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'A Business Proposal' Ending Explained: Does Tae-moo marry Ha-ri? Will there be a Season 2?

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What a rollercoaster ride it was as Go Food’s CEO Kang Tae-moo fell in love with his employee, Shin Ha-ri while his secretary, Cha Sung-hoon fell in love with his next-door neighbor who was “allegedly” far richer than he was, Jin Young-seo. Fans of SBS’ ‘A Business Proposal’ bid the K-drama a farewell after its final episode aired on April 5. While the dating scandal involving Kang Tae-moo in the show was confirmed to be fake in his own words, fans will miss watching new episodes of the Ahn Hyo Seop and Kim Se Jeong show.

‘ A Business Proposal ’ was a mega success as its popularity brought extreme success for all of the cast members including Ahn Hyo-seop who played Kang Taemoo, Kim Se-jeong who played Shin Hari as well as Kim Min-gue, and Seol In-ah who played the side couple, Sunghoon and Youngseo respectively. With the show ending in only 12 episodes unlike the usual K-drama ending of 16 episodes, fans are left wanting more as they ask certain questions about the finale.

'A Business Proposal' Ending Explained: Does Tae-moo marry Ha-ri? Will there be a season 2?

'A Business Proposal': Ahn Hyo-seop sings a duet with Kim Se-jeong amid dating rumors

A Business Proposal Ending Explained

The show started with Shin Hari (played by Kim Sejeong ) disguising herself as Jin Youngseo, her rich best friend in order to save her from attending a blind date with Go Food’s young CEO, Kang Taemoo (played by Ahn Hyoseop). While Shin Hari tries to make the date a failure, Kang Taemoo is determined to marry her and eventually her disguise falters. Kang Taemoo realizes Shin Hari is his employee and eventually falls in love with her as they both set off to date. Kang Taemoo’s grandfather, Chairman Kang however is not happy about the initial lie and disapproves of Shin Hari as the future wife of Kang Taemoo. 

In the final episode, we see that Chairman Kang is seriously ill and would need to undergo treatment in the US in order to recover. Kang Taemoo departs to the US as he and Shin Hari agree to continue their long-distance relationship. As a year passes by, she starts getting frustrated given the fact that he is always busy during their calls. One fine day, Hari decides to go to the states herself but turns out that the cab she was hailing for herself has Kang Taemoo who flew back to South Korea in order to propose to Hari with a ring. She ends up accepting his proposal and the show comes to an end.

What happened to Sung-hoon and Young-seo

The side couple of the show obviously stole the hearts of all fans. Their story started at a convenience store where both Cha Sunghoon (played by Kim Mingue) and Jin Youngseo (played by Seol Inah) fell in love at first sight. After she introduces herself to him, Sunghoon finally learns that Youngseo was the one who sent Hari for the blind date with his boss, Kang Taemoo. Sunghoon immediately draws the line and asks her to stop interacting with him despite the two being neighbors, they finally overcome their issues and start their romantic relationship.

Sunghoon eventually proposes to Youngseo after she finds a ring in the glove box of his car. Because Youngseo comes from a rich family and Sunghoon is a mere secretary, her father orders him to break up with Youngseo and part ways with her. Youngseo, who was with Sunghoon at that time ends up resigning from her father’s company and ending all relations with her father. Now with no monetary support from her father, Youngseo decides to start a new business by taking a loan from the bank.

Sunghoon shocks her as he hands Youngseo his bank passbook that reads he has saved up 1 billion won. Sunghoon asks to be her first investor instead of just giving the money to Youngseo. He then finally takes a year-long break from work with his boss, Kang Taemoo being in the US and spends the time planning his wedding with Youngseo.

Will there be a Season 2?

Fans are shocked that the show ended far too soon and Kang Taemoo only returned from the US in the final two minutes of the final episode of ‘A Business Proposal’. The show has been called a “comfort” drama after it ended with a nationwide rating of 11.4% for its final episode. While there is no official news about a second season just yet, fans are hopeful that ‘A Business Proposal’ gets a new season given that it was only 12 episodes long unlike regular 16-episode K-dramas.

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How to Write a Business Proposal [Examples + Template]

Meredith Hart

Published: December 05, 2023

Free Business Proposal Template

how does a business proposal end

Propose your business as the ideal solution using our Free Business Proposal Templates.

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Here's what every new business owner needs: an extra 8 hours in the day, an endless supply of coffee, and, most importantly, a really strong business proposal.

how to write a business proposal: image shows a person holding a pen and another person typing on a laptop

A business proposal can bridge the gap between you and potential clients. Done correctly, and it will outline your value proposition and persuade a company or organization to do business with you.

Here, we'll take a look at the various kinds of business proposals and go over how to write one. We’ll also see some ideas and examples to help guide yours.

Know exactly what you need? Jump to one of the following sections:

What is a business proposal?

Types of business proposals, how to write a business proposal, business proposal templates, business proposal example, tips for writing a business proposal, business proposal ideas.

A business proposal is a formal document that’s created by a company and given to a prospect to secure a business agreement.

It's a common misconception that business proposals and business plans are the same. However, a proposal helps you sell your product or service — not your business itself.

Think of it this way: instead of assisting your search for investors to fund your business, a proposal helps you seek new customers.

Follow Along With HubSpot's Business Proposal Template

business-proposal

Download the Template for Free

There are two types of business proposals: unsolicited and solicited.

  • Unsolicited Business Proposals : With unsolicited business proposals, you approach a potential customer with a proposal, even if they don't request one, to gain their business.
  • Solicited Business Proposals : Solicited business proposals are requested by prospective clients so that they can decide whether to do business with your company.

In a solicited business proposal, the other organization asks for a request for proposal (RFP). When a company needs a problem solved, they invite other businesses to submit a proposal that details how they'd solve it.

how does a business proposal end

Propose your business as the ideal solution using our Free Business Proposal Templates

  • Problem summary
  • Proposed solution
  • Pricing information
  • Project timeline

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Fill out the form to get your template.

Whether the proposal is solicited or unsolicited, the steps to create your proposal are similar. Make sure it includes three main points:

  • A statement of the organization's problem
  • Begin with a title page.
  • Explain your why with an executive summary.
  • State the problem or need.
  • Propose a solution.
  • Share your qualifications.
  • Include pricing options.
  • Summarize with a conclusion.

Before writing your business proposal, it's crucial you understand the company. If they've sent you an RFP, make sure you read it carefully, so you know exactly what they want.

I recommend having an initial call or meeting with any new clients to ensure you fully understand their objectives. Ask open-ended questions to understand not just what they want, but why they want it.

Once you've done your research, it's time to begin writing your business proposal. While there's no one-size-fits-all approach to writing a business proposal, there's several elements most proposals include. (I designed this example business proposal using Canva .)

1. Begin with a title page.

You have to convey some basic information here. Introduce yourself and your business. Be sure to include:

  • Your company's name
  • The date you submitted the proposal
  • The name of the client or individual you're submitting the proposal to

Your title page should reconcile engagement with professionalism. I think of it as your first tone-setter, so you need to make sure yours is sleek, aesthetically appealing, and not too "out there."

Here's an example of what a business proposal template looks like when done right:

How to Write a Business Proposal: Business Proposal Example Title Page

The executive summary details exactly why you're sending the proposal and why your solution is the best for the prospective client.

Specificity is key here. Why are you the best choice for them?

Like a value proposition, your executive summary outlines the benefits of your company's products or services and how they can solve your potential client's problem.

After reading your executive summary, the prospect should offer a clear idea of how you can help them, even if they don't read the entire proposal. Here's what one should look like:

How to Write a Business Proposal: Sample Executive Summary

3. State the problem or need.

This is where you share a summary of the issue impacting the potential client. This is your opportunity to show them you understand their needs and the problem they need help solving.

How to Write a Business Proposal: Example Event Overview

In the example above, I included several signals to showcase my expertise – that I've been in the photography biz for 10 years, that I've worked with over 500 clients, and that I've been featured a number of publications. 

As you approach this section, focus on presenting yourself as an authority. Consider leveraging tools like:

  • Case studies
  • Client testimonials
  • Relevant awards
  • Industry accreditations

6. Include pricing options.

Pricing is where things can get a bit tricky, as you don't want to under or over-price your product.

How to write a business proposal: Include Pricing Options

The pricing section of your proposal could include:

  • A detailed pricing breakdown, including packages, tiers, and add-ons or optional services
  • How product features and benefits align with pricing choices
  • Pricing for different needs and budgets
  • How your pricing compares with competitors
  • An FAQ section to respond to anticipated objections and explain your pricing strategy

7. Summarize with a conclusion.

After sharing the above information, simplify it all into one final section.

  • First, briefly summarize the proposal. Be sure to share your qualifications and why you’d serve as the best choice.
  • Then, to prompt further conversation, confirm your availability to go over the next steps.
  • At the end of the proposal, the goal is to have the client ready to work with you. So, be sure to offer your contact information for easy follow-up.

In need of some inspiration before you begin writing? Here are example business proposal templates from popular business proposal software companies you can use to help create your proposal.

1. HubSpot's Free Business Plan Templates

HubSpot Business Proposal Template

Download these Templates

We know how crucial a great business proposal is to your and your client’s success. That's why we've compiled 2 Free Business Proposal Templates for you to use and customize for any of your projects.

You'll gain access to a concise, one-page template (pictured above), as well as a longer template for you to refine your plan and proposal.

Download the templates now to get started on building your proposal.

What We Like

The one-page template is clear, straightforward, and easy to read — without skipping on the key elements of a business proposal. This format is especially useful for busy clients who appreciate brevity and clarity.

2. Web Design Proposal

Business Proposal Templates: Web Design

With advertising on social networks projected to reach $82.23 billion dollars in 2025 , it's in your business's best interest to have a plan for growing your client's social media presence.

To help you in that effort, the information in this social media marketing proposal includes an executive summary to help introduce your high-level ideas, an assessment of the client’s company to show your diligence, and a breakdown of billing to show how your company charges for posting, content creation, and analytics.

This template includes all the bells and whistles of a social media proposal packaged in a fun yet professional design. It also includes helpful writing instructions under each section.

8. Content Marketing Proposal

Business Proposal Templates: Content Marketing

Business proposal templates are helpful places to get started, but what should your business proposal look like when it's complete? This template should inspire you.

When pitching your content marketing services to clients, this template can help you organize your ideas. While it walks you through initial objectives and how to communicate your prospected results, one of the most helpful parts of this template is the pricing ideas it gives you when charging for your services.

In the business template example below, Social Portal Consulting (SPC) pitches a marketing proposal to Graphic Bean. At first sight, this proposal appeals to the creative. I recommend going a step forward and designing the layout in your or your client’s brand colors.

Business Proposal Example: Social Media

Besides the design, the social media icons quickly tell the prospect what platforms Social Portal is pitching. Because we see Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest icons, the client instantly knows that this proposal doesn’t include LinkedIn, YouTube, or other platforms.

While maintaining its design, this example outlines Social Portal Consulting’s plans efficiently. It begins by providing insight into Graphic Bean and its goals before elaborating on how SPC can leverage its expertise to help them achieve them.

This business proposal template includes an easy-to-follow timeframe for goals and objectives while keeping the client abreast of how payment will happen across the project.

Overall, this is an excellent example of how to combine the elements of social media marketing into a creative and concise business proposal. Finally, we'll leave you with some business proposal ideas to get you started on your own.

  • Start with an outline.
  • Keep it simple.
  • Stay on brand.
  • Quality control.
  • Include data and visuals.
  • Add social proof.
  • Use a call-to-action.
  • Create a sense of urgency.
  • Make the decision for them.
  • Incorporate video into your proposal.
  • Include up-sell and add-on opportunities.
  • Clarify your terms and conditions.
  • Include a space for signatures to document agreement.
  • Create a table of contents.

1. Start with an outline.

If you want to produce a thoughtful, effective business proposal, you need to have some idea of what you're hoping to achieve with it.

Before I dive into writing a proposal, I always outline the major sections of the proposal that I want to include. That way, I can stay focused and make sure my message stays intact as I write.

Use these free business proposal templates to make sure that your outline includes everything you need.

2. Keep it simple.

Ultimately, there's no definitive blueprint for how long a business proposal has to be. Yours should be however long it takes to convey the information you want to get across.

That said, I'm a firm believer in quality over quantity, especially when it comes to business proposals. Keep your sentences short and simple, and avoid including too much business jargon.

You want anyone who picks up your proposal to make sense of it. So, be straightforward and don't get too fancy. Aim for substance over flash.

3. Stay on brand.

Don't be afraid to let your company's personality shine through in your proposal. Stay true to your brand and show the client what sets you apart from your competitors.

4. Quality control.

I've made it a habit to add an editing/QA step in my writing process. During this step, I do a quick spelling and grammar check before hitting send.

So, as you draft your proposal, and after checking for the basics, keep scanning this document until it's just right.

Check to make sure your proposal:

  • Meets client needs and expectations
  • Highlights your value proposition
  • Is well-structured and easy to read or skim
  • Complies with legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements
  • Looks professional and engaging

5. Include data and visuals.

You want your business proposal to capture your prospect's attention and help set you apart from any other ones they might have received. One of the best ways to do that is to include hard, quantitative data that helps stress the value of your business.

Use relevant, compelling figures that highlight what you have to offer. This can establish authority and make your proposal more convincing. It also helps to include visuals such as charts and graphs to enhance your proposal.

6. Add social proof.

From my experience, you can only be so convincing when you're personally talking up how great your business is — which is why adding social proof is key to establishing credibility.

At the end of the day, prospects are skeptical. They may not take you at your word. But they'll likely trust peers and fellow customers. That's why including elements like customer quotes and testimonials can go a long way.

7. Use a call-to-action.

I've learned that the best proposal in the world can only take you so far if you don't clearly define the next steps. That's why you have to make sure the reader knows what to do after reading your proposal.

A clear call-to-action is the best way to get there.

Define and highlight exactly what they should do to act on the interest your proposal has generated. Without that guidance, you might leave your reader in limbo.

HubSpot customers : Use this CTA builder to create powerful customized CTAs.

8. Create a sense of urgency.

No one wants to feel as if they missed out on a great opportunity. From my experience, prospect tend to drag their feet and put off making a decision if there isn't a sense of urgency.

So, as you create your business proposal, your goal should be to add a degree of urgency. When prospective clients read your business proposal they should feel that the best time to sign up for your service is now .

One way I accomplish this is by stating short and long-term goals for their business. They'll have to wait for the long-term goals, but I make the short-term goals so enticing that they'll be ready to begin a collaboration.

9. Make the decision for them.

Craft your copy in a way that seems like saying "no" to the proposal would be stepping over dollars to pick up pennies. Your offer should go above and beyond their expectations. Do everything in your power to remove friction and objections along the way.

10. Incorporate video into your proposal.

If you're creating an online proposal using document file formats like PDF, add multimedia elements. This will enhance the proposal experience, make your document richer, and keep them engaged.

Try adding a video at the beginning as an intro to your proposal. Or, put a video in the project breakdown to verbally discuss some of the more confusing parts.

Extras like this can make an impression. This tip works especially well with prospects who are visual or auditory communicators.

Pro tip : HubSpot Video makes it easy to record and embed video into a website or email for a big proposal boost.

11. Include up-sell and add-on opportunities.

They say you won't receive unless you ask. And readers won't explore the upper tiers of your solutions if you don't give them the opportunity.

So, share some upsells and add-ons about your business that they can act on. Call out a specific pain point and how this extra can add value.

With this step, balance is important. Show them everything your business has to offer without overwhelming your recipient.

12. Clarify your terms and conditions.

Your business proposal should include details on your project timeline and payment schedule. This summary is basically what you and the client agree to if they accept your proposal.

How to write a business proposal: Example Terms and Conditions

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How to Write Winning Business Proposal: Examples & Free Templates (2024)

By Aditya Sheth , Jan 25, 2024

How to Write Winning Business Proposals

The great Mark Cuban once said, “Sales cure all.” If a business doesn’t sell, it doesn’t make money and by extension the business fails. That’s why you need to write business proposals .

A well-written business proposal can often mean the difference between winning or losing a prospective client.

In this in-depth guide to creating business proposals, we show you how to close more deals, make more sales and crush your business goals — all by using easy-to-edit professional business proposal templates .

Here’s what this guide will cover (click to jump ahead):

What is a business proposal.

  • How to write a business proposal step by step

What should you include in a business proposal?

What are the types of business proposals, more business proposal examples + writing and design tips.

  • FAQs about business proposals

Looking for a shortcut? Watch this quick video for an overview of everything to include in your business proposal:

An effective business proposal is a document used by a B2B or business-facing company (this may not always be the case) where a seller aims to persuade a prospective buyer into buying their goods or services.

A business proposal outlines what your business does and what you can do for your client . It can be general like this business proposal example:

general business proposal template

Or it can be more specific, like this business proposal template which focuses on proposing a project for the Newton Center Rail:

simple business proposal project proposal template

Or this business proposal sample, which presents a plan for a social media strategy and campaign:

social media marketing business proposal template

To design a business proposal that holds the client’s attention, identify their pain points . Then provide your buyer with the right solution to alleviate those frustrations.

How to write a business proposal step by step

Before you start creating your business proposal template, you need to understand the business proposal format. At a high level, your effective business proposal should include the following:

Table of contents

Executive summary, the problem statement, the proposed solution, qualifications, the timeline, pricing, billing, and legal, terms and conditions, the acceptance.

Below, you can see business proposal examples that demonstrate how to include these 10 sections.

Business proposal title

A compelling title could mean the difference between someone reading your proposal or ignoring it in favor of a competitor’s . 

What makes a good title page? Here are the essential elements to include: 

  • Your name along with your company’s name
  • The name of the prospect (or their business) 
  • The date you’re submitting the proposal

Gray Business Consulting Proposal Template Cover Page_Venngage

The gray business consulting proposal template above contains all the details a prospect would want to know. The title also offers a strong tangible benefit to the prospective buyer. Honestly, “Who doesn’t want to grow their business?”

The table of contents is a fundamental part of every winning business proposal template. It makes your proposal scannable and easy to read.

The people you will be pitching to are usually C-level executives. These are busy people who don’t have time to read your entire proposal in one go.

That’s why most of the business proposal examples in this list include a table of contents.

Adding a table of contents to your document makes it easy for them to go through it at their own pace. They can also skim through parts of the proposal that they deem more important. You can see how this abstract business proposal template uses the table of contents:

Creative Social Media Business Proposal Template Table of Contents

You can also make your business proposal template easier to navigate by adding hyperlinks to the document, particularly in the table of contents. This way your clients can jump to specific sections without having to scroll through the entire document. 

It’s easy to add hyperlinks in the Venngage editor. Select the text you’d like to turn into a link, then click the link icon in the top bar. From there, select the page you want to link to! Then download your completed design as an Interactive PDF .

Proposal-ToC-Example

The executive summary is a staple in all kinds of annual reports , leadership development plan , project plans and even marketing plans . It is a concise summary of the entire contents of your document. In other words, write a business proposal outline that is easy to glance over and that highlights your value proposition.

The goals of your executive summary are:

  • Introduce your company to your buyer
  • Provide an overview of your company goals
  • Showcase your company’s milestones, overall vision and future plans
  • Include any other relevant details

This gray business proposal example has a detailed yet short executive summary including some social proof in the form of clients they’ve worked with:

Gray Business Consulting Proposal Template About Us

Take note of how precise this business proposal example is. You want to keep your executive summary concise and clear from the get-go. This sets the right tone for the rest of your proposal. It also gives your buyer a reason to continue reading your proposal.

