A Design Proposal is a formal description of a designer’s vision/plan for a specific site, client, or purpose. It is the document that details what you propose to do for a client and is an important marketing tool—it is a part of, but not the entire way you “sell” your idea. What matters more is how well you communicate and follow through, how reliable you are, how you speak to them and how well taken care of they feel.
Many times a proposal is in response to an RFP (request for proposals) or RFQ (request for qualifications). Most of the time, a design proposal involves outlining how several or multiple design “products” collateral or applications are integrated with one another. The purpose of this multi-faceted approach is to achieve a single purpose by each individual piece reinforcing or complimenting one another.
Branding is also a typical characteristic of a design project that requires a proposal. Outlining how a unified look strengthens the ultimate effect of the design is an essential component for the designer to clarify.
Typically developing the project by following a strong thematic direction is very helpful in the design process itself as well as providing an umbrella for explaining the results to the client.
Generally following a general to specific format is helpful in organizing your thoughts and design purpose across the project and logically explaining it to the client.
A Good Design is divided into 10-13 catagories:
1. Executive Summary
2. Current Situation
3. Project Goals
4. Competition
5. Audience
6. Creative Strategy
7. Process
8. Fees & Reimbursements
9. Billing & Schedule
10. Conclusion
11. Company Overview
12. Clients
13. Awards
Graphic Design Thoughts 