The Anatomy of a Proposal

Hi, it’s Lisa again.

I’m the one who walks you through that proposal deck, the document meant to capture the key insights from our conversations and your brand's ambitions, all in one place.

What you don’t usually see is how we put it together: the choices we make, what gets included, and why.

For us, a proposal isn’t just a recap or a number. It’s the first proof point of how we’ll work together, and when you're reading proposals, that's what you should be looking for too. 

1. Every "what" should come with a "why"

When you're reviewing a proposal, don't just skim the deliverables. Anyone can write “Brand Guidelines” or “Concept Development.” What matters is why those things exist in the recommended approach.

When we write a proposal, we’re not just listing the steps. We’re explaining why each one matters to the success of your brand long-term. The why behind a brand strategy phase might be that it sets the foundation for the next decade of your growth. The why behind brand guidelines isn’t that they look nice in a PDF, it’s that they keep your investment from being diluted or misinterpreted by every other partner who touches your brand.

A proposal is not meant to be just a brag board or a case study reel. Those things prove we’ve done great work, but they don’t explain how we’ll do it for you. The value is in the connective tissue. It's the clarity that comes from knowing not just what we’ll do, but why it matters for your brand, your goals, and your future.

That’s why every milestone has a reason. The “why” is where confidence comes from.

2. Look for research, not guesswork

Strong proposals don't rely on assumptions. We get it. Research can feel like an exhausting lift, and the last thing you want is to repeat what’s already been done. If you're already feeling like you've outgrown your strategy, that's a sign the market, your customers, or you have shifted.

That’s why you might see discovery phases — retail audits, consumer segmentation, brand health assessments — included. If you already have recent research, the right partner will use it, not ask you to redo it. They'll dive in, absorb it, and put it to work so nothing goes to waste.

The point isn’t to add more boxes to check. The point is to make sure the decisions we make are rooted in the right context and data, not in guesswork or assumptions.

Because guesswork is expensive and brands don’t lose money in the design phase. They lose money when they skip discovery and end up solving the wrong problem.

3. Budgets shouldn't be black boxes

The numbers in a proposal aren't just math. They set the tone for everything that follows.

Discussing budget may not be the most glamorous part of building a brand, but it's one of the most important signals of trust.

In our initial conversations, we’re going to ask about your budget range. Not because we’re trying to use every penny, but because we need to know whether to build you a two-story or a ten-story house. If we don’t know the scale, we can’t create a plan that’s realistic for your goals and your business.

We believe clarity beats mystery every time. That’s why our proposals show scale, context, and options. Not to overwhelm you with detail, but to make sure you know exactly what you’re saying yes to.

Trust doesn’t begin six months into the work. It begins the moment we talk about investment. If we can’t have an open conversation about budget, then we’re already building on shaky ground.

When you know the why, the what, and the scale of the how, you can commit with confidence. And that’s when real partnership begins.

4. A proposal should feel like a partner, not a pitch

When you're reading a proposal, ask yourself: does this feel like a one-off, or like the beginning of a relationship? At the end of the day, a proposal is more than a scope. It’s a signal of how we’ll carry you through.

Building a brand isn’t a one-time project. It’s a relationship. The brand we create together deserves to stay consistent, whether it shows up on social, in a campaign, in PR, or on your website.

That’s why we push for continuity in the plan. Because your brand deserves a guardian, not a revolving door of interpretations. We offer brand management after our initial project, because by then we know how we work together and how to protect and extend what we’ve built together.

Our brand management retainers aren’t about adding complexity. They’re about simplifying your life. About keeping the good thing going. About saving you from the migraines of tracking whether your brand is showing up the way it should across every channel.

Because a strong brand is one of the most valuable assets your business will ever own, and protecting it shouldn’t be your part-time job.