Pro Tip: Try to write an executive summary such that, even if your prospective client doesn’t read the entire proposal (with a good executive summary, they most likely will), they should have a clear idea about what your company does and how you can help them.

The point of writing a business proposal is to solve a buyer’s problem. Your goal is to outline the problem statement as clearly as possible. This develops a sense of urgency in your prospect. They will want to find a solution to the problem. And you have that solution.

 A well-defined problem statement does two things: 

  • It shows the prospect you have done your homework instead of sending a generic pitch
  • It creates an opportunity for you to point out a problem your prospect might not be aware they had in the first place. 

Texture Business Proposal Template

This bold business proposal template above clearly outlines the problem at hand and also offers a ray of hope i.e. how you can solve your prospect’s problem. This brings me to… 

The good stuff. In the proposed solution section, you show how you can alleviate your prospective buyer’s pain points. This can fit onto the problem statement section but if you have a comprehensive solution or prefer to elaborate on the details, a separate section is a good idea.

Spare no details regarding the solution you will provide. When you write a business proposal, explain how you plan to deliver the solution. Include an estimated timeline of when they can expect your solution and other relevant details.

For inspiration, look at how this business proposal template quickly and succinctly outlines the project plan, deliverables and metrics :

Sales Plan Proposal Table Template_Venngage

At this point, the prospect you’re pitching your solution to likes what they’re reading. But they may not trust you to deliver on your promises. Why is this?

It’s because they don’t know you. Your job is to convince them that you can fix their problem. This section is important because it acts as social proof. You can highlight what your company does best and how qualified your team is when you write a business proposal for a potential client.

business proposal qualifications section

This free business proposal template showcases the company’s accolades, client testimonials, relevant case studies, and industry awards. You can also include other forms of social proof to establish yourself as a credible business. This makes it that much more likely that they will say yes!

Pro Tip: Attaching in-depth case studies of your work is a great way to build trust with a potential client by showcasing how you’ve solved similar problems for other clients in the past. Our case study examples post can show you how to do just that.

To further demonstrate just how prepared you are, it’s important to outline the next steps you will take should your buyer decide to work with you.

Provide a timeline of how and when you will complete all your deliverables. You can do this by designing a  flow chart . Or add a  roadmap  with deadlines. Pitching a long-term project? A timeline infographic would be a better fit.

If you look at this abstract business proposal template below, even something as simple as a table can do the trick.

Abstract Business Consulting Proposal Template Timeline_Venngage

The timeline is not always set in stone, rather it’s an estimation. The goal is to clarify any questions your potential client might have about how you will deliver for the underlying B2B sales process.

On this page, you can outline your fees, payment schedule, invoice payment terms , as well as legal aspects involved in this deal. You can even use the  Excel Invoice Template  to create professional-looking invoices (including brand logo and other elements) and add them to this page.

The key to good pricing is to provide your buyer with options. A  pricing comparison table can help with this. You want to give your client some room to work with. Make sure you’re not scaring off your client with a high price, nor undervaluing yourself. 

Breaking up your pricing in stages is another great way to make sure your potential client knows what he’s paying for. Look at how this simple business proposal template does this:

Bold Business Proposal Template Pricing Page_Venngage

The legal aspects can slot right into the terms and conditions section. Alternatively, you can add them to the signature section of the proposal to keep things simple.

Summarize everything you have promised to deliver so far. Include what you expect from your prospective buyer in return.  Add the overall project timeline from start to end, as well as payment methods and payment schedule. This way, both of you will be clear on what is being agreed on.

This step is very important as it outlines all the legal aspects of the deal. That is why the terms and conditions section of your proposal needs to be as clear as possible.

Modern Business Proposal

I recommend consulting a lawyer or your legal team when working on this section of the business proposal. If you’re a business veteran and understand the legalities of your business, you can use the same terms and conditions across all your proposals.

The final step of this whole process. Your client has read your business proposal and they want to buy what you have to offer.

Add a small section at the end of your proposal to get the necessary signatures. This way, you and your client can sign the proposal and the partnership becomes official.

Be sure to also include your contact information in your business proposal template. It acts as a gentle prompt to your client to contact you in case they have any questions. A professional way of doig that would be to include an e-business card with your contact details, email i.d and any other social links you want to share. You can go through this article for the best digital business cards .

Orange-Simple-Project-Proposal-Template

A business proposal usually aims to answer the following questions: 

  • Who you are and what your company does
  • The problem your buyer is facing
  • The solution your company offers to alleviate the problem
  • How your company will implement this solution effectively
  • An estimate of resources (time, money, etc) required to implement the solution

You can see how this sample business proposal template covers the above points.

business project proposal template

Notice how this proposal template addresses the same project like in one of the previous templates, but uses a completely different design style (more retro, while the previous business proposal template is more modern and minimalistic).

Generally, there are three types of business proposals:

1. Formally solicited 

A formally solicited business proposal is made when you respond to an official request to write a business proposal.

In this scenario, you know all the requirements and have more (if not all) information about a prospective buyer. You simply need to write the business proposal for your buyer to evaluate so you can begin the sales process .

2. Informally solicited 

Informally solicited business proposals are written when there isn’t an official request for a proposal. A prospective buyer is interested in your services and asks for a proposal so they can evaluate it.

An informally solicited proposal requires a lot more research from your end. These types of proposals are usually created out of informal conversations. They are not based on official requests which often contain more detail.

3. Unsolicited 

Think of this as a marketing brochure or a cold email . Unsolicited business proposals will often take a generic, one-size-fits-all approach to business proposals. Unsolicited proposals lack any understanding of the buyer or their requirements.

But with additional  market research , personalization and identifying customer pain points , you can propose a customized solution based on your buyer’s needs. This can be a very persuasive approach, such as in this business proposal example:

corporate business proposal example

Now that you know how to write a business proposal, let’s look at how you can optimize your proposal to deliver results!

Below you’ll find some winning business proposal templates and examples to get you started. I’ve also included some design tips to keep in mind when you’re creating your next business proposal: 

1. Know your audience 

If you have some clarity on who your ideal buyer is — their pain points, their budget, deadlines, among other things — you’ve already won half the battle.

If you are a business that helps clients with everything from running giveaways or helping grow their blog , identify which customers to pitch. This is a sure-shot way to close the deal.

Mapping user personas  for your ideal buyer can help bring some clarity. It will also help you position your business proposal correctly. This improves the chance of your buyer moving your business proposal to the “Yes!” pile.

2. Put your brand front and center

If your company follows certain brand guidelines, incorporate them in your business proposal templates. Consider how business proposal examples like the one below highlight brand identity :

content marketing plan business proposal example

From the color palettes to the company logos , everything follows their brand guidelines. The result: a business proposal that’s consistent across the board.

Pro Tip: Switching this template to match your brand assets is actually pretty easy. Venngage’s My Brand Kit feature allows you to import your color palettes, logos as well as font choices. Any Venngage template can now be your template.

You can also consider this sample business proposal template:

Example of a Business Proposal

Design companies sure do know their design. They did a phenomenal job keeping their brand colors consistent while opting for a black design. This unique color scheme also makes their white logo prominent throughout the proposal.

3. Try less text, more visuals

Have you ever read a proposal and thought to yourself, “Wow, this is all text and has no images, I love it!”? Yeah, me neither.

The free business proposal template below is a perfect example of the “less is more” principle. It does a phenomenal job of communicating what it needs to. By substituting some of the text with icons and visuals, you get a clean business proposal that’s much more scannable.

Social Media Plan Proposal Template

Want to keep things strictly professional? Instead of icons, you can always add your team’s headshots. This shows your buyer exactly who they’ll be working with.  

Check out this formal business proposal format for some inspiration:

Red Human Resources Consulting Proposal Template Team

4. Switch up your business proposal designs

It doesn’t hurt to go above and beyond once in a while. Jazz up your business proposal template with some extra colors. This helps make your business proposal more engaging. It also helps your buyers retain information faster.

Simple Business Proposal Example

The business proposal example alternates between black, white and grey backgrounds. It still manages to maintain consistency in its branding . Just switching up your backgrounds once in a while can also bring in some variety to an otherwise standard business proposal.

This SEO business proposal sample proves that it’s possible to switch up the colors in every other page. But it still maintains the same color scheme across the entire proposal just like a professionally designed website : 

SEO Marketing Proposal

Pro Tip: Not a color expert? Our guide on picking colors can help you pick the right color scheme for your proposals.

FAQ about business proposals

What is the purpose of a business proposal.

A business proposal aims to streamline the B2B sales process (which is often complex ) between you as a seller and a buyer.

It does this by serving the dual purpose of acting as a source of information. The proposal also acts as a sales pitch aimed at convincing your buyer why they should buy what you have to offer.

What are the best practices for business proposal design?

  • Do a thorough spell-check. The goal of your business proposal is to convince your buyer why you’re the perfect person for the job. A proposal with typos or grammatical errors communicates the opposite. A thorough spell-check before you send your proposal is a must.
  • Keep things clear and readable: Clarity is an important aspect that you have to ensure in your business proposal. If you want your proposal to hit home and make an impact on the buyer, you have to write it in an understandable way. To keep things clear and readable, there are a couple of things that you can do. You can, for one, take care to use easy wording and segmented sentences from the get-go. You can also try paraphrasing the hard parts of your proposal once you are done writing it.
  • Let your brand shine. As discussed before, writing a business proposal is all about knowing your ideal buyer and focusing on their pain points. But that doesn’t mean your business proposal template has to be boring. Demonstrate how different you are compared to other companies. You can do this through your brand guidelines , by using more visuals, switching up your proposal design or showing off your personality in your writing . 
  • Create a business proposal PDF. Downloading your business proposal in PDF format allows you to attach other collaterals with your business proposal. These can include a company explainer video or case studies showcasing the work done with past clients. Also, who doesn’t love saving paper?

How long should your business proposal be? 

The length depends on the scope of the work as well as the complexity of the project. Here is a one-page business proposal template:

one page business proposal template

Can your business proposal template really be one page? Yes, as long as you understand who your buyer is and their pain points. You should also have the ability to communicate everything your ideal buyer needs to know about your business in a succinct manner.

Or if you’re feeling adventurous how about just two pages? Often, clients prefer if you go straight to the point and avoid all the fluff.

For example, this green modern marketing proposal template wastes no time in getting down to brass tacks:

Project Business Proposal

Need more inspiration? Check out this blog on the 5 marketing proposal examples that’ll help elevate your business.

There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to deciding how many pages you should include in your business proposal template. And at the end of the day, “the only rules are the ones you set for yourself”.

At the end of the day, writing winning business proposals that sell is all about you understanding your buyer, their potential pain points and positioning yourself as someone who can alleviate those pain points. 

Now that you know how to write compelling business proposals, what are you waiting for?

Take action and start creating your own business proposals to close more deals and grow your business today!

More business communications templates + writing tips you might be interested in…

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How to write a business proposal (The modern way)

Yauhen Zaremba

Yauhen Zaremba Director of Demand Generation at PandaDoc

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Why should you learn how to write a business proposal?

It goes without saying that nothing speaks to a customer’s direct needs like a well-written proposal.

It is the key to unlocking new opportunities, securing lucrative deals, and watching your ideas flourish.

So, just how do you make sure that your proposal is engaging to every potential client?

We analyzed nearly 570,000 proposals sent in 2021 through the PandaDoc platform for insights on what works best and what doesn’t. This article is based on the results of this research.

Key takeaways

  • A business proposal outlines a product, service, or project a company offers potential clients or partners to convince them the business can meet their needs.
  • A well-crafted business proposal is essential as a business deal will often follow if successful. The components of a business proposal can vary based on industry, company size, and many other factors.
  • All business proposals should include three components: information about your company, demonstrated knowledge of the problem, and pricing and methodology.
  • Modern business proposals are sent electronically. Platforms like PandaDoc have tools to help you create a collaborative environment for negotiation, feedback, and electronic signature.
  • 65% of business proposals containing a signature block close within 24 hours. Don’t forget to follow up and ask your potential client if they have any questions.
  • A successful business proposal focuses on the client’s needs.

how does a business proposal end

→DOWNLOAD NOW: FREE BUSINESS PROPOSAL TEMPLATE

What is a business proposal and why is it important?

In simple terms, a business proposal is a document that outlines a specific product, service, or project that a company offers to potential clients or partners, with the aim of persuading them that the business can meet their needs. A business deal follows if a proposal is successful. As they often present the benefits, features, and terms of a certain idea, business proposals are important in many industries for sales, marketing, project management, and other business endeavors.

Depending on the needs of the client and the industry that you occupy, the content included in a standard proposal will fluctuate.

For example, at PandaDoc, many of our business proposals are customized to fit the unique needs of enterprise-level organizations that are too big for our smaller plans.

If you were to compare our sales team to that of a construction company submitting a proposal to construct a building, the difference in requirements becomes clear. The proposal required for building construction is probably longer and may include far more business proposal topics than our sales representatives would include when closing a deal.

What should be included in a business proposal outline?

When thinking about how to create a business proposal, you should include everything you believe you need in order to sell your product or service.

This includes all of the basic headings and subheadings you’ll see in a traditional proposal, as well as any supplemental documentation to justify your costs and reinforce your proposed approach to solving the client’s problem.

In addition to basic information about your product, when planning how to write a business proposal you should also consider including the following:

  • Contact information
  • Value statements
  • Pricing tables
  • Client testimonials
  • Examples of past work (case studies)
  • Images, graphics, and related multimedia

If you’re sending your proposal electronically, you should also consider including an electronic signature block so that decisionmakers can quickly and easily seal the deal when they’re ready to proceed.

What types of business proposals are there?

All business proposals are essentially the same, but your submittal method may vary depending on the type of business proposal you need to send.

Solicited proposals are an example of a business proposal that a company has asked you to provide for their consideration. The potential customer has reached out to your business and requested a proposal. This usually falls into one of two categories:

Formally solicited proposals are typically competitive and follow a standardized (formal) process. The prospective client sends out an RFP detailing the scope of work and requests that your business formally submit a bid to complete that work.

Informally solicited proposals are typically created based on conversations between a prospective client and a vendor that they want to work with. There might not be any formal documentation, and there may be no competitive process. This work can often lead to a sole-source, non-competitive contract.

Unsolicited proposals are documents that your company sends to a prospective client who hasn’t asked for one. They are not submitted in response to an RFP or an information request. Such proposals are typically created based on a market opportunity — often one that the client is either unaware of or hasn’t yet acted upon.

What is the basic format of a business proposal?

The traditional format of a business proposal is as follows:

  • Cover letter
  • Table of contents
  • Executive summary
  • Proposal & solutions pages
  • Testimonials & social proof
  • Agreement & CTA

Based on our research into over 566,000 proposals created on PandaDoc platform, most business proposals are around nine pages in length.

To get a closer look at how to get started and bring your business proposal ideas to life using these steps, check out each section lower down in this article.

How to make a business proposal in 9 steps

Knowing how to write a business proposal is a bit like building a house. While there are certain elements that are always necessary — like the foundation — a house varies based on location and the architect or homeowner’s preferences.

In the same way, the components of a business proposal can vary based on industry, company size, and many other factors.

Just like writing anything else, a well-written proposal begins by gathering information and assessing the problems that your potential client is trying to solve.

When writing a business proposal, the following items are what readers are looking to glean from your proposal. Think of these as the roof, walls, and foundation of your document:

  • Information about your company. Your background, your qualifications, and why you’re a better fit than the rest of your competitors.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of the problem. Proof that you’ve listened and done your research. You know what the client needs and you have a viable solution.
  • Pricing and methodology. How you plan to solve the client’s problem, information about your proposed solution, and how much it’s going to cost.

In the next section, we’ll take you through how to write a business proposal using our social media proposal template as an example.

If you’re not a social media company, don’t worry.

While the business proposal template we’re using is an example of a simple project proposal, the basic structure applies to nearly every business proposal — no matter how complex they might be.

You can download this business proposal example and business proposal templates on our website.

Here are the main elements of a business proposal.

Before you start making a business proposal, a quick note on length

Based on our analysis of proposals on our platform, we found that the average proposal length is about nine pages.

But, as several of our own account executives and sales team members were quick to point out, longer doesn’t always mean better.

“Short and sweet has a high conversion rate,” said Josh Gillespie, from Upmarket Sales . “Fewer pages and less fluff is better. Ideally, a proposal should be fewer than 10 pages for transactional proposals below $10,000, and never more than 50 pages.”

Artyom Voronetskiy, Account Executive with PandaDoc, agrees:

“Keep it short, on-point, and eye-catching. Do not write more than six to ten pages unless your product is extremely complicated.”

While you should make sure to include all relevant information that prospective clients will need in order to make a decision, take care to avoid overcrowding them with irrelevant details.

1. Create a cover page

This section of a business proposal includes basic information like your company’s name and contact information, your company logo, your client’s name, and contact information, the date, and a title.

how does a business proposal end

A strong title page makes the project proposal look neat, organized, and well put together.

It’s also the very first thing that your prospective client will see when they open your proposal, and everyone knows how important that first impression can be.

Studies have shown that you have as little as 50 milliseconds to make a good first impression when designing visual content like websites.

The same holds true for the cover page of your business proposal.

Unlike the rest of your document, a cover page is a place where you can place graphics and visual content to set the tone before the reader dives into the meat of your proposal.

But don’t go overboard with complicated graphics and logos on this page. Users love simple and familiar designs , especially at a first glance.

This is also a great way for you to stand out. Based on our data, only about 13% of business proposals we see use cover pages . Take advantage of this missed opportunity and use it to stand out from your competitors.

2. Introduce yourself with a cover letter

You wouldn’t walk up to your potential client and dive into project specifics without introducing yourself, would you?

A cover letter is that introduction.

Include a one-liner about your company, short background information about how your business came to be, and a brief overview of what makes your company better than the rest.

Make it friendly and encourage your reader to reach out with any questions. Close it with a thank you and a signature.

how does a business proposal end

Cover letters don’t have run on to the point of exhaustion. They can be simple, short, and sweet. In this example, the text is just over 100 words, but you could make it even easier to read by using bullet points.

Check this out:

Dear [Client.FirstName]

Thank you for considering [Sender.Company] for your social media marketing needs.

Enclosed, you’ll find a proposal based on our understanding of your social media expectations. Briefly, we propose:

  • An expanded social media strategy across currently unused platforms and channels
  • A comprehensive distribution strategy designed to generate original and unique content
  • Improved post automation for increased audience engagement during peak times

Our methods and procedures are based on extensive analysis, an intense study of social media trends, and the application of specifics unique to [Client.Company].

We are confident in delivering effective results within your social media channels.

Thanks again for considering us, and please don’t hesitate to get in touch with questions.

My contact information is below.

Your cover letter can take on many forms, and you can use those formats to make your business proposal stand out from the crowd.

In our business proposal example, note that we’ve also used an image to keep things fun and interesting.

This is critical throughout your proposal. In our research, we found that a business proposal with media like photos and videos included is 34% more likely to close.

As you’re making your proposal, don’t be afraid to add graphics and images to keep readers engaged. A winning business proposal is more than just black text on a white page.

statistics on business proposal

3. Table of contents

Unless your business proposal is very brief, include a table of contents that outlines the basic structure of your document.

A table of contents is an important, but often overlooked, part of any longer document because it helps the reader know what they can expect to find in the proposal.

Most word processors generate a table of contents automatically using the headings in your document . As you’re writing a business proposal, take the time to set the formatting for your headings and then simply generate a table of contents from those headings.

