Descriptive Words

Use these words in your proposals, estimates, and meetings to identify your design objectives before the visuals take form. Also encourage your clients to use adjectives to define the project rather than images. Once you start to settle on visuals, you can get locked in and become blind to other, potentially better, alternatives. These words are listed in pairs of opposites.

• cool — warm
• conservative — progressive
• stable — dynamic
• traditional — innovative
• calm — energetic
• sophisticated — rough
  
• timeless — trendy
• serious — playful
• formal — casual
• masculine — feminine
• classic — contemporary
• enduring — fresh
  
• subdued — aggressive
• simple — complex
• hard — soft
• geometric — organic
• muted — bright
• sweet — spicy
• dependable — unpredictable
• secure — rebellious
• spiritual — scientific
• enlightened — primitive
• natural — engineered
• majestic — humble
• pure — wise
• delicate — robust
• relaxing — exciting
• passionate — clinical
• credible — mysterious
• crisp — lush
• hot — cold
  

Proposals

A proposal is more extensive than an estimate. Most of the time your proposal will be competing with others. Like your estimate, you will want to have a basic proposal written so you only have to fill in the details for a specific project.

If you are responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP), be sure to read it thoroughly and follow every step carefully. In addition to the specific information requested, include the following:

• Cover Letter: Address it to a person, and state why you are interested in the project. Briefly summarize why you are the best candidate. Thank them for the opportunity to submit your proposal.
• Copyright Statement: Protect your ideas by putting a copyright statement on at least one page. Something like “This document and all its contents is copyrighted by [your name]. This proposal should be considered private and confidential and may not be shared with anyone outside the decision-makers in your office.”
• Project Description: Write down the parameters of the project as you understand them. If the physical format has been determined, record that.
• Target Audience: Describe as clearly as possible the audience for your piece. Be wary of a client who cannot narrow down their audience and wants to appeal to “everyone.”
• Design Objectives: Use adjectives to describe the mood or tone of the piece. (See “Descriptive Words.”)
  
• Project Goals: If measurable goals are desired state them here. If not, be as specific as possible as to what your client hopes to accomplish with this piece. What action do you want the recipient to carry out?
• Schedule: List the key dates which will include: copy due, photos due, design presentation, first layout, revisions due, revised proof due, (additional rounds of revisions?), final approval, due to press, delivery.
• Estimates: List every phase of the project and the corresponding cost. Alternatively, state only the total. See the entry on “estimates” for more details.
• Design Philosophy: Describe your approach to design. Your way of designing is as unique as you are. In addition, this is the section where I make a statement about design ethics, as quoted from the AIGA website: “Capable and professional designers do not work for free. Requesting work for free reflects a lack of understanding and respect for the value of effective design as well as the time of the professionals who are asked to provide it. A more effective and ethical approach to requesting work is to ask designers to submit examples of their work from previous assignments as well as a statement of how they would approach your project.” (See “Spec Work.”)
  
• About You and Your Business: You might simply have your resume here, or a narrative of your career, or a description of your business. The point is to emphasize your experience as it applies to the project at hand.
• Samples: Include samples of your work that show your ability to handle the type of project you are bidding on. The format can be digital or hard copies, depending on how you will submit the proposal.

Your proposal package should be well designed. Shouldn’t that go without saying? It should reflect the best you are capable of.