As a momtrepreneur, starting your own virtual assistant business, an important tool to have in your mom bag is a business proposal template. Starting your own business can send your heart pounding and your mind racing in a million different directions. Your emotions to run the gambit between fear and elation. Your scared that this may not work, but ecstatic at the possibilities that open up to you if it does work. Welcome to the world of being a momtrepreneur or mom entrepreneur.
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Creating a Business Proposal Template will Tame Your Unruly Thoughts
Creating a business proposal template before you get your first client can give you the edge you need starting out and tame your unruly thoughts. It will really get you to think through your processes, procedures, and priorities (a little alliteration for your day).
First, it will unlock you from the stress paralysis caused by the gambit of emotions. Take a deep breathe, you got this. Second, it gives you the clarity of mind to think through your processes. Sometimes the act of just writing something on paper unlocks the flow of creativity. Preparing a business proposal template before you get your first client will calm your racing thoughts and organize those thoughts into processes and action points. Finally, a business proposal template will help you prioritize the services you want to offer, the skillset you want to present, and how you will present yourself to a potential client.
So What Exactly is a Business Proposal?
The simplest answer to this question is that it is a document designed to convince an organization or individual that you are the best person for their project. It shows the value you provide to their business. Proposals can be solicited or unsolicited. Whether you only send in solicited proposals or unsolicited would greatly depend on the type of virtual assistant business you have created, clients, and the expected industry practices.
Something to keep in mind when you decided how you want to use your business proposal template. I’ve personally received a number of unsolicited proposals, and I would never use the services because they bombarded me with unsolicited emails. And it makes them look spammy, and they look like they aren’t a legitimate company.
Writing a Solicited Business Proposal Template
Congratulations! You’ve received your first email from a potential client. And you have a proposal ready to go…well almost you need to write that so it is ready to go.
The purpose of a business proposal is to convey the scope of the intended project, the services that you provide to meet the client’s goals, the costs, and the milestone dates. These can all be tweaked to meet your specific client needs.
When you are writing a proposal keep the tone friendly. It is easy to write a list of terms and conditions. But you want to start to build a repoire with your potential client. They aren’t an official client at this point, you still need to land the project!
Defining Each Section of a Proposal
Here is a business proposal template that I’ve created for my business. Specifically, designed to pitch web design projects. I’ve actually created two. A long-form proposal and a short form proposal. If I am bidding a project that has a small scope and budget, I will use the short form. There are usually fewer details and milestone dates for small projects, and I don’t want to overwhelm the client with a 7 page proposal.
But let’s get into the components of the long form business proposal. Just a note, I am not a lawyer so I am not offering legal advice. I want to help get your creative juices flowing, so you can make the best decisions for your business.
1. Cover letter
This should be a one page letter stating the provider and the client. It should give a brief summary of what the proposal is about. It will also include a brief biography of your skillset. It can also include links to portfolio sites.
2. Scope of the project
This should as long as you need it to be, and it will vary depending on the size of the project. You want to include as much detail of what you will provide and what that entails. Also, include the budget. How you expect that to be paid to you. And suggested milestone dates, which include milestone payments.
3. Definitions
While you may have stated certain things in the scope of the project, you want to make sure that you and your client are using the same dictionary. This is a good place to define project details. It also gives the client more detail on what they can expect.
If a client is hiring you to do a project that usually indicates that they don’t have the expertise. And this also means they won’t be so clear on industry terms. It is good to clearly explain these terms, so you both are on the same page.
4. Other things to keep in mind and legal stuff (terms)
This section should list your terms that you have in your freelance contract. More than likely, this proposal will take the place of your contract when you use it. Make sure to include all those fun things, like who owns the property when you are finished, what will happen if milestone payments aren’t received on time, displaying the work in your portfolio, and whatever else applies to your specific business.
5. Signature and date
You both need to agree to the proposal and sign off on it. Once they have signed and paid the deposit (always ask for a deposit), you are ready to get started.
Congratulations! You are ready to get clients. Let me know if you’ve found this helpful. How have you used a proposal to help your business?
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