A table of contents isn’t always necessary, but it can make a business proposal much easier to parse as your document is passed around to all appropriate parties.

Remember: Proposal documents may not be read chronologically. Different decision-makers will care about different things and will check your business proposal to see how it addresses their unique pain points.

Don’t lose a deal just because stakeholders couldn’t find what they were looking for!

4. Set the scene with an executive summary

Your executive summary sets the scene for the rest of your business proposal by providing a high-level overview that summarizes the contents of future pages.

If you provided a few of these details in your cover letter, this is your opportunity to go into greater detail and summarize your overall strategy.

Using our example of a business proposal, our potential clients are primarily realtors in the greater Chicago area looking to reach new clients through social media marketing, so your executive summary might read like this:

This proposal outlines a coordinated plan crafted with the intent of building John’s Real Estate social media presence, primarily including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Vine, and Twitter.

By engaging an audience through social media channels, our team will demonstrate the ability to generate awareness, widen your company’s potential reach within your target market, and contribute to driving more website traffic, which will ultimately result in top-line growth.

We help realtors identify, target, and communicate with their ideal clients through each of the following:

  • Creating Engaging Social Content
  • Posting Company-Related Updates
  • Promotions & Social Campaigns
  • Integrating Social Media Activity into Other Marketing Plans
  • Monitoring

While our competitors work to serve multiple industries and target audiences, we specialize in the real estate industry. Our co-founder Tom Lancaster also has a background in both social media and real estate, giving him a unique perspective on the needs of the market.

Your own executive summary will shift depending on the duties you’re performing for the client, and what kind of industry they’re in.

Your tone might also change. If you’re targeting a young travel startup run by college graduates, you might use a more casual tone peppered with industry jargon and humor.

Jump Social Media Marketing offers full-service social media services for the real estate industry. Our team ensures area realtors are targeting their core market with an authentic message across the best channels possible.

Jump Social Media Marketing will work to identify, target and market to your ideal customer through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Vine, and Twitter channels. Our team estimates we will grow your social media followers from your combined 214 followers to over 5,000 in the next six months and generate additional leads for your business.

We know that today’s realtors are also tasked with marketing homes and their own real estate firms. With a background in real estate and social media, Jump Social Media understands the unique needs of your industry.

While writing a business proposal, keep in mind that your executive summary isn’t designed to explain every detail or sell your entire RFP response by itself!

Don’t get lost describing deliverable logistics or strategic plans. Focus on the client’s needs and the outcomes they specifically wanted to address in their request for proposal.

Let your executive summary present a high-level overview and leave the other pages of the document to explain the details. This will prevent your summary from getting overcrowded or bogged down with specifics best handled elsewhere.

5. Proposal and solutions pages

The proposal section is a general overview of the custom-made solution your company has devised for your potential client.

This section gets into the specifics.

Anticipate their questions, and take them through the process so they know what they’re signing up for when they hire you.

Describe exactly what deliverables they can expect and when they can expect them.

A timetable that pairs deliverables with their expected date can make your document more visually appealing, and your information more digestible.

how does a business proposal end

You might also break down your main objectives even further by describing how you plan to execute a given strategy.

In our example of a business proposal, we touched on six key goals during our executive summary. Let’s expand on those here.

1. Creating engaging social content

Beginning with quick and thorough planning/preparation, our team will plan out a dynamic, ongoing social content calendar to guide you to your goals.

We will grow an increasing social audience and follower base using each of the following techniques:

  • Hashtag campaigns
  • Strong use of keywords
  • Sharing/retweeting relevant news
  • “Liking” posts
  • Staying updated within the industry
  • Contributing our own unique content to broaden reach.

2. Posting company related updates

Our plan is to engage your social media audience by sharing company news, press releases, events, employee spotlights, and more.

We will also pay attention to industry trends, and share them. This will help to gain exposure to your target market.

3. Promotions and social campaigns

We will utilize social channels to connect with your follower base and engage them with promotions to get them excited about both current events and the brand itself.

These campaigns may be as short as a day or run up to six months. We’ll analyze the results from each campaign, and then we will provide a report of its success.

Results of campaigns can be compared so the most effective promotions, offers, or contests can be replicated.

4. Integrating social media activity into other marketing plans

With clear communication and monthly brainstorm meetings, we’ll be able to consolidate the marketing initiatives to fit your goals and promotional material.

Campaigns via social media are more important than just sharing about giveaways, sales, contests, and/or promotions. We will agree on a schedule for a series of posts to keep up the exciting momentum for all prospective customers.

5. Monitoring

It is important to regularly maintain marketing activity for maximum growth.

We will continually monitor each channel and will respond to any questions, comments, and posts within a two-hour time period. Two hours will allow us to confirm that accurate information is relayed back to the person asking.

6. Analytics

We will provide you with each of the following:

  • Daily and weekly analytics. Follower growth, reach, demographics, comments, “likes”, shares, retweets, and additional metrics as provided by each platform and our own internal tracking data.
  • Reporting. Summarizing various results and activities over each quarter.

We will also set up a monthly meeting to go over the results and then tweak our approach accordingly.

Your own content may look different than this depending on your business proposal writing skills and services, but you can still use the example as a framework. Add in more details as needed.

For example, a cybersecurity company would need to include information on penetration testing and how often it would be done to look for possible intrusions and hacks.

Breaking up this section

While writing business proposal content, keep in mind that this section is both the most important and the most flexible section of all.

Your entire proposal doesn’t need to be bundled into a single, long section. It can easily be broken down into smaller sections such as:

  • Strategic Assessment
  • Implementation
  • Goals & Outlook

There are other combinations you can try, depending on your business proposal and how your solution should be explained.

If you’re offering a complex solution to a client problem, breaking your proposal into bite-sized chunks is a great way to ensure that readers understand your solution.

The importance of good data

Leveraging good data is critical when creating an effective business proposal.

Use details surrounding impact and ROI around your products and services to prove your worth and add value to your proposal.

Consider these two phrases:

“Our customers love us!”

“To date, our products and methodologies have helped more than 700 companies increase their sales by 35%!”

Which sounds better? Which is more compelling? Numbers and figures catch the eye and help readers build trust. By demonstrating a proven record of success, with numbers and data, you’re adding tangible details that help to justify your costs.

This is especially useful when competing with other solicited proposals, especially if you can include these data points as visual representations (charts, graphs, etc.) of your success within your proposal document.

This is the section where clarity and specifics are key — and nearly every member of our sales team agreed.

Create a pricing table that clearly identifies each product or service, and pair it with the most accurate pricing information you can provide.

Jump Social Media Marketing operates on a monthly billing cycle. Here’s a layout of the pricing and services for John’s Real Estate.

how does a business proposal end

While building the proposal, all you’d need to do is set the price for the item and the quantity of distribution.

If you were sending an hourly contract, the quantity becomes the estimated number of hours invested at a predetermined rate.

For recurring payment schedules, you’ll need to structure the document in a way that reflects your monthly workflow.

Transparency is critical in this section. Potential customers want to know how you’re charging them, what they’re being charged for, and over what period they should expect to pay.

Be sure to include all details in a clear and accurate way.

7. About us

While you already said hello with the cover letter, this section is where you get to explain what makes your company unique.

If you’re a small business or a new company, get personal and give your potential client a chance to get to know you and your team members. Include brief bios and photos of the people they’ll be working with.

If your company has a unique backstory, a mission, or a cause that your company stands for, share that with readers. For example:

Too often in social media , good things come at a price. At Jump, paying for followers or favorable reviews of products is tantamount to criminal activity.

Authenticity is important in today’s online world, and Jump Social Media Marketing makes this our No. 1 priority in your social media space.

The information included on this page doesn’t have to be a stodgy company boilerplate or a cleverly designed sales pitch.

As the old saying goes: People buy from people — so don’t be afraid to let your team’s personality shine through.

8. Testimonials and social proof

No sales proposal is complete without information about your past successes, awards, and jobs well done.

Often, this comes in the form of social proof, such as client testimonials and short case studies.

Why do you need this? Because social proof matters!

According to data, over half of customers are more likely to trust earned media, like recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising.

By including recommendations from satisfied customers and industry awards that prove your expertise, you can earn additional trust from prospective clients.

Here’s a good example of how Jump Social Media Marketing might leverage the accolades they’ve received:

Jump Social Media Marketing has received major public recognition for our work.

We’ve been named as Chicago’s Best Social Media Agency for Small Businesses by the Chicago Tribune for the past three years and have been recognized as a recommended partner by the National Association of Realtors .

We also grew the Chicago Real Estate Solutions Facebook page from 0 to 5,000 in six months , secured 250 new leads in that time frame , with 25% converting to sales .

You can also provide testimonials from past clients who can speak to your approach and how it worked for them, like so:

how does a business proposal end

Lively and humorous testimonials like these can add additional personality to your company while building trust and rapport with potential clients.

However, keep your industry in mind when compiling testimonials and do your best to find user feedback that fits the mood.

If your industry has serious clients, a humorous approach may not be appropriate. If you’re working with a 3D manufacturing company with B2B clients, the messaging and tone they take with their own clients — and what they expect from the businesses they work with — may follow different expectations.

Be sure to plan accordingly.

9. Agreement and CTA

Depending on your business proposal, you may include an agreement, a call to action, and terms and conditions at the end of your document.

Your signature below indicates acceptance of this social media marketing proposal and entrance into a contractual agreement with Jump Social Media Marketing beginning on the signature date below:

how does a business proposal end

Depending on your goals and your sales process, you need to be very careful in this section. In many jurisdictions, proposals are considered legally binding contracts if they meet the criteria for a contract.

By adding legal language and/or an electronic signature request at the bottom of your document, you might be entering into a contract earlier than expected.

This may not be ideal if your proposal is only intended to provide a rough estimate of costs or bring the client into further negotiations.

If you don’t intend to create a legally binding contract from your proposal, be sure to note that in your document and prompt the reader to contact you to move the process forward.

On the other hand, well-built proposals can double as complete contracts with all the terms and conditions necessary to start work immediately.

If you’re confident in the scope of work and you’re ready to take on the additional work, let the client know by promoting them for a signature.

How does a business proposal look?

First things first: We’re well past the turn of the century. Nobody likes getting thick envelopes in the mail.

Modern business proposals are sent electronically, and this is more convenient for both you and your potential customers.

While it’s possible to email a proposal created with a word processor like Microsoft Word, platforms like PandaDoc are a better fit. Our tools help you create a collaborative environment for negotiation, feedback, and electronic signature .

Regardless of how you choose to send a business proposal, be sure to pay close attention to the look and feel of your document. Especially because your proposal may be your first impression with several key stakeholders, it’s essential that you follow expected formats and make a good impression.

If you search for business proposal examples online or take a look at our template library , you’ll find that most proposals rely on the structure described above to emphasize their value propositions.

Taking care to create a visually appealing business proposal will help you communicate your ideas more easily. It’s also something that your competitors are doing and something that many clients are beginning to expect.

In our research, we found that roughly 80% of proposals included an image and 20% included a video. We also saw higher close rates when these multimedia tools were used compared to when they weren’t.

Exactly how a business proposal is designed still has some flexibility, depending on your brand and what you’re trying to achieve, but keep in mind that it can have a big impact on success.

Business proposals with pages of blocky text are much harder to navigate than proposals with charts, graphs, images, and bullet points.

It’s important to spend time beautifying your proposal,” points out Jared from PandaDoc Sales .

“A proposal that are can draw the eye directly to relevant content and keep the reader engaged is a powerful tool when trying to close a deal.”

Rather than writing a 1000-word About Us section, consider including team member headshots and a brief bio.

Rather than adding highly technical language about operational processes and leaving stakeholders to figure it out, provide visual aids that summarize the information in a clear and easy fashion.

Clearly defining your milestones isn’t the only reason to pay careful attention to how your business proposal is written.

While there can be legal ramifications to poorly written proposal content, perhaps the most important consideration is the impression that your proposal leaves behind.

Your proposal introduces your client to the quality of work they can expect from your business. If it’s full of typos, spelling, and grammatical errors, or just seems sloppy, you’re unlikely to close the deal.

Read and re-read. Be sure to proofread every passage for errors before you send it to prospective clients or save it as a template.

You can also offset some of this tedium, especially on smaller deals, by focusing on creating a concise offering rather than a long-winded document.

A word about costs

When you’re creating proposals, it’s easy for costs to add up. Costs for customized professional business proposals can take hours of research, consultation, and preparation — all with no guarantee of success.

That’s why savvy companies do everything they can to lower the cost of proposal preparation. Typically this is done by generating a template for business proposals — an outline or skeleton that someone can fill out quickly to save time and expedites internal company processes.

It’s an effective way to keep overhead low. Based on our research, an average of 20 documents are generated from each template you create .

That’s a huge time saver for any business.

If these aren’t assets that you have on your staff, consider hiring that skillset onto your team or hiring a freelancer to assist with proofreading and correction.

While many clients will overlook a stray typo or a misplaced comma, too many errors will land your proposal in the discard pile.

When you’re creating business proposals, it’s easy for costs to add up. Costs for customized professional business proposals can take hours of research, consultation, and preparation — all with no guarantee of success.

After you hit ‘Send’ on your business proposal

Once you’ve sent your proposal, your next step will depend on the process. Based on our information, about 65% of business proposals containing a signature block close within 24 hours.

business proposal

However, your mileage may vary. RFPs tend to be competitive processes, so you may have to wait until the submission window closes before you hear a response.

Don’t forget to follow up and ask your potential client if they have any questions. Based on the business proposals we looked at, you are 30% more likely to close a deal if you send a series of reminders to keep your proposal top of mind.

how to close deals by 30%

PandaDoc and other proposal software tools can help you monitor your proposal using document analytics so that you know exactly when to reach out.

These tools let you know when your potential client viewed your proposal, how many times they opened it, and which sections they spent the most time on.

With these insights, you can anticipate their questions or objections and have your responses ready to go.

7 ideas to make your business proposal stand out

Just because you may have a perfect business proposal all ready to go, it doesn’t mean it will stand out from the crowd. Many startups fail due to competitors, so a unique proposal idea can make your readers sit up and take notice. Pizazz isn’t what matters here, rather any idea that adds value to your proposal and communicates quality. Here are a few ideas to put the spotlight on your business proposal:

  • Personalize your business proposal for each client: Ensure that your business proposal meets the exact challenges and interests of each recipient, as this will show you understand their specific needs.
  • Create a business proposal website: A professional business proposal website will always wow your potential clients. Not only will it showcase your company and highlight your industry expertise, but it will give your recipient simple access to relevant information and make your proposal interactive. This is a feature that will leave a lasting impression.
  • Add a VR or AR demo: If your business proposal includes a virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) demo, it will make for an immersive proposal experience as it adds interactivity to your proposal. Again, this idea offers a memorable experience with lasting impact.
  • Add sound to your proposal: A really clever way to make your message stay in the memory of your reader is to add music or sound to a business proposal. This could be a song or jingle, sound effects, or royalty-free music.
  • Try a direct mail element: Make your business proposal stand out among a sea of digital communication by going back to traditional methods and adding a personalized direct mail element. A handwritten note or small gift will make your business proposal memorable, highlighting your attention to detail and dedication to personalized communication.
  • Ask an influencer to present or vouch for your proposal: If you are already working with an influencer, their input can boost your proposal credibility. Show that respected figures in the industry support you, and this will add authority and appeal to your business proposal, upping your chances of success.
  • Hide a few Easter Eggs: A hidden message, cute animation, or a secret section are all little surprises add a touch of fun and intrigue to your busniess proposal. Easter eggs really encourage exploration and will encourage your readers to spend more time on your proposal. It won’t be one they’ll forget in a hurry!

Free business proposal templates and winning examples can make writing simple

Need to know how to write a business proposal but don’t know where to begin? PandaDoc can help with some great examples of business proposals.

In the proposals that we looked at, those created using our business proposal templates regularly created high-performing results for customers with minimal editing time.

Take a look at some of the metrics around the top professional business proposal templates currently in our template library .

Once you’ve fitted an existing business proposal template to your personal needs, you can save it as a fresh template in your content library for even faster reuse.

In doing so, you can slim the entire business proposal design process down from hours to minutes or spend more time refining your proposal for maximum appeal.

To see the true power of the PandaDoc editor, be sure to check out our community gallery for expertly designed templates from real PandaDoc customers.

If you’re a PandaDoc user, you can even swipe these business proposals and load them directly into your PandaDoc editor with a single click.

It’s just that easy.

how does a business proposal end

Social Media Marketing Proposal Template

Used 13721 times

Legally reviewed by Yauhen Zaremba

A successful business proposal focuses on the client’s needs

Ultimately, your proposal should be focused on your client’s needs and how your business plans to fix them.

No matter how you choose to write a business proposal, never lose sight of that goal.

The RFP you receive will have most of the information you need to build a great proposal.

Take things step-by-step, and use the opportunity to show your client that your business is the right fit for the job.

But, why not sign up for a free 14-day trial with PandaDoc today?

PandDoc is not a law firm, or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. This page is not intended to and does not provide legal advice. Should you have legal questions on the validity of e-signatures or digital signatures and the enforceability thereof, please consult with an attorney or law firm. Use of PandaDocs services are governed by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Originally was published in October 2016 and has been updated for comprehensiveness in January 2024

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Closing a Proposal

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Writing a business proposal conclusion involves summarizing all of your main points, overcoming objections and finishing with a flourish. Just as in closing a sales presentation, closing a proposal should include asking for a specific response or action. Be prepared for a “yes” by having necessary documents and paperwork available so you can secure the deal right away.

Address Potential Objections

Successfully constructing a project proposal conclusion involves addressing and dismissing any potential objections to the issue at hand. For example, if you’re writing a proposal for your manager about utilizing telecommuting staffers in your office, anticipated objections could relate to employee oversight, productivity and teamwork efforts.

While you likely addressed these concerns earlier in your proposal, the closing is the place to briefly reiterate solutions to potential main areas of concern. A proposal conclusion example that successfully addresses potential objections could say, “To reiterate, telecommuting employees will be required to meet daily production quotas, check in twice daily by email and teleconference with management at the start of each day.”

If you're writing a high-stakes proposal, consider brainstorming potential objections with co-workers to ensure you cover all your bases. You'll not only impress your manager or client with your foresight, but also save time by producing a proposal that mitigates the need for extensive back-and-forth discussion.

Summarize Key Points of the Proposal

Summarize the key points of your proposal (which in itself is a summary of prior conversations, according to Industrial Marketer ) in the conclusion. Focus on why action is needed and emphasize the benefits the action will have for the company. Consider keeping things organized in a written proposal by presenting the key ideas as bullet points.

For example, “Telecommuting will reduce overhead, improve productivity and allow us to expand our staffing and our access to expert freelancers.” If you have vital facts and figures related to costs, earnings or productivity projections, summarize them here as well.

Describe the Next Steps

Describing the next steps to take if a proposal is accepted is a way to take your presentation from a thought or idea into a real concept that decision-makers can visualize.

For example, “With our teleconferencing system already in place and a dozen full-time employees interested in taking their jobs from full-time to telecommuting positions, the next step is to develop a timetable for implementation. This includes finalizing daily quota expectations and setting a schedule for daily teleconferences.”

Make the Ask in the Business Proposal Conclusion

Making the ask in a proposal is much like closing the deal and getting a signed contract in the sales arena. It's a call to action that should, according to Inc.com , give a clear sense of what you provide and what the recipient is expected to do next. If delivering a verbal proposal, you may open the floor to questions prior to this stage to help secure your position.

