Blogs

Your digital marketing proposal shows off your creativity. Every document you send should make you stand out while looking professional. Clients will only trust you with their brand if they know you're reliable. A well-designed, mistake-free proposal is a great way to start.In this article, we'll show you how to create proposals that clients love and how to get them to say yes faster.1. Have a good discovery meeting firstBefore you write your proposal, talk to your client. Make sure you're both on the same page. Find out who they are, what problems they're facing, what they want you to do, if you're the right fit for them, what their budget is, and when they want to see results.Don't waste time writing proposals for people who won't become clients. Use this meeting to qualify leads and understand what they really need. Many people don't understand marketing well, so they set impossible goals. Use your meeting to learn their short and long-term goals and what they expect from you.For example, if someone wants to rank first on Google overnight but doesn't even have a website, you'll need to explain why that won't work. Most clients won't know the technical stuff. You'll need to explain things clearly and make sure you both understand each other before agreeing to anything. Once they understand how you work, what the budget should be, and what results they can expect, you can write a proposal they'll actually understand.2. Make your cover page eye-catchingMarketing is all about creativity and making great first impressions. Your cover page matters. Use a nice photo that sets the right mood. A beautiful cover page helps you stand out from competitors. Include your branding so they remember you. Don't put too much text on the cover. Let the inside content do the talking. The cover just needs to grab attention. This simple step can help you win more deals.3. Keep your intro shortWhen you start writing your proposal, you'll want to talk a lot about your company. Don't do it. This is a mistake. If you start by talking about yourself, clients will lose interest. They probably already know about your services and experience. The proposal should show how you'll help them market their brand, products, and services. Keep the focus on them and the benefits they'll get.Remember what they told you in the discovery meeting. Show them you understand by describing their problem in their own words. Then briefly explain how you'll help. You'll give more details later, so keep the intro short. Use their name throughout the proposal. This shows you care about details and made it just for them.4. Make your timeline clear and simpleWhen explaining your solution, keep it simple. Remember, clients don't have your technical knowledge. Use plain language. Talk about the benefits of your services. Mention things like better brand awareness, more impressions, increased sales, and keeping customers.Break down your process week by week. Show what you'll start with - usually research about their customers and audience. Explain why this matters and how it helps you create better content. If you have a team, explain what each person does and what they'll work on.Talk about how you'll pick topics for blogs, ads, and social posts. Mention their existing content and how you'll build on it. Clients like hearing that you'll use their old blogs and articles because it shows they were doing something right. Marketing takes time, and improving old blogs can boost SEO faster than writing new ones. Use social proof like reviews or short case studies to show how you'll help them reach their goals. Keep it brief and to the point.5. Show them you're flexibleSocial media trends change fast. You can't plan too far ahead and need to stay flexible. All marketing happens in the moment, so you need to watch what's happening in the world and adjust your content accordingly. Tell clients you'll keep checking scheduled content and can make changes quickly if needed.If you're managing social media, explain you won't just post and forget. You'll watch comments and other engagement and talk with their followers. Flexibility matters for all types of marketing. Describe your process and whether clients can review and edit content before you publish it.6. Be smart about pricingWhere you put your pricing section matters. Include it near the end, after you've explained all the benefits. That way, clients are more ready to accept your price. Don't label it "Price" or "Cost" - that makes it look like a bill. Use words like "Investment" and "ROI" instead.You can price in different ways: by the hour, monthly retainer, per piece of content, package of services, based on results, or based on value. Don't charge by the hour. It doesn't motivate you to work faster. If you get paid hourly, you might drag work out to make more money. If you charge by value or results, you'll want to finish faster and take on more projects.But only charge by value and results if you're really confident and know exactly what benefits you'll bring. If you can't promise better brand awareness, reach, impressions, and sales, price differently. Don't overwhelm clients with options. They're looking to you to tell them what they need. If you make them choose, it confuses them and slows everything down. One package with all the necessary services works better than showing three different packages at different prices. Include the marketing budget too if you're running social media or PPC ads.7. Tell them what happens nextNear the end of your proposal, explain what happens after they agree. With Wonit, clients can sign digitally without printing anything. You can also add payment links so clients can pay their first fee through Stripe right after signing.Explain what you need once they agree: Do they need to send you materials? Will you need access to their social media or WordPress? Do you need to meet with their team? Put all this in your proposal to speed things up. When your proposal is done, send it to your team first using Wonit's collaboration features. They can review it and leave comments if needed. Don't send proposals on Fridays - it slows down the approval process. Send them on other weekdays.8. Follow up smartly with analyticsOne of the best features in proposal software is analytics. Wonit shows you when clients open your proposals and which sections they looked at and for how long. If clients opened your proposal but didn't sign it, check how much time they spent on each section. This tells you what might be holding them back.If they closed it when they got to the pricing section, send them an email. Explain how you helped another similar client reach their goals and get ROI quickly. Now's the time to share a detailed case study that didn't fit in your proposal. This proves you've had success before and gives them confidence to choose you over competitors. It also shows you're professional because creating clear, detailed case studies takes real skill. Send them a few free social media posts they can use. This gives them real value and helps build your relationship.ConclusionNow you know how to write a great digital marketing proposal. With Wonit's AI, you can create beautiful proposals in minutes instead of hours. Just describe your project, and the AI handles the design and layout while you focus on winning clients.Ready to transform your proposal process? Get early access to Wonit and start creating winning proposals today.

