If you run a web agency, you know the frustration of spending hours writing a proposal only to lose the project to someone who charged less. Here's the thing: your proposal is the first piece of design work your client sees, and it sets the tone for everything that follows.
That's why having a solid website proposal template matters. It helps you work faster and win more projects. In this guide, I'll show you how to build proposals that turn potential clients into actual clients, plus a free template you can use right away.
Let's break down exactly what makes a website proposal convert prospects into clients.
A website proposal explains how you plan to build or redesign someone's website. It includes your complete plan, timeline, deliverables, and how it will solve their problems. It's both a sales pitch and a project guide that keeps everyone on the same page.
Unlike a simple price quote, a real proposal shows you understand their business needs and explains how your website will help them succeed. Whether you're redesigning an existing site or pitching a new one, you're showing clients the path from their current challenges to their future success.
But before we look at the template, what strategies help you win projects? Let's discuss them.
Here's how to customize your proposal for each client and win projects faster instead of just filling in blanks.
Discovery calls help you avoid generic pitches by uncovering what clients actually need. Ask targeted questions like "What are your top business goals?", "Who is your audience?", "Who are your competitors?", and "How will you measure success?" This gives you the insights to create a proposal that feels custom-made for them.
Learn how to build a complete agency sales process that converts prospects into paying clients.
These conversations shape everything that follows in your proposal. When you can reference specific details they shared, it shows you were actually listening, not just selling a cookie-cutter package. This foundation transforms a standard web design proposal template into something that speaks directly to their situation.
Open your proposal by describing their challenges using the client's own words from your discovery call. This proves you understand their problems and creates an instant connection. Skip the agency jargon and keep everything conversational and client-focused.
Nobody cares about your process until they believe you understand their problem, so start with their pain points before explaining how you can help. Once they feel understood, they'll be ready to hear about your solution.
Go beyond basic promises by highlighting what makes you different, perhaps a strategy-first approach or conversion-focused design. Explain how your method outperforms standard approaches and back it up with specific results, e.g., "Our process boosted client conversions by 40%."
Clients hire you because you do something better than the competition, so make sure they know exactly what that is. This clarity helps you stand out in a crowded field where many agencies promise similar results.
Use value-based pricing that emphasizes results instead of hourly rates. Offer tiered packages (e.g., Good, Better, Best) to give clients flexibility and create upselling opportunities. Frame pricing around outcomes, not tasks– instead of "$5,000 for homepage design," say "5-section homepage optimized for conversion, including user research and A/B testing."
When clients see value instead of just cost, they're more likely to say yes. This approach positions you as an investment in their business success rather than just another expense.
Treat your proposal as a design showcase by branding it with your agency's colors, fonts, and logo, with plenty of white space for readability. A strong visual hierarchy guides the eye and proves your design skills from page one.
If your proposal looks generic or poorly designed, your clients will assume your work is the same, so make it look so good that they want to save it as a reference. Your proposal should demonstrate the same quality that they can expect in their final website.
Now let's look at the specific sections you need to include and how to make each one work for you.
Here are the specific sections that make a great proposal, from understanding a client's problem to signing:
Create a cover page with your agency logo, client name, project title, date, and a hero image that reflects their brand for immediate professional impact. This first impression sets the stage for everything that follows.
Then write a three-sentence executive summary: restate their core challenge, outline your solution, and highlight expected ROI.
For example: "Your current site struggles with mobile conversions. We'll deliver a responsive, conversion-optimized redesign. Expect 30% traffic growth within six months." It immediately conveys value and entices readers to continue reading.
Describe their pain points using insights from your discovery calls. Cover their current state, the impact on their business, and the opportunity for improvement. This proves you listened and understand not just what's broken but why it matters to their bottom line.
Position your solution by linking features to outcomes. Instead of just saying "wireframes," explain how a custom UX audit drives 25% more leads. Connect every deliverable to business goals like revenue growth or user retention so clients see the bigger picture and your value becomes undeniable.
Define clear boundaries with "In Scope" and "Out of Scope" lists to prevent scope creep. Be explicit about what's included (like "10 pages, 2 revisions") and what's not (like "content creation and hosting"). This clarity protects both you and the client from future misunderstandings.
Use a phase-based timeline that breaks the project into manageable chunks. To illustrate: Discovery (Week 1), Design (Weeks 2-4), Development (Weeks 5-7), Launch (Week 8).
List specific deliverables for each phase, e.g., "Clickable prototype by Week 3," so everyone knows what to expect and when. This organized approach helps clients visualize the journey from start to finish.
Offer fixed-price packages, tiered packages (e.g., Basic, Standard, Premium), or phased pricing. Include core services in your base price and list add-ons like SEO separately so clients can choose what they need.
