Web design proposal template: what to put in one

What goes in a web design proposal template?

A web design proposal template holds the same parts every time, in an order a client can follow. Each part answers one question the client will ask before they sign.

Write the goal in the client's own words from your first call. That shows you listened.

Once the client says yes, the contract takes over from the proposal. For the contract that follows a yes, see what a web design contract should say about ownership.

Keep the price part to one clear total or a short list by stage. For a one-page quote, see the web design quote template.

The proposal promises the work, and the invoice bills it. For the invoice that follows the work, see the web design invoice template.

Pick proof that looks like the job. If a partner builds behind your brand, the proof can still be your agency's own client work. Duct Tape Marketing, an agency for small businesses, had DeskTeam360's team take its client websites through to launch, and handle page updates for its clients on monthly plans. It says the quality of the work went up, and that designs now get close to final in the first or second round.

How do you answer a web design request for proposal?

You answer a request for proposal by following its rules exactly and answering every requirement in the order it asks. A request for proposal, or RFP, is a document a client sends to several agencies to compare their bids on the same terms.

1. Read the whole RFP before you write a word. Note the deadline, the format and how the client will choose.
2. Ask your questions early. An RFP may name a date or a contact for questions. If it does, use it.
3. Decide if it's a fit. If the scope, the budget or the timing doesn't suit you, it's fine to pass.
4. Answer in their order. Use their headings, so they can find each answer fast.
5. Answer every requirement. If you can't meet one, say so plainly and offer another way.
6. Use your template for the rest. Your standing parts, such as proof and stages, fill in the gaps.
7. Send it on time, in their format. Check the deadline's time of day, too.

What does a WordPress web design proposal add?

A WordPress proposal adds the parts that come with the platform: hosting, themes and plugins, logins and upkeep. Name each one, so the client knows what they're buying and what they'll pay for after launch.

• Hosting. Whose account the site lives in, and who pays for it.
• Theme and plugins. Which paid themes or plugins the build uses, and whose account holds each license.
• Logins. Which user accounts the client gets at handover, and at what level.
• Updates after launch. Who updates WordPress, its plugins and its theme once the site is live, and whether that's a monthly charge.
• Backups. Where backups are kept, and who can restore one.
• Training. Whether you'll show the client how to edit their own pages.

Should you use a web design proposal generator?

A proposal generator can save time if it fits the way you sell. Judge one on how well it handles your own parts and wording.

Ask these questions before you pay for one:

• Can it hold your own parts and your own wording, or only its own?
• Can you set a price by stage, and the last day the price holds?
• Can the client accept online, and do you get a record of that?
• Does it put its own name on the document the client sees?
• What happens to your proposals if you stop paying for it?
• Does it link to how you send invoices, or will you copy the numbers by hand?