A request for offer (RFO) is a document that companies use when they want to buy something or hire a service. It's similar to other procurement documents, but with a twist - it gives vendors more freedom to propose their own solutions.In this guide, we'll break down everything about request for offers. First, we'll cover what it is and when to use it. Then, we'll walk through the complete process step by step. Finally, we'll show you some real examples.What is an RFO?An RFO (request for offer) is a document that buyers use to collect proposals from different vendors. You describe what you need, share your project requirements, and then ask vendors to submit their best offer on how they'd solve your problem.What's the difference between an RFO and an RFP, RFI or RFQ?Here's what makes RFOs different: Unlike RFPs, RFIs and RFQs, an RFO doesn't force vendors to follow a strict question-and-answer format. Sure, you might ask a few specific questions, but vendors get to structure their response however they want. This gives vendors room to be creative and show you unique solutions. The downside? It's harder to compare responses side-by-side because everyone's proposal looks different.When to use an RFOAn RFO works best when you know you have a problem but you're open to hearing different ideas on how to fix it. Just make sure to give vendors some guidelines so they don't go completely off track.RFOs are perfect for:Hiring consultants or professional servicesOne-off projectsSmaller projects where you're the main decision makerKeep in mind: While pricing should be included, it shouldn't be your only deciding factor when using an RFO.Guide to the request for offer processThe RFO process has three main phases: creating it, sending it out, and reviewing responses.1. CreationFirst, you need to build your RFO document from scratch.Define your need:Start by getting crystal clear on what problem you're trying to solve and what a good solution looks like. You might need to talk to a few people on your team to really understand the issue. This clarity will help you through the entire process.Establish your timeline:RFOs should move fast, but you still need a plan. Figure out:When you'll send the RFO to vendorsHow long vendors have to ask questionsWhen responses are dueWhen you'll announce the winnerWrite your RFO:Now put it all together. Keep it short - just a few pages. Your RFO should include:What the project is about and what you're trying to achieveScope of workTimeline and deadlineAny specific questions vendors must answerRequirements for submitting a responsePro tip: Set some basic requirements like minimum qualifications, budget range, and a page limit for responses. This helps filter out proposals that won't work before you waste time reviewing them.2. AdministrationTime to get your RFO out there and manage the process.Send or publish your RFO:If you already have vendors in mind, send it directly to them. Try to keep it to six vendors or less - more than that makes evaluation really tough. If you work for a government agency, you might need to post it publicly so any qualified vendor can respond. Either way, using proposal software makes collecting and organizing responses much easier.Answer follow-up questions:Your most interested vendors will probably have questions. That's good - it means they care. Answer their questions to help guide them in the right direction.Here's a smart approach: Collect all the questions you get and share the answers with everyone. This keeps things fair and transparent.3. EvaluationThe final phase - reviewing what vendors sent you and picking a winner.Review the offers:Once the deadline passes, gather all the responses. First, check if they meet your basic requirements. Then dig into each proposal and see how well they solve your problem. Score each one using a comparison chart. Get other team members involved if they need to weigh in on the decision.Selection or next steps:Ideally, one vendor stands out as the clear winner - great solution, reasonable price. If so, move forward and work out a contract. With RFOs, expect a bit more back-and-forth negotiation than usual since the process is more collaborative. Still unsure? Look closer at your top three options. You might even want to send out a formal RFP to get more detailed information before making your final choice.RFO examplesSometimes the best way to learn is by seeing real examples. Here are a few:Information technology goods and services RFO exampleCalifornia Courts put out an RFO looking for various IT services. Their document included background info, what services they needed, timeline, and how they'd evaluate responses.Cloud services RFO exampleThe Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts published this RFO when searching for cloud services. It had detailed background, scope, requirements and process guidelines for vendors.RFO for assessment of ADA physical work requirements examplePrince William County Service Authority used an RFO to find a contractor who could review physical work requirements in 70 job descriptions. They clearly outlined the objective, scope, and how they'd evaluate proposals.ConclusionRFOs give you flexibility in procurement. They let vendors bring creative solutions to the table instead of just answering your questions. But they need clear communication upfront so vendors know what you're looking for. Follow this guide and you'll run a smooth RFO process that gets you good results.Want to create proposals that close deals faster? Get early access and start building winning proposals in minutes, not hours.

