Create Proposal

Create a New Proposal

Summary: Create professional, branded proposals to win more clients and close deals faster with growlio's proposal builder.

Overview

Proposals are essential for winning new business. With growlio's proposal system, you can create beautiful, professional proposals that showcase your services, outline pricing, and make it easy for clients to accept your offer. This guide walks you through creating your first proposal from start to finish.

Prerequisites

An active growlio account
At least one client added to your system (recommended)
A clear understanding of the services you're proposing
Pricing information for your services

How to Create a New Proposal

Step 1: Navigate to the Proposals Page

Click Proposals in the main navigation menu to access your proposals dashboard. Here you'll see all existing proposals organized by status.

Step 2: Click "Add New Proposal"

In the top-right corner, click the blue Add New button to open the proposal creation modal.

Step 3: Enter Proposal Basics

Fill in the foundational information for your proposal:

Required Fields:

Proposal Name: Create a descriptive internal name (e.g., "Website Redesign for Acme Corp" or "Q1 2024 Marketing Services")

Optional but Recommended:

Description: Add internal notes about this proposal
Client: Select the client this proposal is for from the dropdown
Expiry Date: Set when this proposal expires to create urgency

Tip: Use descriptive proposal names that clearly identify the project and client. This makes proposals easy to find later and helps with reporting.

Step 4: Add Services and Pricing

Scroll down to the Services section. This is where you outline what you're offering and how much it costs.

For each service or deliverable:

Click "+ Add Service" or "+ Add Item"
Enter a Service Name (e.g., "Homepage Design," "Content Writing," "SEO Optimization")
Add a Description of what's included
Set the Price (use your organization's default currency)
Optionally add Quantity if billing for units

Repeat for all services included in your proposal.

Tip: Break down your offering into clear line items rather than one lump sum. Itemized pricing helps clients understand exactly what they're paying for and increases perceived value.

Step 5: Configure Proposal Settings

Adjust settings specific to this proposal:

Status:

Draft: Proposal is still being worked on (not visible to client)
Sent: Proposal has been sent to the client
Accepted: Client has accepted the proposal
Rejected: Client has declined the proposal

Visibility Options:

Show/hide pricing breakdown
Show/hide payment terms
Display company branding
Include terms and conditions

Step 6: Customize Visual Styling

Make your proposal match your brand:

Theme Color: Choose your brand's primary color

Logo: Upload your company logo (if not already set in organization settings)

Cover Image: Add an optional hero image for the proposal header

Tip: Consistent branding across proposals increases professionalism and builds trust with potential clients.

Step 7: Add Terms and Conditions

Scroll to the Terms section and add:

Payment terms (e.g., "50% deposit, 50% on completion")
Delivery timeline
Revision policy
Cancellation terms
Any other legal or business terms

Tip: Save common terms as templates to reuse across proposals and maintain consistency.

Step 8: Review and Save

Before saving:

Review all information for accuracy
Check that pricing calculations are correct
Verify the expiry date makes sense
Ensure the client is selected correctly

Click Create Proposal to save. If you're not ready to send it yet, the proposal will remain in Draft status.

Step 9: Send the Proposal to Your Client

Once your proposal is complete:

Open the proposal from your Proposals list
Click the Send button
Choose how to deliver it:

Send via email directly from growlio
Copy the shareable link to send through other channels
Download as PDF to attach to an email

The proposal status automatically updates to "Sent" when delivered.

Proposal Features

Real-Time Updates: If you edit a sent proposal, clients see changes immediately when they view their link.

View Tracking: See when clients open and view your proposals (available on paid plans).

Accept/Reject Actions: Clients can accept or reject proposals directly from their view, triggering automatic status updates.

Version History: growlio tracks all changes made to proposals over time.

Tips and Best Practices

Start with a template: Create your first proposal as a comprehensive template, then duplicate and customize for each new client.

Use clear, benefit-focused language: Focus on outcomes and benefits, not just features. Help clients understand the value they're receiving.

Include visual elements: Add images, diagrams, or mockups to make your proposal more engaging and help clients visualize the end result.

Set realistic expiry dates: Give clients enough time to review and decide (typically 7-14 days) but create urgency to prevent indefinite delays.

Follow up systematically: Set reminders to follow up 2-3 days after sending, then again before the expiry date.

Offer payment options: If possible, provide multiple payment options or payment plans to remove barriers to acceptance.

Keep it concise: Aim for proposals that can be reviewed in 10-15 minutes. Save extensive details for separate scope documents.

Troubleshooting

Issue: I can't save my proposal because a required field is missing.

Solution: Scroll through the entire modal to ensure you've filled in all fields marked with an asterisk. At minimum, you need a Proposal Name.

Issue: The pricing total doesn't look correct.

Solution: Double-check your quantity and price fields for each service. Ensure you're using the correct decimal format for your currency (some use commas, others use periods).

Issue: My client says the proposal link isn't working.

Solution: Verify that the proposal status is set to "Sent" (not Draft). Draft proposals aren't accessible via public links. Also check if the proposal has expired—expired proposals may show a different view.

Issue: I can't find my proposal after creating it.

Solution: Check which status tab you're viewing. New proposals default to "Draft" status, so look in the Draft tab. Use the search bar to find proposals by name or client.

Issue: The uploaded logo looks stretched or pixelated.

Solution: Use a high-resolution PNG or SVG file with a transparent background. Recommended size is 300x100 pixels or similar aspect ratio. Avoid JPG files which can appear pixelated.