No doubt about it, even under the best of circumstances, crafting the perfect one page proposal can be a major challenge for any company.
You need to include everything necessary to ensure that your potential client understands the offer you intend to make.
That will often come down to proposing exact details in a project that address pain points and provide a solution with an adequate project timeline.
Is a really possible to do that in a one-page document?
Here are some steps (and some alternatives) to creating a one-page proposal.
Aside from being shorter, a one-page proposal isn’t all that different from most other proposals out there. Even as a one-pager, your proposal needs to:
And this is true for any proposal, whether you’re replying to a request for proposal (RFP) or you’re trying to formalize a back-of-the-napkin deal that you’ve been chatting about for months.
But the difference comes down to length. One-page proposals are exactly that: one page. They make have a place as a soft quote, or they may lead to more precise proposals later on.
Our own data backs that up.
Based on our own internal analysis from nearly 570k proposals on the PandaDoc platform, the average page range for a formal business proposal is usually around nine pages.
Note that you can find information and one page proposal examples from the small business administration saying that proposals should be 30 to 50 pages.
That’s true if you’re trying to create a formal business plan, but it’s not what we’re talking about here.
Instead, we’re talking about the types of proposals that you might use to win money or close deals, typically sales proposals and project proposals.
Also, due to submission guidelines, one-pagers aren’t usually a good fit for grant proposals and research proposals. It depends on the competitive process and the requirements for the grant.
But, as you’ll see below, one-pagers can still have their place in your sales operation.
Despite its shorter length, your one-page proposal (and any other proposal you write) should always answer the following questions:
Increase your close rate by 18%
The elements of a proposal range from a cover letter to testimonials, but a good one-page proposal eliminates many details.
So, why should you send one?
The case for a one-page business pitch is almost always the same: Life is short and nobody wants to wade through 50 pages of text to figure out what you’re trying to say.
Quincy Berg, Enterprise Account Executive with PandaDoc, puts it this way:
Much as they do for documents on the web, potential customers usually won’t read proposals on a word-by-word basis.
Instead, they’ll skim the contents and try to best determine whether your content fits their needs.
One-pagers drastically reduce the clutter and help your clients cut directly to the heart of the matter, which helps to ensure that the most critical information is front and center.
As a result, one-page proposals can lead to faster decision times and help you achieve greater clarity when offering solutions.
This increases the likelihood of approval and demonstrates your knowledge and expertise without any unnecessary fluff.
When done correctly, everyone wins!
Before you open your proposal writing software of choice or start measuring out the margins on a single page in Microsoft Word, take a moment to consider that creating a one-page proposal won’t be as easy as it sounds.
In general, shorter proposals give you less room to customize your content or supplement your content with social proof like case studies and testimonials.
You probably won’t be able to incorporate images or video, either — something utilized by over 80% of the proposals we analyzed.
So you’ll need to pay close attention to formatting to make the document appealing and easy to read.
Most of the time, there just isn’t room for that when you only have one page to work with (although there are some ways around this and we’ll cover them a little later).
While there is something to be said about keeping things short and sweet, it’s entirely possible to find yourself in a position where a one-page business case won’t be enough to make your proposed solution shine.
When dealing with brand new clients (who don’t know how you work), or when your proposal needs more than a single page to push it over the finish line — which is often the case — a one-page proposal may not make sense.
While the idea of a one-pager sounds nice — especially if you’re trying to optimize your document workflow when sending proposals — a single-sheet document might simply be out of reach in some industries.
You may need to send attachments like Excel spreadsheets or PDF documents to provide additional details about your proposed solution. Even something as simple as a document verifying your non-profit status (if you’re a non-profit) would be enough to double the length of your proposal!
If that’s the case, don’t fear! We’ve got you covered.
A one-page approach can still work for you so long as you’re able to standardize the other documentation that you need to send.
In a scenario like this, you would create a one-page proposal and then attach all relevant or supporting documentation to it.
For example, if you felt that your one-pager needed additional social proof, create a small packet of case studies and testimonials that you can send along with your one-page proposal.