You may not consider giving your executive summary too much attention when writing a business proposal. Is anyone even reading it, after all?If you've asked yourself this question, it may be the reason your offers aren't yielding the desired outcomes. The introduction is the part that customers spend the most time on, according to our analysis of the business proposals distributed via our service.Having said that, it makes reasonable to devote a little extra time to the first chapter of your proposal. We'll go over the significance of an executive summary, offer some practical writing advice, and more in this blog.What is an executive summary?An executive summary or a proposal introduction is the opening chapter of your business proposal. It summarizes the proposal and sets the tone for your client. Since it's at the top of the document, it needs to catch the attention of the reader and provide value without being too long.It should be the final thing you write in your proposal, even though it comes first. You can only create a compelling synopsis of your solution once you have thoroughly described it. The solution you're offering your client and how it will address the current issue should be described in your executive summary.The solution, provide time scales, social proof, and pricing section can all be included in the remaining part of the proposal. The purpose of the executive summary is to assist stakeholders, investors, and clients in understanding your solution and deciding whether to proceed with the proposal.The importance of an executive summaryIf the executive summary takes as long to write as the entire proposal, don't be shocked. Clients may be persuaded to read the entire document by your introduction. They may immediately close the proposal if it is difficult to proceed.Your executive summary shouldn't be longer than a page and you should be careful about the words you use. Our tip is to use your client's words to describe the problem they're facing. It will show them that you've listened to them and understood their point of view.Naturally, you should conduct a discovery call before you begin working on your proposal. It will assist you in better comprehending the demands and objectives of your client as well as how to formulate your strategy.After describing the issue in your client's terms, give a brief explanation of your solution and the speed at which you can deliver results and a return on investment.Elements of an executive summaryWhether you're creating formal or informal business proposals, the information you need to have in the executive summary are:A greeting customized to your clientA brief overview of your client's issueA few sentences about your solutionA call to action that encourages your client to keep readingHow to write an executive summary?As previously said, wait to begin writing your executive summary until you have completed the remainder of the proposal. You won't be able to summarize everything into a brief introduction until then.Emotion should be the driving force behind your summary. Your readers should be excited by it and desire to do business with you. You will cheapen your proposal and make it difficult for your clients to relate to your solution if you oversell your expertise from the outset.Rather than providing all the answers right away, the beginning should pique readers' attention and encourage them to read the remainder of your proposal.Keep it shortWriting a lengthy introduction to your proposal is not necessary. Let your solution do the talking. Your proposal won't succeed if you have to bolster it with meaningless phrases that don't add anything.A good rule of thumb is to write everything out and then edit out anything that isn't bringing new value or information. Make sure your introduction has enough information, while still being easy to get through.Your proposal should have a positive, upbeat tone. Maintain a lighthearted tone and win the client over with your desire to support their company.Know when to talk about yourselfYou shouldn't discuss yourself, your business, or your achievements in your executive summary. You will lose your client's interest if you do that. They are not interested in your principles or the background of your company, but rather in how you will assist them in achieving their objectives.Make them want to collaborate with you by captivating them with your introduction. Recall that you don't need to reiterate what your clients have already learned about you and your business, as they have already met or spoken with you. Rather, discuss your tailored solution and how you investigated the client's business and its rivals.Rely on AI to speed things upTo speed up your proposal process and not have to create all of them from scratch, you can rely on conversational AI. With Wonit, you can create stunning proposals in minutes by simply having a natural conversation with AI.You can give simple commands to the AI like "Hey, create a proposal for a SaaS company with $50K budget" and watch it craft the perfect introduction for your proposal. The AI understands context and knows what questions to ask based on your industry and project type.Since all suggestions are web-based, they are sent as personalized landing pages. This enables you to monitor your clients and proposals with comprehensive analytics. Every time someone opens or forwards your proposal, you'll be notified, and you'll even be able to see how long they took to read each piece.Ask for helpMake sure to get feedback from your colleagues after you've finished writing the introduction of your proposal. Pay attention to what your teammates have to say, and adjust as necessary. Make sure the executive summary is proofread and concludes with an invitation for the client to continue reading.Best practices and tipsNow that you know the basics of writing an executive summary, here are some additional tips to make yours even better and avoid common mistakes.Avoid placing blameBe careful not to assign blame to anyone. It's simple to begin your executive summary by pointing out how the client's business should have contacted you sooner or how the prior agency performed poorly. You won't get very far with this. A commercial partnership shouldn't begin with negative feelings. You should identify the issue at hand before moving on to your solution.Choose your words carefullyConsider the words you are using. Buzz words like "streamline," "synergy," "holistic," "alignment," "circle back," "touchpoints," "diversity," and related terms should be avoided. They'll devalue your proposal and give the impression that you're attempting to overpay for a solution that might not live up to their expectations.Stay