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It doesn’t matter how amazing you are on Instagram or how expert you are on TikTok. If you want to win business as a social media marketer, you don’t just need the skills. You also need a compelling pitch on social media.
For self-employed social media managers Just as much as marketing agencies, social media pitches are essential to growing your business, so you better be prepared to knock it out of the park.
Luckily, we’ve got you covered with this step-by-step guide to creating a proposal and a free social media proposal template to help you create your own in just a few minutes.
What is a social media proposal?
A social media marketing proposal is a comprehensive document outlining your strategy, goals, and tactics for managing a client’s social media presence. (FYI, we have an example social media proposal below.)
It serves as a roadmap (beep, beep!), helping you and your client understand the goals, outcomes, and expected outcomes of your social media efforts.
To start, you’ll need to figure out what those goals are.
Then you can share an action plan for how it will help and what success will look like.
A professional social media proposal should also include the dirty details: timeline, deliverables, and budgets.
Throughout the proposal, also Establish your expertise in the field and demonstrate why you are the right person (or company) for the job.. After all, a social media proposition isn’t just about what a company should do… but who should do it. (You! It’s always been you!)
Your social media proposal is also your opportunity to outline expectations, promises, and responsibilities from the beginning so that your working relationship with a new client doesn’t have any unpleasant surprises.
When do you need a social media proposal?
A social media proposal becomes crucial when looking to collaborate with clients in the development and execution of a strategic social media plan.
Whether you’re a freelance social media manager or part of an agency, having a proposal is essential before starting any campaign.
Integrating the social media proposition into your workflow is key to a smooth collaboration process.
It should be presented after initial discussions and consultations with the client, clearly outlining what they can expect from your services. This ensures that both parties are aligned before any work begins.
How to create a social media proposal
Identify the client’s needs and problems.
What problems do they face? What needs do they have? Don’t skimp on the detective work here. Dig deeper and research your client’s industry, target audience, and competition. Our guide to competitive analysis on social media guides you through this process.
Of course, in addition to your research, you’ll want ask your prospects what they think, also. Whether through a discovery call or intake form, get the answers you need straight from the source. (For more details on what questions to ask and where to find the answers, see our guide to asking a social media audit.)
That said, if you are responding to an RFP (Request for proposal) and not deal directly with your prospect, you may not have the option to question them.
In that case, familiarize yourself with the application document and use Hootsuite social listening features to help you gather valuable information that will inform your strategy.
Define your business goals and objectives.
Clearly describe the objectives and goals of the social media campaign. Keep it simple and specific – you want to leave little room for ambiguity. Fortunately, you have all this great research from the first step to help you identify both challenges and opportunities.
Specify the goals of the individual project, as well as the goal of the organization as a whole.. After all, any social media campaign will need to align with the client’s overall business goals and Key performance indicators (KPI).
If you are responding to an RFP, use language here that reflects how the organization has defined what it is looking for.
Set SMART social media goals
Those previous business goals? They set the stage for your social media goals, which you’ll share starting… now!
Set three to five SMART social media goals. Remember, SMART goals are strategic, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. (More in SMART goals on social media here!)
Each objective must specify:
- the platform(s) used
- the metrics
- an end date
It has to be clear when to measure the goal, that the success metric is, and as It relates to the overall objectives of the brand. (For example: increase Facebook followers by 25 percent by the end of the fourth quarter.)
Describe your game plan
It’s time to share your brilliant strategy in detail. Be sure to include the platforms you will focus on, types of content, publication frequencyand engagement tactics.
Remember: Everything you propose must be linked to those objectives. mentioned in the previous section. It’s not just about that you will do it, but because. Every action you suggest must be connected to a reason.
Your social media strategy and scope of work may cover things like:
- Promotions and campaigns on social networks.
- Content creation
- A strategic editorial schedule
- Social media monitoring
- Participation in social networks
- Social selling
- Leading generation
Whatever content is part of your proposal, make it very clear what your specific outcomes are.
Are you actually creating and publishing TikToks or just providing recommendations for the client team to execute? Make it very clear who does what and exactly what the customer can expect to receive..
Break down the schedule and budget
Now that everyone is excited about the social media scheme you have presented, it’s time to Describe when and how you are going to make this happen..
A schedule can be very detailed, with dates for content development, testing, or analysis. Or maybe it’s just a list of high-level due dates for each deliverable.
(Psst: Download your own version of this timeline in our practice social media proposal template)
Including milestones and records It’s a good idea to keep everyone happy and informed… and stay on track.
At this point, it is also helpful to share a transparent breakdown of the budget and resources required for the campaign. This includes ad spend, content creation costs, and any additional tools or platforms needed… and your fee. (Whether this is a flat rate or hourly rate is up to you and your client to decide.)
Define success
When your big plan comes to fruition, how will you know? It is important to agree from the beginning on what defines success: what will be the key performance indicators?
Describe how you will measure the viability of the campaign.. (Good date: Hootsuite Analytics Tools They are an easy way to show your client the real-time impact of their efforts. In your reports, you can compare social metrics over time and even between networks).
Pro Tip: Take advantage of Hootsuite social listening tools for an outstanding proposal. Learn about potential customers, your industry, and competitors, and then reference real data in your proposal to demonstrate a deep understanding of the current social media landscape. This personal touch shows your experience. and Build trust with your potential client. Everyone wins.
Write an executive summary.
This is the first section of your proposal on social networksbut it is essentially a general description of the proposal, so We strongly recommend writing this part last.. Once you’ve refined all the other details, it may be easier to understand the most important points to include here.
Think of it as the tl;dr for busy executives. Summarize the needs of the proposed project in less than one page. Identify the problem, share expected results, and clarify budget and resource requirements.
Social Media Proposal Template
Need a social media proposal example? Download our practical social media proposal template now…
…or use the outline below to quickly put together your own professional social media proposal.
Executive Summary
- Brief overview of your agency and experience.
- Explain the purpose of the proposal.
- Summarize the proposed solution.
- Share expected results, budget and schedule.
Client Background Information
- Summarize the client’s business and campaign objectives.
- Summary of your current social media presence.
Goals and objectives of the social campaign.
- Clearly define objectives and goals for the social campaign.
social media strategy
- Detail your plan to execute the campaign
- Propose types of content and publication schedule.
- Clarify responsibilities
Schedule, budget and resources
- Create a schedule of milestones and deadlines.
- Share a cost breakdown, including ad spend and additional tools.
Measurement and analysis
- KPI scheme
- Define how and when success will be measured.
Terms of agreement
- Explain your rates, work style, and billing preferences.
- Clarify how to terminate the project if it is not going well for either party
But remember: this is just one example of a social media proposal. Each project and client will require something unique from you with your proposal.
You may want to include “next steps” that clarify what happens after you submit the proposal. It may be helpful to include examples of similar work you have done for other clients. Use this social media proposal template as a starting point and add or subtract as needed.
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