Interiorscape Proposal Strategies to Win More Business

Creating an easy-to-read, eye-catching interiorscape proposal is one of the most important aspects of gaining new clients, securing recurring plant service contracts, and winning bids. Proposals can be frustrating, time-consuming, and about as enjoyable as doing a tax return. I’ve also found that no single proposal works for every client or every situation. Over the years, I’ve developed a few strategies that make creating proposals more efficient and far more successful.

Simplifying With Concept Proposals

One of the most challenging aspects of creating an interiorscape proposal is determining your costs and profit margins. In certain situations, I leave this part out and opt for what I call the concept proposal. A concept proposal consists of your company’s information and the client’s or potential client’s details, along with before-and-after images or design renderings of the space. There is no pricing or scope of work—only a brief summary of your vision for the project. This type of proposal is ideal when trying to solicit new accounts or when you want to influence a long-time client to consider an interior plant redesign or upgraded plant maintenance services.

The key to a successful concept proposal is grabbing the client’s attention with enticing images that show how you can transform their space from bland to vibrant. The sharper and more eye-catching the images, the better your chances of capturing the client’s attention. Software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Canva, and other design tools can improve the quality of your design images. If you’re not comfortable using these programs, it may be worth investing in a graphic designer.

Once the client starts asking questions about costs, that’s when you know you’ve got their attention. At this stage, it’s worth your time to include an itemized price list. At the end of the proposal, I paste my scope of work and legal terms to complete the package. This approach keeps the initial proposal simple and focused, saving time while still engaging the client.

Navigating Budgets With Tier Proposals

One of the trickiest aspects of creating an interiorscape proposal is when a new client doesn’t know how much they want to spend or won’t disclose their budget. No matter the reason, not knowing your client’s price range feels like playing a frustrating guessing game. You can often estimate a client’s budget by observing their office environment. A high-end space filled with marble, luxury furnishings, and artwork suggests they may have the budget for premium foliage and plant containers to match. But this is just an assumption, and we all know what they say when you assume. 

To avoid this guessing game, I use a three-tier proposal. I always start with a high-end design, followed by a mid-range option and a more economical version. This approach helps prevent sticker shock from scaring off a first-time client by giving them more affordable options. Interestingly, I’ve also had the reverse happen when using this approach—clients fall in love with the most expensive design and end up increasing their original budget. The three-tier proposal gives clients options that align with their preferences and spending capacity, making it an effective strategy for creating winning interiorscape proposals.

Mastering the Art of the Bid

The most stressful type of proposal is the bid. If you haven’t yet experienced the bidding process, it can be intense. Typically, it’s a large corporate account that opens its commercial plant maintenance contract for bids every few years, pitting competitors against each other to drive down prices. Or the account may be unhappy with its current interiorscape provider and is looking for a new vendor. Either way, doing a building walk-through with your competition can be intimidating.

In most cases, the client just wants the bottom-line price for their current plant inventory, so you don’t need to spend time creating visuals. You’ll likely receive a list of the existing plant inventory to price out. The pressure comes from knowing that other interiorscape companies are trying to win the same account, which can influence your decisions.

If you really want the account, it can drive you crazy wondering if the competition is going to undercut your prices. You might be tempted to lower your rates to barely cover expenses, but this is a big risk, especially if you’re locked into a multi-year contract. What often happens is that the quality of your work suffers because cutting labor and reducing plant replacements becomes the only way to make a profit.

Even if you provide great service, if the client regularly puts the contract out for bid, you could still lose the account to a lower bidder. I know of this happening to an interiorscape company that provided quality work but lost the contract after being underbid by just a few cents. The bidding process can be unpredictable, and undercutting your prices may not always be the best strategy in the long run.

Making Your Interiorscape Proposal Stand Out

Over the years, I’ve learned that it’s often the little things that make a proposal stand out. One that’s neat and easy to read leaves a much better impression than one that’s cluttered with too much information. Remember, your client may not know much about plants, so don’t bury them in botanical names and industry jargon. Keep your explanations simple and focus on how you’ll improve their space.

Anyone can say they provide great service. Your proposal should give clients reasons to believe it. That’s why I like to include high-quality photos of projects we’ve completed. It’s one thing to tell a client you can transform their space, but it’s another to actually show them. I also recommend including a few client references whenever possible. If your company has won awards or earned certifications, don’t be afraid to mention them. These details build confidence and reinforce why your company is the right choice.

Tailoring Your Proposals for Success

Depending on the situation, different proposal styles can help you achieve the result you want. Whether you’re presenting a concept, offering tiered pricing, or competing for a bid, choosing the right approach for the client and the opportunity can make all the difference. A thoughtful, well-prepared interiorscape proposal can help you build trust, communicate your vision, and set the stage for a successful long-term relationship.