SEO

A Social Media Proposal Template to Win Clients

If my hours of watching engagement videos on YouTube have taught me anything, it’s that the perfect social media proposal is an art (and that hot air balloons are surprisingly easy to get). Timing, communication, and expectations can all make the difference between receiving a resounding ‘yes!’ or a quiet ‘no’ followed by a somersault out of the room. With the potential to make or break the deal, a social media proposal requires the same attention to detail.

Whether you are introducing a project or strategy for a potential new client or a client you have a long-established relationship with, perfecting a social media proposal is something that will undoubtedly come in handy. The social media proposal is an opportunity to show that you understand the needs and goals of your clients and their businesses. The following guide explains the basics of a social media proposal along with a template to save you valuable time and money. 

Download Social Media Proposal Template

What should a social media proposal include?

A social media proposal outlines exactly what you can do to help your clients achieve success with a social media strategy.

First and foremost, your social media proposal should focus on the value that you and your team will bring to your client. If you are able to show the results you can achieve and the value these results will add, discussing the actual activities involved is less important. To show value, elaborate on the following areas within your social media proposal.

Social media goals

Like a marriage proposal, a social media proposal is about looking towards the future. What are your clients’ business goals? What does success look like to them? Your social media proposal should outline not only the agreed upon goals of the company, but how you plan to achieve those goals. The social media action plan you propose should line up with the goals stated. If your client is having trouble defining their goals, help them out with the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting system.

The S.M.A.R.T. framework means that the goals outlined should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Our post, Don’t Just Create Social Media Goals—Reach Them,  provides a guide to setting these goals, along with examples. Rather than say “I will use social media to increase brand awareness,” be specific and say “I will create a campaign of hashtag contests on Twitter to increase brand awareness.”

Goals included within the social media proposal should be not only your client’s goals and what they’re hoping to achieve, but the goals you have made for yourself to help them succeed.

Your team

Within your ‘Introduction’ section of the social media proposal, add a human element by introducing your team to your client. Include photos of your team members, along with a little write-up highlighting each team member’s strengths.

Include information on their roles and experiences, as well as who manages what and who is accountable for what area of the plan. In doing this, you are helping your client see the people and personalities behind the plan, instead of just imagining faceless drones carrying out the social media plan.

Your tactics and schedule

It’s hard to recognize the value in something without any end game, so including a schedule is crucial to your social media proposal. This schedule should include the specific tasks that will be completed in the social media strategy you are proposing.

Along with this timeline of milestones, you should provide a detailed proposal of procedures and social media activities that support your objectives. What campaigns will you be creating for the client? What are the timelines?

Things to consider include:

  • What type of content will be created or curated
  • Social promotions and campaigns
  • Analytics and return on investment (ROI)
  • Social media monitoring
  • Social media engagement
  • Social selling
  • Lead generation

Of course, your social media proposal should include a budget related to these items. Divide each phase of your proposed social media strategy and define the workflows, actions, team members, deliverables involved, and set specific start and end dates for these. This will show your client that you’re thinking carefully about time and resource management—and that you’re the one for the job.

Results

All social media proposals should include a section explaining how progress and success will be evaluated throughout. As our social media proposal template outlines:

  • Formulate clear indicators for each objective and result
  • Indicate how and when to conduct monitoring and evaluation activities to determine the project’s progress and outcome
  • State which methods will be used to monitor and evaluate the project
  • Identify who will carry out the project evaluation

At the end of the day, your client or potential client primarily cares about results. Manage expectations by showing them that you will keep them constantly updated with outcomes. This will help build trust and awareness for both you and your client.

Your social media proposal can make or break a relationship with a potential client. Using our template, you can communicate your value in the clearest way possible.

Download Social Media Proposal Template

 

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