Marketing proposal

Marketing agency proposal template

A marketing proposal to download as a Word file or copy section by section: a filled-in example scope, a 90-day plan, KPIs with baselines and three retainer options. Complete email marketing and PPC versions are further down the page.

Get the editable proposal

Download the Word file and replace every [bracket] and example figure, or copy the sections below. The .docx opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages and LibreOffice.

Use the marketing proposal for multi-channel retainers. Use the email version for segmentation, automation flows, templates and list responsibilities, and the PPC version when ad spend, management fees, tracking and optimization need their own sections.

Proposal sections to copy

Executive summary

Two or three short paragraphs: the client's goal, your plan and the investment. Some decision-makers read only this page.

Section 1
[Client Name] wants to [goal, e.g., "grow qualified demo requests from 40 to 70 a month within 12 months"] without raising cost per lead above $[amount].

We propose a 12-month marketing program across search, paid media, content and email. The first 90 days fix tracking and conversion basics and launch the two channels most likely to move that number quickly: [channel 1] and [channel 2]. From month 4, we put more budget behind what is working and add [channel 3].

Recommended option: Growth, at $[amount]/month with a 3-month initial term. The scope, timeline, KPIs and pricing are set out below.

Your goals and current situation

Show you listened. Use the client's own numbers rather than industry averages.

Section 2
What you told us:
- Main goal: [e.g., more qualified demo requests]
- Target customer: [role, company size, industry]
- Current baseline: [X] leads/month, [X]% landing page conversion, $[X] cost per lead
- What has been tried: [e.g., "Google Ads in 2025, paused because lead quality was poor"]

What we found in our review:
- Strengths: [e.g., strong organic rankings for brand searches]
- Gaps: [e.g., no conversion tracking on the demo form; email list not segmented]
- Competitors: [Competitor A] is strong on [channel]; no one in the category is doing [opportunity] well

Strategy

Explain the logic in plain language: which channels, in what order, and why.

Section 3
Our approach has three stages:

1. Fix the foundation (month 1): conversion tracking, analytics goals, landing page fixes and a clear offer.
2. Launch the fastest channels (months 2-3): [channel 1] and [channel 2], optimized weekly.
3. Scale and add (months 4-12): move budget to whatever hits the target cost per lead, then add [channel 3].

What we are not recommending, and why: [e.g., "TikTok ads, because your buyers are IT directors and the channel would not reach them efficiently."]

Scope of work

List what is included each month, with quantities. A vague scope is where retainers lose money.

Section 4
Example scope for the Growth option (replace with your own):

Strategy and reporting
- Monthly strategy call (60 minutes) and written report
- Quarterly business review with a plan for the next quarter

Paid search and paid social
- Campaign management on [Google Ads] and [LinkedIn Ads]
- Up to [X] new ad variations per month
- Ad spend is paid directly by [Client Name] and is not part of our fee

SEO and content
- [X] optimized articles per month, [1,500-2,000] words each
- Technical SEO fixes from the initial audit, up to [X] hours per month

Email
- [X] campaigns per month
- One automated nurture sequence (5 emails) built in the first quarter

Not included: website redesign, video production, print and ad spend. We can quote these separately.

90-day plan and milestones

Show what happens in the first quarter and what you need from the client at each stage.

Section 5
Weeks 1-2: Kickoff, account access, tracking audit
Milestone: tracking plan approved

Weeks 3-4: Tracking and landing page fixes live; keyword and audience research
Milestone: campaign plan approved

Weeks 5-6: Paid campaigns launch; first two articles published
Milestone: campaigns live

Weeks 7-10: Weekly optimization; nurture sequence written and approved
Milestone: nurture sequence live

Weeks 11-12: First quarterly review of results against baseline, and the plan for months 4-6
Milestone: next-quarter plan approved

What we need from you: access to [ad accounts, analytics, CMS, email platform] by [date], one named approver for content, and feedback within 3 business days.

KPIs and reporting

Agree baselines and targets you can actually measure, and say when reports arrive.

Section 6
We will report monthly against these KPIs. Targets are confirmed once tracking is fixed in month 1.

- Qualified leads per month: baseline [X], 6-month target [X]
- Cost per qualified lead: baseline $[X], target $[X]
- Landing page conversion rate: baseline [X]%, target [X]%
- Organic sessions to key pages: baseline [X], 12-month target [X]
- Pipeline value from marketing-sourced leads: tracked from month 3

Reports arrive by the [5th] business day of each month: a short summary, results against target, what we changed and what we will do next.

Team

Name the people who will do the work, and back up experience with one or two real examples.

Section 7
- [Name], Account lead: your main contact; runs monthly calls and reporting
- [Name], Paid media specialist: builds and optimizes campaigns
- [Name], Content and SEO lead: plans, writes and edits content
- [Name], Email specialist: builds the nurture sequence and campaigns

Relevant experience: [one or two short, real results shared with the client's permission, e.g., "For [client], a [industry] company, we [result] in [timeframe]."]

Investment

Offer two or three options with clearly different scope. Label any example figures and replace them with your own rates.

