Proposal Templates
Sales proposal template: what we heard, how we solve it, and the price
By Justin HamptonLast updated Reviewed by Justin HamptonHow we write these
Part of How to write a sales proposal buyers can decide with
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Key takeaways
- Order the proposal the way buyers read: their problems first, your solution second, the price third and next steps last.
- Quote the buyer's problems in their exact words rather than rewriting them in your jargon.
- Write one solution per problem and skip features the buyer didn't ask about.
- Offer two or three pricing options and say which one you recommend and why.
- Include a "valid until" date and say exactly how to accept.
This sales proposal template follows the order a buyer actually reads in: their problems first, your solution second, the price third, and what happens next at the end. Copy it, fill it from your call notes, and send it within a day or two of the demo. For the full method behind each section, read the guide on how to write a sales proposal.
What a sales proposal template is for
A sales proposal template is a reusable outline for the document you send after a sales call. It fixes the sections and their order so every proposal starts from something good, and you spend your time on the parts that change: the buyer's problems, your answer to each, and the price.
Most proposal templates I've seen start with "About us," then a long list of features. The buyer has to dig to find the price and never finds their own problem. This one is built the other way around.
The sales proposal template
Sales proposal template
Proposal for [Buyer company] Prepared for [Name, role] and [Name, role]. Prepared by [Your name, role, company]. Date: [date]. Valid until: [date].
1. What we heard On [date] you told us about the following. If we got anything wrong, tell us and we'll fix it.
- "[Problem 1, in their words]"
- "[Problem 2, in their words]"
- "[Problem 3, in their words]"
What a good result looks like to you: [their success measure, e.g. "every job booked within one day"]. Why now: [the date or event that makes this urgent].
2. How we solve each problem
[Problem 1] What we do: [one or two sentences, specific to them] What changes for you: [the result, in their terms]
[Problem 2] What we do: [...] What changes for you: [...]
[Problem 3] What we do: [...] What changes for you: [...]
3. Proof [One relevant example: a customer like them, with permission, or a short description of how you've handled this before. A link to the demo recording or a short video of the exact workflow they asked about. References available on request.]
4. Pricing and options
| Option A: [1-year] | Option B: [2-year] | Option C: [3-year] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | [$ per year] | [$ per year] | [$ per year] |
| Includes | [what's in it] | [what's in it] | [what's in it] |
| Best if | [when to choose it] | [when to choose it] | [when to choose it] |
We recommend [option] because [reason tied to what they told us]. Not included: [anything they might assume is included but isn't]. Payment terms: [annual in advance, invoice terms].
5. Next steps
- [Step], [owner], by [date]
- [Step], [owner], by [date]
- [Accept or sign], by [date], to start on [date]
To go ahead: [how to say yes: reply, accept, sign the order form]. Questions: [your name, email, phone].
About [Your company] (optional, keep it short) [Two or three sentences: who you are, who you work with, why that matters to this buyer.]
Adapting it for software: in section 4, price per seat and show the yearly cost for each term, with one-time onboarding on its own line. Add one line on renewal: does the price hold, and can they add or remove seats mid-term? Before "About", add a short security and data note, because IT will ask where the data lives and who can see it. For a version with all of this built in, use the SaaS proposal template.
Adapting it for services: in section 2, describe the deliverable for each problem, not the hours. Add two short lists after it: what's out of scope, and what you need from the client and by when, because your timeline depends on it. In section 4, swap the term columns for scope options (for example, a first phase, the full project, or the project plus ongoing support) and say when each payment is due. The consulting proposal template is laid out this way, and a statement of work holds the precise deliverables.
A filled-in example
This is a made-up example. Maple Street Plumbing is a fictional 14-technician plumbing company, and FieldBook is a fictional scheduling tool. Prices are illustrative.
Example: FieldBook proposal for Maple Street Plumbing (fictional)
Proposal for Maple Street Plumbing Prepared for Rosa Chen, Office Manager, and Tom Okafor, Owner. Prepared by Alex Grant, FieldBook. Date: March 3. Valid until: March 31.
1. What we heard
- "Half my day is phone tag with techs about where they're going next."
- "Customers call twice to ask when someone's coming."
- "We lose jobs on the weekend because nobody sees the request until Monday."
A good result: every job booked and confirmed to the customer the same day. Why now: you're adding three technicians in May and the whiteboard won't scale.
2. How we solve each problem
Phone tag with techs What we do: each tech sees their day and the next job on their phone, with the address and notes. What changes for you: Rosa stops relaying addresses by phone.
Customers calling twice What we do: customers get a text when the job is booked and when the tech is on the way. What changes for you: fewer "when are you coming?" calls.
Weekend requests What we do: online booking requests land in one list with an alert to whoever is on call. What changes for you: weekend requests get answered the same day.
3. Proof A short video of the booking-to-dispatch flow you asked about on the call: [link]. We can connect you with a plumbing customer of a similar size if that helps.