true to your brandMake sure your branding is consistent throughout your proposal, including the synopsis. Throughout the proposal process, you must remain loyal to your identity and style.Key takeawaysIt's difficult to get fresh leads and convert them into customers. You need to make a good first impression, spend time getting to know your potential client, and eventually convince them to ask for a proposal.You may feel overburdened once your proposal process begins, particularly if you're starting from zero. However, you can both expedite and improve the quality of your process by utilizing useful tools.With the aid of our tutorial, you will be able to produce outstanding executive summaries that will captivate readers and ensure that they read your proposal in its entirety. Keeping it intimate, concentrating on the client's issues, and letting your solution speak for itself without fluff or overselling are crucial.Want to create proposals that close deals faster? Get early access and start building winning proposals in minutes, not hours.

If you're reading this, you've already won the battle - your proposal got accepted, signed, and paid. You have a new client now. Congrats! But hold on, the journey isn't complete yet - you need to onboard them properly before diving into the actual work.Many agencies and business owners skip onboarding or rush through it. Big mistake. A solid onboarding process can be what separates a happy client from a disappointed one. Let's talk about what client onboarding really is and how you can nail it.What is client onboarding?Client onboarding is basically how you welcome a new client into your business. This is when you show them what you do, explain your process, and lay down clear expectations for your working relationship. Get this foundation right, and you'll see better communication and happier clients down the line.Why is client onboarding important?You might think skipping onboarding saves time, especially when you're juggling multiple clients. But here's the reality - more than 90% of customers feel that businesses could do way better with their onboarding. Here's why it matters.Lower churn rate - when clients understand your brand and process, they stick around longer. Plus, the personal attention you give them during onboarding makes them feel valued, not just like another number.Clear expectations - imagine your client is expecting a complete website overhaul, but you're only doing technical SEO fixes. That's a recipe for disaster. Your proposal should set expectations first, but onboarding is your second chance to clarify exactly what you'll deliver and how you'll do it.Getting the details right - onboarding gives you a perfect opportunity to collect any missing information you need before jumping into their project.Client onboarding best practicesNow that you see why onboarding matters, let's walk through the key steps to make your onboarding process smooth and effective.1. Start with the proposalYour client should already know the basics before onboarding begins. Think of onboarding as a refresher, not the first time they're hearing about your services. They should learn what you do and how you'll solve their problem from your proposal itself.Here's an important rule - only start onboarding after both parties have signed the proposal and ideally, after you've received payment. This ensures everyone's committed and ready to move forward.Your proposal should explain the client's situation, your solution, timeline, pricing, and all the important details. Strong proposals also include terms and conditions to protect everyone involved.With Wonit, you can build beautiful web-based proposals in just minutes. The best part? Built-in e-signature and payment links mean your clients can sign and pay right there in the proposal. No back and forth, no hassle - just a smooth path from proposal to onboarding.2. Send a questionnaireAnyone who's worked with clients knows this truth - they rarely give you everything you need upfront. This is especially true for clients who've never hired an agency or freelancer before.You'll definitely have questions before starting work. But you don't want your onboarding meeting turning into a 3-hour interrogation session. The smart move? Send an onboarding questionnaire ahead of time with your most important questions.Your questionnaire should cover the common questions you ask before starting any project. What you ask will depend on your service and the specific project.You could just send an email and wait for responses, but there are better ways. Try using Google Forms, Typeform, or Airtable instead. These tools let you collect responses instantly, and they're easier for clients to fill out. Even better - connect them to your CRM or project management tool so the information flows automatically where you need it.3. Have a kickoff callNothing beats talking to a real person. Even if your work doesn't need constant client calls, you should schedule at least one meeting during onboarding. Once your client signs and pays, set up the kickoff call.Video calls have become the standard now, which actually makes things simpler. Send a meeting invite, and you're good to go.The goal of this call is to walk your client through what's coming. Ask any quick questions you still have, discuss deliverables and timelines, and let them ask anything that's on their mind.This is also when you introduce whoever from your team will be working on their account. Putting faces to names builds trust and makes the whole relationship feel more personal.4. Follow upHere's one of the worst mistakes you can make - leaving your client in the dark about their project. If you go silent for too long, they'll start thinking you're not actually doing anything. Some might even forget they hired you at all.Don't let this happen. Set up regular follow-up emails and calls. How often depends on your project length. For multi-month projects, a monthly check-in works great. For one-month projects, try weekly updates or progress reports.Regular follow-ups show your client that you're working on their project even when they're not watching over your shoulder. They're also perfect for sharing progress and making sure the client is happy with your work.ConclusionYour onboarding process shapes how clients see your brand and your work. Even if you deliver amazing results, poor onboarding can ruin the entire experience. You've done great work getting the client - now show them your professionalism right from the start with an onboarding process that sets the tone for everything that follows.Want to create proposals that close deals faster? Get early access and start building winning proposals in minutes, not hours.