Naturally, your potential clients will review all associated documents, so they’ll be able to parse the information that’s most relevant to them quickly (plans, designs, company info, etc.) after they review your proposal.
This approach is something of a split between a one-page proposal and a standard proposal because it allows you to push all the important information to the front and send the rest in a secondary format rather than burying it inside the pages of a single, long-form document.
Now that you’re familiar with everything your one-pager should contain and why you might write one, let’s take a closer look at the structure that it might follow.
Here’s a quick look at a one-page proposal outline:
As with any document, a strong title is a must-have.
In a one-page proposal, your title doesn’t need to be cute or catchy, but it should convey accurate information about your proposal and your recommended solution.
Strong titles can be difficult to come by, so many companies use simple titles like:
“Proposal for ABC Company from XYZ Company”
Unfortunately, the downside to that approach is that your title doesn’t disclose anything about the details of your proposal.
Instead, try for more innovative titles that sum up your unique offering.
“Improving Conversion with Social Media Marketing”
“Lowering Overhead with Efficient Lighting Installations”
“Empowering Your Team with Modular Workstations”
Your proposal titles don’t have to be very long, but they should sum up your proposed solution and how it can help your potential customer achieve their goals.
The only sales templates you’ll ever need
For your one-pager, your executive summary or description should sum up your proposal in two or three sentences.
This paragraph can be concise and to the point while encouraging readers to read the rest of the page for additional details surrounding your solution.
Traditional, long-form executive summaries that take up half a page will be far too long for this section.
However, if you’ve written proposals in the past and you’re more comfortable using a standard-length summary as a starting point, write that paragraph first and then trim it to fit.
Here’s a great example of an executive summary designed to fit a one-page proposal:
Based on our previous conversations and discovery calls, we believe that [Product 1] will be very useful to your situation and can help you reach your business goals.
This product was specifically developed to help companies in your market overcome [customer pain points].
Our onboarding process will allow you to implement this solution with ease. Our team will also work closely with you throughout this process.
Below, you’ll find a detailed project timeline, including estimated milestones, pricing, and next steps.
Ideally, the executive summary for your one-pager summarizes and provides context for everything else on the page.
This is especially important if you’re relying on pricing/product tables to keep information condensed and easy to read.
If your project involves deliverables, you’ll need to define them in precise terms so that potential customers understand what you’re offering and what they will receive when everything is said and done.
Whether you’re rendering services or products, it’s important to be absolutely clear about what you’re providing and what your customer can expect before, during, and after the deal is signed.
This section can be used to communicate a timeline of service or the major milestones or benchmarks of your project.
How you choose to use it will depend on what you need to convey and what information is most relevant to the customer.
For example, if you’re delivering a physical product, this section might best be utilized for estimated shipping and delivery information.
On the other hand, if you’re building a website, you might outline milestones for different stages of project completion, including wireframing, feedback, and implementation.
However, you choose to use this section, do your best to make timeline objectives clear for the reader.
You may also find an opportunity to combine this information in your Deliverables or Pricing section, which can help you save space on the page.
One important detail that every client will want to know is how much your solution will cost them.
Pricing is one of the most prominent sections of any proposal, and it’s no different whether your document is a one-pager or a standard-length proposal document.
Display pricing prominently so that businesses can understand the costs upfront.
If your organization typically withholds pricing on its website, it’s even more important here since this may be the first contact that potential customers have had with your ticket price.
Many contracts need to mention critical terms or final details that are essential for customers to understand prior to agreeing to a proposal.
This could include everything from flexible delivery dates to contingency clauses that only allow contract fulfillment under specific circumstances.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a great example of where additional clauses might come into play.
With many supply lines experiencing delays, an additional term stating that deliveries are estimates and subject to parts availability would make complete sense in this section.
Of course, you won’t have space to include an entire contract’s worth of terms and conditions.
In your one-pager, this section should only be used for terms that are most critical to the discussions at hand.
Perhaps more complicated than it sounds due to its marketing background, your call to action doesn’t have to be fancy or fluffy.
Instead, this is a single line that encourages someone to take the next step with you and gives them instructions on how to do so.
