my first webdesign proposal

Hi everyone,

I have been learning web design and development for a few years and have built a few sites. mainly for friends and colleagues. Most of my sites have been static, though I have helped build and maintained a wordpress site and textpattern site.

I friend of mine has asked me to write a web design proposal for a company they do work for. The company are a is a light engineering business with quite a few years of trading.

The current site is very ugly and is in need of a fresh and professional update with
re-branding, Usability and structure.

As its my first proposal I'm a little un-sure how to approach this for the first time, considering this is going direct to the proposed client.

1. Should all proposals provide quotes at initial stage.? I'm a little worried here as I have had no communication with the client as of yet

2. The current branding within the site uses quite an ugly logo. How do you suggest to the client that they need to think about re-deisgning the logo and brand colours before work is done on the design look and feel. Or are some sites designed around a bad logo?


could anyone give us some tips or advice for planning proposals for a new client for the very first time.I have done some research on google but would like to know how people here started off?


thanks

lister

I know this is about a month after your question, but since no one else has answered it I thought I'd chime in.

Firstly, a proposal isn't a sales tool. It's best used as a document that pours cement on a pre-existing agreement.

Before submitting a proposal, you and the client should both be clear about what you are going to do. In a proposal you should have:

1. Situation Analysis
2. Objectives of the project
3. Value the client gets after the project
4. How the client will be able to measure that value
5. A brief overview of the method you will use
6. Your terms including your pricing

Just write a paragraph or two on each. It only has to be about 2-4 pages.

The more solid your relationship with the client before submitting the proposal, the less "selling" you have to do in the proposal.

Some people make mega proposals, and I admit that sometimes my proposals can get quite long as well, but in essence, that's all you need.

Me personally, I wouldn't give a quote without meeting the client.

Even when they say it's not the money it usually is... so don't box yourself in too early on.

How did this end up in the end?

Once your design is done, please do post the design..