If developing a written proposal, ask for a definitive timetable for a decision or an in-person meeting or phone call to clarify the final steps of the proposal. For example, “If everyone agrees that this approach will be beneficial to our organization, I would like to propose launching our telecommuting staff on the first of next month with a one-year trial commitment, to be reviewed after the first six months of operation.”

  • IndustrialMarketer.com: Proposal Writing Tips That Close Deals
  • Inc.com: 5 Closing Statements to Make In a Sales Email

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How to Write a Business Proposal in 7 Steps

Meredith Turits

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Whether you’re a B2B or a B2C company, you’re in the business of convincing customers to choose to spend their money with your business. For a B2B company that process usually involves a business proposal. In the B2B industry, once you've attracted new customers, which are most likely other businesses, you have to actually make a deal. Unlike B2C companies, who use marketing strategies and then hope their customers respond and purchase their product and service, there's a little more involved in this exchange. That's where your business proposal will come into the picture.

Luckily, even though your process and the exact format for your business proposal can be unique to your company, there is also a general formula you can follow to make things easier, especially the first few times you write a proposal.

In this guide, we'll walk you through the general steps of how to write a business proposal—including how to decide what kind of proposal you're writing, how you should organize it, and what information you should include.

how does a business proposal end

How to write a b usiness proposal: 7 essential steps to follow

With these starting points in mind, let's get down to the process. Whether you’re just learning how to write a business proposal, or want to change up the one you’ve already been using, you’ll want to break down writing into a step-by-step approach. The organization is key when you’re writing a business proposal—structure will not only help you answer the core questions mentioned above, but it’ll also help you create consistent, successful proposals every time you’re pitching new business.

This being said, when writing a business proposal, you can break down the document into these sections:

Introduction

Table of contents

Executive summary

Project details

Deliverables and milestones

Bonus: Appendix (if necessary)

Step 1: Introduction

The introduction to your business proposal should provide your client with a succinct overview of what your company does (similar to the company overview in your business plan). It should also include what sets your company apart from its peers, and why it’s particularly well-suited to be the selected vendor to undertake a job—whether the assignment is a singular arrangement or an ongoing relationship.

The most effective business proposal introductions accomplish more with less: It’s important to be comprehensive without being overly wordy. You'll want to resist the temptation to share every detail about your company’s history and lines of business, and don’t feel the need to outline every detail of your proposal. You'll want to keep the introduction section to one page or shorter.

Step 2: Table of contents

Once you've introduced your business and why you're the right fit for the client you're submitting the proposal to (a quasi-cover letter), you'll want to next create a table of contents. Like any typical table of contents, this section will simply outline what the client can expect to find in the remainder of the proposal. You'll include all of the sections that we'll cover below, simply laid out as we just did above.

If you're sending an electronic proposal, you may want to make the table of contents clickable so the client can easily jump from section to section by clicking the links within the actual table of contents.

Step 3: Executive summary

Next, your business proposal should always include an executive summary that frames out answers to the who, what, where, when, why, and how questions that you’re proposing to the client lead. Here, the client will understand that you understand them.

It's important to note that despite the word "summary," this section shouldn't be a summary of your whole business proposal. Instead, this section should serve as your elevator pitch or value proposition. You'll use the executive summary to make an explicit case for why your company is the best fit for your prospect’s needs. Talk about your strengths, areas of expertise, similar problems you’ve solved, and the advantages you provide over your competitors—all from the lens of how these components could help your would-be client’s business thrive.

Step 4: Project details

When it comes to how to write a business proposal, steps four through six will encompass the main body of your proposal—where your potential client will understand how you’ll address their project and the scope of the work.

Within this body, you'll start by explaining your recommendation, solution, or approach to servicing the client. As you get deeper within your explanation, your main goal will be to convey to the client that you’re bringing something truly custom to the table. Show that you've created this proposal entirely for them based on their needs and any problems they need to solve. At this point, you'll detail your proposed solution, the tactics you’ll undertake to deliver on it, and any other details that relate to your company’s recommended approach.

Step 5: Deliverables and milestones

This section will nest inside the project details section, but it’s an essential step on its own.

Your proposal recipient doesn’t get merely an idea of your plan, of course—they get proposed deliverables. You'll outline your proposed deliverables here with in-depth descriptions of each (that might include quantities or the scope of services, depending on the kind of business you run). You never want to assume a client is on the same page as you with expectations, because if you’re not aligned, they might think you over-promised and under-delivered. Therefore, this is the section where you'll want to go into the most detail.

Along these lines, you can also use this section of the prospective client's proposal to restrict the terms and scope of your services. This can come in handy if you’re concerned that the work you’re outlining could lead to additional projects or responsibilities that you’re not planning to include within your budget.

Moreover, you might also want to consider adding milestones to this section, either alongside deliverables or entirely separately. Milestones can be small, such as delivery dates for a specific package of project components, or when you send over your first draft of a design. Or, you can choose to break out the project into phases. For longer projects, milestones can be a great way to convey your company’s organization and responsibility.

Step 6: Budget

There’s no way around the fact that pricing projects isn’t easy or fun—after all, you need to balance earning what you’re worth and proving value, while also not scaring away a potential client, or getting beaten out by a competitor with a cheaper price. Nevertheless, a budget or pricing section is an integral part of a business proposal, so you'll want to prepare your pricing strategy ahead of time before getting into the weeds of any proposal writing.

This being said, if you fear the fee might seem too high to your potential client, you might decide to break out the individual components of the budget—for example: social media services, $700; web copywriting $1,500—or create a few different tiers of pricing with different services contained in each. The second approach might not work for all types of businesses or proposal requests, but it may be worth considering if you’re worried about your overall fee appearing steep.

With these points in mind, once you've determined how to outline your pricing, you'll list it out (you might even include optional fees or services) and the overall cost for the scope of work you've described.

Step 7: Conclusion

Finally, your conclusion should wrap up your understanding of the project, your proposed solutions, and what kind of work (and costs) are involved. This is your last opportunity to make a compelling case within your business proposal—reiterate what you intend to do, and why it beats your competitors’ ideas.

If you're writing an RFP, again, meaning a potential client has requested this document from you, you might also include a terms and conditions section at this point. This end-on piece would detail the terms of your pricing, schedule, and scope of work that the client would be agreeing to by accepting this proposal.

Bonus step: Appendix (optional)

After the conclusion, you might also decide to include an appendix—where you add any supplemental information that that either doesn’t fit within the main proposal without being disruptive for the reader, or is less than essential to understanding the main components of your proposal. You’ll likely only need an appendix if you have stats, figures, illustrations, or examples of work that you want to share with your potential client. This being said, you might also include contact information, details about your team, and other relevant information in this section.

If you don't have any additional information to include, don't worry—you can end your business proposal with the conclusion section.

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Business proposal considerations

Before you dive into determining how to write a business proposal that will give you a competitive edge, there are a few important things to keep in mind.

First, you'll want to make sure that you’re accomplishing the right objectives with your proposal. When writing a business proposal, you’re trying to walk a line between both promoting your company and addressing the needs of your would-be client, which can be difficult for any company to do.

This being said, you'll want to remember that a business proposal is different than a business plan, which you likely already wrote for your company when you were starting your business. Your business plan spells out your company's overall growth goals and objectives, but a business proposal speaks directly to a specific could-be client with the purpose of winning their business for your company.

With this in mind, in order to write a business proposal for any potential client, you'll need to establish your internal objectives and how these will contribute to the work you're proposing. To explain, you'll need to consider the following:

What tasks will need to be done for this work?

Who will do each task, and oversee the job at large?

What you’ll charge for the job?

Where will the work be delivered?

When will it be done?

Why are you the best fit for the job the client needs to be accomplished?

How will you achieve results?

Not only are these questions at the heart of clear and concise writing, but you also won't be able to write your business proposal without answers to them. So as you're going through the different pieces of your business proposal, keep in mind the objectives of your business, while also remaining persuasive regarding why the potential client should work with you instead of someone else.

The next important thing you'll need to keep in mind before you start writing a business proposal is what kind of proposal are you writing. Essentially, there are two types of business proposals—solicited proposals where someone requested the proposal from your company—and unsolicited proposals, where you're sending the document to another business unprompted.

In the case of solicited proposals, often called RFPs (short for a request for proposal), it’s likely that this potential client already knows at least a little about your business. With these kinds of business proposals, you'll want to spend less time convincing the client that you're the best small business consultant for the job and more on making your proposal feel custom to their specific brief, project, or problem. On the whole, the less generic your business proposal is, the more likely you are to win the work.

Unsolicited proposals, on the other hand, are much harder to sell.

As you’re writing a business proposal to a company that doesn’t know they may need your services, you’ll want to focus on getting them to understand why your company is specifically unique. You want to show them that you can add significant value to their business that they don’t already have. If there is currently someone performing the function you would like to, the sell will even be more difficult.

Business proposal examples

So, now that we've gone through all of the steps to show you how to write a business proposal, let's discuss some examples. As you go through the writing process, you might find it's helpful to consult external resources to review business proposal samples or templates and see how other businesses have structured these types of documents. Specifically, it might be even more helpful to review business proposal examples that relate to your particular industry—such as marketing, advertising, or finance.

General business proposal sample

If you're looking for a general business proposal example, you might consult BPlan, which offers advice, examples, and templates for the documents that are required to plan and operate a small business. In the BPlan sample, BPlan breaks their example into three overarching parts—a problem statement, a proposed solution, and a pricing estimate. This may be a good place to start if you're writing a business proposal for the first time and need a simple, general example to follow.

For a solicited proposal or RFP, you may want to reference a business proposal example that specifically operates under the assumption that you've been asked for this proposal. In this case, you may check out one of the downloadable RFP templates from Template Lab.

Template Lab offers both Word and PDF versions of their templates—and these business proposal samples will include sections more appropriate for RFPs including terms and conditions, scheduling, and points of contact.

Business proposal template services or software

For the most advanced and plug-and-play type business proposal samples, you may decide to utilize a service like Proposify or PandaDoc. These software services allow you to choose from their library of professionally designed and outlined business proposal examples (which are also usually industry-specific) and customize the template for your business's needs.

It's important to note, however, that although you may be able to sign up for a free trial for these services, most of them will eventually require a paid subscription.

5 best practices for writing a business proposal

Writing a business proposal can seem overwhelming at first, as it requires you to provide information about your company and its services as they relate specifically to what your prospect needs. As you go through the process again and again, however, it will become easier and easier to write a succinct and effective business proposal.

This being said, there are a few best practices you can keep in mind to help you as you get started:

1. Be direct.

Although you might feel the urge to show off your language skills while trying to impress a client, when you’re writing a business proposal, tour best bet to win business is to be clear, concise, and direct. You won't want to use overly flowery language or anything that could possibly be misconstrued.

2. Don’t leave room for ambiguity.

You'll want to make sure your proposal is straightforward and easy to understand, with no room for misinterpretation around what you say you’ll do or deliver.

Therefore, you'll want to avoid overly complicated industry jargon to be sure your client can understand exactly what you're talking about and what it means within the scope of your (and their) business.

3. Write for the right audience.

If you were writing a proposal for a specialty food business, it shouldn't look or sound exactly the same as if you were writing a proposal for an asset management company. You'll always want to keep your audience in mind as your craft and develop your proposal.

Ultimately, your best bet is to be straightforward, clear, and stick to the details, but you also shouldn't be afraid to tailor your writing to your audience so that your client feels that the proposal has truly been created with their business in mind.

This being said, your proposal should show that you not only understand your potential client but that you also respect them professionally.

4. Consider a title page.

Although this may not be necessary for a shorter business proposal, a title page can help with the general organization, flow, and professional feel of your document.

Like a title page for any other type of report, this one-page cover sheet would precede the remainder of your proposal and would likely include your business's name, contact information, and logo, as well as who you're submitting the proposal to.

Depending on your business or the potential client you're submitting the proposal to, you might decide that a title page is unnecessary, however, it's worth keeping in mind that it may be something to visually draw in your reader from the start.

5. Err on the side of brevity.

Finally, within the world of business proposals, shorter is usually better. This isn't to say, of course, that you should leave out details or omit important sections—it simply means that you should try to find the most succinct way to say what you need to say and get your point across to the potential client.

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The bottom line

There's no doubt about it—learning how to write a business proposal is a lot of work. Luckily, however, you can follow our steps so you know what to include in your proposal and how to include it.

Ultimately, selling your services to potential clients is part of running and managing your business and as you do it again and again, it will only become easier.

This being said, as you go through the lifecycle of your business, you'll begin to accumulate a library of business proposals that you can continuously reference and use to develop your pitching strategy and writing process based on proposals that have and have not worked. And, hopefully, by taking the time to invest in this business proposal process, you'll be winning the work you need to grow your business.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

How to Write a Business Proposal: Step-by-Step Guide

how does a business proposal end

Writing business proposals is arguably not that fun. In fact, most business owners would rather avoid the task. However, if you have an amazing business proposal template to start with you can speed the process up significantly. The key is to build everything right the first time round and give yourself a reusable template you can tweak and adjust until it’s perfect.

What we'll cover in this article

  • Proposal templates
  • Visual presentation and design
  • Introduction (Executive summary)
  • Detailed specification
  • Terms and conditions
  • Optimizing your proposals for conversion

What Is A Business Proposal?

An effective business proposal is a formal document created with the purpose of persuading your potential customers to work with you. It’s a document used in a variety of industries - from selling carpets to offering enterprise software solutions and social media marketing , all of it starts with a business proposal.

Two types of business proposals

Besides the difference in the industry, the main division is between solicited and unsolicited business proposals. A solicited business proposal is sent when you already have a connection with the potential customer and they’re interested in what you’re selling. 

Usually, the buyer themselves will ask for a proposal outlining your problem statement. Whether they’re a small business or government agencies, your proposal should follow the project details they’ve outlined.

On the other hand, unsolicited proposals are sent without the explicit request of someone who may be interested in what you’re selling. Whether you’re writing formally solicited proposals or unsolicited ones, you’ll need to know how to structure them. 

Although it’s easier to create a solicited proposal, don’t stress out about writing unsolicited ones. Our guide can help you in both situations.

How To Write A Business Proposal - Take Your Proposal Writing From Good To Great

How To Write A Business Proposal The Easy Way

Have you ever freehanded a business proposal into the body of an email? Or started compiling it in a Word document from scratch? Or maybe you’re more into InDesign so you noticed a typo on your freshly exported PDF?

The fact of the matter is, creating a proposal for every client from scratch is both exhausting and a waste of time. Having a structured proposal writing system in place will save you countless hours. At the most basic level, your proposal writing system is two things:

  • Having a great business proposal template written with everything in it
  • Knowing what needs editing each time

The first thing, getting your business proposal template in order, is vital. The second is a matter of personalization to the specific job and client.

What Is A Business Proposal Template?

Put simply, a proposal template is a proposal that is about 90% finished. Think of it as a collection of all the best pieces of content you’ve ever put into previous proposals.

Your best introduction describing the problem statement, your best pricing strategy , best type of proof, best title page, etc. A winning template combines all the best elements of the proposals you’ve sent which resulted in sales for your product or service.

How To Write a Business Proposal Using A Proposal Template

If you’re using proposal software like Better Proposals, compiling this shouldn’t be difficult, because you will know which proposals work for your target audience thanks to our analytics and reports.

But what if you’ve never sent proposals before so you don’t have a basis for templates? What if you don’t have the time or just don’t know a thing about proposals? No reason to worry – our proposal library has more than 130 different proposal templates that help sell a wide range of products or services .

Once you have your template in place, you’ll only need to fill out the major details, such as:

  • The client's information
  • Specifics about the offer
  • Pricing, timelines, detailed specification
  • A proof section with an example similar to the offer you’re sending, etc.

Download This Complete Guide On How To Write A Business Proposal

Once you add these, your business proposal is ready to go. The main idea is that templates help you write proposals in 15 minutes instead of 5 hours. To see what the template creation process looks like, check out how easy it is to design yours in Better Proposals .

The importance of a good business proposal template

The best thing about a good proposal template is that you only need to create it once. After that, it’s just a matter of tweaking the details. If you do it properly the first time around, sending out a proposal turns into a few minutes’ work. 

The best tip we have is to choose your best proposal and turn it into a template. Allocate a good day to getting it as good as it can be - turn all specific information into placeholders, get your formatting sorted, and make sure your pricing section is clean and clear.

This also means editing the copy like it’s a headline on your website. Consider the wording, your client, and the emotions you want to evoke - really make each section shine.

Despite their growing popularity, this is the time to resist the urge to use AI content writers . The content they produce is easy to spot and putting effort into creating a great business proposal template makes all the difference. 

Later in this article, we’ll look at what is included in a business proposal, and that goes for your template too. We’ll provide business proposal examples as well. Next time you have that meeting with your potential client and they ask you to send them a business proposal for your proposed solution, you’ll confidently walk away knowing exactly what to do.

How To Write A Business Proposal That Sells

Most people think that writing a business proposal is boring and time-consuming. And for the most part, they’re right. There really is no creative flair in writing them and it’s all about pitching your product or service so that the new client says yes and gives you money. 

But it doesn’t have to be this way. There is a way to make proposal writing easier and more efficient and get your prospective client on board more quickly.

In the following sections, we’ll show you that writing a business proposal is more about preparation and using the right tools to make writing easier. In other words, we’ll teach you how to write a business proposal with minimal effort and maximum sales performance.

Once you pick the right proposal software tools, you’ll see how easy it is to create a winning proposal.

How To Track A Business Proposal Once Sent Out To a Client - Learn More

What questions are your customers asking?

When writing a business proposal, there’s a situation going on that only the best salespeople understand. Your potential client has a list of questions. They’ll rarely tell you what those questions are, mostly because they’re pretty awkward. 

For example, we had a situation when I quoted someone £40,000 for some software once. The proposal was about 17 pages long, and the client replied with one sentence:

“Sounds good. What happens if you die? How do I get my data back?”

I didn’t think it was an appropriate time to go back to him and explain I probably wouldn’t care about his data if I was dead. However, I did explain to him a contingency plan that we had in place for nearly a decade now for this exact situation. I told him, and he signed up.

This got me thinking. While this guy was the first bold enough to ask that question, he can’t have been the first guy to think it. From that moment on, we included the contingency plan in every business proposal we sent under a section called 'How we protect your data'.

Awkward questions your potential customers have but won’t ask you:

  • What happens if you die?
  • What will I do if they screw up my search engine rankings?
  • What happens if they take over my website and vanish?
  • What happens if they redesign my website and I get fewer conversions than I got before?

A rare client will actually ask these questions to your face, but it doesn’t mean they won’t pop into their mind. Think about it. How many questions do people actually ask on the back of proposals? Answer these questions in your proposal before the client gets a chance to ask them.

How do you want your potential clients to feel?

Don’t think of business proposals as just sales documents - think of them as taking someone on an experience. Think movies. The emotions override the content. It’s less important how you get them to feel sadness at the end, so long as you do.

Writing a business proposal isn't that different. It's all about the emotion you want your potential client to feel at the end of reading it. For example:

  • Excitement – Describing possibilities using uplifting pictures and success stories is good here. Don’t bore them with a document resembling a long business plan.
  • Confidence – Include lots of proof and trust-building elements into this. Don’t make suggestions; be certain in your wording.
  • Action taking – Lots of commanding words and talking about the next step. Don’t bog them down with a list of 42 things to decide on. Just get them to do the “next” thing.

You could find the best custom writing service out there and you’d still be the only one who can do this properly. That’s because, depending on your client and what you’re selling, only you know what’s most appropriate.

