A proposal is a boundary, not a brochure

The point of a written proposal is to get agreement on scope before work begins. It protects you from scope creep and protects the client from surprises. If it reads like marketing copy, rewrite it until it reads like a clear agreement.

What belongs in a simple proposal

  • What's included: number of servings/meals, cook day(s), grocery shopping (if applicable), cleanup, containers, labeling, storage.
  • What's not included: specialty equipment, serving/hosting, alcohol purchasing, meals for large gatherings beyond the agreed headcount, grocery costs if billed separately.
  • Frequency and schedule: weekly, biweekly, or custom — with the cutoff for changes (from Lesson 3).
  • Pricing: your rate, what it covers, when payment is due, and whether groceries are included or billed at cost. (More detail on pricing math in the next lesson.)
  • Duration or trial: is this ongoing until someone cancels, or a defined trial period (e.g., 4 weeks)?

Change orders are normal

Clients will ask for changes — more meals, a new restriction, a different day. That's fine. The habit to build: confirm changes in writing before you act on them.

  • "Happy to adjust — here's what the new week looks like: [updated scope]. Does that work?"
  • If the change affects price, say so upfront: "Adding a second cook day would bring the weekly total to $___."
  • Small changes compound. A pattern of "just one more thing" without updating scope is how you end up doing 40% more work for the same fee.

Plain language over legalese

You're writing a clear agreement between two people, not a contract that needs a lawyer to interpret. Use short sentences, specific numbers, and lists. The client should be able to read it in 3 minutes and say yes or ask one clarifying question.

That said — if your business grows to a point where formal contracts make sense, that's a conversation for an attorney, not a lesson body.

Before you continue

Draft a proposal template using your services from Lesson 1, boundaries from Lesson 3, and intake answers from Lesson 6. Fill in realistic numbers. You'll refine pricing in the next lesson.