A proposal is ready when a stranger could read it and say exactly what the client gets, what they do not get, when, for how much, and what happens next. Check those seven things. Then check every number and name. Then check that it answers what the client actually asked for.
The proposal that lost on page three
You spent two days on it. Beautiful design. Great case studies. The client read it and asked: "So is the website redesign included or not?" It was not clear. They went with the other agency, whose proposal was uglier and clearer.
Proposals do not lose on design. They lose on gaps.
The seven questions
1. Does it name the client's problem in their words?
The first page should show you listened. Not "we are a full-service agency." Instead, "You told us your signup page loses half its visitors before the form."
2. Is the scope a list of things?
Not "comprehensive brand refresh." Instead, a list: a logo, three color options, a one-page brand guide, templates for email and slides. Things the client can count.
3. Is it clear what is NOT included?
This is the line most proposals skip and most arguments start from. "This proposal does not include website changes, printing, or photography. We can quote those separately."
4. Does the timeline have dates and depend on them?
"Six weeks" means nothing without a start date and the things you need from the client to keep it. "Six weeks from kickoff, assuming feedback within three business days at each stage."
5. Is the price basis clear?
Fixed fee or hourly? What is included in the fee? What happens if the scope changes? How many rounds of revisions? When is payment due?
6. Is the next step one action?
"Reply to this email to confirm, and we will send the agreement and schedule kickoff." One thing. Not "let us know your thoughts."
7. Does it answer what they asked?
Go back to the client's original request. Every question they asked should be answered somewhere, and the big ones should be answered early.
Then check the facts
- The client's name and company, spelled right, everywhere. Especially if you reused a template.
- Every price adds up.
- Every date is a real date, in the future.
- Case study numbers are ones you can back up.
- No leftover text from the last proposal. Search for the previous client's name.
Example
A web agency's proposal was polished and long. The check found: no "not included" section (the client assumed hosting was in), the timeline said "8 to 10 weeks" with no start trigger, revisions were not mentioned, and the previous client's name appeared once on page six.
Twenty minutes of fixes. The client signed and, more importantly, never asked "is this included?" during the project.
Where M-Tracker fits
A proposal is a task with a brief: what the client asked for and what the proposal must cover. When it is marked done in M-Tracker, it is checked against that brief, so the "did it answer what they asked?" question is answered before the owner reads it. Once the project is won, the scope becomes the project, with each deliverable a task the client can approve one by one.
Make it fast
Paste the proposal into the proposal checker. It checks the seven questions and flags the gaps. Then do the facts check yourself with search.
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