Business Proposal Email Format: Cold Email Templates That Work

If you're trying to figure out how to write a business proposal email format that gets replies from cold leads, be direct, relevant, and personal. You're reaching out to someone who probably doesn’t know you, so your email needs to make sense from the first line. 

Whether you’re offering a product, pitching a partnership, or sending an export proposal, your goal is to get a response. 

Below, you’ll find the best cold email templates to help you write your own business proposal from scratch.

What is a Business Proposal Email?

A business proposal email is a professional message sent to a prospect that talks about a specific offer, product, or service you offer. Unlike a casual email, its format introduces you to the prospect with your proposal, highlights benefits, and encourages them to take action.

Now you might wonder— what is the difference between this and a proposal letter?

Well, while a proposal letter is usually a formal document, a proposal email is concise, digital-first, and designed for faster communication.

How Do You Write a Business Proposal Email

If you want to write a business proposal email that creates an impact on your recipients, it would need structure and clarity.

Here’s a step-by-step approach:

Start with a Clear Subject Line 

Your subject lines should be clear enough to hold your recipients’ attention. So you should always stick to the point and say what really matters.

Here’s an example: “Proposal: Scaling Your Website with Modern Tech.”

Greet the Recipient Professionally

Your greeting should be professional, yet highly personalized. So, use Spintags while writing your emails to make sure your email looks like it’s handwritten for your prospects specifically. 

For example: “Dear [Name]” or “Hi [First Name].”

Introduce Yourself and Context

An email with no clear self introduction, looks like a spam email. So, always explain who you are and why you’re reaching out to them. Make it look like you’re keen to build a relationship with your prospects.

Here’s an example: Hi I am [Your Name], and I help [Focused Market] With [Products / Services You Offer]

State Your Proposal Clearly

Tell why you are sending them the email, how you want to proceed, and how you think this will turn into a long-term relationship. So outline your letter in 2 to 3 sentences, and be concise with your words.

Highlight Benefits

Let your prospects know how your solution can bring change into their businesses. For that you can add a line where you mention a competitor and how your service helped them.

Add a Call-to-Action 

Always suggest to them the next step. Add a call-to-action button where they can book a meeting with you, or get the chance to call you, or review your website. 

Tip - Try an Online Email Generator

If writing proposal emails from scratch feels a bit overwhelming, you can always lean on AI email generator. It’s a handy tool many professionals use to create personalized emails without spending hours drafting and rewriting.

Just type in a few details like who you’re writing to, what your proposal is about, and a quick line about yourself. The tool will generate a clear, well-structured email that sounds professional and communicates your offer naturally. It’s a simple way to save time while still sending something that feels thoughtful and polished.

Attach Supporting Files

Don’t forget to add a word or a PDF proposal, where you need to. 

If you want to send your clients to review it and add comments to understand more about your offerings, send them a word proposal. And if you want to send the final and polished version of your proposal, you can send a PDF.

Best Business Proposal Email Format Templates

These cold email templates are built for one purpose: helping you connect with new prospects. 

Pick the template that fits your offer, and send it according to your audience list:

Simple Business Proposal Email Sample

Subject: Proposal for [Project Name]  

Hi [Client Name],  

I hope you’re doing well. I’m reaching out to propose [solution/service] that could help [specific business goal].  

I’d be happy to share more details or set up a quick call to discuss this further.  

Looking forward to your thoughts.  

Best regards,  

[Your Name]  

Product Proposal Email Sample

Subject: Product Proposal to Boost [Client’s Business Metric]  

Dear [Client Name],

I wanted to introduce [Product Name], which has helped companies like [Example] achieve [result].  

I’d love to send you a quick demo or walk you through case studies that highlight how we can bring similar results to [Client’s Company].  

Would you be open to a short call this week?  

Best,  

[Your Name]

Project Proposal Email Sample

Subject: Proposal Submission for [Project Name] 

Hello [Client Name],  

Thank you for considering us for your [type of project]. Please find attached our detailed proposal, including timeline, pricing, and deliverables.  

I’d be happy to answer any questions or schedule a call to go through the details.  

Best regards,  

[Your Name]  

Business Proposal Email to Client (Formal)

Subject: Business Proposal for [Client’s Company]  

Dear [Client Name],  

Please find attached a detailed business proposal for [solution/service]. Our approach is designed to [specific benefit: increase sales, reduce costs, etc.].  

I would be delighted to schedule a discussion at your convenience to walk you through our proposal.  

Sincerely,  

[Your Name]  

Editable Word Template for Simple Business Proposal Email 

Subject: Business Proposal

Hi [First Name],

I hope you're doing well. I'm [Enter Your Name], reaching out from [Enter Your Company Name].

We have successfully worked with businesses like yours to [Mention Specific Value, save time, boost leads, simplify operations, etc.]. So I checked out your website and believe we can help you attain your business goals.

Shall I send you a short proposal outlining how we can help you?

Thanks,

[Your Name]

[Job Title]

[Contact Info]

Basic Business Offer Email Template

Subject: Proposal to Help [Company Name] with [Problem/Solution]

Hi [First Name],

I'm [Your Name], and I wanted to reach out with a quick business offer that may benefit [Their Company Name].

Our team helps companies with [specific service or solution], and I believe there's a way we can help you reach your targeted outcome.

Would you like me to mail you over a proposal for review?

Thanks,

[Enter Name]

Company Proposal Email Sample

Subject: Proposal for [Specific Service/Product]

Hi [First Name],

I’m reaching out to share a proposal that could support your goals at [Company Name].

We help companies like yours with [brief description], and I’d be happy to send over a tailored proposal if you're open to it.

