Google Workspace Sales Tips

How to Build an Elite Proposal in Google Docs

An impact proposal is often the difference between a closed deal and a lost lead. This document is the culmination of every conversation you have had. It represents the prospect's needs, their specific challenges, and your exact plan to solve them.

For smaller deals, a professional quote might do the trick. For larger, complex deals, you need a multi-page narrative. No matter the size of the deal, here is the golden rule: never just email the proposal. Always schedule a meeting to walk through it together.

Here are the essential elements to include in your Google Doc to ensure it hits home.

1. Executive Summary

This is your one-page "why, how, and what" briefing. Put the diagnosis and the prescription right at the front. This allows you to address both the emotional and rational reasons for the project while sharing ballpark pricing early. To make it feel more like a partnership, add headshots of the team members who will actually be doing the work.

2. Pain and Opportunity

List the prospect’s specific pain points in order of importance. Keep this section brief. Use their exact language from previous discovery calls. You can even paste in snippets from their own website or internal decks to show you are aligned with their goals.

3. Business Impact

Outline the specific results the prospect wants to see. If you have extra research or complex math, put it in the annex. Focus on the negative impact of their current situation. Most deals are lost because of a lack of priority, not a lack of budget. Focus on these three areas:

• Cost: How much money will they save? (e.g., $2,000 per month).

• Experience: How much easier is your process? (e.g., 2 clicks instead of 8).

• Revenue: How much will they grow? (e.g., X% increase per account).

4. Proof of Success

Don't just talk about how great your company is. Use customer stories and use cases to show that your solution actually works. The focus should be on the results, not the features.

5. The Game Plan

Use bullet points to describe exactly what you will do to fix their problems. Provide a visual example of the deliverables whenever possible. You should also agree on KPIs for success and be honest about what failure looks like if the status quo continues.

6. Team and Timeline

List every person involved in the project with their contact info and specific role. Then, provide a clear timeline. Gantt charts are perfect here to show phases, dependencies, and key milestones.

7. Pricing and Terms

Keep your pricing simple. It should be easy to understand without you needing to explain it twice. If you are offering a limited-time discount, show the price after the deadline expires to create natural urgency. Clearly state what is included and what is not. If you traded certain items to adjust the price, list them here.

8. Helping the Decision

Help your customer weigh their options. Be transparent about the pros and cons of:

• Competitors: Spending on a similar service.

• Substitutes: Using a different type of solution.

• Doing Nothing: The actual cost of delay per week or month.

9. Next Steps and Execution

Outline exactly what happens next. You can do this chronologically or work backward from the launch date. End with a clean signature page. Even if you have a separate MSA or SOW, having a clear space for execution in the proposal keeps the momentum moving forward.