What you definitely don’t want to be doing is talking in “maybes”, “ifs”, and using suggestive wording when you want someone to trust you. It sounds like you’re not sure. As a good friend, Mitch Miller, says:

“The doctor doesn’t ask the patient if it’s the right prescription. He just prescribes the right thing and tells them to get out of the office.”

How To Write A Business Proposal - The 8 Core Elements

There are 8 elements most business proposals should include. Some are absolutely essential; some are not – that depends on your specific situation. Here they are:

Does your proposal need to have all of these sections? Maybe yes, maybe not – it depends. However, all of our proposal templates have these sections out of the box. But wait - there’s one thing we haven’t mentioned on purpose.

0. The cover page

All proposals should have a well-designed cover page with an image and text to address the specific client. We’re leaving it out because all of our business proposal templates come with beautiful, professionally designed cover pages already built in.

A beautifully designed cover page can help your business stand out because it gives your entire document a level of professionalism. What’s more, it brings the wow factor that pulls clients in right off the bat.

How To Write A Business Proposal Step Zero - Start With A Cover Page

1. The introduction

Also known as the Executive summary. Good business proposals always start with a great introduction . This is the most read part of your proposal, so it needs to get across that you understand their situation and you’re clear on their goal. Your meetings and discovery sessions should be heavily predicated on getting the information for this section of the proposal.

Step One  - How To Write A Business Proposal - The Introduction

The biggest reason you’re not winning new business is not getting a chance to do a meeting or initial call about the job. As a result, you never discovered what the client wants to achieve, what’s important to them, and what makes them tick. And because you don’t know that information, you lead with the things that don’t matter as much (e.g., the price or the technicalities of what you’re going to do). 

This is why a discovery call is one of the most important things to include when you learn how to write a business proposal. Without it, you’re essentially guessing what the client needs.

Every Business Proposal Needs A Good Introduction

Your introduction should show the client that you’ve listened to their problem and that you have the cure, which you will show them in the next section. If you want to create an ongoing relationship, you need to show that you’ve researched your client’s company.

If you want to present your clients with a custom service, this is the place to stress that. Show them how you customize your usual offer to match their exact pain point.

According to our own research, this is the most-read section of all business proposals besides the pricing. Most clients read just these two sections, so make sure that you invest extra time and care in this one.

How to write a proposal introduction

This section is also known as a summary or an executive summary, depending on your resources. Even though the title is different, everything else is the same – it’s a section where you discuss how you’re going to solve the client’s problem and present your value proposition.

The most important tip we have here is to make it all about the client and the solution to their problem. In other words, refrain from going on and on about yourself. At the end of the day, a client reading a proposal wants to know what solution you offer. And if they’re interested in your company history or the process of forming an LLC , they’ll Google it.

better proposals e-commerce website design proposal template screenshot

Make sure to keep it short and to the point. You want to keep your entire proposal easy to read and as enjoyable of an experience for your potential client as possible. 

Since the executive summary is such an important part of any standard business proposal, don’t be afraid of asking your team members to read it and give you feedback. And if you need more practical writing tips, check out our in-depth proposal introduction writing guide .  

2. The detailed specification

This part varies depending on what you’re selling. If it’s a website, this could be a list of pages and features. If you’re writing a social media marketing proposal, then this could be the strategy or the talent and credentials of your team. It’ll vary.

The basic idea is to be as detailed as possible in your offer. That way, the prospective client understands exactly how your proposed solutions work.

better proposals simple web design proposal template screenshot

The reason it’s important is that if the deal goes bad, you both have this section to refer back to. Your business proposal outlines accountability and what the client should hope for. Moreover, it also serves as a good exercise for you when writing a good business proposal, as this is all the information you’re going to gather in any discovery phase of the deal.

It’s important here to keep this in plain English. Stay far away from jargon, as it will only confuse the potential client. The less the reader understands, the less they trust you.

Also, if you absolutely must write about your company, this might be the place to do it. Who you are, what you do, how long you’ve been doing it, and what makes you stand out. However, don’t spend too much time or space on this because the focus is on the client, not you.

3. The timescales

It doesn’t matter if it’s a wide bracket, like 2-4 weeks – you have to give the client some clue about your project timeline . Otherwise, it’s a massive unknown.

better proposals freelance writing proposal template screenshot

It can be really useful to find out if the client has a special event or another reason for a project timeline to be important to them. If there is, tie that in. You can even tie that into scarcity to give them the incentive to sign the proposal off by a certain date. And if you’re writing unsolicited proposals, you need to be especially convincing and present your project timeline in a way that will make it hard to say no to. 

Be as specific as possible, but also use this section to your advantage. More time to deliver means two things:

  • You can finish earlier than promised and impress your client
  • You have more time to spare if something goes unexpectedly wrong

More time is always better, but make sure that you consider the need for urgency as well.

4. The proof

You must prove to your client that you can actually deliver your proposed solution. Now, you might say, “we have examples on our website”. That’s nice – but the client is not looking at your website, they’re reading your proposal – your one big “ask” for the business. They want solid proof and a few good case studies will do.

You need to have sufficient proof in a good business proposal. This could be examples, testimonials, video case studies, screenshots from a client proving you helped them with something, a recording of a voicemail – anything.

better proposals wedding photography proposal template screenshot

As you can see in our business proposal example, it doesn’t have to be complex and have the production value of a Spielberg classic. It just needs to get the point across.

To help them feel like they’ll be in good hands, you can also indicate relevant credentials and certifications your team managers and members have. After all, product managers and team leaders will play a massive role in ensuring that your product or service is of top quality.

The good news is, there is more than one type of proof that you can choose. Case studies, testimonials, portfolio pieces, explainer videos – there are lots of ways to convince your clients that you’re the real deal.

5. The price

Based on our data, this is the second most read section of any business proposal – people usually jump straight from the introduction to the pricing table. Needless to say, spend some extra time here to make it look right.

When using our business proposal templates, you can choose how to format your price based on project details. That said, there are a few things you want to make sure of. 

The first is that the pricing is super clear. If you have somewhat of a confusing pricing structure, then this might be time to think about simplifying it.

better proposals high-end web design proposal template screenshot

Speaking of which, we’ve done some research on pricing in business proposals and you can see our results in the latest Proposal Report . As it turns out, it’s a better idea to have a single offer and price instead of trying to get more money with upsells. Proposals with a single offer sold significantly more – 20.6% for offers with upfront costs and 33% higher for offers with monthly retainer costs.

The reason is that a business proposal is a matter of getting a simple answer – yes or no. The more options you add, the more difficult it gets for them to decide whether to sign or not. Keep your responsive pricing tables super simple.

The way you format your price can help avoid further negotiations. Our analysis of real-life pricing mistakes should give you a good idea of what to avoid.

How to name your pricing section

Finally, there is one more thing that you should know about the pricing section – don’t call it that. We’ve discovered that these names work better:

  • Return on investment
  • And others following this pattern

naming your pricing section proposal report data

Basically, you want your clients to see your services as an investment in their business, rather than a simple cost and money down the drain. Small businesses or enterprise clients, no one wants to spend money - they want to invest it.

6. The guarantee

Some people love the idea of a guarantee. Others don’t like giving guarantees for fear of abuse. However, a guarantee is a great way to push new clients further towards conversion.

better proposals brand design proposal template screenshot

Instead of a typical money-back guarantee, consider guaranteeing a part of your service or a timescale. Cheryl Laidlaw’s “Website in a Day” service is a good example. 

She, at the time of writing, charges £1,995 for the day and delivers the website THAT NIGHT. The client doesn’t go home (and neither does Cheryl) until it’s done – which is an amazing offer .

7. The next steps

A lot of times, people seem to forget the very basics – to show the client what to do next. Sure, some people might read your business proposal and say, “Great, okay, let’s go ahead”. But why would you leave it up to them to figure it out?

It’s not their job to figure out how to buy from you, especially if you’re sending informally solicited proposals. Just make sure to tell them what the next steps are. Usually, this will be something like:

Step 1: Sign the proposal by typing your name in the box below and hitting ‘Accept’. This makes the proposal a legally binding contract.

Sign the proposal

Step 2: We’ll invoice you for 50%. Please pay for this immediately.

Step 3: We’ll arrange our initial consultation call with you.

Anyone can do these tasks on their own – they’re not all that complex. The problem is that if you leave all of this unsaid, you’re leaving your clients wondering. Explain all the details of what’s going to happen next.

8. The terms and conditions

You absolutely should be including your contract or terms and conditions. Just put it on a separate page called Terms & Conditions or Terms of Business .

better proposals Facebook ads proposal template terms and conditions screenshot

There’s a great contract written for freelancers which covers 98% of the basics. If you’re not using a contract in your business right now, use this until your legal team demands something better.

You should always include your terms in your business proposals because when someone signs the proposal, they automatically sign the contract . It covers you and it covers the client, so it’s only natural to include it.

Just reading the words “terms and conditions” may make you feel dizzy because of the work ahead, but it’s actually something that you can do once and never fret about again later.

A Business Proposal That's Optimized for Conversion

So let's say you've followed all the steps in the "How To Write A Business Proposal Guide," and you now have the best structured proposal on the planet, and it still loses business. Why could this be? - perhaps it's a conversion problem. We’ve analyzed hundreds of thousands of proposals sent through our platform to see what makes them convert. Here are some data-backed tips to help you.

1. Send your proposals quickly

For over four years now, sending proposals out within 24 hours of meeting the client has been the best way to increase conversion rates. According to our data, proposals that are sent out within that time frame had a 23% higher conversion rate than those sent only a day later.

2. Include a cover page

While jumping straight into the introduction won’t hurt your conversions significantly, our data shows having a cover page makes a difference. Proposals with a cover page convert 4.6% better than the ones without it.

3. Don’t go overboard

The length of a business proposal will largely depend on what you do. That said, proposals that convert the best are short, concise, and to the point. Our data backs this up, showing that the optimal proposal length has been 6-7 sections for five years now.  

4. Make sure your proposals are mobile-friendly

The number of clients opening business proposals on desktop computers has been steadily decreasing over the years. As a matter of fact, as much as 46% of proposals are now opened on mobile devices. 

You won’t get a second chance to make a first impression, and you can’t control what device your client chooses to use. So what do you do? Choose a responsive design that looks great on all screen sizes.

documents opened on mobile proposal report stats

5. Look professional

Pixelated logos, mismatched fonts, and typos are the best way to lose credibility right off the bat. Our data shows that branding goes a long way, with proposals sent from a custom domain converting 19.3% better than the ones sent from a third-party domain.

6. Integrate live chat

Great customer service is always crucial to increasing your conversion rate. Live chat not only helps you to respond to your client's questions in real time but also puts them at ease. That’s why proposals with integrated live chat convert 18.2% better than those without it.

7. Make the offer easy to accept

The harder you make it for the client to do business with you, the more business you’re losing. With business proposals, the answer is easy - use a web-based platform like Better Proposals. That way, you’re letting clients sign documents electronically and pay, all in one place.

Using traditional PDFs sent as email attachments makes your conversion rate 88% worse. It's not a surprise when you think about it - nobody likes going through the hassle of printing, signing, scanning, and sending the document back.

sign by drawing with better proposals

Using Proposal Software To Write, Send & Track Your Business Proposals

The truth is, rarely anyone writes proposals these days – most people use proposal software. Here’s why it’s a good idea:

  • Proposal software is web-based . You can send your clients links instead of PDF files.
  • Proposals are optimized for different devices. They look and feel the same on a phone, laptop or tablet.

Use a proposal software

  • You get to use proposal templates . (We have more than 130 of them.)
  • You can track what the client does with the proposal. You get notifications when they read, forward and sign.

Progress of your business proposal

  • Clients can instantly sign proposals electronically. This means your proposals are considered legally binding contracts. No need for third-party tools like DocuSign or DocuSign alternatives – good proposal software has that already built in.
  • Clients can pay from the proposal. Paypal, Stripe, GoCardless, you name it.

Pay from the proposal

  • You can use a variety of integrations . MailChimp, Zapier, Salesforce, HubSpot , or whatever else you are using in your sales workflow.
  • Detailed reporting . Find out what works and what doesn’t, no guessing.

Sales report from your proposals

  • The ability to use live chat . You can chat with the client as they’re reading the proposal, increasing your conversions.
  • You get to write your proposals in 15 minutes , not 5 hours. Pull the data from your CRM and populate it with automatic fields - it’s that simple.

how does a business proposal end

These are just some of the many reasons why you should consider using proposal software rather than opening Word next time you want to write an effective business proposal.

The takeaways

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting a new business , following our guide will help you dramatically increase the number of people who say yes to your proposals. In summary, here are the exact steps that you need to take to write an amazing business proposal:

  • Start off with a proposal template
  • Find out the questions that your clients are asking
  • Think of how you want the clients to feel as they read the proposal
  • Include the 8 elements of a winning business proposal, as listed above
  • Use proposal software to automate the writing process

One of the biggest reasons people take forever to write business proposals and ultimately do a bad job is because they are using software that simply isn’t geared up to doing the job in an effective way. It might sound like a self-serving suggestion , but you should take a look at using Better Proposals for writing your next business proposal. 

The business proposal templates in our Marketplace alone will save you a ton of time with many business proposal examples to browse, and our proposal software has everything you need for writing proposals in one place.

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Project Proposal – How to Write One Without Actually Writing Anything

A project proposal is a sales document that shows a business relationship between the seller/vendor and the customer purchasing their product or service.

Proposal Template Tips - Win 113% More Business Faster

Our proposal template tips will help you nail your proposal template so you close more sales and spend less time on proposal writing.

how does a business proposal end

How to Write a Business Proposal — 2022 Guide and Template

how does a business proposal end

A business proposal can make or break your chances of securing a new client. Write a great one, and you’ll likely snag their business.

Write a poor one, and you might lose out—even if you’re offering the best service out there. So, how do you write a business proposal? What is the proper format? What do you need to include?

While it all depends on your industry, and whether or not you’re offering a product or service, writing a business proposal is pretty straightforward. We’ll answer all those questions and more throughout the course of this guide. 

What to expect with this business proposal guide

Whether you’re starting fresh or need to look at a specific section, here’s what we’ll be covering in this guide. 

  • What a business proposal is
  • The differences between a business proposal and a business plan
  • The format of a business proposal
  • How long to make your business proposal

How to write a business proposal

You can download a free business proposal template here to start writing up your own proposal as you work through this article. By the end, you’ll be prepared to develop a well-written business proposal that can explain your business clearly and win more clients. Let’s get started.

What is a business proposal ?

A business proposal is a document you’d send to a prospective client, outlining the service you’re offering, and explaining why you’re the best person for the job. 

It’s a pitch by a business or individual to complete a specific job or project, to supply a service, or, in some instances, to be the vendor of a certain product.

What are the different types of business proposals?

A business proposal can be either solicited or unsolicited. With a solicited proposal, the prospective client will put out a request for proposals; with an unsolicited business proposal, you are approaching a client in hopes of attracting their business, even though they did not explicitly request a proposal.  

While both are commonplace, a solicited proposal is an easier sell, as your prospective client has already decided that they want to make a purchase or use a service, and they’re evaluating possible vendors or businesses.

With a solicited proposal, your prospective client might have issued an RFP, or “request for proposal.” This is exactly what it sounds like—they want you to send over a business proposal so they can take a look at it.

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Differences between a business proposal and a business plan

A business proposal is not the same as a business plan . This is the most common misconception, but while there are areas of overlap (like your executive summary ) the two are different.

That being said, you can certainly pull information from your business plan while writing your business proposal—in fact, that’s a great way to start.

But don’t confuse the two; they are distinct and separate. In short, a business plan represents the cohesive strategy of how your business operates and makes money. A business proposal is an official pitch to clients selling your products or services. 

A business proposal outlines a particular product or service offered by an established business to a prospective client.

You’re trying to sell your prospective client on your product or service, not on your business itself. You’re not after funding, as you are with a business plan, you’re trying to make a sale.

A business proposal is also not an estimate; although you’ll likely touch on costs and pricing in your business proposal, an estimate is much more informal and just a quick look at the costs, not the whole picture.

What goes into a business proposal?

Your business proposal should address the three Ps:

  • Problem statement: What your customer’s current problem is
  • Proposed solution: How your business solves that problem better than other solutions
  • Pricing: How much that solution costs compared to alternatives

If you’re stuck on how to start, maybe try brainstorming first; start with these three points, and you’ll have a rough, bare-bones version of your business proposal.

Once you’ve done that if you’re ready to go more in-depth, here is a step-by-step look at how to format your business proposal.

Your business proposal should start with a title page, which should include your name, the name of your company, the name of the person to whom you’re submitting your proposal, and the date submitted.

Table of contents

Depending on how long your business proposal is, a table of contents is a nice touch. Include it after your title page, and before you launch into any details. If you’re delivering it as a PDF, including anchor links down to each section, so it’s easy to get to specific areas. 

Executive summary

Introduce your proposal with a great executive summary, one that really sells your business and the products or services you provide—it’s about why you’re the right company for the job. You can draw from your business plan’s executive summary here, too.

Statement of problem, issue, or job at hand

Following your executive summary, go on to discuss the problem that the client is currently facing. Think of “problem” or “issue” loosely; after all, their main problem may just be finding the right person to complete their project. But be sure you understand why they want the product or service they’re seeking. If the proposal is for developing a brand new website, make sure you understand what they want to get out of the site—better sales, more content management flexibility. 

This is the place to show your new client that you understand their needs , and fully grasp the issue they are trying to solve. Take this opportunity to restate the issue they are facing in your own words so that they know you understand what they are looking for.

Approach and methodology

This section shows how you plan to tackle your potential client’s problem, and the steps you’ll take to carry out your plan.

This is where you’ll get into the nitty-gritty of how you actually plan to fulfill your client’s needs. While earlier sections might have been a bit surface-level, this section of the business proposal is where you’ll go into detail about what steps you’ll take to solve their problem.

Be careful of going into too much detail, though—keep the jargon to a minimum. Your client should be able to follow along and get a clear sense of your plan, but you don’t want to drown them in minutiae.

Qualifications

Go ahead, brag a little—this is the section of your business proposal where you get to convince your potential client why you are the most qualified person to take on the job.

You can mention any relevant education, industry-specific training, or certifications you have, your past successful projects of a similar nature, years of experience, and so on.

Schedule and benchmarks

Be clear with your potential client: How long will your proposed project take?

Making sure you and your prospective client are on the same page from the outset will help make sure that the relationship stays positive for both of you, and that you don’t set your client up with unrealistic expectations.

While you might be tempted to underestimate how long it will take you to complete the project, don’t. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver!

If you’re offering a product, this section might not be applicable to you, so feel free to omit it. The business proposal format is flexible, so tailor it to suit your business and industry.

Cost, payment, and any legal matters

Here is where you get down to brass tacks and state the cost, and payment schedule if necessary.

How you structure this section will largely depend on the particular project or service you are offering. A section entitled “Fee Summary” may be sufficient if one-time payment is required; otherwise, a “Fee Schedule” list or pricing table might be more appropriate. Always refer back to the client’s RFP whenever possible, to make sure you’re supplying them with all the information they need to help make their decision.

If there are any legal issues to attend to, such as permits or licensing, include this information here. Feel free to add a section entirely devoted to handling the legal side of the project if need be.

This is your final sell—don’t be afraid to detail for your prospective client all they have to gain by choosing you to complete the project.

Impress upon your clients why you are the best choice, and all the ways in which their business will benefit from choosing you and your business as their solution.