Every year, we ask ourselves one simple question: What makes a business proposal actually work?The answer keeps coming back to two things: A solid introduction and clear pricing.Today, we're going to focus on pricing because let's be honest - your client wants to know what they're paying before anything else. We'll break down how to write a pricing section that doesn't scare people away and actually gets them to say yes.What is a pricing section?It's pretty straightforward - this is where you tell your client how much your product or service costs. But here's the thing, it shouldn't be some generic number you throw at everyone. It needs to be tailored to what that specific client needs based on your conversations with them. Keep it simple. Keep it clear. Just show them what they're getting and what it costs. Quick tip is don't price based on how many hours you'll work. Price based on the value you're bringing to their business. That's what really matters.Do I really need to put pricing in my proposal?You might think it's better to talk about price later, maybe in a call or meeting. But here's what we've learned: clients spend about 27% of their time looking at the pricing section. That's huge. It's the second most-read part of any proposal, right after the intro. People expect to see it. Bottom line is if you want people to actually accept your proposal, put the price in there.What should I call this section?You'd think "Pricing" makes sense, right? Turns out, there are better options. Words like "investment", "your investment", or "ROI" tend to work way better. We're not entirely sure why, but our guess is that "investment" feels less like spending money and more like putting money into something that'll grow their business. Small change, big difference in how people react.What goes in the pricing section?This really depends on what you're selling and who you're selling it to. But the golden rule is don't overcomplicate it. With Wonit, you can add professional pricing tables using the drag-and-drop builder. Your client sees everything laid out nicely, what they get and what they pay. The cool part? You can make these tables work for different scenarios. So if a client wants 6 months of service instead of 3, you can show them that option clearly. No back-and-forth emails needed.Should I offer multiple packages?This is where a lot of people get it wrong. In normal sales, you'd want to upsell and offer different tiers. But proposals are different. Your goal isn't to give them options. Your goal is to get them to say yes. The more choices you throw at someone, the more they have to think. And the more they think, the less likely they are to sign. Best proposals? One clear offer. One clear price. One simple decision - yes or no. Makes you look confident too, which clients love.Where does pricing go in the proposal?Think of your proposal like telling a story. You wouldn't spoil the ending at the beginning, right? Same logic here. Don't lead with price. First, show them what you're offering, how you'll solve their problem, and maybe throw in some testimonials from happy clients. Then hit them with the price. By the time they see the number, they already understand the value. That's when pricing actually makes sense to them.What comes after the pricing?Once someone sees your price, they've already read through most of your proposal. They know what you offer, they've seen the price, now what? Add a "next steps" section. Tell them exactly what happens if they say yes. Make it crystal clear. No confusion.Some people also like adding testimonials right after pricing. If you think your client needs one last push after seeing the number, this can help. Then comes the signature part.With Wonit, clients can sign right there on the proposal with built-in e-signature. And if you want, you can add Stripe payment links so they can pay immediately after signing. No waiting, no extra emails, just done.ConclusionEvery proposal needs pricing. It takes some trial and error to get it right, but once you figure out how to present your value clearly, you'll start getting more yeses than nos. Keep it simple, make it about their investment, and don't overwhelm them with choices. That's the formula.Want to create proposals that close deals faster? Get early access and start building winning proposals in minutes, not hours.