Design Lesson

Business Forms

In short, proposals and contracts keep things smooth, professional, and drama-free. They make sure everyone’s on the same page, and they’re essential for protecting your time, effort, and creativity.

Why business forms matter

Two documents, one job

Part 1

Proposals

Proposals lay everything out so everyone knows what to expect. You get to outline the scope of work, timeline, budget, and deliverables upfront.

Get started
Part 2

Contracts

Having a clear contract makes you look professional and serious about your work. It shows you’ve got your business together and you’re not just winging it.

Get started

Samples

Samples of proposals and contracts are available in the course resources folder. You can also download the hourly proposal and contract sample here.

Open the sample proposal & contract (PDF, opens in a new tab)

Letterhead

Example letterhead footer reading “CLIENT NAME – 1 of 5 – #.#.20##”, with notes: include the page number and total number of pages so it is clear if one is missing, and include the date so it is clear when the document was created or updated.
Include a footer in your letterhead pages.

Action

  • Letterhead: Design your letterhead and use it for all the documents you create.
  • RFP: Review the project outlined in the supplied Job RFP document.
  • Proposal: Write a proposal that includes all the sections outlined—the proposal should be written for the project outlined in the supplied Job RFP.
  • Contract: Write a contract that is an addendum to the proposal (same job).

© Created by Sara Rosenstock, Marietta College Graphic Design.