Tie payments to milestones, for example: typically 30% upfront, 40% after design approval, and 30% on launch. This protects both you and the client while keeping the project moving smoothly forward.
Include two or three agency proposal examples from your portfolio that match their industry with real metrics like "E-commerce site increased sales 45%" and visuals. Industry-specific case studies show you've solved similar challenges before and carry more weight than generic portfolio pieces.
Add concise team bios with photos, such as "Jane Doe, Lead Designer with 10+ years crafting award-winning UX" to build confidence. Place testimonials near your pricing section to reinforce value right when clients are deciding– this strategic placement can be the final push they need to commit.
Outline your workflow from discovery through launch and support. Provide clients with evidence of your proven results-delivery system to build their trust in you.
End with clear terms, revision policies, and a bold call to action, such as "Sign here to start" or "Schedule your kickoff call." Make it easy for them to say yes by removing any confusion about what happens next.
Personalize each proposal and address concerns upfront; even the best website proposal template falls flat if you just fill in blanks without thinking about your audience.
Copy-paste proposals feel generic and lose deals to competitors who show a genuine understanding. Customize the executive summary, challenges section, case studies, and visuals to reflect the client's industry, goals, and their own words from discovery calls.
Address common concerns like tight timelines, budget constraints, or doubts about expertise with FAQ sections or direct responses. For example: "Our agile process delivers launches in 8 weeks without cutting quality."
Use risk-reversal strategies such as satisfaction guarantees, free initial audits, or milestone-based payments to lower barriers. When you remove the risk from their decision, saying yes becomes much easier for hesitant clients.
End with bold calls to action like "Schedule your kickoff call," "eSign below," or "Submit 30% deposit to start." Set an expiration of 7-14 days to create urgency without pressure.
You can convert 20-30% more leads than just waiting if you follow up 48 hours later with a personalized email that recaps the value and offers a quick phone call for questions. Send your proposal as a customized video walkthrough along with the PDF to dramatically increase engagement and make clients feel like you're speaking directly to them.
Even experienced agencies fall into these traps that kill deals and create project headaches down the line. Knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to include.
A vague scope leads to endless revisions when clients request changes outside original expectations. Prevent this by explicitly listing deliverables such as "5-page responsive site with contact form," and capping revisions at 2 rounds per phase.
Don't pad timelines with extra weeks just to be safe; it erodes trust when clients figure it out. Be honest with reasonable buffers: "8-week launch including 2 client feedback cycles" shows transparency and builds credibility instead of destroying it.
Proposals focused only on execution miss the chance to position yourself as a business partner solving revenue problems. Avoid commodity pricing like "$X per page"-- it invites lowball bids and doesn't differentiate you based on value.
Instead, tie costs to outcomes like "25% conversion uplift via UX optimization" and explain why strategy-first design outperforms cheap templates. Educate without overwhelming, strike a balance that shows expertise without talking down to clients.
Over 70% of executives review proposals on mobile first, so rigid PDFs with tiny text kill your conversion rate. Use responsive, interactive platforms that adapt to any screen, let you embed videos, and track when proposals are opened.
This mobile-first approach matters because decision-makers review proposals during commutes and between meetings. If your proposal isn't mobile-friendly, you're losing most of your audience before they read past the cover page.
Winning the proposal is just the beginning– delivering what you promised builds your reputation and keeps clients coming back. The gap between what you promise and what you execute is where agencies either build or destroy trust.
A strong website proposal saves time and wins projects, but customizing it for each client matters most. The proposal sets expectations for everything that follows, so invest the effort to get it right. Once approved, use good systems to stay organized and keep your commitments.
Tools like ManyRequests help manage projects with client portals that show real-time progress, prevent "what's happening" emails, and build confidence you're delivering what you sold.
DesignGuru uses ManyRequests to centralize all its design tasks so clients can easily request design work in one place. They run everything through the platform—client onboarding, billing, design project tracking, revisions, and file sharing. This all-in-one approach helped them scale quickly and achieve their impressive growth.
Download our free website proposal template and try ManyRequests free for 14 days to deliver the projects you win.
First, figure out what your customer wants and what issues they're trying to fix. To make it feel special to them, create a document that explains your idea, displays examples of your past projects, and lists costs and timeframe.
A website plan works best at 5-15 pages—enough pages to share the main information but not so many that customers get bored. Don't just make it longer, make it good. Writing more than 15 pages is probably putting in extra material that can wait.
A proposal is a document that helps convince the customer to choose you by presenting your ideas and getting them excited about working together. An agreement is the official document that both parties sign after the proposal is accepted, which includes all the rules and payment details. The proposal helps you get hired for the job, while the agreement ensures that everyone understands exactly what will happen and protects both sides.