A business proposal is a formal document you send to potential clients, partners, or investors, essentially asking the question, Do you want to do business with us? But it is more than that. The business proposal’s mission is to convince these people to want to do business with you, and how it does this is through the outline of what your proposed business is, what the costs, advantages, and risks are, and why in the end you are the best person or company for the job.
This proposal can be solicited or unsolicited, and despite its fixed intent, it can take many forms: a letter, an outline, a form. From this free collection of business proposals, select a Proposal Template to help you get started.
Naturally, not every business will have to draft a business proposal, nor would you have to do it for every partnership. (There will be times you will also receive a proposal from another firm, for example.) You should think of the business proposal as the first step to any major, planned initiative:
These are all examples of external proposals, where you are trying to put your company forward as an option to people outside your company.
But a business proposal can also be issued within a company, addressed to the appropriate decision makers, when you want to push a particular project you think will benefit the company’s mission. This will take a project proposal format that follows the general outline of a business proposal.
After all the budgeting and project analyses and plans are laid out, it’s time to draft the proposal. Whoever you’re addressing it to, a proposal will follow this general outline:
An easier way to get started is to peruse this list and pick one that fits closest to your situation. You can draft your proposal loosely on top of your free sample to make a winning business proposal.
These free documents can be downloaded as Word documents, completely editable. Some will be completed samples you can tailor to fit your needs, and others will be outlines showing you where to input your information. Creating a business or Sales Proposal Template cannot be made easier.
