When a business plans to promote or market a new product or service, company executives will often ask for several marketing proposals to determine the best way to introduce the product to the market. While each marketing proposal will differ in terms of the overall content, the proposal formats will often be similar, as specific topics must be included to prepare an effective marketing plan.

Introduction and Overview

Marketing proposals should have a general introduction or overview. This section should discuss the product or service to be marketed in terms of its development, the product’s purpose for consumers and future goals for the item as presented by company executives. The overview also gives the reader a clear idea of whether the proposal writer understands the product or service involved.

Approaches and Benefits

The first main section of the marketing proposal should offer a list of ideas on how to market the product or service. Each method should be presented with a list of advantages and disadvantages. The proposal should leave the reader with a single recommended strategy that appears to be the best way for the business to market the item in question. This section should explain why this approach is the best and what the immediate and long-term benefits are.

Develop a Plan

The next section should break down a plan for the strategy recommended in the previous section. Depending on the strategy, there may be a single implementation, such as the launch of a website, or a campaign with several launch dates, like an advertising buy that will involve three separate commercials over three months on local television networks, for example. The plan might also suggest using several media. like a combination of print, broadcast and web marketing. The plan should address all the necessary information, so executives know exactly what to expect if the proposal idea is selected.

Budget and Funding

The third important section of the marketing proposal is the final budget, breaking down exactly how much the campaign will cost, including the labor involved. This gives company executives an idea of how much funding is needed from the company’s budget and how much will be needed from loans, investors or business grants, if applicable.

Conclusion

The conclusion section of the marketing proposal should briefly reiterate why the recommended plan is the proper choice for the business in question. The writer could mention the business' mission statement and explain how the expected results of the marketing program coincides with the goals of the company.