Section 8
Example pricing structure (illustrative; replace with your own rates):

Option 1: Foundation, $[amount]/month
Tracking, one paid channel, 2 articles a month and a monthly report.

Option 2: Growth (recommended), $[amount]/month
Everything in Foundation, plus a second paid channel, 4 articles a month and email.

Option 3: Scale, $[amount]/month
Everything in Growth, plus [channel 3], conversion rate testing and a call every two weeks.

Setup fee (one-time): $[amount] for tracking, audits and campaign builds.
Ad spend: paid directly by [Client Name]. We recommend starting at $[amount]/month.

Terms: 3-month initial term, then rolling monthly with 30 days' notice. Invoiced monthly in advance; payment due within 15 days.

Why us

Be specific. Replace every claim with something the client can check.

Section 9
- We specialize in [industry or customer type], so [relevant advantage, e.g., "we already know which keywords and audiences convert for B2B software"]
- You work with the people named above, not a rotating team
- You can see campaign status and reports at any time in [your client portal or reporting tool]
- [One specific, verifiable proof point: a result, certification or reference client]

Next steps

Make saying yes easy, and put an expiry date on the proposal.

Section 10
1. Reply with any questions, or book a 30-minute call: [link]
2. Choose an option and we will send the agreement for signature
3. On signing, we invoice the setup fee and the first month
4. Kickoff within 5 business days of signing

This proposal is valid until [date].

How to use: Copy each section above into your proposal document. Replace the bracketed placeholders, such as [Client Name] and [amount], with your details, and replace any example figures with your own scope and rates before you send it.

Choose the version for your work

Use only the sections that match your engagement. Each version below contains its own complete working text or checklist.

Email marketing proposal

Use this version for email programs. It covers segmentation, automation flows, campaign calendar, template design, list management and compliance responsibilities, reporting and three investment options.

Edits stay in this page until you leave. Download a copy before closing.

PPC and paid social proposal

Use this version for paid campaigns. It covers the account audit, platforms and budget split, keyword and audience targeting, ad creative, ad spend versus management fees, conversion tracking and optimization scope.

Edits stay in this page until you leave. Download a copy before closing.

What this proposal template covers

Filled-in example scope

Every section includes a worked example (goals, channels, monthly deliverables with quantities) so you can see the level of detail to aim for, then replace it with your own.

90-day plan with milestones

A week-by-week first quarter with a named milestone at each stage and the access and approvals you need from the client.

KPIs with baselines

Targets are set against the client's current numbers, not industry averages, and confirmed once tracking is fixed.

Three retainer options

Foundation, Growth and Scale tiers with clearly different scope, a setup fee, ad spend shown separately and a stated minimum term.

Clear exclusions

Lists what is not included (ad spend, redesigns, video) so there is no argument later about what the retainer covers.

Approval-ready next steps

Ends with four numbered steps from questions to kickoff, and a date the proposal is valid until.

Tips for writing this proposal

  • Use the client's own numbers. A baseline from their analytics is more convincing than any industry benchmark.
  • Do not promise results you cannot control. Commit to activities and reporting, and set targets together once tracking is in place.
  • Show ad spend separately from your fee, in writing, in every option.
  • Put the recommended option in the middle and say why you recommend it.
  • Keep the main proposal to about 6-10 pages and move case studies and team bios to an appendix.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a marketing proposal be?

Long enough to cover goals, scope, timeline, KPIs, team and pricing. For most retainers that is about 6 to 10 pages, with case studies and bios in an appendix. Keep the executive summary to one page, because some decision-makers read nothing else.

What is the most important section in a marketing proposal?

The executive summary and the scope. The summary decides whether the client reads on. The scope decides whether the retainer is profitable: "ongoing social media support" leads to disputes, while "12 posts and 2 reels a month on Instagram and LinkedIn" does not.

How should I present pricing in a marketing proposal?

Give two or three options with clearly different scope, recommend one and say why. Show ad spend separately from your fee, include any setup fee, and state the minimum term and notice period. If you show projections next to the price, base them on the client's own baseline and label them as estimates.

Should I include ROI projections?

Only if you can explain the assumptions. A simple model (current leads, an expected improvement in conversion, average deal value) labelled as an estimate is fine. Avoid projections built on "industry averages" you cannot source.

How do I handle objections in a marketing proposal?

Answer the likely ones in the proposal itself. If budget is the concern, offer a smaller first phase. If commitment is the concern, offer a 3-month initial term. If results are the concern, agree the KPIs and review dates up front.

Can I send this proposal from AgencyPro?

Yes, on the Pro plan. AgencyPro Documents lets you build a proposal from a template, pull line items from your service list, see when the client views it, collect acceptance and e-signatures, and convert it into a contract or invoice.

How digital marketing agencies run retainers and reporting in AgencyPro

Retainers, client requests, approvals and invoices in one branded portal.

Related proposal templates

Send proposals that turn into invoices

On the AgencyPro Pro plan, build proposals from templates, see when the client opens them, collect e-signatures, and convert an accepted proposal into a contract or invoice.