Let me know either way.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Export Business Proposal Email Sample

Subject: Export Proposal from [Your Company Name]

Hi [First Name]

I'm with [Your Company Name], an exporter based in [location], and we specialize in [ the product category].

We've worked with businesses in [their region or country] and are now looking to connect with new partners like you. So I’d like to send you a brief proposal if that’s alright.

Happy to share more when you're ready.

Best,

[Your Name]

Business Partnership Proposal Email Sample

Subject: Partnership Proposal

Hi [First Name],

I hope you're doing well this week. I’m reaching out to see if there’s an opportunity for a business partnership between your company, [Their Company Name ] and ours [Your Company Name].

We focus on [industry/service], and I think there’s room that we can work together on [Mention the specific area]. Would you be open to review a quick proposal?

Warm regards,

[Your Name]

Sales Proposal Email Template

Subject: Sales Proposal for [Their Company Name]

Hi [Prospect Name],

I noticed [something specific about their company, new launch, expansion, etc.] We offer [product/service summary] that aligns well with your current priorities. 

So I’ve prepared a short proposal that I think could help you with your current priorities.

Can you please review it and see if we have a chance of working together?

Thanks,

[Your Name]

Detailed Business Proposal Email Format

Subject: Business Proposal for [Their Company Name]

Hi [Prospect Name],

I’m [Provide Your Name] from [Put Your Company], and we offer [write short description].

After looking into your work in [industry or business area], I’ve created a proposal that shows how we can help with your specific business outcome [put tentative result].

Let me know if I should send it over or if you’d prefer a quick call.

Best,

[Your Name]

[Your Contact Info]

White-Label Cold Email Tool Template

Subject: A cold email tool with your branding – interested?

Hi [First Name],

I noticed you run [Company Name] and I’m guessing you work with several clients regularly.

Quick question: how are you managing cold email campaigns for them right now?

From what I hear, most agencies face the same challenges, either no tool that supports their own branding, or rising per-client software costs.

If you’re facing similar issues, just reply "Y" and I’ll send over a simple and affordable solution that fits your setup.

Best,
[Your Name]
[Your Title or Company]

Subject Line Examples for Business Proposal Emails

As I have mentioned above, your subject line will decide whether your email gets opened or not. 

So, here are some examples of business proposal subject lines that will help your emails get opened:

“Proposal: Helping {{Company}} Boost Revenue by 20%”

“Business Proposal: Collaboration on [Project Name]”

“Follow-up: Proposal Submission for [Project Name]”

“Partnership Proposal for [Industry/Service]”

“Business Proposal: Custom [Service] for [Client Name]”

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Proposal Emails

Marketers often make small mistakes while writing proposals, which impact them big in results. So, to avoid them, here are some things that you can follow:

• Avoid writing emails that are long with too much detail.
• Never forget to include a clear call-to-action (CTA), so that your prospects can reach out.
• Vague or generic subject lines will straightaway send your emails to the junk box. So avoid that!
• Never forget to attach the supporting proposal file, or else, how will your prospects understand what you have to pitch?
• Avoid sending the same template to every client without personalization.

Warmup Your Emails Before Starting Your Outreach

Sometimes even the best business pitch ends up in spam, if your domain is new and unused. So, warming up your sender box is important, as it builds your email reputation. 

When your email reputation is strong, your business proposal emails land where they should: in the inbox. This can be the difference between getting a reply, or getting ignored.

Manyreach can help you with it. It uses an automated warmup process to build trust with email service providers helping you to send emails to your network accounts. This action makes your sender identity look natural, and helps with deliverability. 

FAQs

Q1. What is an export business proposal in cold outreach?

It’s a cold email sent by a company looking to export goods, offering to supply products under certain terms.

Q2. How can I send a cold email proposal to a shipping or logistics company?

Start with who you are, mention your shipping services, and ask if they’d like to see a quick proposal tailored to their operations.

Q3. How do I pitch a product using a cold email proposal?

Write a short message that explains what the product does, how it helps, and ask if they’re open to receiving a formal proposal.

Q4. What’s needed to create an export plan?

Include your product details, target country, price structure, delivery terms, and payment policy in your export proposal or plan.

Q5. What’s a short, usable sentence to describe export?

“We export high-quality textile products to global markets.”

Q6. What’s a clear one-line import sentence?

“We import specialized components from certified suppliers.”

Q7. How do I write and send a quotation for an export deal?

List the items, quantity, price, delivery terms, and payment method. Then send it as an attachment with a short email explaining what’s inside.

Q8. What’s the best way to send a business quote via email?

Mention the key details in your email, attach the quote, and clearly ask them to confirm or suggest edits.

Q9. How do I send a request for a proposal email?

Always with a polite greeting, then explain your request clearly, and after that outline the details you expect in the proposal. Finally, always end with a clear deadline.

Q10: What is the best subject line for a business proposal email?

The best subject lines are short and specific. For example: “Proposal Submission: Website Redesign for [Client]”.

Q11: Should I send a business proposal email in PDF or Word template?

You can use a PDF for polished, final submissions. On the other hand you can send a Word proposal for editable drafts or collaborative reviews.

Q12: What is a simple business proposal email sample?

A simple version of a proposal email introduces your service, states the benefit in 2–3 sentences. And these kinds of emails end with a call-to-action.

Q13: How do I write a business proposal letter vs email?

A proposal letter is a formal document with detailed sections. On the other hand, a proposal email is shorter and more conversational, with the letter often attached.

Conclusion

Cold business proposal email formats don’t need to be complex. Keep your messaging clear, personal, and straight to the point. And you can use the templates above to make it easy to get started. Keep it simple, professional, and effective.

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