From a request to the real problem

• Client request: "We need more Instagram followers."
• Questions: why do you want them? What would more followers change? What happens when someone follows you today?
• Finding: the real goal is more bookings, and most bookings come from the website.
• Options: a follower campaign (slow, uncertain), a booking-focused campaign (direct), or a website fix (fast).
• Recommendation: fix the booking path first, then run a small campaign to it. The client agrees because it addresses the real goal.

Worked example to compare with: A weekly update that clients keep reading

• Subject: Weekly update, 14 March.
• Done: wrote and scheduled four posts, fixed the contact form.
• Next week: draft the April newsletter and review ad results.
• Need from you: final product photos by Wednesday.
• Why it works: it takes two minutes to read, never surprises the client and shows steady progress.

Worked example to compare with: Building a buffer into estimates

• Tracked time: logo 19 hours versus 10 quoted, newsletter 9 versus 6, website page 15 versus 8. Total actual 43 hours versus 24 estimated.
• Pattern: actual time was about 1.8 times the estimate, mostly because of revision rounds.
• New rule: multiply the first estimate by 1.5 and state that two rounds of revisions are included.
• Result to look for: fewer unpaid hours and fewer rushed deliveries.
• Check: re-track for another month to confirm the new estimates are closer.

Worked example to compare with: Joining a client's team mid-project

• Day one: ask for the style guide, project files and the name of the person who approves your work.
• Day two: share a rough draft early so the team can steer you.
• Ongoing: post updates where the team already communicates and use their file names and templates.
• Result to look for: fewer rounds of revision and an invitation to the next project.
• Check: ask the client what one thing would make working together easier.

Worked example to compare with: Presenting a logo in three slides

• Slide 1: the brief. "You asked for a logo that feels friendly and trustworthy to families."
• Slide 2: the design, on its own, large and uncluttered.
• Slide 3: the reasoning. "The rounded letters and warm blue feel approachable, and the simple mark works at small sizes."
• Close: "Which parts feel right? I can refine one element in the next round."
• Result to look for: a decision in one round because the reasoning was clear.

Worked example to compare with: Writing a project story

• Goal: help a local bakery get more weekday orders.
• What I did: rewrote the product pages, set up a simple order form and posted three times a week.
• Result: orders from the website increased over two months.
• Add: a screenshot before and after, and one line from the client.
• Check: every project follows the same three parts: goal, actions, result.

Worked example to compare with: A one-page proposal outline

• Goal: help Green Thumb Landscaping book more spring jobs.
• Approach: refresh the homepage, write three service pages and set up an enquiry form.
• Deliverables and dates: homepage copy by 7 March, service pages by 14 March, form live by 17 March.
• Price: $1,200 fixed, half to start and half on delivery. Two rounds of revisions included.
• Close: "Reply to accept and I will send the invoice."

Worked example to compare with: Agreeing boundaries at home

• Problem: a freelancer is interrupted several times a day.
• Agreement: a door sign means "on a call, please wait", and her working hours are shared with the household.
• Change: calls move to mornings, and deep work is blocked for the afternoon.
• Result to look for: longer unbroken focus and less stress.
• Check: review the agreement after two weeks and adjust.

Worked example to compare with: Setting a rate for one project

• Monthly target: $4,000 income, $600 costs and $1,200 set aside for taxes, a total of $5,800.
• Billable hours: you work about 120 hours a month, but only 80 are billable.
• Math: $5,800 divided by 80 is $72.50 an hour.
• Project quote: 10 estimated hours plus a 50 percent buffer is 15 hours, so $1,087.50.
• Check: if clients say no, improve how you explain the value before you cut the rate.

Worked example to compare with: Grouping small projects

• Heading: Freelance Marketer, 2024 to present.
• Line 1: Wrote and scheduled social posts for four local businesses, three a week each.
• Line 2: Rewrote website copy for two service businesses, adding clear calls to action.
• Line 3: Built a content calendar and monthly report template used by all clients.
• Link: portfolio website with the three projects in full.
• Check: a reader should understand in ten seconds what you can do.