How to Write A Business Proposal? Top 5 Templates List

In the business of tech startups, there are as many ways to approach investors as there are investors themselves. One of the most commonly sought methods by new founders is a business proposal.

A business proposal is a powerful tool that can help you win clients, secure partnerships, and close deals. While it’s often confused with a business plan, the two serve very different purposes.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through what a business proposal is, why it’s necessary, and how to write one that stands out. Whether you’re responding to a request for proposal (RFP), raising funds from investors, or trying to pitch a new client, learning to write a compelling business proposal can make all the difference in growing your business.

What is a Business Proposal?

A business proposal is a formal document you send to a potential client or partner, offering your product or service as the solution to a specific problem they face. Unlike a business plan, which is internally focused on laying out your company’s goals and strategy, a business proposal is composed similarly, but it's externally focused and tailored to the recipient’s needs.

In the context of startups, a business proposal can serve a similar purpose to a pitch deck. They are often used to attract investors by presenting a clear solution to a market gap or an innovative product that can drive growth. While many investors will ask for a formal business plan or are used to expecting a more standard pitch deck, a well-crafted business proposal can be just as effective in showcasing your idea, breaking down how you’ll achieve success, and demonstrating the potential return on investment.

No matter if you're responding to a request for proposals or proactively reaching out to potential partners to seek funding, your proposal should focus on how your startup can meet their needs and grow in the market.

When and Why Would I Need a Business Proposal?

For startups, a business proposal is an option to consider when seeking investment, forming strategic partnerships, or pitching large clients. Unlike established companies, startups in the earliest stages usually lack a proven track record, which makes a clear and convincing proposal crucial for demonstrating the potential of your idea and business model.

Some scenarios in which you as a tech startup founder would need a business proposal are:

• Pitching Investors: Whether you’re seeking seed funding or later-stage venture capital, investors want to know exactly how you plan to use their money and what return they can expect. A business proposal helps you explain your product or service, market opportunity, and growth potential in a concise, actionable way. This is particularly important when you are responding to an individual investor’s interest or submitting personally for pitch events and accelerator programs. For more advanced relationships or pitching to institutions or groups of people, a full pitch deck is better suited.
• Forming Strategic Partnerships: Startups often rely on partnerships to scale, access new markets, or gain resources. A business proposal can help demonstrate the value of a partnership by explaining how your startup complements another business’s objectives. This is especially useful when reaching out to C-suite executives at larger corporations or industry leaders for collaborations.
• Securing Contracts or Clients: If your startup is service-based, a business proposal for daily use is essential when pitching important or large clients. It showcases how your solution addresses their pain points and outlines how you’ll deliver on their needs. Investors and clients alike are interested in how you plan to execute your business idea, and a proposal allows you to outline your offerings, budget, and timelines clearly.

How to Write a Business Proposal

It's important to keep in mind while drafting a business proposal that it's a very specific tool — if you find yourself describing your business, product or revenue model in the proposal instead of getting straight to the point, then it's likely that you'll need something with a broader scope, like a business plan or a pitch deck.

While the objective of a proposal is different, a useful tip is to follow more or less the same structure we recommend for pitch decks, centered around the problem you're trying to solve and presenting it as a traditional narrative.

If you're sure that a business proposal is the best suited document for your current needs, a useful outline to follow is:

Problem Statement

Prospective clients want to know that your startup is addressing a real, significant problem in the market. In this section, describe the problem or market gap you've identified and, if available, the measurable ways in which it's impacting your target audience, such as loss of revenue or delays in a supply chain.

Proposed Solution

Here, you’ll outline how your startup solves the problem mentioned in the previous section. Highlight your product or service, but focusing on the tangible benefits to the users instead of technical descriptions of features or functions.

Project Scope and Deliverables

If applicable, this is where you detail the scope of your project or product development, which might include:

• Key milestones or phases of the project (product launch, marketing campaigns).
• Specific deliverables (software development, prototype creation).
• A time frame for each milestone.

Be aware that not all proposals will need a comprehensive overview of their scope, like in the case of a one-and-done sale of a product.

Budget/Cost Breakdown

This section is similar to "The Ask" in a pitch deck. It's a critical section where you'll basically ask for money from your potential investors or the decision makers of your client company. Be transparent about resource allocation, if there's a risk of the budget being insufficient, and potential returns of investment, if there are any.

Qualifications and Credentials

Investors and clients want to know why you’re the right team to execute this plan. In this section, include:

• Your team’s experience and expertise.
• Previous successes, case studies, or relevant projects.
• Any industry partnerships or endorsements.

Highlight your unique qualifications and how they make your team the best choice to drive this deal or partnership to success.

Business Proposal Templates

Templates can simplify the business proposal writing process and help you be sure that vital components are not overlooked. Here are some common types of business proposal templates that may help you structure your document effectively:

Digital Marketing Proposal Template

Nothing can be more harmful in marketing than venturing without a solid plan. Anyone hoping to deliver successful digital marketing services needs an all-powerful roadmap ahead of time. And it’s vital to present that through a compelling pitch speech that grabs clients’ attention. 

Project Proposal Template

You need a project proposal when you are developing a plan and require additional resources. The proposal offers critical figures, including your estimated budget and strategy to create a deliverable within a specific time frame. While the slide presentation does not have to delve into the nitty-gritty details of the project, you must offer enough information to pique the curiosity of investors.

Consulting Proposal Template

Use our consulting proposal template to help you close client deals with a standout business proposal. This presentation includes every slide you need to clearly present important details to prospective clients.

Event Proposal Template

When pitching your services as a contractor for an upcoming event, having a solid plan is essential. An event proposal template helps organize the process by dividing the project into manageable objectives. By offering the company clear, actionable steps, you build trust and give decision-makers greater confidence in your ability to deliver.

Grant Proposal Template

Our grant proposal template is a useful tool when preparing your research or project plan. Whether you're applying for a government grant or submitting a research proposal, it's crucial to present your information clearly to engage stakeholders and secure their support for your project.