Web Design Proposal: Tips and Free Templates

27May 2022 by Moonthemes 616 Comments

Every child knows that a tasty candy is wrapped in a bright package. Traditional businesses apply this secret knowledge to the packing design of products. Applying the candy analogy to the website development business, I’d like to compare a site to be developed with candy and a website design proposal with packaging. 

From my own experience, I can say that I will pay attention to a product that stands out from other similar products. The web design proposal forms the first impression; therefore, it is the best way to turn visitors into clients. Expertise won’t count; clients may not even open a proposal if it looks like a hastily designed paper. 

Here I’d like to discuss how to write a formal proposal, find clients and web design proposal templates, and develop a proposal they can’t refuse.

How to Find Clients?

Finding clients is the #1 priority for a newbie web designer. I propose the following ways to get new customers:

  • Add a portfolio section to your website (even if you have never had clients).
  • Make it possible to download your design proposal from the site.
  • Get new experiences and skills.
  • Actively use social networks, especially LinkedIn.

The first step to getting new clients is through a portfolio and proposals. Designers usually place proposals on their websites, social networks, and Upwork profiles and send them to potential clients by email. They aim to impress potential clients and show off skills, expertise, and creativity. In general, it can be challenging to build a portfolio, so let’s look at how to create a colorful commercial web design proposal. 

What Is a Website Proposal?

Website proposals aim at getting new clients. They outline terms and conditions, benefits, and expected results. Simply put, it is a business letter advertising services a web designer can deliver.

The web design proposal should arouse interest and enforce a potential client to at least read it thoroughly. The effect of the given web proposal depends on how it looks and how you present it. Make it exciting and attractive but concise and valuable at the same time. 

Website proposals are NOT:

  • a set of slogans;
  • a presentation of a particular product;
  • a text about the company or a designer;
  • a description of the business process.

I would rather say it is a step-wise implementation plan. Poor structuring characterizes you as a disorganized person unable to deliver good and timely services.

When crafting web design proposals, try to follow the system:

  • define the client’s problem;
  • develop detailed ways to solve it;
  • show what you can do by sharing the portfolio;
  • specify the project stages, their cost, and timing;
  • calculate the total and propose the payment methods;
  • provide guarantees.

Your client should understand what you offer, why it is beneficial, how much it costs, and how to take advantage. You can use this structure as a basic template. Though, you are free to experiment: change the content blocks, test different options, and find the most suitable for you.

It looks too complicated only at first glance. I’ll explain how to make it easy using web development proposal templates.

Why Do You Need Web Design Proposals?

You need website development proposals to:

  • find new clients;
  • tell potential customers about your business;
  • draw attention to the company/brand;
  • highlight your best sides;
  • stand out from the competition because a well-written and designed proposal can influence a client’s choice, especially if competitors do not present something unique.

Tips for Writing Valuable Proposals

There are two pillars of valuable proposals: text and infographics. The latter is worth a thousand words because people perceive them better. Infographics are the best way to show the stages of developing a product, completing a task, or providing a service. 

How do perfect website proposals look?

  • They are high-quality (avoid comic fonts, acid colors, and blurry images).
  • They are designed according to the corporate style and build a strong association with your company.
  • They have readable texts and color matching. 
  • They are consistent and have a logical structure.

General tips:

  • Find out the leading competitors’ proposals (i.e., by googling) to always look at their techniques, borrow something, develop good ideas, or detect their mistakes.
  • Focus on the services’ advantages and tangible benefits, but not the product’s options.
  • Highlight the key points and messages to draw the clients’ attention.
  • Draw up graphs, tables, diagrams, etc., for clients to immediately get the gist.
  • The intended target audience should understand the style and language of the proposal; do not mix jargon with the official style.
  • Less is more 一 do not use unnecessary details because it clutters the document.
  • Try to use more visuals to explain and illustrate the proposal.
  • Use the corporate identity design features.
web design proposal tips

Text tips: 

  • Use simple, short, and understandable sentences.
  • Make your text readable using appropriate fonts, distances between lines, color compatibility.
  • Apply noticeable and informative headlines and subheadings, make paragraph length up to five lines, use left alignment, and add lists.
web design proposal text tips

Figure and image tips:

  • Figures should focus the client’s attention on important things.
  • Use infographics: brief abstracts, diagrams, pictograms, questions, and answers.
  • Make the picture look dynamic using the combination of colors and interesting geometric shapes alternating with text.
  • Use a contrasting yet harmonious color scheme.
  • Use a preferably standard font and a sufficient font size.
  • Do not use abbreviations and different units.
  • Each decorative element should have a semantic load and stand in its place.
  • Choose a solid light background without bright, distracting details.