How long should a business proposal be?

When it comes to the format of a business proposal, this is the million-dollar question without an answer. Remember in school, when you’d ask your teacher how long an essay should be, and they’d reply, “as long as it takes to answer the question.”

The same applies to your business proposal. It ultimately depends on your industry, the scope of the project, and the client’s specifications in terms of detail and elements included.

Make your pitch stand out with SBA-approved business plans. All the info investors and lenders need to evaluate your business. Get LivePlan.

That being said, the tighter your initial proposal can be and the more directly you can make your point, the easier it will be to pitch it to clients. Start by following the business proposal format above as a guide, and you’ll be well on your way to creating a winning business proposal—and securing new clients.

Editor’s note: This article was originally written in 2018 and updated for 2021.

AvatarBriana Morgaine

Briana Morgaine

BrianaMorgaine

Briana is a content and digital marketing specialist, editor, and writer. She enjoys discussing business, marketing, and social media, and is a big fan of the Oxford comma. Bri is a resident of Portland, Oregon, and she can be found, infrequently, on Twitter.

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how does a business proposal end

How to Write a Business Proposal (Examples & Templates)

A complete guide to writing business proposals that land deals. Easy-to-follow steps, actionable examples, and insider tips from sales pros.

how does a business proposal end

John McTale

11 minute read

How to write a business proposal

Not a fan of writing business proposals? Few people are. After all, it puts you in quite a vulnerable position. You need to convince prospects to pick you and make them understand why you’re the perfect fit for their needs.

This guide will show you a simple step-by-step process you can follow to ace every business proposal you create. Plus, for every section of your proposal, you’ll get sample content you can take as a point of reference and use to score more deals.

First, see a business proposal example created with Storydoc:

Static business proposal presentatio

Interactive

Static, plain-text proposals are a relic of the past. With Storydoc, you’ll get engaging, interactive proposals looking better than anything you’ve ever created. Rise above your competitors and give your customers a proposal they will be proud to show their boss.

What is a business proposal ?

A business proposal is a formal document devised by a company and delivered to a prospect with the purpose of securing a contractual agreement between the two parties. A good business proposal shows to your potential clients why your offer is the most beneficial to them. Before we dig deeper, if you just need a quick checklist, here it is. To learn more about a specific section just click on a desired item in the interactive table of contents and we’ll take you right there.

Here's how to write a business proposal:

Now, let’s go through each step and see some examples.

1. Create a title page

Starting with the basics. The title page of your business proposal needs to feel professional and inviting. Most importantly, though, make it feel as personal as possible. Include:

  • The name of your business
  • The subject matter of your proposal
  • Your prospect’s name and job title
  • Your prospect’s company logo
  • Submission date

Business proposal title page example:

Jane Atkins ABC Company Inbound Marketing Proposal for Acme Corp

ACME logo

Submitted to: John Random, VP Growth Submitted on: May 5, 2023

Using your client’s logo is virtually a must. But you kick your title page up a notch by applying other elements of their branding, too: think colors, master visuals, and overall vibe. They will notice and appreciate it. These unique business name ideas will make you stand out from the crowd - your business name matters.

2. Include an interactive table of contents

One of the keys to success in business communication is setting up expectations and then meeting them. A table of contents achieves just that: you tell your readers exactly what they’ll find in your proposal. If you’re sending your proposal electronically, make the ToC clickable, with jump-to links to appropriate chapters of your proposal. It will make navigating through the document so much easier (much like we did with this piece, you're welcome!).

Speaking of electronic versions… Do your best to prevent your prospects from printing out your proposal. A 2020 study found that once someone prints your proposal, your chances of landing the deal shrink by 84%!

Sample table of contents:

Executive Summary

Assessment and Project Overview

Methodology - SEO Audit - Internal Linking Optimization - Digital PR Assets - Digital PR Outreach

Qualifications and Testimonials

Terms and Conditions

Agreement and Rollout Process

3. Write a compelling executive summary

As the name implies, an executive summary is a section that, well, summarizes the whole document. In business proposals, your executive summary should contain the essence of your value proposition: explain why you’re submitting the proposal, what makes your product or services relevant to the client’s specific needs, and how you’re going to tackle their problems. The key thing to remember? Don’t mistake an executive summary for an introduction. The summary is basically a shortened version of your whole proposal. Its purpose is to provide a busy reader ( who could be your prospect ’s boss, the titular executive) with an overview of your offer, clear enough for them to not have to read the proposal in full. If you want to learn more about writing executive summaries, specifically, see our dedicated guide: Executive Summary—Examples and Definition

Sample executive summary for a business proposal:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This proposal outlines a detailed plan of action aimed at maximizing the profits of Acme Corp by boosting the inbound organic traffic to your e-commerce store. As your company displays a very high on-site conversion rate and the online traffic you generate is highly monetizable, the best strategy for maximizing your revenue is boosting your SEO performance. Acme Corp is lagging behind its key competitors in most of the search performance metrics: domain rating, backlink quality , and, as a result, organic traffic. Applying basic SEO maintenance will result in a dramatic increase of relevant monthly visitors to your site, contributing to a substantial increase in revenue. In the second phase of the project, our team will enhance your online presence and earn high-quality backlinks through a data-driven digital PR campaign, further improving your domain rating and the consequent search engine rankings for the highest-converting keywords and phrases.

While executive summaries come at the beginning of business proposals, write this section last. Create the rest of your proposal beforehand, then “skim the cream:” compile the key bits into the summary.

4. Identify the problem and propose a solution

Here’s where the big guns come in. If you’ve managed to get them interested enough to reach this part, you’re halfway there. It doesn’t mean it gets easier at this point. Quite the contrary— This section, usually called “Assessment,” or “Project Overview,” is the meat and potatoes of your proposal. You need to make sure it tastes like Black Angus fillet mignon with gratin dauphinoise. Here are a few tips for making it powerful and convincing to your prospects:

  • Focus on the grander scheme of things here. Paint a big picture, plant an idea: it’s not the time to get to the nitty-gritty yet.
  • B2B buyers can smell generic from miles away. Do your best to customize this part to the exact needs of your customer, never use a copy-pastable template.
  • Make it about them. Instead of “selling” your product or services, focus on the tangible business result they’ll get out of this. ROI is the most direct, hard-hitting metric after all.
  • Don’t overuse jargon or highly technical terms. You’re communicating with a human, not an algorithm.
  • It’s okay to use your sales deck as a point of reference. It’s what got them interested in the first place, so do rely on the same main message.

Sample project overview in a business proposal:

ASSESSMENT AND PROJECT OVERVIEW Acme Corp is currently looking for ways to bring more inbound traffic to the company website. As an e-commerce business with competitively priced, high-quality performance clothing, any traffic you generate is highly monetizable. Your current traffic sources mostly constitute direct (15%), AdWords (40%), and display ads (18%). Organic traffic acquisition has been heavily underperforming for your site. At the same time, both your key competitors, DoeSports and GreenWay, bring in twice as much organic traffic as you do through paid sources (via Ahrefs, and SimilarWeb analysis). This shows that SEO efforts can be highly profitable in your industry. Your e-commerce store suffers from a few easy-to-fix SEO issues that we will address immediately:

  • Poor-quality backlinks from spam sites, low SEO health score, and irrelevant anchor text in internal links.
  • Fixing these issues alone will boost your SERP positions by 5–10 places for highest-volume keywords, amounting to 5,000–8,000 more unique visitors per month.
  • Considering your extremely high average conversion rate of 3% and an average conversion value of $75, those efforts will increase monthly revenue by at least $11,250.

Furthermore, in comparison to your competitors, AcmeCorp has a poor domain rating: 49, compared to 66 of DoeSports and 70 of GreenWay, indicating fewer relevant backlinks and weaker referring domains. Our team will acquire relevant, high-quality backlinks from key industry publications through digital PR and outreach campaigns based on unique data-driven studies. This will result in:

  • A significant boost in your domain rating, directly contributing to all major search engines rankings.
  • A projected boost in traffic to your website of further 12,000 visitors per month.
  • Enhanced brand visibility.

Even at the stage of the deal where you send the proposal, don’t assume your customer understands what they’re buying and why they need it. You still need to get your sales message across: let your prospects understand the value attached to your price tag.

5. Explain your methodology

If the executive summary of a business proposal is the why , and the project overview, the what , here’s the part where you describe how . If you’ve nailed the previous sections, your prospect knows that your solutions are relevant to their problems and has a bird’s eye view of expected outcomes. It’s time to explain your methods for achieving what you promise to deliver. List all the deliverables they can expect from the project or service, together with a timetable and a list of dependencies detailing the deadlines or frequency of delivering specific items or milestones. How granular you are in this part largely depends on the duration of collaboration you’re discussing, and many other project-specific details.

Example #1:

If you’re writing an event video proposal, you’ll want to explain what the client can expect:

  • Before the event (consulting your needs and ideal outcomes, auditing the venue, setting up lighting, and so on),
  • During the event (how many videographers on site, exact timetable, total shooting time),
  • After the event (post-production, sound and music, additional editing, total length of video material delivered).

Example #2:

If, on the other hand, your proposal refers to long-term marketing consulting contract, the description of your methodology will be more general:

  • Month 1: identifying and fixing technical SEO issues (anchor text, internal linking, backlink quality).
  • Month 2: auditing the site content and optimizing existing URLs for search engine performance using an SEO rank tracker tool .
  • Month 3: automating the funnel, running A/B tests on form pages.

And so on… Let’s have a look at what it might look like in practice.

Business proposal sample—methodology:

METHODOLOGY

  • Disavowing links from low-reputation websites
  • Fixing critical issues on existing URLs
  • Improving site speed
  • Fixing errors in robots.txt
  • Optimizing meta titles and meta descriptions
  • Fixing errors in HTML tags

Internal Linking Optimization

  • Identifying internal linking opportunities
  • Creating SEO-friendly anchor text combinations
  • Removing links to 404 URLs

Digital PR Assets

  • Running unique surveys via OnePoll
  • Creating data-driven content relevant to the audiences of industry online publications
  • Creating shareable infographics depicting the findings of the study

Digital PR Outreach

  • Identifying key leads in relevant industry websites
  • Email outreach to our database of relevant contacts
  • Passive link building via Google AdWords

6. Back up your proposal with proof of qualifications

Your business proposal might be visionary so far. Still, if it’s not credible, it will get you nowhere. The client might love your ideas. They might be beyond excited to see them come to life. But— They don’t know you. And remember the old saying: “Trust everybody, but always cut the cards.” (Yes, it’s a euphemism for “Trust no one, ever.”) How do you make them trust you? Show them you’ve done it before and you succeeded. Again, and again. List verifiable, measurable achievements you or your company can boast about and pepper those with social proof. See a few examples:

  • Customer case studies,
  • Testimonials,
  • Certifications,
  • Industry awards,
  • Years of experience,
  • Media mentions.

The ideal composition of those will depend on the type of project and the industry: If you’re a photographer, your client won’t care too much about the awards you might have gotten or what The New Yorker wrote about your solo show. They’ll want to review your portfolio to see if that’s the vibe they're into and hear from your past clients to check if you’re not a pain to work with. If, in turn, you’re writing a marketing business proposal, your best bet will be to emphasize examples of your past campaigns together with detailed key metrics you boosted for your clients. Writing a proposal in an informal tone? You can add a short “About Us” section. Introduce team members who would be working on the project and explain what makes them the best professionals available on the market for solving the particular problem in question.

7. Outline your pricing options

This is where things get rather technical. On the face of it, the pricing section seems fairly obvious. They might be in love with your solutions, but they don’t yet know if they can afford you. Pricing is a tricky part on your end, though. You don’t want to scare off your lead with a sky-high estimate; at the same time, you don’t want to undersell yourself. The best option is to go for an interactive pricing page where every type of service or activity has a separate price tag to it and your clients can easily select a package that suits their needs and meets their budget—ideally, the total price should get automatically calculated. Alternately, you can use an estimate generator , which is an effective tool for automatically calculating cost forecasts based on various criteria and input data. This tool is both affordable and consumes little computing resources, so you can get it along with the best laptop for the money in the $300-$500 range. If you don’t have such an option at hand, create a very specific pricing table that clearly identifies each item or service, as well as the billing period. Here’s a practical example.

Sample pricing for a business proposal:

Sample pricing for a business proposal

Remember, your goal is to make them comfortable with the pricing. Make them understand that your offer is not a cost but an investment worth every penny. A great way to achieve this is adding a live ROI calculator. It’s a perfect reminder of why they’re reading the proposal in the first place: to find a solution that will help them increase the revenue.

Below, you can see a sample ROI calculator created with our presentation maker tool :

Interactive ROI calculator example

How to write a business proposal - interactive ROI calculator

8. Finish with terms and conditions + contractual agreement

Here’s a bad dream— The client loved your proposal, you’re midway through the project, and, all of a sudden, they’re refusing to make a second payment on your account. “We agreed on 30% upfront, and a full payment upon completion.” You know that’s not what you agreed on. Or do you? A proper business proposal comes with a detailed set of terms and conditions, together with contractual agreement at the bottom, helping both parties involved avoid any misunderstandings. In the terms and conditions, describe the timeline of the project, payment terms and schedule, cancellation policy (if applicable), and possible pre-agreement amendments to the proposal itself.

Sample terms and conditions for a business proposal:

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Timeline Start date: June 1, 2023 End date: July 31, 2023 Total payment due: $11,150 40% of the total payment is due upon signing. 100% of the total payment is due upon project completion. After the final payment, any elements of text, graphics, photos, or other creative work created by ABC Company for Acme Corp are owned by Acme Corp. ABC Company retains the right to showcase their creative work done for Acme Corp as examples in their portfolio. Prior to signing the contractual agreement, elements of this proposal might be amended in cooperation with Jane Atkins, ABC Company.

At the bottom of your document, include a legal agreement clause and a space for signatures. Make it easy for them to make a decision without additional documents. Adding a date and signature space in a business proposal will help you close the deal faster. For maximum convenience, you’ll want electronic signatures enabled.

Sample agreement clause for a business proposal:

If you agree to the terms of this inbound marketing proposal, please sign in the field below. Your signature indicates that you enter into a contractual agreement with ABC Company that commences on the date signed below. [ date ] [ signature ] John Random, Acme Corp

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And that’s a wrap…

I hope this step-by-step overview of business proposal writing has straightened out any queries or doubts you might have had. For the final word, here are a few extra tips to keep in mind before you hit “send.”

Business proposal tips:

  • Start with an outline.
  • Never reuse old proposals.
  • Use hard numbers whenever possible.
  • Don’t shy away from your brand.
  • Make next steps obvious.
  • Re-read, proofread and edit.

Thanks for reading. Keeping my fingers crossed for your proposal!

how does a business proposal end

Hi, I'm John, Editor-in-chief at Storydoc. As a content marketer and digital writer specializing in B2B SaaS, my main goal is to provide you with up-to-date tips for effective business storytelling and equip you with all the right tools to enable your sales efforts.

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How to Close a Proposal Letter & Verbiage

by Sarah Kuta

Published on 21 Nov 2018

Proposal letters can serve as important tools for gaining new clients, starting new projects and growing a business. From the layout and design to the language used in the document, business leaders must consider all aspects of a proposal before sending it to its intended recipient in order to maximize the document's effectiveness. Just like the opening of such a letter is critical in getting a reader to read through the full contents, the last few sentences of a proposal letter are also of particular importance, as those are the last words the recipient will read before potentially making a decision.

Writing an Effective Proposal

To write an effective proposal letter, it's helpful to begin by gathering all the relevant information you plan to include in the document. This can include statistics, budget figures, dates, definitions and your company's credentials. You may also wish to start with an outline, which is a writing tool that can help you plan out the different categories of your proposal.

The introduction of your proposal should spark the reader's interest and will likely include some basic information about your company and why it's qualified to perform the particular task in question. The introduction may also include a broad overview of the proposal topic so that the recipients understand what they are about to read and why they should keep reading. Some proposals may also start with an executive summary, which is a short overview that summarizes the key points of the proposal. The executive summary is useful for recipients who are short on time but want to get a sense of what the proposal is all about.

The main sections of your proposal will vary depending on the project but may include sections that discuss the project's budget or prices, the proposed timeline for the project and the risks associated with the project. You may also discuss the materials required to complete the project, the labor or types of workers needed to complete the project and the projected revenue or leads generated by the project.

It's important to tailor your document to your specific audience while writing a proposal. The language you use will vary depending on the expertise of the audience, as well as how familiar they are with the technical aspects of the project.

Before sending the proposal to a reader, always carefully edit the document and remove any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and factual inaccuracies. Typos and other mistakes can be perceived as unprofessional and may result in the proposal being rejected.

Closing a Proposal Letter

The conclusion of a proposal is a critical element of the overall document. When the recipient finishes reading the proposal, the last few sentences or paragraphs should stick in her mind. An effective conclusion can help seal the deal and lead the reader to do business with your company. While other parts of the proposal are also important for getting approval to move ahead, it makes sense to spend extra time on the last few sentences to ensure the proposal is persuasive.

In the conclusion, consider recapping the top-level points of the proposal to emphasize the major concepts, taking care not to repeat verbatim what you already wrote. This final summary should provide an analysis or explanation that connects all the main points. You may also want to encourage the recipient to continue the conversation by offering to answer any lingering questions or to discuss the idea in greater depth at a later date. For example, you may write: "Please let me know if you have additional questions – I would be happy to answer them." Some effective proposal letters also end with a call to action, which can create a sense of urgency and a reason for the recipient to move forward with the proposal. An example of a call to action is: "Get started on this project today by contacting our team."

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Business Proposal Ending Explained: Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim Sejeong Show Ends, Do They Get Married?

Curated By : Dishya Sharma

Last Updated: April 06, 2022, 14:52 IST

how does a business proposal end

A Business Proposal ended on Tuesday night. (Pic: SBS/Instagram)

A Business Proposal starring Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Sejeong, Seol In-ah and Kim Min-kyu came to an end on Tuesday.

One after the other, several K-dramas have come to an end. The season of endings began with Forecasting Love and Weather and Thirty-Nine followed by Twenty-Five Twenty-One. Now, A Business Proposal has also come to end. The fun K-drama, starring Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Sejeong, Seol In-ah and Kim Min-kyu in the lead, was based on a webtoon of the same name. The K-drama was so popular that even BTS singer Jungkook was a fan of the show. With the Business Proposal finale airing on Tuesday, we are happy to report that both of it has ended on a happy note.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead:

The finale episode of Business Proposal began with the events after Kang Tae-moo (Ahn Hyo-seop) and Shin Ha-ri’s (Kim Sejeong) steamy night. Tae-moo offers to make breakfast for Ha-ri and even drops her home. As they prepare to part for the day, Ha-ri’s parents catch them. After an exchange of words and even a couple of beatings from Ha-ri’s mom, Tae-moo and Ha-ri finally sit face-to-face with Ha-ri’s parents. Tae-moo is interrogated about how and why he fell for Tae-moo. He reveals it was love at first sight and assured her parents that he would be by her side come what may.

The discussion then comes to an end when Jin Young-seo (Seol In-ah) suggests that they focus on their birthday celebrations a little as well. She and her boyfriend Cha Sung-hoon (Kim Min-kyu) change the mood by bringing out the Champagne and the family sits together to drink. After a few drinks, Ha-ri’s father steps out for a smoke and Tae-moo follows. The emotional father tells him that Ha-ri has sacrificed numerous interests such as acting and singing for the sake of the family. He worried that she would have to give up on her love for the family but Tae-moo assures him that it wouldn’t be the case.

