How to design a business proposal that is easy to evaluate

You open a supplier's proposal. First comes a large image, a mission statement and a row of logos. You find the price further down, but cannot tell whether commissioning is included. Before asking a colleague for an opinion, you need to write a separate explanation.

The proposal may look polished. Its design still makes the buyer do extra work: search, connect details and make assumptions.

Business proposal design starts with the reader's task. They need to understand the recommendation, assess cost and risk, and choose what to do next. Colours, typography and images should help them complete those tasks.

The opening: can the buyer recognise their decision?

A large cover can make sense when the creative direction itself is being evaluated. If the buyer is waiting for a specific equipment configuration or scope of work, a general slogan delays the answer.

Compare two openings for the same illustrative equipment proposal.

Before

Professional solutions for your business

Experience. Quality. Reliability.

Discover more about our company.

After

Upgrading your warehouse packing station

We recommend one packing line with operator training. The configuration below is intended for the work with your existing boxes discussed in our meeting. Suitability remains subject to testing with your packaging samples.

Initial scope: equipment, delivery, commissioning and training. Prices and exclusions appear in the commercial section.

The second opening identifies who the proposal is for, what you recommend and what remains unverified. It does not need to fit the entire project into one screen. It provides a useful starting point for the sections that follow.

Keep the supplier's name and logo recognisable. They should not take over the space needed for the recommendation. If the first mobile screen contains only a cover, reconsider its height.

Headings should help someone find an answer

“About us”, “Solutions” and “Additional information” describe categories of content. The buyer may be looking for “What does the price include?” or “What must we prepare before commissioning?”

You can write headings around those specific needs:

Not every heading needs to be a question. What matters is that one colleague can say “look at the delivery section” and both people find the same information.

For a longer proposal, add a contents list or section navigation. A short proposal with two main sections may not need one. Navigation should reduce searching rather than become another complicated layer.

Show the price alongside what it covers

If the total is on one page and exclusions are on another, the buyer has to connect them. Place a condition that materially affects the price next to the relevant item.

An illustrative table could look like this:

In a real proposal, replace these general descriptions with specific quantities, amounts and confirmed terms. This table demonstrates how the information fits together.

Next to the total, identify the scope it covers and whether optional items are included. Do not combine one-time and recurring charges into an unexplained number. If you show an estimate over a defined period, state that period and the calculation assumptions.

Do not hide commercial exclusions in small grey text. A condition that could change the buying decision needs to be readable where that decision is being considered.

Compare options using the same criteria

Two separate product cards do not automatically create a comparison. If one describes throughput and the other describes warranty, the reader still cannot compare them.

Use the same rows for both: intended use, configuration, implementation requirements, support, price and the main limitation. Explain why an option fits a particular situation. “Most popular” does not establish suitability.

A label or background can highlight the recommended option, but include the reason. For example: “Recommended if the current working arrangement remains in place.” If that assumption changes, the buyer knows why to revisit the alternative.

Do not rely on colour alone. Text labels such as “Included”, “Optional” and “Excluded” remain understandable in print and for readers who have difficulty distinguishing colours.

Every image should answer a question

A product photograph is useful when it helps someone understand the configuration, scale or operating location. A diagram is useful when it explains a sequence or a boundary of responsibility. A generic team photograph does not answer those questions.

Caption the image with what the reader should notice. “Illustrative image” may be a necessary qualification, but it does not explain the solution. A more useful caption would be: “The highlighted area shows the space the buyer must prepare before delivery.” Use it only if the image actually shows that space and the requirement is confirmed.

If a photograph differs from the offered configuration, explain the difference clearly or choose another image. An attractive but misleading image adds uncertainty.

Separate technical appendices without hiding decisive conditions

Detailed specifications, drawings and certificates can sit in appendices. Keep anything that could change the choice in the main proposal: a compatibility limit, required preparation work or a test result that is still pending.

Name each appendix so its purpose and relationship to the proposal are clear. If a document has multiple versions, identify the version that applies. A link labelled “More” offers little help.

Present the supplier introduction and contact details according to their purpose too. Briefly explain why your experience is relevant to this project. Make the person responsible for the proposal visible where questions arise or the next action is agreed.

On mobile, check the reader's task as well as the layout

Open the proposal on a phone and try to find the total price, main exclusion and responsible person's contact details. Can you read them without zooming? Is the scope still visible next to the price? Do optional items look as though they have already been included?

A wide comparison table may work better as cards with the same clearly named fields. If horizontal scrolling is needed, make that apparent and preserve the context of each row. For a PDF, also check page breaks: a table's explanation should not become detached on another page.

For the final check, ask someone who did not prepare the proposal to find the recommendation, its price, the main exclusion and the next action. Watch where they hesitate. Their question gives you a more precise improvement to make than the general verdict “it looks good”.

A good template preserves this information structure for the next proposal. Reuse a tested layout and content blocks, then adapt the recommendation, configuration and terms for the buyer. You should not need to redesign the reading experience every time.