Your call to action can be as simple as inviting someone to sign your one-pager.
You could also add phrasing about calling or setting a meeting to work out additional details or answer questions if you’d rather the client get in touch with you prior to signing off.
While it’s entirely up to you, this section should always provide readers with instructions on the next steps required to move the deal forward.
At the bottom of your one-pager, be sure to include contact information for your organization along with a signature field where potential customers can acknowledge and accept your proposal.
In a one-pager, both of these items are essential. The contact information listed should connect the client with their point of contact inside your organization — usually the sales representative who initially sent the proposal.
The signature field is important because it allows the reader to accept the terms of the proposal in a way that is transparent and legally binding.
With PandaDoc and other signing platforms, documents sent for signature are locked so that neither side can make changes.
While it’s possible for both sides to negotiate terms, sending proposals in this way ensures that potential customers are signing the proposal you sent without making unacknowledged changes.
It also provides some level of protection for the customer so that they know the proposal they agreed to can’t be changed later without their acknowledgment.
At the end of the proposal, provide a place to sign.
This ensures both parties understand the details of your agreement.
As you build your proposal, keep in mind that a one-pager is essentially a scaled-down version of a full proposal.
Every detail you include must support your recommended solution and drive the reader to a decision point.
But, due to brevity, anything that can be reduced or that doesn’t move the reader along needs to be cut. A title page is a great example.
While it’s nice to have in a standard proposal, doubling the length of your proposal just for a title won’t make sense.
Likewise, you won’t need a table of contents (because your document is one page long), and you may need to drastically reduce other secondary elements, like testimonials, case studies, and other social proof.
Staring at a blank page and not sure where to start? Grab a template from our template library and import it to PandaDoc to make it yours.
One Page Proposal Template
Used 5092 times
For one-pagers, we offer two basic templates:
Always remember, when using one page proposal samples and templates, there’s no shame in modifying the template to suit your taste.
Free one-page business proposals templates and examples are just there to give you a starting point and some idea of how to proceed, so take out what isn’t necessary for your situation and add sections that make sense for your readers.
If responding to an RFP, make sure you answer all of the points or questions included in the request.
And that’s everything you need to know about writing a one-page proposal in a nutshell.
It’s a fact that it sounds much easier than it is, but a well-placed one-pager can catch the eye and get the job done without wasting time on long-form formats and layouts or unnecessary information.
As with most short documents, the key to writing the one-page proposal is to say as much as you can while using the smallest number of words possible.
Clear and concise; that’s the goal.
Tools like our content library and built-in editor can go a long way toward making your one-page proposal a success.
Learn how you can optimize your document workflow by scheduling a free 15-minute demo to learn more about PandaDoc — including our one-page proposal templates.
Alternatively, get started with a template and customize it to taste.
Use a one-page proposal when information can be easily simplified, when you want to stand out from the competition, and, of course, when requested. If you feel you need a full proposal, you can always send a one-pager with a note that the full project proposal is on the way or you can standardize most of your proposal information and send it as supplemental attachments.
Also, look for ways to shorten sentences or communicate effectively with fewer words. If you need help, ask a colleague to look it over and make suggestions.
No. You don’t need a template. However, a template can provide a basic framework for your one-page proposal so that you don’t start from a blank slate. The beautiful thing about templates is that you can modify them for your own situation. PandaDoc has a library of 170+ business proposal templates — including proposal examples! Pick one that you like, load it into the PandaDoc editor, and customize it to your heart’s content.
PandDoc is not a law firm, or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. This page is not intended to and does not provide legal advice. Should you have legal questions on the validity of e-signatures or digital signatures and the enforceability thereof, please consult with an attorney or law firm. Use of PandaDocs services are governed by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Originally published November 15, 2021, updated December 1, 2023
Hanna Stechenko Manager, SEO Management
Hanna Stechenko is a Manager, SEO Management at PandaDoc. Hanna is responsible for the company's SEO Content strategy, ensuring that the company's website ranks high in search engine results. She keeps up with SEO trends, which helps her connect real people with relevant messages.
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