Send Proposals to Clients
Sending Proposals to Your Clients
Summary: Learn how to send professional proposals to clients via email, track when they're viewed, and follow up effectively.
Overview
After crafting the perfect proposal, sending it properly is crucial for success. growlio makes sending proposals simple while providing powerful tracking features that show when clients view your proposal and how long they spend reviewing it. This guide covers everything from sending to follow-up best practices.
Prerequisites
- Completed proposal ready to send
- Client record with valid email address
- Member-level permissions or higher
- Understanding of your follow-up process
How to Send Proposals to Clients
Step 1: Complete Proposal Content
Before sending, review your entire proposal: client information, services, pricing, terms, and styling. Ensure everything is accurate and professional.
Tip: Use the preview function to see exactly what clients will see before sending.
Step 2: Set Expiration Date (Optional)
Choose when the proposal expires to create urgency. Typical expiration is 30 days, but adjust based on your sales cycle.
Step 3: Access Send Options
Click the "Send" or "Send Proposal" button in the top-right corner of the proposal builder. This opens the send modal with email customization options.
Step 4: Verify Recipient Email
Confirm the client's email address is correct in the "To" field. This pulls automatically from the client record but can be edited if needed.
Step 5: Add CC Recipients (Optional)
Include additional recipients who should receive the proposal: decision-makers, stakeholders, or your team members for visibility.
Tip: CC your own email to keep a copy in your inbox for reference.
Step 6: Write Personal Message
Add a personalized email message introducing the proposal. Reference your previous conversation, highlight key benefits, and create enthusiasm about working together.
Tip: Keep the message concise (2-3 paragraphs). The proposal itself contains the details.
Step 7: Send Proposal
Once everything looks perfect, click "Send Proposal" to deliver it to the client. A confirmation message appears and the proposal status updates to "Sent".
Step 11: Track Proposal Views
Return to the proposals list to see when clients view your proposal. View count and timestamps help you gauge interest and time follow-ups.
Tip: If a client views the proposal multiple times, they're seriously considering it. Follow up soon.
Tips & Best Practices
- Send proposals during business hours for best open rates
- Personalize every email message - avoid generic templates
- Follow up within 24-48 hours of the client viewing the proposal
- Use compelling subject lines that encourage opening
- Keep email messages brief - let the proposal do the heavy lifting
- Set expiration dates to create appropriate urgency
- Send test proposals to yourself first to check formatting
- Include a clear call-to-action in your email message
- Schedule follow-up reminders immediately after sending
- Track all proposals in a pipeline view
- Respond quickly when clients have questions
- Celebrate and follow up immediately on proposal acceptances
Troubleshooting
Issue: Client didn't receive the proposal
Solution: Verify email address is correct and spelled properly. Check client's spam folder. Resend from the proposals list. Ensure your sending domain isn't blacklisted. Try sending from your regular email as backup.
Issue: Can't send proposal - button is disabled
Solution: Complete all required proposal sections (client, services, pricing). Fix any validation errors indicated in red. Ensure client record has a valid email address. Check that you have appropriate permissions.
Issue: Proposal shows as sent but not viewed
Solution: Give clients time - they may not open it immediately. Email might be in their spam folder. Consider a follow-up email with a direct proposal link. Some email clients block tracking pixels.
Issue: Links in proposal don't work
Solution: Test all links before sending. Ensure URLs include "http://" or "https://". Check that linked documents are publicly accessible. Resend if links were broken.
Issue: Proposal formatting looks wrong in client's email
Solution: Email clients render HTML differently. Stick to simple formatting. Send a PDF attachment as backup. Test by sending to multiple email providers (Gmail, Outlook, etc.) before client sends.