HrvatskiPart 1
Cover
Logo, client name, title, date. Clean and calm.
Brand OS Portal
Business proposal design template: the layout, page by page.
A well-designed proposal is easy to skim, answers the buyer questions in order and looks like your company on every page.
Free: your brand in 3 real designs, in 48 hours.
A business proposal has seven parts: a cover, a short summary, the problem, your plan, the timeline, the team and proof, and the next step. Each part gets one page or less.
Design it for skimming. Big headings, short blocks, one accent colour and your real fonts. Keep the brand parts locked and change just the words for each client.
By Vedran Obradović · Updated 7 November 2026
The 7 parts of a business proposal.
Use this order. It matches what the buyer wants to know.
Part 2
Summary
The whole proposal in five lines. Many readers stop here.
Part 3
The problem
Their situation in their words. Show you listened.
Part 4
Your plan
What you will do, in steps, and what they get at the end.
Part 5
Timeline
A simple table with dates. Say who does what.
Part 6
Team and proof
Who works on it and why you can be trusted. Real names and results.
Part 7
Next step
How to say yes. One action and a date the offer stands until.
Copy and paste the proposal outline.
Replace the brackets. Keep every part short.
Business proposal outline
COVER [Your logo] Proposal for [Client name] [Project title] [Date] SUMMARY (5 lines) You want [goal]. The problem today is [problem]. I suggest [plan]. It takes [time]. You can start on [date]. THE PROBLEM - [What you heard on the call, in their words] - [Why it matters to them now] THE PLAN 1. [Step, what happens, what they get] 2. [Step, what happens, what they get] 3. [Step, what happens, what they get] TIMELINE Week 1: [..] Week 2: [..] Week 3: [..] What I need from you: [items and dates] TEAM AND PROOF [Names and roles] - [Approved result or quote] NEXT STEP Reply "yes" or book 15 minutes: [link]. This proposal is valid until [date].
Write it the way you talk on a call. See B2B brand voice examples. If you need a fast deck for the same pitch, see the on-brand sales deck template.
Free tool
Does your proposal look like a real company?
Buyers compare your proposal to the others in the folder. Answer a few short questions. You get a brand score and the top thing to fix. It is free.
Design rules that make a proposal feel sure.
A buyer reads design before they read words. Get these right.
- Big headings, so the page reads in five seconds
- One accent colour for key numbers and links, not ten colours
- Two fonts at most, the same as your website and decks
- A grid: same margins and same blocks on every page
- Tables for timelines, not long paragraphs
- The logo in the same place on every page, never stretched
- A PDF with a clean file name, ready to forward
| Looks weak | Looks sure |
|---|---|
| Long paragraphs | Short blocks with headings |
| Many colours and fonts | One accent, two fonts |
| Stock photos | Real team, real work |
| "I am passionate..." | "Here is what happens in week 1" |
The rules live in your brand. If they are not written down, start with one-page brand guidelines and your brand style guide template.
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When a proposal should be a deck.
Some buyers want slides. The structure stays the same.
Use the same seven parts, one slide each. In Brand OS Portal, Pitch Deck Builder works like this: you tell it your story and get the slides in your brand. No blank page. For deck design from me, see pitch deck design.
A designer is still the right call for brand strategy and a new identity. Brand OS Portal is for the daily work after that. If you send many proposals, set up the layout once and let sales change the words.
Proposal checklist.
Tick what is true. Ticks stay on this device.
0 of 9 done
Also see brand templates for teams to keep every document on brand.
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Change the words, keep the brand.
This is a real tool from a real Brand OS Portal, on the MTG brand. A proposal template works the same way: words change, the brand stays right.
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Straight answers.
What should a business proposal include?
A cover, a short summary, the problem, your plan, the timeline, the team with proof, and one next step.
How long should a business proposal be?
As short as it can be while it answers the buyer. Many strong proposals are one to six pages.
How do I make a proposal look professional?
Use big headings, short blocks, two fonts, one accent colour, a steady grid and your real logo in the same place on every page.
Should a proposal be a PDF or a deck?
A PDF is easy to forward. A deck is good when you present it live. Many teams use the same structure for both.
How do I keep every proposal on brand?
Set up one locked layout. Sales changes the words for each client. The logo, fonts and colours stay fixed.
One more thing.
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