Create Black and Blue Business Proposal Cover Page

Win attention before page two

A proposal is a sales document, and the cover is the first impression. The black block holds a large, white title, and the photo area lets you add a picture of your work, your city or your product so the cover feels specific to the client.

Who it is for, who it is from

A vertical label on the left reads “Prepared for” followed by the client’s name. The sender’s name and job title appear lower down, over the photo, together with the date.

Form fields

• Title and sub-title
• Date
• The client’s name, job title, company, address, phone and email for the “prepared for” block
• The sender’s own name and job title
• A photo and your logo

A tip on photos

Use a landscape picture with a calm area, so the sender details remain easy to read on top of it.

The page that decides whether it gets opened

A proposal competes with other proposals, and the cover is the first thing a client sees on the desk. The black title block and blue vertical bar look serious, while the photo area can show a team, a product or a site. Naming the client prominently signals that the proposal was written for them.

Created For and Created By

Created For takes the client or department you are pitching to, and Company Name their organisation. Created By carries your name and company. The date appears on the cover too, so use the proposal date rather than a draft date. Sub Title can hold the project reference or the scope in a few words.

Choosing the photo

One strong photograph, such as your team at work, a product in use or the site you will build on, does more than a stock image. Use landscape pictures at least 1200 pixels wide, and avoid photos with text on them, which clash with the printed title.

Version control for proposals

Proposals pass through many drafts. Put a version or reference in the sub title, such as Draft 3, and update it each time you generate the cover. When the final copy is sent, remove the draft mark so the client receives a clean first page.

Quick answers