After Tae-moo gets Ha-ri’s family’s blessings, it is Ha-ri’s time to win over Tae-moo’s grandfather. In the 10th and 11th episodes, it is seen that Tae-moo’s grandfather is strictly against the relationship. So much so that he asks Ha-ri to break up as well. But when all his tricks fail, he decides to fake an illness and gets admitted to the hospital. Assuming that he could coax his grandson into breaking up on the basis of his illness, he is left in shock when Ha-ri walks to be his caretaker for the night. While she starts winning him over, Tae-moo’s grandfather tries hard to not be smitten by her. Clearly, it fails.

While Tae-moo and Ha-ri were already tackling the issues surrounding their relationship, the doctors inform Tae-moo that his grandfather has been diagnosed with a heart issue and that surgery might not be a good option. Heartbroken, Tae-moo is torn between his love for Ha-ri and his grandfather. He decides to leave for the US for his grandfather’s treatment and tries to convince Ha-ri to join them. Ha-ri refuses, suggesting that his grandfather’s needs should be put first and that he is not approved of her yet, thus accompanying them might only cause inconvenience to his grandfather. Tae-moo agrees, asking her to wait for him as he gets his grandfather treated.

On the other hand, Jin Young-seo learns that her father had lied about his approval of her relationship with Cha Sung-hoon. Heartbroken, she confronts him in his office and resigns from his company. She returns home to Cha Sung-Hoon and tells him everything that unfolded between her and her father. She confesses that while she thought she would feel good, it only hurts her more. Having resigned from the company, Young-seo decides to start a small business of her own. Sung-hoon offers to fund her project, giving her a chance to fulfill her dream.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by SBS (@sbsnow_insta)

The show takes a leap of one year, showing that Young-seo and Sung-hoon are still together and madly in love while Ha-ri manages to keep in touch with Tae-moo via video calls. Her parents start worrying about Tae-moo’s return when a scandal breaks out, suggesting that Tae-moo is dating a musician. To make things worse, Tae-moo stops picking up her calls.

An angry Ha-ri decides to take off for New York and confront her boyfriend. Just as she leaves for the US, Tae-moo returns, clarifying that the scandal is merely rumours and he has been waiting to reunite with her. Relived, the couple decides to take a walk when Tae-moo reveals that not only has his grandfather recovered but he has also approved of their relationship.

Under the beautiful cherry blossoms canopy, Tae-moo proposes to Ha-ri. While she teases him that she needs time to think before she says a yes, Tae-moo slips the ring on her finger. In the webtoon, the couple is shown to have tied the knot and have children as well. However, the K-drama ended with the proposal. Given the ending, it is unlikely that the series would return for season 2.

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Business Proposal k-drama and webtoon ending explained

Business Proposal k-drama and webtoon ending explained

Arpita Adhya

Netflix and SBS’ hit K-drama Business Proposal wrapped up on April 5th after twelve successful episodes. Based on a webtoon, Shin Ha-ri and Tae Moo’s love story made quite a stir on social media since its first episode release. If you are wondering about how k-drama Business Proposal ends and how the ending differs from the webtoon, here’s all you need to know.

Directed by Park Sun-ho, Netflix’s Business Proposal became a massive hit thanks to the strong acting of the lead cast including Kim Sejeong and Ahn Hyo Seop.

Along with the lead cast, the romantic storyline of the supporting cast of Sung Hoon, acted by Kim Mingyu, and Young Seo, played by Seol In-ah received praise for their swoon-worthy screen chemistry.

  • READ MORE : Where to read Business Proposal webtoon
View this post on Instagram A post shared by SBS 드라마 공식계정 (@sbsdrama.official)

Netflix Business Proposal ending

While the main storyline of k-drama and webtoon Business Proposal is more or less the same, here’s what happens at the end of the k-drama.

At the end of Netflix’s Business Proposal , Tae Moo proposes Ha-ri on a beautiful spring day and of course, she accepts it but playfully says, I’ll think about it.

Young Seo wants to establish herself and she is on her way to opening her own company while getting a lot of help from her supportive boyfriend Sung Hoon.

The k-drama does not show much of Ha-ri’s brother Hamin’s story in the series.

  • READ MORE : BTS Jungkook’s reply to Vlive proposal sends ARMY to dreamland

Business Proposal webtoon ending explained

(contains mild spoilers)

The ending of the Business Proposal webtoon also called The Office Blind Date slightly differs from the k-drama.

As the webtoon is 105 episodes long along with special chapters, it has a more complex storyline.

At the end of the webtoon, Ha-ri’s brother Hamin has also his love story with Young Seo’s cousin Yooju.

Plus, in the webtoon, Hamin will have a crush on Young Seo. On her wedding day with Sung Hoon, he would take an oath to never have a one-sided love story again after going through the heartbreak.

In the webtoon, Ha-ri and Tae Moo also get married as well as Sung Hoon and Young Seo.

The popular webtoon A Business Proposal is written by Guava Farm / Perilla and the quirky artwork is made by Narak. According to the publisher’s site , the webtoon is written based on an original novel by Haehwa .

Read the complete webtoon in English here . Check out the original Korean version here . Check out the trailer of the webtoon below.

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Business Proposal season 1, episode 12 recap – the ending explained

Business Proposal season 1, episode 12 recap - the ending explained

This recap of Business Proposal season 1, episode 12 contains spoilers, including for the Business Proposal ending.

We’ve had our fair share of controversial k-drama endings lately, with  Twenty-Five Twenty-One sending fans into a tizzy just this weekend. Luckily, there shouldn’t be any controversy around  Business Proposal , which brought its first — and presumably only — season to a lovely conclusion in a closing hour that hit some poignant notes while still managing to elicit a fair few laughs.

Business Proposal season 1, episode 12 recap

It all began the morning after the night before , essentially, with Tae-moo and Ha-ri waking up all lovey-dovey (which contrasts a little with what we see of Seong-hoon and Yeong-seo, but we’ll address all that a bit later.) As happy as they are, though, Ha-ri’s mother is less than thrilled when she sees them together and realizes that Ha-ri lied about where she was spending the night. Her mother goes ballistic and assaults both Ha-ri and Tae-moo, but it leads to a lovely moment in which Tae-moo wins Ha-ri’s family over. They all sit down for drinks to celebrate Young-seo’s birthday — Seong-hoon and Young-seo excitedly watch on as Tae-moo confesses his feelings for Ha-ri, which made me laugh — and bond. Tae-moo has a particularly moving conversation with Ha-ri’s father, who explains how, over the years, she never pursued any of her dreams and ambitions because she knew he wasn’t able to financially support her through them. Now, Ha-ri’s father is worried that Tae-moo’s status will draw comparisons between them that Ha-ri will find upsetting, but Tae-moo reassures him with confidence.

But there’s still Chairman Kang to consider. He remains deeply against Tae-moo and Ha-ri’s relationship, so he decides to feign a medical emergency for attention — however, Tae-moo and Ha-ri overhear the conversation, so are wise to his games. To throw him for a loop, Ha-ri visits him in hospital, not Tae-moo, and she remains there to care for him, which he’s initially furious about. Eventually, though, he begins to soften, and the two start to really get on in a string of funny scenes. It all amounts to a moment in which Chairman Kang hears Ha-ri’s singing voice and feigns being almost deaf in his old age just to encourage her to keep singing, so he can quietly enjoy it.

Meanwhile, Yeong-seo’s father tells Seong-hoon to break up with her immediately, which she overhears. As a result, she resigns from her father’s company and cuts ties with him completely, instead deciding to start her own company. Seong-hoon, ever loyal, will be the first person to invest — providing she can show him a solid business plan, anyway.

Business Proposal ending

The  Business Proposal  ending ups the stakes a little as it approaches its conclusion. As it turns out, the tests that Chairman Kang requested as part of his ruse actually revealed a legitimate issue with his blood vessels, and since there is no treatment for the condition in Korea, Tae-moo wants to take him to the States. After fishing with him and Seong-hoon — who calls Chairman Kang “grandfather” for the first time — Tae-moo asks Ha-ri to accompany him abroad, but she says no because of the potential rumors it would cause and the fact that Chairman Kang still doesn’t approve of her. I like how Business Proposal  mildly subverts the expectation of a break-up here, with the couple deciding to remain together until Tae-moo’s return, which will apparently be sooner rather than later.

As it turns out, it’s a year, during which time Ha-ri has excelled at work, Yeong-seo has set up in business (and is happier than ever with Seong-hoon, who is taking a year off work), and Ha-ri’s mother has become furious at the prospect that Tae-moo won’t return, especially when she sees him on an American talk show. It almost seems like she’s going to be correct in her suspicions when a scandal breaks linking Tae-moo romantically to a cellist named Baek Yun-seo, and upon hearing this, Ha-ri prepares to leave for New York. As she’s about to get into the taxi, though, Tae-moo gets out of it. He has returned home early to surprise her. The scandal is simply false information leaked by the cellist’s parents, who don’t approve of her relationship with an international student. Director Kang is better and will be returning to Korea within the week. But he has given Tae-moo explicit instructions not to return home until he has given Ha-ri an engagement ring. It looks like he approves of her after all.

You can stream Business Proposal season 1, episode 12 exclusively on Netflix . Do you have any thoughts on the Business Proposal ending? Let us know in the comments.

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Business Proposal

Business Proposal

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In disguise as her friend, Ha-ri shows up to a blind date to scare him away. But plans go awry when he turns out to be her CEO — and makes a proposal.

Watch Episode 1. Episode 1 of Season 1.

1. Episode 1

To appease his grandfather's wishes, Kang Tae-moo agrees to a blind date. Jin Young-seo enlists Shin Ha-ri's help to scare away her latest prospect.

Watch Episode 2. Episode 2 of Season 1.

2. Episode 2

Tae-moo lies about having a girlfriend to stop the endless barrage of blind dates, with the perfect person in mind to play the part.

Watch Episode 3. Episode 3 of Season 1.

3. Episode 3

Ha-ri has a long list of facts about Tae-moo to memorize — as well as someone important to meet. Young-seo declares her independence.

Watch Episode 4. Episode 4 of Season 1.

4. Episode 4

In and outside of work, Ha-ri scrambles to hide her true identity from Tae-moo and his grandfather. A fake one-year anniversary comes up.

Watch Episode 5. Episode 5 of Season 1.

5. Episode 5

As payback for being fooled, Tae-moo sets a trap for Ha-ri at a company event. But when she drunkenly apologizes, he has a change of heart.

Watch Episode 6. Episode 6 of Season 1.

6. Episode 6

When plans for a confession go awry, Tae-moo takes Ha-ri on a date by the sea disguised as a work trip. Cha Sung-hoon confronts a red-faced Young-seo.

Watch Episode 7. Episode 7 of Season 1.

7. Episode 7

Tae-moo plays the part of Ha-ri's smitten boyfriend in front of her friends, much to the chagrin of a wary Lee Min-woo and a jealous Go Yoo-ra.

Watch Episode 8. Episode 8 of Season 1.

8. Episode 8

Calling their kiss a mistake, Ha-ri continues to reject Tae-moo's advances. But an unreturned text and word of his blind date stir up her emotions.

Watch Episode 9. Episode 9 of Season 1.

9. Episode 9

Jo Yoo-jung falls for Sung-hoon, landing him in hot water with Young-seo. Tae-moo and Ha-ri try to keep their relationship a secret at work.

Watch Episode 10. Episode 10 of Season 1.

10. Episode 10

Kang Da-goo's suspicions about his grandson's love life are proven true. On a rainy night after work, Ha-ri takes Tae-moo out on a date.

Watch Episode 11. Episode 11 of Season 1.

11. Episode 11

When Ha-ri's personal life becomes the talk of the town, Tae-moo's grandfather gives her an ultimatum. Young-seo's dad suggests dinner with Sung-hoon.

Watch Episode 12. Episode 12 of Season 1.

12. Episode 12

Ha-ri tries to win Da-goo over by keeping him company at his hospital bedside. A worried Tae-moo asks Ha-ri to go to the U.S. with him.

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3 details that make the end of A Business Proposal cause controversy

A business proposal has a happy but incomplete ending..

A Business Proposal has officially ended after 12 episodes, with a happy ending for both main couples. Accordingly, Tae Moo ( Ahn Hyo Seop ) successfully proposed to Ha Ri (Kim Se Jeong) ; and Sung Hoon ( Kim Min Gyu ) and Young Seo ( Seol In Ah ) moved in together to live as husband and wife.

However, this ending to many audiences is a disappointment. The last episode builds up the plot too quickly, the knots that have not been tied yet have been removed and above all, there are countless entanglements about the relationship between the characters.

1. Jin Young Seo (Seol In Ah) wanted to cut ties with her father because of love

After hearing that her father asked Sung Hoon to end their relationship, Young Seo announced the severance of the father-daughter relationship. “It’s because of you since all you care about is money.” “You kicked mom out because she wasn’t up to your standards and you want to separate me from the man I love” are the reasons she gave.

A Business Proposal

Isn’t it too unreasonable that with just that number of reasons, Young Seo decided to cut ties with her father. Just because he didn’t respect her wishes, forbade her to marry someone she didn’t like and only think about money and status all day long. So who is wrong in this case? Or is the series trying to spread the idea that if your father does not agree with you , you should cut ties with him? Is it too wrong to build conflicts between father and daughter from the beginning of the series and cut off the relationship at the end of it?

A Business Proposal

 2. Still be friends with the one who you have crushed for 7 years?

A Business Proposal successfully built an obnoxious supporting male role who left the female lead alone for 7 years but then he was angry at her when he heard that she had a lover… But it seems that everything that Lee Min Woo (Song Won Seok) is doing is too superficial and half-heartedly. His influence did not make Tae Moo – Ha Ri ‘s love increase or decrease, the 7-year relationship between him and Ha Ri affected neither her love story nor her daily life.

A Business Proposal

The ending of this character is also sloppy. He decided to go to Europe to travel and hope that when he returns, the two will still be friends. The two do not come to an answer to the ambiguous love story for the past 7 years. Moreover, the trouble that Min Woo ’s girlfriend caused to Ha Ri is solved by just an indirect apology. So, what’s the point of building a relationship between Ha Ri and Min Woo for 7 years?

 3. Constructing the ” Yes there are but for what” episodes

The ending of “ A Business Proposal ” is predictable as a happy ending. Therefore, it causes a feeling of dissatisfaction, even boredom. There are no plot twists, everything is too predictable. There are even unnecessary details that do absolutely nothing to the drama.

“ A Business Proposal ” crammed all the details ranging from contradictions, solutions to misunderstandings in just 60 minutes. As a result, the drama became sloppy, clumsy and everything was all over the place. Typically, Tae Moo ’s rumors of love went viral among the press but this problem was solved by just a simple explanation. This makes the audience feel like the episode is useless and has no contribution to the drama.

A Business Proposal

The most worth discussing thing is still the scene of the unexpected and rather superficial proposal scene when it only lasted 3 minutes of the main couple. The fact that there was no romantic wedding has triggered the audience. If this were a tragic drama, letting the couple be together would be enough. In contrast, this is a soft romantic drama so why didn’t they have a proper wedding? 

A Business Proposal

A Business Proposal aired the last episode on SBS on the evening of April 5th.

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ending of business proposal business proposal ending how did business proposal end

Business Proposal Ending Explained

Business proposal (2022).

how does a business proposal end

Title: Business Proposal Hangul: 사내 맞선 Writer: Han Sul-hee, Hong Bo-hee Director: Park Seon-ho Network: Netflix, SBS Episodes: 12

Business Proposal Cast and Characters

Ahn Hyo-seop as Kang Tae-moo Kim Se-jeong as Shin Ha-ri Kim Min-gue as Cha Sung-hoon Seol In-ah as Jin Young-seo

business proposal relationship chart

Does Business Proposal Have a Happy Ending?

how does a business proposal end

Business Proposal ends on a happy note with not one but two proposals! Both Tae-moo and Ha-ri and Sung-hoon and Young-seo end the drama happily engaged. Tae-moo’s grandfather recovers from his heart issues and finally gives Tae-moo and Ha-ri his approval. A happy ending for everyone in Business Proposal .

What Happened to Tae-moo?

how does a business proposal end

CEO Kang Tae-moo ( Ahn Hyo-seop ), finds himself torn between his love for Ha-ri and his ailing grandfather.

He decides to leave for the US for his grandfather’s treatment, asking Ha-ri to join them but she declines. However, Ha-ri suggests that his grandfather’s needs should be put first.

Tae-moo asks her to wait for him as he gets his grandfather treated.

After a year, he returns, his grandfather having recovered, and he proposes to Ha-ri, marking the beginning of their happily-ever-after.

What Happened to Ha-ri?

how does a business proposal end

Shin Ha-ri ( Kim Se-jeong ) stands up for herself and her relationship with Tae-moo despite the public scrutiny and Grandpa’s disapproval.

When Tae-moo leaves for the US for his grandfather’s treatment, Ha-ri declines to go with him but promises to wait for him.

One year later, Ha-ri is still working as a food researcher with her team at Go Foods.

Her long-distance relationship with Tae-moo is going strong with the two keeping in touch via video call. But Ha-ri has doubts when a scandal breaks out about Tae-moo and a cellist and he won’t answer her calls.

She decides to confront Tae-moo in person, heading to the airport to catch a flight to the US. She meets Tae-moo there who clears up the cellist misunderstanding (the cellist’s family planted the story about her and Tae-moo).

Do Tae-moo and Ha-ri End Up Together?

how does a business proposal end

Yes, Tae-moo and Ha-ri end up together at the end of Business Proposal .

Despite public backlash and Grandpa’s disapproval, Tae-moo and Ha-ri continue their relationship.

The two are only separated when Grandpa is diagnosed with a heart problem and Tae-moo accompanies him to the US for his treatment.

Tae-moo and Ha-ri are in a long-distance relationship for a year keeping in touch through video calls.

Business Proposal ends with Tae-moo returning to Korea and proposing to Ha-ri under the cherry blossoms.

What Happened to Sung-hoon?

how does a business proposal end

Young-seo’s father, Chairman Jin, calls Sung-hoon to ask him to break up with Young-seo and to keep it secret from Young Seo.

Sung-hoon ( Kim Min-gue ) supports Young-seo in her decision to start her own business, even offering to fund her project.

He has a lot of money saved up: 1.7 billion won!

One year later, Sung-hoon is shown building a model home.

Why? I have no idea and the drama doesn’t bother explaining. Sung-hoon didn’t follow Tae-moo to the US for Grandpa’s treatment so he couldn’t work as his secretary.

Maybe he just took the year off work? It’s not like he needs the money anyway!

What Happened to Young-seo?

how does a business proposal end

After overhearing her father ask Sung-hoon to break up with her, Young-seo ( Seol In-ah ) quits her job at her father’s company and cuts ties with him.

Young-seo decides to start her own business, with Sung-hoon’s support (business plan pending).

Do Sung-hoon and Young-seo End Up Together?

how does a business proposal end

Yes, Sung-hoon and Young-seo end up together at the end of Business Proposal .

Sung-hoon proposes to Young-seo and she happily accepts.

The two remain together despite Young-seo’s father disapproving of their relationship.

Business Proposal ends with Sung-hoon and Young-seo engaged, supporting each other in their personal and professional endeavors.

What Happened to Min-woo?

how does a business proposal end

Min-woo ( Song Won Seok ), Ha-ri’s long-time crush, decides to travel the world.

He admits to Ha-ri that he and Yoo-ra were no good together and that the relationship is truly over.