4. Pricing and options
| 1-year | 2-year | 3-year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per year | $4,800 | $4,400 | $4,000 |
| Includes | 14 tech seats, 2 office seats, setup | Same | Same, plus a free seat for each new hire in year one |
| Best if | You want to try it first | You're confident in the fit | You're growing and want the lowest price |
We recommend the 2-year option: you're hiring in May and want room to settle in, without a 3-year commitment. Not included: hardware. Payment: annual in advance.
5. Next steps
- Rosa and Tom review the proposal, by March 10
- Call to answer questions, March 12
- Accept by March 20 to be live before the May hires
Notice the example quotes the buyer back to themselves, ties each solution to a specific problem, and gives the owner a reason to pick one option over another.
Reading the example as a software seller: notice that seats are counted by role (technicians and office staff), setup is included in every option, and the 3-year option gives the buyer something they asked for, room to grow, rather than only a lower price. Before you send, add the renewal line and the security note from the tips above.
The same example for a services deal. The example above is software. Here is how sections 2 and 4 might look if the seller were a fictional consultancy, Brightwell Ops, offering to fix Maple Street's scheduling with process work instead of a tool. Prices are illustrative.
Example: services version of sections 2 and 4 (fictional)
2. How we solve each problem
Phone tag with techs What we do: map how jobs are assigned today, then set up one shared daily job sheet and a rule for when it's updated. What changes for you: Rosa updates one sheet instead of making a call per tech. What we need from you: two hours with Rosa and one senior tech in week one.
Out of scope: choosing or setting up scheduling software.
4. Pricing and options
| Option A: Review | Option B: Review and set up | Option C: Set up and support | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Includes | Two-week review of booking and dispatch, written findings | Option A, then four weeks putting the top three fixes in place | Option B, then three months of monthly check-ins |
| Fee | $3,000 fixed | $9,000 fixed | $9,000, then $750 per month |
| Paid | On signing | Half on signing, half when the fixes are live | As Option B, then monthly |
We recommend Option B: you're hiring in May, and the fixes need to be in place before the new techs start.
How to use the template
- Fill in "What we heard" from your call notes the same day. Use their exact words. If you recorded the call, pull the quotes from the transcript.
- Write one solution per problem. Skip features they didn't ask about. If a problem has no good answer from you, say so honestly or leave it out.
- Pick proof that matches their situation. One relevant example beats five logos. Only use customer names and quotes you have permission to use.
- Build two or three pricing options. Different terms or package sizes work well. Say which one you recommend and why, in their terms.
- Write next steps with owners and dates. End with exactly how to say yes and by when.
- Cut everything else. Long company history, generic security language and feature lists can go in an appendix, or a link.
- Send it with a short email, and offer to walk through it. The proposal should make sense to someone who wasn't on the call.
A tip for software proposals: offer the 1-, 2- and 3-year terms as your options and keep what's included the same across them, so the buyer compares one thing: commitment against price. Show the number of seats each price assumes.
A tip for services proposals: name your assumptions in the proposal, such as how many rounds of review are included and how quickly the client returns feedback. Buyers hold you to anything you leave unsaid, and a clear assumption turns a later disagreement into a simple change request.
For more on laying out the price, see how to present pricing in a proposal. If the buyer needs to win over an approver, pair the proposal with a one pager template or a short business case.
Common mistakes
- Starting with "About us." The buyer cares about their problem first. Your story goes last, if at all.
- Rewriting their problems in your jargon. "Workflow inefficiencies in dispatch" doesn't sound like anyone. "Half my day is phone tag" does.
- One price, take it or leave it. It turns the decision into yes or no. Options turn it into "which one."
- Hiding the price. If they have to hunt for it, they'll assume it's bad news.
- No end date and no next step. A proposal without a "valid until" and a clear way to accept just sits there.
- Writing it only for the person on the call. Someone else will read it. Make sure they can understand it without you in the room.
- Sending it as a long PDF attachment. It gets lost in inboxes and you never know if anyone read it.
Send it as a page instead of a PDF
Every section in this template maps to an AfterDemo proposal: the problems in the buyer's words (drafted by AI from your call transcript or notes), how you solve each, proof with videos, images or files, pricing with 1-, 2- and 3-year terms, and one-click acceptance. The buyer opens one link without logging in and shares it with colleagues, and you see who's engaged. The fastest way to feel the difference is to click through the live example.
If you just want a first draft in this structure, the free AI proposal generator writes one from your call notes.
Questions people ask
What is a sales proposal template?
A sales proposal template is a reusable outline for the document you send a buyer after a sales conversation. It sets the sections and order (their problems, your solution, proof, pricing and next steps) so you fill in the deal details instead of starting from a blank page each time.
What should a sales proposal include?
The buyer's problems in their words, how you solve each one, proof that you've done it before, pricing with options, what's included, and the next steps with dates. Company background and terms can go at the end.
How long should a sales proposal be?
As short as it can be while answering every question the buyer and their approver will have. For most small and mid-sized deals that's a few pages. Cut anything the buyer didn't ask about.
Should a proposal include more than one price?
Usually yes. Two or three options, like different contract terms or package sizes, let the buyer compare your options with each other instead of comparing yes against no. Make the option you recommend clear and say why.