Our 5 Point Proposal Checklist

You are only as good as your proposal. However amazing you know you are, unless your prospect has received a strong recommendation from a past client, they will judge you mostly on your proposal. That means that, an average agency can beat a good one if they get their proposal right. Unfair? Maybe, but we’re here to help you run your proposal against our checklist to make sure it’s on point before you send anything.

We'll be walking you through what we consider the definitive checklist, an indispensable 5 point guide to ensure your proposals not only meet but exceed expectations, with a specific focus on maintaining consistency and delivering value.

As we dive into this proposal checklist, keep in mind that tools such as Nusii, can automate many of these checks and simplify a lot of seemingly complex tasks. Nusii not only streamlines the process of templating, branding and file insertion but also acts as a guardian against errors, ensuring your proposal always looks its best and you can turn your focus on the value your company offers.

To make things easy we’ve split this into 5 sections. Check all 5 and if you’re good on these, you’re likely good to go!

1. Make sure your Introduction and presentation is engaging

First impressions are the most important. It’s a cliché but it’s true! So let’s check out how your proposal looks like at first glance. Does your introduction succeed in capturing attention and setting the right tone? If not, don’t worry. Just rewrite it to create a compelling and on-brand opening statement. Consider adding imagery to make your document pop. Here at Nusii we provide templates to use as a basis. These can often be helpful to get on the right track from the get go.

Next up: consistent branding. This is more than just visual appeal; it's a promise of reliability and professionalism that you convey through coherent brand colors, fonts and layout. Your proposal content will not only provide solutions to your client but it will also showcase your expertise and some of that is reflected in how well you communicate. If you spot issues here, either run through and check all font sizing, HEX codes and logos or consider using software which automatically adjusts this for you. You can probably guess which we think might be best at helping you avoid errors. Hint: it starts with N.

2. Have you tailored the proposal to your client?

Personalizing a proposal is a must. You won’t get close to the best proposals if you don’t tailor it to each client. Part of this is providing a clearly defined objective which aligns with the problem the client is facing. The thing to check here is whether your goals and objectives are both clear, leaving no room for ambiguity.

Secondly, do they align with what you know about the client? Client-centricity is at the heart of successful proposals. Have you thought deeply enough to understand your client's unique needs and requirements? There isn't a single method to do this. In some cases it may take desk research and in many others a call is required. The key question is, did you do this well enough? Not sure? Maybe it’s time to call the client and get clarity on their needs and goals. Frankly, there’s little point sending a proposal if you have doubts in this area.

Remember, the main goal of your proposal is to show how you would add value. Do this by creating a harmonious narrative that resonates with your client's unique requirements. Look at your proposal and ask yourself whether it does this. Keep asking yourself these questions until you are sure of yourself and your proposal.

3. Is your solution articulated clearly enough?

In the search for new clients, understanding and addressing their pain points can often be the difference in winning them over. If you’ve got this far you should have effectively pinpointed these pain points within your proposal. Now, have you concisely explained how your solution solves these pain points?

Ideally your proposal will have a flow which leads the client from their pain points to your objectives and on to your solution in a single coherent narrative. This will build confidence in you and show you understand not only your topic of expertise but your client’s needs.

The next challenge, and it is by no means a small one, is the ability to articulate a solution that stands out. Ask yourself whether your solution is clearly defined and effectively communicated? Don’t forget that a strong visual presentation can help get your solution across better. Using proposal management software to produce beautiful graphics every time can save you a lot of time so definitely bear that in mind!

4. Have you built enough credibility and trust?

Building credibility rests on the pillars of trust, and nothing speaks louder than client testimonials and case studies. Have you seamlessly incorporated these elements into your proposal? With Nusii you can save client endorsements and success stories as part of your content library and insert them at will. In fact you can save just about anything, a video, an image, a piece of text and save it to re-use in other proposals.

Ok that’s enough about Nusii. We don’t want to seem like we’re bragging! What you really want, whatever software you use, is a proposal which proves your credibility and gains the client’s trust. The result? A proposal that not only impresses but makes the client comfortable in pressing that accept button.

5. Have you made Final Checks for Perfection?

Is your pricing coherent and does it encourage the client to accept? For example, have you included optional pricing giving your client agency to make their own decisions? Or, did you go for fixed pricing with a take it or leave it approach (not recommended).

What about your spelling? If you make an error in the proposal, who's to say you won’t make another on the project itself.. Have you meticulously combed through your content for spelling and grammatical errors? With Nusii, you can reduce the chances of human errors by using variables and auto-population which becomes your safeguard against typos.

We hope you found our 5 point checklist useful and use it to double-check your next proposal is on point. The more you write proposals the more natural it will feel and the more proposals you write the more you’ll want to make use of proposal software!

We’ll always be here to help, just reach out and say hi!