What to Include in a Landscape Proposal

While landscape proposals used to be a simple one-page line-item invoice with a spot to sign approval at the bottom, proposals have since become more professional presentations.

Instead of simply being a rundown of services and pricing, landscape proposals now are an opportunity for companies to express their differentiating qualities and show why they’re the best company for the job. While some companies still choose to use a simple one-pager, the reality is that if you’re not presenting a professional landscape proposal, your competitors almost certainly are.

Below are some of the professional additions companies may include in a landscape proposal.

Cover Letter

A cover letter should be seen as your one-page, warm introduction to the prospect.

For a residential customer, this could also be a personalized letter from the CEO thanking the customer for the opportunity to bid their project, discussing why your company is the best choice for the job, and inviting them to reach out with any further questions or to get on the schedule.

For commercial projects, especially if the bid was complete in response to an RFP, this cover letter should address the project being bid, state project qualifications, and answer any other introductory questions posed in the RFP.

Landscape Bid

Of course, the bid itself is one of the most important parts of your landscape proposal. This should show line-by-line costs to the customer for materials, labor, equipment, and any other associated costs. It should also provide them the final bid amount and details any discounts provided.

Visual Representation of Project

A CAD drawing, illustration, or rendering of the landscape project—when relevant—can be a huge addition to your landscaping proposal. It not only helps to show your proposed solution for the space but also increases your probability of being hired for the job. That’s because a visual rendering can help emotionally connect the customer to the project. It will also be a representation of your professionalism and skill.

A visual representation of the project also helps your customer truly grasp your vision. Many clients won’t have the industry knowledge to know how big an Alocasia will grow or may have trouble visualizing your raised flower bed planting plan.

Customer Testimonials

Help persuade your prospective client to choose you as their landscape company by providing testimonials from clients who had positive experiences. Since we live in a testimonial-oriented society, providing positive customer reviews upfront helps shine a positive light on your company.

Information About Your Services

For simple landscape proposals, you may simply include a company brochure. However, there are many professional options for sharing information about your business. An example is the Arborgold dynamic proposal tool, which creates a virtual, interactive flipbook. This flipbook not only includes space for testimonials, bids, and insurance certificates but also has plenty of customizable space to include things like:

• Step-by-step action plan
• Company experience and specializations
• Case studies or example projects
• Lightboxes to share company YouTube videos
• And more

Insurance Certificates

Give your client peace of mind by including your insurance certificates. This helps your prospect know you’re a legitimate, professional company and helps them feel comfortable and protected when they choose to work with you.

Contract

The contract is an important piece to streamline the sale. It works best when the contract is virtual. This helps the client move from seeing the proposal to approving the project with as little downtime as possible. The last thing you want to happen is to receive a verbal approval but have a competitor swoop in and land the contract before you get a chance to send the final documents over.

Business Card

Last but not least, don’t forget to include a business card. Make it as easy as possible for them to contact you to get on the schedule as soon as they approve the bid.

How do You Create a Professional Landscape Proposal?

One of the easiest ways to create a professional landscape proposal is by using a template or software. This is especially true if the software you use has a bidding tool that calculates costs of labor, material, and equipment costs. Most landscape proposal templates can be customized to include your logo, color scheme, and even other branding components such as fonts. Put this templated proposal in a branded folder with at minimum a cover letter, business card, and brochure and you’re off to a good start.

Our contractors love the dynamic proposal tool within Arborgold Ultimate. This tool allows contractors to create an interactive virtual flipbook complete with a bid, company information, and high-quality landscape CAD rendering, click-to-open shadow boxes with additional information for those clients who like to dive deep, testimonials, and more. Read more about the Arborgold dynamic proposal tool here.