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Guides · Proposals and business cases

Proposal template

A proposal asks someone to approve a plan, a budget or a deal. The strongest ones lead with the outcome the reader wants, show the plan and what it costs, deal with the risks before they are raised, and end with one clear decision to make.

Use it when
Client proposals, RFP responses, budget requests, internal business cases.
Typical length
10 to 12.
Format
Sent to be read and compared, then presented to decide.

The proposal structure, slide by slide

Borrowed from Eiffel's 1886 tower proposal structure. Each beat is one slide, three at most.

  1. 01CoverWho you are, what you will deliver, and the brief you are answering.
  2. 02Your goalPlay the client's objective back to them, including what success looks like.
  3. 03Your requirementsQuote each requirement in their order and show how you meet it.
  4. 04Our solutionThe thing you will deliver, shown, with its headline number.
  5. 05Why usComparable work you have already delivered, and the named team.
  6. 06How we buildThe method that makes the plan believable.
  7. 07Plan and timelineDated milestones the client can hold you to, ending before their deadline.
  8. 08Pricing and termsWhat they pay, what you carry, and what you get in return.
  9. 09RisksA register with an owner, a mitigation, and a status for each risk.
  10. 10What you getWhat the client holds at the end, not the work you will do.
  11. 11Next stepsThree dated actions and a signature.

What good proposals and business cases do

  • Start with their goal in their words, not your company.
  • Check off every requirement in the brief, visibly.
  • Put the decision on the first slide: what you are asking them to approve.
  • Show the options you considered and why this one wins.
  • Cost, phasing, and terms in one place; risks each with an owner; next steps with a date.

Where they usually fail

  • A credentials deck instead of an answer
  • Missing a requirement from the brief
  • Price hidden or vague
  • No decision asked for

More proposal examples

1597 Proposal deck

Romeo and Juliet

One secret wedding ends the feud. Every risk is low.

Legend
Original craft
Unfair

The story→10 slides

1959 New product pitch

Barbie

The doll is the razor. The wardrobe is the blade.

Legend
Original craft
Unfair

The story→10 slides

1790 Business case

Alexander Hamilton

A broke country, one dinner, and a credit score.

Legend
Original craft
Unfair

The story→12 slides

Proposal template: questions

What should a business proposal include?

The outcome you are promising, the plan to get there, the timeline, the cost, the risks and how you will handle them, and the decision you need, with a date.

What is the difference between a project proposal and a business proposal?

A project proposal asks for approval and resources for a piece of work, usually inside an organization. A business proposal asks a client or partner to buy. The structure is the same; the business proposal leans harder on proof and price.

How long should a proposal be?

As short as the decision allows. Put the outcome, cost and ask in the first few slides so a busy approver can say yes without reading the rest, and move detail to an appendix.

Make yours with this structure

Type your site and we'll write the prompt for your deck, in your brand, built on Eiffel's 1886 tower proposal structure.