4 Proposal Mistakes That Are Costing You Deals (and How to Fix Them)

Let’s face it: sending a proposal to a client can feel intimidating. After doing the hard work of connecting with the client, understanding their needs, and coming up with a solution, it all comes down to the proposal. It's a business document with a lot of power that either sets the tone for a successful partnership or makes the client run for the hills.

A strong proposal gives clients a sense of trust and excitement. It shows you understand their vision and are fully prepared to bring it to life. But a misstep here - a sloppy presentation, a lack of detail, or a rushed response - can quickly erode that trust. If you’ve ever sent a proposal and received no reply, or if you find that clients are slow to commit, the following four mistakes might be to blame.

1. The "simple" email

Creating your proposal in the body of an email might seem convenient. You add some links, paste in an image here and there, and attach a file detailing the optional add-ons. But here’s the problem: emails like this easily end up looking messy and chaotic.

Since you have no way of knowing which email service your client is using, you can't guarantee your proposal will look the way you intended it to. When a client opens up a bunch of links or tries to forward your email, things can break: images don’t load right, formatting looks sloppy, links get lost.

Before you know it, your simple email turns into a complicated mess that's hard to read. Your client could easily lose track of key details and they know it, so they're not feeling very confident about working with you.

Whether it's because of the confusion brought on by the broken-looking email or simply company policy, the client forwards your proposal to more people. Now, you look disorganized and unprofessional across the board.

2. The plain text proposal

In an effort to get information over to the client as quickly as possible, you send a plain text proposal. It's fast, lets you avoid formatting issues, and there are no additional design elements you have to make fit.

If you're juggling multiple proposals at once or aiming for a fast response time, a plain text proposal seems like the most efficient approach. If you don't trust your design skills, it feels like the safest option. At some point, you convince yourself that the client will appreciate this no-frill, no-nonsense approach as well.

And while focusing on the facts is great, how you present those facts also matters. From a client's point of view, your proposal is a reflection of the effort you'll put into their project. They may not say anything, but a plain text proposal can feel like an afterthought.

That's why plain text proposals often miss the mark when it comes to helping you close deals. As a matter of fact, carefully designed, visually appealing proposals convert 82% better than plain text ones.

3. The payment link

You've had a great meeting with a client and they want to get started ASAP. You've already agreed on all the details and it's just a matter of putting them in writing and collecting the deposit.

So, you open your email, lay out your service in a few short bullet points, state the price, and ask the client to reply "I confirm" if they're ready to move forward. Once they do, you send them a payment link. A fast, easy way to secure a deal, right? Well, not really.

Here's the problem: in reality, your quick email may come across as rushed or even careless. Without clear details laid out in a structured document, clients can feel like they're making a commitment without fully understanding what they're agreeing to.

If they forward that email to their team, your bullet points suddenly don't carry the same weight. For anyone who wasn't in the meeting, there isn't enough detail to make an informed decision.

On top of all that, typing a phrase in an email isn't exactly the same as signing a formal document. There's no sense of professionalism, no reassurance of quality, no contractual security. Even if you are the best option in the world, this informal process can make your client uncomfortable to the point that they just don't want to proceed with the deal.

4. Skipping the proposal altogether

When you have a client who's ready to buy, it might be tempting to skip the proposal and simply send them an invoice. After all, if they’re ready to commit, why not save yourself a step and jump straight to payment?

Glad you asked. If an invoice is the first thing you're sending to a client in writing, you risk misunderstandings, scope creep, and lost trust down the line.

The point of a proposal is to outline the scope, deliverables, timelines, and terms tied to a project. All of these things help manage expectations on both sides.

Without a proposal, important details are left to the client's interpretation. When clients don't feel fully informed, they'll hesitate or simply choose to work with someone else. And even if the deal does move forward, you're only a few assumptions away from a soured working relationship.

The simple fix?

The easiest way to avoid all of these mistakes is investing in proposal software. We're biased, so we'll recommend Better Proposals.

Even if you're not a designer, you can create stunning proposals thanks to our intuitive Editor. We have a library of more than 250 professionally designed templates - all you need to do is make a few tweaks.

You can add images, videos, and interactive pricing options without having to worry about the formatting. Better Proposals is built to look great on all devices, so you're guaranteed to always have your best foot forward.

Another thing you'll always have? Insight into the stage your deals are in. Better Proposals tracks document activity, meaning you'll know exactly when a client has taken action. You'll also know which parts of your proposal they're currently reading and how much time they've spent on it.

Thanks to our live chat integrations, you can use this information to answer questions in real time or make minor changes that help move the deal in the right direction. You can ask clients to sign or accept, then send them to a payment page to collect your deposits, and start your onboarding process - all in the same, smooth workflow. It’s a simple way to make your proposals more effective, memorable, and engaging, boosting your chances of closing the deal.

One last thing

The truth is, if something feels off, your client probably won't tell you. They'll just decide not to move forward instead.

Clients rarely voice their doubts directly, especially when it’s something that feels hard to articulate, like a lack of clarity in your proposal or an unpolished presentation. Instead, they quietly back out, choosing to work with someone whose proposal felt clearer and more professional.

The good news is, that someone can be you. All it takes is giving a bit of extra attention to your proposal process.