Write a proposal that wins

A client says "OK, send me something". It's tempting to send a price on WhatsApp and start building straight away, while they're excited. Don't. Most painful freelance stories start right here: no deposit, so the client disappears halfway through; no written scope, so "one small change" becomes thirty; no deadline for their photos, so the project drags on for months.

Three documents prevent almost all of that: a proposal (what you'll build), an agreement (how you'll work together), and an invoice for the deposit. Once your templates exist, they take about thirty minutes per client.

The proposal does one more job: it sells. It's often the first proper document a business owner sees from you. A good one talks about their business, shows them exactly how their customers will use the site, and lets them choose a package without a phone call. A client who reads a clear proposal feels they're dealing with a professional, and is much more likely to say yes.

This lesson is the first of the three documents: the proposal. Lesson 14.3 adds the agreement, the deposit invoice and the rest of the paperwork.