Mistakes to avoid when preparing a proposal 

Errors can destroy perfect website proposals because they are the main repulsive factor. It would be great if clients ignored a poorly designed proposal but didn’t reject any cooperation. The main mistakes are:

  • sloppy layout and bad design;
  • inconsistent structure;
  • comic fonts;
  • a too detailed story about you;
  • lengthy explanations and complicated language;
  • no catchy headlines, calls to action, etc.;
  • awful color combination creates a repulsive decorative effect;
  • developers often neither read the text nor think about how to present the information, so many website proposals look the same;
  • companies often limit themselves to the qualities of the product. But this is not enough. It is essential to explain to the clients what they will receive and how it will improve their lives.

Top 4 Free Website Proposal Templates

Non-creative design is a common problem with do-it-yourself website proposals samples. Too much text alongside Word-made blur pictures and typical PowerPoint presentations are the way of errors for every newbie designer. Using the best website design proposal templates makes it possible to avoid mistakes in design. A business proposal template developed by professional designers will help you prepare perfect proposals for every occasion.

High-quality and visually attractive proposals will always win over a text file. Here I present services where you can create beautiful proposals. 

Parker

tristan parker website proposals

This website proposal template is simple and clean one. It requires registration, and then you get a ZIP file via email. The proposal’s format is xd and sketch files.

REVV 

revv website proposal template

Working with this template is close to working in WordPress. The template proposes five pages (table of content is not included) with the following embed sections: cover (users can add or not the cover page), executive summary, about us, team, problem statement, goals, development process, project timeline, package breakdown, testimonials, terms and conditions, and acceptance & signatures. You can add some blocks to any document page and a logo to the header/footer. 

Panda 

panda website proposal template

Panda proposes some business templates: Website Design Proposal Template, Cooperative Agreement Template, Web Design Agreement Template, and Interior Design Contract Template. The usage of this template for free envisage registration. The template has eight pages and does not include the table of contents. There are the following sections: cover, introduction, words of encouragement, your website, development process, project timeline, pricing, and project terms. You can add images, videos, pricing tables, edit texts, track activity, and apply a document theme that matches your company’s brand book.

Proposable

proposable website proposal template

Proposable offers many templates, but you are supposed to register before taking full advantage. This template consists of seven pages (no table of contents) with the following sections: cover, introduction, about us, what we do, tools & technologies, project details, deliverables, costs, agreement, and signs. Users can edit and customize this template, deliver it to recipients through a private web link, track all views and activities, apply e-signatures, and turn on/off comments.

Other templates

Of course, there are many other sites and templates not mentioned above. They are suitable for various areas, including web design proposals. Basic features are available for free; you can also benefit from advanced paid offers. 

These are free tools and software to create your proposal from scratch: 

  1. Visme;
  2. Canva;
  3. Easelly.

And these are the collections of paid templates:

  1. Proposal Templates Graphics;
  2. Designs & Templates.

You can create presentations, animations, banners, infographics, reports, forms, and other visual content using free templates from different platforms. You can adjust them as you like by including infographics, free images, widgets, icons, fonts, headings, etc. 

Sum Up

Web design proposals are promotional and sales tools. It often happens that the design is so attractive that clients read the proposal from cover to cover. Using free web design proposal templates is the best way to make a proposal bright, colorful, and effective. The text presents you favorably and encourages the client to use the services. But the design first, because people tend to judge a book by its cover. 

It is important to convey commercial information to readers clearly and not distract their attention with little things. Minimalism and simplicity are huge trends now. Nowadays, many online services allow you to create practical web design proposals quickly and easily. 

Developing a quality web proposal is not double-dutch but a serious-minded process. To avoid mistakes, you just need to know what counts – structure, meanings, texts, design – and how to download free templates. 😊

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