He asks Ha-ri if they can be close friends again when he returns to Korea but Ha-ri is non-commital, telling him it might take some time.

They part ways with a handshake.

Do Min-woo and Yoo-ra End Up Together?

Min-woo and Yoo-ra remain broken up (thank God).

Do Ms Yeo and Mr Gye End Up Together?

how does a business proposal end

One year later, Ha-ri’s bickering co-workers, Ms Yeo and Mr Gye, are married.

What Happened to Tae-moo’s Grandfather (Chairman Kang)?

how does a business proposal end

After Tae-moo and Ha-ri’s relationship becomes public knowledge, Chairman Kang ( Lee Deok-hwa ), Tae-moo’s grandfather, tries his best to separate the two but fails.

He fakes an illness initially to try and manipulate Tae-moo, but is later diagnosed with a serious heart issue that can’t be treated in Korea. Tae-moo takes him to the US for treatment.

After a year, he recovers and gives his approval to Tae-moo and Ha-ri’s relationship (off-screen).

Do Ha-ri’s parents approve of Tae-moo?

how does a business proposal end

Episode 12 of Business Proposal begins with Ha-ri’s parents finding out about her relationship with Tae-moo.

Her parents are concerned about the power imbalance in their relationship with the huge differences in their social and economic statuses.

Tae-moo has a heartfelt conversation with Ha-ri’s father and earnestly promises to protect Ha-ri.

After their initial bout of suspicion and worry, Ha-ri’s parents give the couple their blessing.

Business Proposal Ending Review

how does a business proposal end

I’m not a big fan of how Grandpa finally gave Ha-ri his seal of approval off-screen. I enjoyed their relationship when Ha-ri was pretending Geum-hi and I was hoping Business Proposal would mend their relationship sooner so we could get the comedic duo back.

Grandpa’s disapproval and surly attitude while understandable was not entertaining and a bit of a downer in the final episodes.

I do appreciate that despite his anger at Ha-ri’s deception, Grandpa was genuinely looking out for her. He knows the malicious gossip and negative scrutiny Ha-ri will face being in a relationship with Tae-moo and was trying to protect them from that.

how does a business proposal end

What did you think of Business Proposal ?

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Michelle is a writer based in Canada and the founder of Dramatoast. She started watching kdramas and cdramas in the summer of 2018 and has been obsessed ever since.

Follow Dramatoast on twitter and instagram

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Judge fines Donald Trump more than $350 million, bars him from running businesses in N.Y. for three years

The judge who presided over a civil business fraud trial against Donald Trump on Friday ordered the former president, his sons, business associates and company to pay more than $350 million in damages and temporarily limited their ability to do business in New York.

Judge Arthur Engoron ordered the former president and the Trump Organization to pay over $354 million in damages , and barred Trump “from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in New York for a period of three years,” including his namesake company.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who’s office brought the case, said that with pre-judgment interest, the judgment totals over $450 million, an amount “which will continue to increase every single day” until the judgment is paid.

“Donald Trump is finally facing accountability for his lying, cheating, and staggering fraud. Because no matter how big, rich, or powerful you think you are, no one is above the law,” James said in a statement, calling the ruling “a tremendous victory for this state, this nation, and for everyone who believes that we all must play by the same rules — even former presidents.”

The ruling also bars Trump and his company from applying for any bank loans for three years.

In his first public remarks after the ruling, Trump said, “We’ll appeal and we’ll be successful.”

Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Friday night, Trump bashed the ruling as “a fine of 350 million for a doing a perfect job.” He also repeated previous attacks by calling the judge “crooked” and the attorney general “corrupt.”

Trump did not take any questions from reporters after speaking for about six minutes.

The judge’s decision is a potential blow to both Trump’s finances and persona — having built his brand on being a successful businessman that he leveraged in his first run for president. Trump is currently running for the White House for a third time. This case is just one of many he is currently facing, including four separate pending criminal trials, the first of which is scheduled to begin on March 25.

Engoron also ordered the continued “appointment of an Independent Monitor” and the “the installation of an Independent Director of Compliance” for the company.

In posts on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump called the ruling “an illegal, unAmerican judgment against me, my family, and my tremendous business.”

“This ‘decision’ is a complete and total sham,” he wrote.

During the trial, Trump and executives at his company, including his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, attempted to blame exaggerated financial statements that were the heart of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ fraud case on the accountants who compiled them. Engoron disagreed.

“There is overwhelming evidence from both interested and non-interested witnesses, corroborated by documentary evidence, that the buck for being truthful in the supporting data valuations stopped with the Trump Organization, not the accountants,” he wrote.

In explaining the need for a monitor, the judge cited the lack of remorse by Trump and his executives after the fraud was discovered.

“Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological. They are accused only of inflating asset values to make more money. The documents prove this over and over again. This is a venial sin, not a mortal sin. Defendants did not commit murder or arson. They did not rob a bank at gunpoint. Donald Trump is not Bernard Madoff. Yet, defendants are incapable of admitting the error of their ways,” Engoron wrote.

“Defendants’ refusal to admit error — indeed, to continue it, according to the Independent Monitor — constrains this Court to conclude that they will engage in it going forward unless judicially restrained,” he added.

The ruling also bars the Trump sons — who’ve been running the company since their father went to the White House — “from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in New York for a period of two years.” Both were fined over $4 million, plus interest, for their roles in the scheme.

Donald Trump Jr. posted on the social media site X that “We’ve reached the point where your political beliefs combined with what venue your case is heard are the primary determinants of the outcome; not the facts of the case! It’s truly sad what’s happened to our country.”

In a statement, Eric Trump called the judge “a cruel man.”

“He knows that every single witness testified to that fact that I had absolutely NOTHING to do with this case (as INSANE as the case truly is),” Eric Trump said.

He also attacked the ruling as “political vengeance by a judge out to get my father.”

 Trump attorney Alina Habba called the verdict “a manifest injustice — plain and simple.”

“Given the grave stakes, we trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious verdict and end this relentless persecution against my clients,” she said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Trump Organization called the ruling “a gross miscarriage of justice. The Trump Organization has never missed any loan payment or been in default on any loan.”

High legal costs

An appeal in the case would likely take years, but Trump could have to post a bond for the full amount if he does so.

Read more: Trump faces about $400 million in legal penalties. Can he afford it?

The judgment is the second this year against Trump after he was hit last month with an $83.3 million verdict in writer E. Jean Carroll’s defamation case against him. Trump has said he plans to appeal that verdict as well, but would have to post a bond for that amount as well.

James had been seeking $370 million from Trump, his company and its top executives, alleging “repeated and persistent fraud ” that included falsifying business records and financial statements. James had argued those financial statements were at times exaggerated by as much as $2.2 billion.

James contended the defendants used the inflated financial statements to obtain bank loans and insurance policies at rates he otherwise wouldn’t have been entitled to and “reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains.”

Trump had maintained his financial statements were conservative, and has called the AG’s allegations politically motivated and a “fraud on me.”

“This is a case that should have never been brought, and I think we should be entitled to damages,” Trump told reporters when he attended closing arguments in the case on Jan. 11.

Trump testimony knocked

The monthslong civil trial included testimony from Trump and his oldest children . The former president was combative in his day on the stand, blasting James as a “hack” and calling the judge “extremely hostile.”

Trump repeatedly complained about Engoron before and throughout the trial, and the judge slapped him with a partial gag order after he started blasting the judge’s law clerk as well. Trump’s complaints led to a flood of death threats against the clerk, as well as Engoron, court officials said, and Trump was fined $15,000 for twice violating the order.

Among the examples cited as fraud by the attorney general’s office during the trial was Trump valuing his triplex home in Trump Tower in New York City at three times its actual size and value, as well as including a brand value to increase the valuation of his golf courses on the financial statements, which explicitly said brand values were not included.

Another example pointed to by the attorney general clearly got under his skin — a dispute over the value of Mar-a-Lago, his social club and residence in Florida. Trump’s financial statements from 2011 to 2021 valued Mar-a-Lago at $426 million to $612 million, while the Palm Beach County assessor appraised the property’s market value to be $18 million to $27 million during the same time frame. Trump had also fraudulently puffed up the value of the property by saying it was a private residence, despite having signed an agreement that it could only be used as a social club to lower his tax burden.

Trump maintained during the trial the property was worth much, much more .

“The judge had it at $18 million, and it is worth, say, I say from 50 to 100 times more than that. So I don’t know how you got those numbers,” Trump testified, adding later that he thinks it’s actually worth “between a billion and a billion five.”

In his ruling Friday, Engoron said he didn’t find Trump to be a credible witness.

“Overall, Donald Trump rarely responded to the questions asked, and he frequently interjected long, irrelevant speeches on issues far beyond the scope of the trial. His refusal to answer the questions directly, or in some cases, at all, severely compromised his credibility,” the judge wrote.

Michael Cohen testimony ‘credible’

James’ investigation into the former president’s business began in 2019 as a result of congressional testimony from his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen , who told the House Oversight Committee that Trump would improperly expand and shrink values to fit whatever his business needs were.

Cohen testified during the trial about his role in the scheme, and said while Trump didn’t explicitly tell him and then-Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg to inflate the numbers in the financial statement, he was like a “mob boss” who tells you what he wants without directly telling you.

Trump claimed Cohen’s testimony exonerated him while also painting him as an untrustworthy liar because he admitted having previously lied under oath.

In his ruling, Engoron called Cohen an “important witness” and said he found his testimony “credible.” “This factfinder does not believe that pleading guilty to perjury means that you can never tell the truth. Michael Cohen told the truth,” the judge wrote.

Former CFO ‘evasive’

Engoron was less forgiving about former Trump CFO Weisselberg, who previously pleaded guilty to carrying out tax fraud at the company.

Weisselberg’s “testimony in this trial was intentionally evasive, with large gaps of ‘I don’t remember.’”

“There is overwhelming evidence that Allen Weisselberg intentionally falsified hundreds of business records during his tenure” at the company, the judge wrote. “Weisselberg understood that his assignment from Donald Trump was to have his reported assets increase every year irrespective of their actual values. The examples of Weisselberg’s intent to falsify business records are too numerous to itemize,” he added.

The judge permanently barred Weisselberg “from serving in the financial control function of any New York corporation or similar business entity operating in New York State,” and ordered him to pay the $1 million he’s already received from his $2 million separation agreement from the company as “ill-gotten gains.”

AG initially sought less

James filed her suit seeking $250 million in damages from Trump in 2022, and the judge appointed a monitor to oversee the company’s finances that November.

In a summary judgment  ruling the week before the trial started, Engoron found Trump and his executives had repeatedly engaged in fraud. The “documents here clearly contain fraudulent valuations that defendants used in business, satisfying [the attorney general’s] burden to establish liability as a matter of law against defendants,” the judge wrote, while denying Trump’s bid to dismiss the case.

Engoron summarized the Trump defense as “the documents do not say what they say; that there is no such thing as ‘objective’ value; and that, essentially, the Court should not believe its own eyes.”

The order, which Trump appealed, held that Trump’s business certificates in New York should be canceled, which could have wreaked havoc on Trump’s company and forced the sell-off of some assets.

Engoron backed off of that decision in his ruling Friday, saying the addition of the “two-tiered oversight” of the monitor and the compliance director makes that move “no longer necessary.”

Trump had complained about the summary judgment ruling while he was on the witness stand. “He said I was a fraud before he knew anything about me, nothing about me,” Trump said. “It’s a terrible thing you did.”

how does a business proposal end

Adam Reiss is a reporter and producer for NBC and MSNBC.

how does a business proposal end

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.

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An Explosive Hearing in Trump’s Georgia Election Case

Fani t. willis, the district attorney, defended her personal conduct as defense lawyers sought to disqualify her from the prosecution..

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In tense proceedings in Georgia, a judge will decide whether Fani T. Willis, the Fulton County district attorney, and her office should be disqualified from their prosecution of former President Donald J. Trump.

Richard Fausset, a national reporter for The Times, talks through the dramatic opening day of testimony, in which a trip to Belize, a tattoo parlor and Grey Goose vodka all featured.

On today’s episode

how does a business proposal end

Richard Fausset , a national reporter for The New York Times.

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COMMENTS

  1. 'A Business Proposal' Ending Explained: Does Tae-moo marry Ha ...

    Fans of SBS' 'A Business Proposal' bid the K-drama a farewell after its final episode aired on April 5. While the dating scandal involving Kang Tae-moo in the show was confirmed to be fake in his own words, fans will miss watching new episodes of the Ahn Hyo Seop and Kim Se Jeong show.

  2. How to Write a Business Proposal [Examples + Template]

    Here's an example of what a business proposal template looks like when done right: 2. Explain your "why" with an executive summary. The executive summary details exactly why you're sending the proposal and why your solution is the best for the prospective client. Specificity is key here.

  3. How to Write a Business Proposal (+ Examples & FREE Templates)

    An effective business proposal is a document used by a B2B or business-facing company (this may not always be the case) where a seller aims to persuade a prospective buyer into buying their goods or services. A business proposal outlines what your business does and what you can do for your client.

  4. How to Write a Business Proposal with Examples

    Key takeaways A business proposal outlines a product, service, or project a company offers potential clients or partners to convince them the business can meet their needs. A well-crafted business proposal is essential as a business deal will often follow if successful.

  5. Closing a Proposal

    Writing a business proposal conclusion involves summarizing all of your main points, overcoming objections and finishing with a flourish. Just as in closing a sales presentation, closing a...

  6. How to Write a Business Proposal

    This being said, when writing a business proposal, you can break down the document into these sections: Introduction Table of contents Executive summary Project details Deliverables and...

  7. How To Write A Business Plan (2024 Guide)

    Describe Your Services or Products. The business plan should have a section that explains the services or products that you're offering. This is the part where you can also describe how they fit ...

  8. How to Write a Business Proposal: Step-by-Step Guide

    The length of a business proposal will largely depend on what you do. That said, proposals that convert the best are short, concise, and to the point. Our data backs this up, showing that the optimal proposal length has been 6-7 sections for five years now. 4. Make sure your proposals are mobile-friendly.

  9. How to Write a Business Proposal

    6 Min. Read Marketing and Sales By: Briana Morgaine A business proposal can make or break your chances of securing a new client. Write a great one, and you'll likely snag their business. Write a poor one, and you might lose out—even if you're offering the best service out there. So, how do you write a business proposal? What is the proper format?

  10. How to Write a Winning Business Proposal (With Examples)

    Step #6: Follow up. After you complete your proposal and send it over to the prospective client, it's critical to have a plan to follow up with the individual or team. I suggest setting up a call or meeting to go over the proposal with them and answer any questions they may have about it.

  11. How to Write a Business Proposal (Examples & Templates)

    Here's how to write a business proposal: 1. Create a title page 2. Include an interactive table of contents 3. Write a compelling executive summary 4. Identify the problem and propose a solution 5. Explain your methodology 6. Back up your proposal with proof of qualifications 7. Outline your pricing options 8.

  12. How To Write the Conclusion of a Business Plan (With Tips)

    1. Decide where you want it to be Determine whether you want your business plan conclusion to be at the end of the executive summary or the end of the entire document. If you are creating a business plan to get investors or raise money, consider putting the conclusion at the end of the executive summary.

  13. How to Write a Conclusion for a Proposal

    At the end of a good proposal, you're persuading the reader to do just that, to say yes to your proposed idea. Business Proposal Conclusion Example Let's say you work for a technology firm and you've written a proposal to a prospective client outlining why they should install your security software.

  14. How to Close a Proposal Letter & Verbiage

    This final summary should provide an analysis or explanation that connects all the main points. You may also want to encourage the recipient to continue the conversation by offering to answer any lingering questions or to discuss the idea in greater depth at a later date.

  15. Business Proposal Ending Explained: Ahn Hyo-seop and Kim ...

    One after the other, several K-dramas have come to an end. The season of endings began with Forecasting Love and Weather and Thirty-Nine followed by Twenty-Five Twenty-One. Now, A Business Proposal has also come to end. The fun K-drama, starring Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Sejeong, Seol In-ah and Kim Min-kyu in the lead, was based on a webtoon of the ...

  16. Business Proposal k-drama and webtoon ending explained

    (contains mild spoilers) The ending of the Business Proposal webtoon also called The Office Blind Date slightly differs from the k-drama. As the webtoon is 105 episodes long along with special...

  17. Business Proposal season 1, episode 12 recap

    Summary. A very sweet finale brings Business Proposal to a satisfying close. This recap of Business Proposal season 1, episode 12 contains spoilers, including for the Business Proposal ending. We've had our fair share of controversial k-drama endings lately, with Twenty-Five Twenty-One sending fans into a tizzy just this weekend.

  18. Business Proposal ending explained: Tae-moo and Ha-ri's ...

    This includes handing an envelope full of money to the poor partner, throwing mugs of water in their face if they refuse to give in, among others. In the back drop of such a melodramatic soap...

  19. Business Proposal

    5 April 2022 by Ally Ham A Final Proposal Does Young-seo's father accept Seong-hoon? Episode 12 of Business Proposal begins with Chairman Jin calling Seong-hoon to ask him to break up with Young-seo, but keep it a secret from her. But Young-seo overhears this. Though she pretends she's fine, Seong-hoon can tell this deeply upsets her.

  20. 'Business Proposal' Ending Explained: Does Tae Moo And Ha Ri's Fake

    The Fake Relationship Despite all her efforts to do otherwise, Ha Ri ends up impressing Tae Moo, who decides to marry her right away! Trying to persuade her, Tae Moo encounters the real Yeong Seo and finds out that his date was fake. To handle the situation and save her job, Ha Ri tells him that her name is Shin Geum Hui.

  21. Watch Business Proposal

    Business Proposal. 2022 | Maturity Rating: TV-14 | 1 Season | Romance. In disguise as her friend, Ha-ri shows up to a blind date to scare him away. But plans go awry when he turns out to be her CEO — and makes a proposal. Starring: Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Se-jeong, Kim Min-gue. Creators: Park Seon-ho, Han Sul-hee, Hong Bo-hui.

  22. 3 details that make the end of A Business Proposal cause ...

    3. Constructing the " Yes there are but for what" episodes. The ending of " A Business Proposal " is predictable as a happy ending. Therefore, it causes a feeling of dissatisfaction, even boredom. There are no plot twists, everything is too predictable. There are even unnecessary details that do absolutely nothing to the drama.

  23. Business Proposal Ending Explained

    By Michelle Ann January 7, 2024 Business Proposal (2022) Title: Business Proposal Hangul: 사내 맞선 Writer: Han Sul-hee, Hong Bo-hee Director: Park Seon-ho Network: Netflix, SBS Episodes: 12 Business Proposal Cast and Characters Ahn Hyo-seop as Kang Tae-moo Kim Se-jeong as Shin Ha-ri Kim Min-gue as Cha Sung-hoon Seol In-ah as Jin Young-seo

  24. Exclusive: Hamas proposes three-stage ceasefire over 135 days, leading

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  25. Judge Engoron fines Trump more than $350M, bars him from running

    The judge who presided over a civil business fraud trial against Donald Trump on Friday ordered the former president, his sons, business associates and company to pay more than $350 million in ...

  26. An Explosive Hearing in Trump's Georgia Election Case

    Fani T. Willis, the district attorney, defended her personal conduct as defense lawyers sought to disqualify her from the prosecution.

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  28. How To Start A New Business With No Money

    5. Market your business. Digital marketing levels the playing field for small businesses, allowing you to reach a global audience with a relatively small budget. Start a blog using SEO to get ...